Divisions of Madras Presidency

The Madras Presidency(Tamil: சென்னை மாகாணம், Telugu: చెన్నపురి సంస్థానము, Malayalam: മദ്രാസ് പ്രസിഡന്‍സി,Kannada: ಮದ್ರಾಸ್ ಪ್ರೆಸಿದೆನ್ಚ್ಯ್, Oriya: ମଦ୍ରାସ୍ ପ୍ରେସୋଦେନ୍ଚ୍ଯ) was a province of British India comprising most of the present day Tamil Nadu along with a few districts and taluks of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Orissa.A few princely states,notably Ramnad and Pudukkottai also merged into the Presidency at some or the other time.The Presidency lasted till 1950, when it became the Madras State after India became a Republic. In 1953 Telugu speaking regions of the state split to form Andhra state. Subsequently in 1959, Kannada and Malayalam speaking areas were merged with Mysore and Travancore.

Administrative Zones of the Presidency

The Districts of Madras Presidency were divided into five zones:^[1]

The West Coast

The districts of the Presidency along the Arabian Sea constituted the West Coast. They were mainly the coastal districts of present day Kerala and Karnataka states.^[1]

The Deccan

These were also known as ceded districts since they were ceded to the British after the Anglo-Mysore War.The present day district of Bellary in Karnataka and Anantpur, Kadapa and Kurnool districts of Andhra Pradesh came under this zone.^[2]

The Agencies

The mountainous regions of the Eastern Ghats in present day Coastal Andhra and Orissa,more specifically the present day Ganjam District and some districts of Andhra like Vizag were called as Agencies.They were administered as "Tribal Belt" by British Collecters who were agents to the Governor.^[2]

Northern Circars

This zone included the coastal areas of districts of present day Coastal Andhra and Ganjam of Orissa.^[2]

The Coramandel

The Southern Division of the Presidency comprising much of modern Tamil Nadu was called the Coramandel.^[2]

Districts of the Presidency

Madras

The modern districts of Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu constituted the Madras District.This was one of the earliest areas to be colonized by the British.The present day city of Chennai,then Madras was given as a grant by the Kalahasti Nayak on Francis Day in 1640.^[3][4] The adjoining area of Chengalpet was merged into the district in 1763 when the Nawab of Arcot gave it to the British to solve his debt.^[5] The town of Sardas was a Dutch possession till 1819 before it was handed over to the British.^[5] Madras was an important battlesite during the Carnatic Wars between the English and the French.^[5] For a long time,Madras was the administrative capital of the Presidency.

North Arcot

See also: North Arcot

The modern districts of Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh, Vellore and Thiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu constituted the North Arcot District.Chittoor was the administrative city of the district.^[4]

South Arcot

See also: South Arcot

The modern districts of Villupuram and Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu constituted the South Arcot District.Before its possession by the British,it was part of the Carnatic along with North Arcot,Chengalpet and Nellore.^[6]

Salem

The modern districts of Salem, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri and Namakkal constituted the Salem District.^[7] Salem was one of the important districts where industrial development took place,most notably Steel Industries and the TVS Group established in Hosur by T. V. Sundaram Iyengar.^[8]

Coimbatore

The modern districts of Coimbatore, Erode, Tirupur, Nilgiris and a few taluks of Dindigul along with Kollegal Taluk of Karnataka constituted the Coimbatore District.^[9] Along with Salem, Coimbatore was one of the important industrial areas with noted figures like GD Naidu, G. Kuppuswami Naidu and Sri SP Narasimhulu Naidu contributing to the development of the region. Salem and Coimbatore were acquired from the Kingdom of Mysore by the British after the defeat of Tipu Sultan in 1792 and 1799 respectively.^[10][11]

Madura

The modern districts of Madurai, Theni and Sivaganga along with a few taluks of Ramnad, Virudhunagar and Dindigul formed the Madura district.^[12] Along with Tinnively,Madura was acquired after the bloody Polygar Wars between the British and some of the erstwhile chieftains of the Madurai Royal Family.Most of the Polygars who surrendered or helped the British were appointed as Zamindars in a few villages.The kingdoms of Ramnad and Sivaganga which were rules by Maravar Chiefs were merged into Madura as Zamindaris in 1803.^[13][14][15]

Pudukkottai

Main article: Pudukkottai state

Pudukkottai was a princely state formed by a branch of the Marava Caste^[16] during the later years of the Nayak Dynasty.It continued as a princely state till 1947 when it was merged into the Presidency as a part of Trichnopoly district.

Tinnively

The modern districts of Tirunelveli and Tuticorin along with a few taluks of Ramnad and Virudhunagar formed the Tinnively district.^[17] Many battles between Polygars and the British were fought in Tinnively which came to an end in 1801.Among the Prominent Polygars who fought the British was Veerapandiya Kattabomman.The port of Tuticorin was acquired from the Dutch.^[17]

Trichnopoly

The modern districts of Trichy, Karur, Perambalur and Ariyalur formed the Trichnopoly District.^[18] The fort of Trichy built by the Nayak Kings served as an important garrison in the battle against the French.

Tanjore

See also: Thanjavur Maratha kingdom

The modern districts of Thanjavur, Nagapattinam and Tiruvarur formed the Tanjore District.^[17] After the fall of the Cholas,the Tanjore country came under the Pandyan rule and subsequently the Delhi Sultanate before coming under Vijayanagara.Eventually a Vijayanagara Commander named Sevappa Nayadu was appointed as governor in 1532 and established the Tanjore Nayakar Kingdom which ruled till 1673.In 1674,the area came under the Marathas who ruled till 1855.After the death of the last king,Tanjore came under the British and became a part of the Presidency. ^[19]

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} Thurston 1913, pp. 8–9
2. ^ ^{a b c d} Thurston 1913, pp. 10–11
3. ^ "District Pofile - CHENNAI". Chennai.tn.nic.in. http://www.chennai.tn.nic.in/chndistprof.htm#hist. Retrieved 2009-09-07. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Madraspresidency 1862, pp. 12–13
5. ^ ^{a b c} Madraspresidency 1862, pp. 7–9
6. ^ Madraspresidency 1862, pp. 14–15
7. ^ Madraspresidency 1862, pp. 33–34
8. ^ TVS Iyengar
9. ^ Madraspresidency 1862, pp. 35–36
10. ^ "The city that is Coimbatore". The Hindu. 30 April 2005. http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2005043001980300.htm&date=2005/04/30/&prd=mp&. Retrieved 9 June 2010. 
11. ^ Markovits, Claude (2004). A history of modern India, 1480-1950. Anthem Press. pp. 253. http://books.google.com/books?id=uzOmy2y0Zh4C&pg=PA253&dq=coimbatore+1799&hl=en&ei=Wi1yTJ68C5CUvAOhpcy9Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CEMQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=coimbatore%201799&f=false. 
12. ^ Madraspresidency 1862, pp. 21–22
13. ^ "Sethupathi Tondaimans". The History of Tamil Nadu. http://www.tamilnadu.ind.in/tamilnadu_history/sethupathis_thondaimans/sethupathis.php. 
14. ^ "Holder of History:The Ramnad Sethupathis". High Beam. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1518390491.html. 
15. ^ "Sethupathi Dynasty of Ramnad - Guardians of Rama Sethu". Bridge of Ram. http://www.bridgeofram.com/2008/02/sethupathi-dynasty-of-ramnad-guardians.html. 
16. ^ Madraspresidency 1862, pp. 23
17. ^ ^{a b c} Madraspresidency 1862, pp. 24–25
18. ^ Madraspresidency 1862, pp. 19–20
19. ^ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Orissas-new-name-is-Odisha/articleshow/7780712.cms

References

• Thurston, Edgar (1913). Provincial Geographies of India:The Madras Presidency with Mysore, Coorg and Associated States. Cambridge University. 
• Brothers, Gantz (1862). A short account of the Madras Presidency. Oxford University. 

Bibliography

• The Maratha Rajas of Tanjore by K.R.Subramanian, 1928.