Women behind development of Mysuru state pretermitted in History

Even as a host of organisations are gearing up to celebrate International Women's Day (IWD) on March 8, Thursday, to commemorate the movement for women's rights, historians say that the erstwhile Mysuru state was far ahead of the times and women were in a position to grant rights to the people.

In 1910, the Socialist International decided to hold a Women's Day, international in character, to honour the movement for women's rights and to build support for achieving universal suffrage for women. No fixed date was selected for the observance then.

Historian Shalva Pille Iyengar said, when it comes to women education and empowerment, Chamaraja Wadiyar X realised the need for a separate girls school and established the Maharaini's School in 1881 at the insistence of his grandmother Devajammanni, who was popular as Sita Vilasa Sannidana. "It was the first separate school for girls in the whole of British India and other princely states in the sub-continent," he points out.

Historian Rao Bahadur R Narasimhachar's tributes to the queens is noteworthy, he says, "There are three jewels in Mysore's history, who have struggled for the country's good. Maharani Lakshmamanni, Sri Sita Vilasa Sannidhana and Sri Vani Vilasa Sannidhana."

Iyengar said, most of the historians have been partial towards men.

"History has been men-centric and historians have failed to record the contributions of women in the development of Mysuru state and city. Women also have been instrumental in the implementation of welfare projects and schemes for the people. So far, Mysuru has seen 27 Wadiyar kings under the Yadu dynasty, including titular kings and ceremonial kings. Some of them have made a mark as conquerors, some as administrators and some as reformers. Some of them have also failed as rulers. However, behind all successful Wadiyar kings, there have been inspiring and encouraging women in the form of grandmothers, mothers, sisters and spouse," he said.

"Lakshmamanni engineered the ouster of usurper Tipu Sultan, with the help of her loyals and the East India Company. She educated and trained her grandson Mummadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar to be king as he was just six years old during coronation. Devajammanni groomed her grandson Chamaraja Wadiyar X, who was five years old during coronation, to be an able king. Devajammanni was instrumental in charity and welfare programmes during the period of both Mummadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar and Chamaraja Wadiyar X. Although widowed at an young age, Kempananjammanni, the consort of Chamaraja Wadiyar X, groomed Rajarishi Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar," Iyengar said.

"Pratapa Kumari Ammani, consort of Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, who was in Mysuru for only a short period, also donated her jewels for the construction of Krishnaraja Sagar dam across River Cauvery," he points out.

"Even when, Raja Wadiyar II was poisoned by the Dalvoys, the maharani played a pivotal role in installing his cousin Ranadhira Kanteerava Narasaraja Wadiyar on the throne in 1638. But, not much literature is available in history, on most of the queens," he said.