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Review
The artistic representation of history,†says Aristotle, “is a more scientific and serious pursuit than the exact writing of history. For the art of letters goes to the heart of things, whereas the factual report merely collocates details.â€
This book has as its credo the above-mentioned philosophy in documenting and presenting history. It is by going into “the heart of things†that one experiences history as something which happened to people like ourselves, and that, in turn, reveals the relevance of that history for us today.
The early history of the Wodeyar Dynasty is a mesmerizing blend of facts and fiction---as numerous folk tales and legends seem to hold greater sway than chronicled and documented history. Towards the end of the 14th century, two young aspirants left their ancestral home in Dwaraka, Gujarat, towards the Southern province of Mysore. The principality was gripped in political turmoil with the death of its local chieftain and a usurper threatening to abduct the pretty princess and take over the kingdom. Yaduraya, the elder of the two aspirants, was destiny’s chosen man, to lead a valiant attack against the vile upstart, rescue the family in distress, wed the princess and assume the lordship of the place. This event in 1399 A.D. marked the birth of the Wodeyar Dynasty, which was among India’s longest reigning royal houses.
The name “Wodeyar†signified the humble beginnings of this family. It was a title conferred to anyone who occupied the position of governor of a small district, comprising of usually 33 villages. While many of the feudal lords and chieftains were content with this position of eminence, the Wodeyars, by virtue of their characteristic valour and the benign influence of lady luck, emerged as one of the most powerful Kingdoms of the Deccan---their position further bolstered by the elimination of the once mighty Vijayanagara Empire. They emerged as the natural claimants of the legacy bequeathed by the Glorious Empire.
In a 600-year vibrant history of the Wodeyars, replete with wars, palace intrigues, romance, valour and deceit, came a depressing phase of spineless monarchs who let the reigns of the kingdom slip into the hands of the powerful ministers or Dalavoys. The titular head not only capitulated to the machinations of his capricious Dalavoys, but also used different office bearers as pawns and buffers in the political game of chess. The situation went entirely in favour of a man, whom the monarch had bought for a paltry sum a couple of years ago. This marked the 40-year Interregnum Period of the chivalrous Haidar Ali and his celebrated son Tipu Sultan who took over the kingdom from the Wodeyars. Wars with the neighboring states of Pune, Hyderabad, Carnatic and Travancore and most importantly the English East India Company became the order of the day. It was with the fall of Tippu in 1799 A.D. that power was restored to the Wodeyar dynasty at the behest of the British.
Unlike the other princely states of India that chose to remain as mere vassals of the British Raj, the rulers of Mysore aided by some of the best brains of the country, their able Dewans, like Bharat Ratna Sir M. Vishweshwaraiah and Sir Mirza Ismail ensured that the State attained a high degree of industrial and socio-economic growth by the time of India’s Independence. Mysore State became one of the first of its kind in India to have a democratic system of local governance and was hailed as the “Model State†of India by the founding fathers of the country. These were the solid foundations on which the federal State of Karnataka and its now booming capital Bangalore were built. The process of merger of Princely Mysore with the Indian Union was conspicuous by the absence of the labour pains that marked the birth of other States in its vicinity.
As the theme of the book is to portray the characters of the past as men and women of flesh and blood rather than mystified and unidentifiable characters of yore, the narrative ends with a sketch of the unique legacy of the socio-cultural aspects of Mysore’s history,--one that, though subservient and dependent on the political scenario of the times, finds its calling in the aspirations and voices of the common people. The growth of Mysore as a cultural capital of Southern India, alongside Tanjore, in areas of classical music, dance, folk traditions, painting and literature has been traced over these fascinating six hundred years.
Keeping with the above chain of events, the book is divided into six sections entitled as follows:
Section 1: The Period of Legend and Fable (1399- 1638 A.D.)
Section 2: The Golden Period (1638- 1734 A.D.)
Section 3: The Interregnum Period (1734- 1799 A.D.)
Section 4: Towards Modernism: The period of unrest (1799-1881 A.D.)
Section 5 Modern Mysore (1881- 1950 A.D.)
Section 6: The Cultural Legacy
Interspersed in the text are analytical appraisals that carry forward the process of extracting a modern relevance from ancient times.
The work has been the result of tireless efforts and research of over 15 long years. From the age of 12, when the “Mysore bug†bit Vikram for the first time, inspired by the faulty depiction of members of the Royal House of Mysore in a tele-serial, to a more serious pursuit on the subject, every source and record available has been thoroughly scrutinized. There was a disturbing trend of complete paucity of readily available information or any book written with a modern outlook on such a long and exciting phase of Indian history. People really didn’t seem to care much, like they never do all over India, about telling the story of their past in a manner that interests, excites and inspires.
The book hopes to plug this major loophole in the area of documentation and presentation of this period of Indian history, seen from the eyes of Mysore. It is also the aim of the book to instill pride and comfort over the achievements of the past as well as spark a sense of responsibility regarding the present. It is undoubtedly the first definitive account on the 600 year long history of the Wodeyars of Mysore written from a modern and rational perspective
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