After the fourth Mysore war, Krishnaraja Wadeyar III became the Maharaja of Mysore. But he was under the tight grip of the British and Diwan Poornaiah. The Maharaja conducted himself with great dignity and statesmanship and was admired by the people and well meaning British. The political turmoil's did not come in his way of becoming a great patron of literature, music, fine arts, religion and architecture. Even today he is remembered for all these cultural developments. Perhaps, he may be considered as the first Maharaja to rise against the British for independence of the natives. If may be construed as a satyagraha of the later period. Mummadi Krishnaraja Wadeyar remains for ever as long as Karnataka prospers. That is the greatness of the ruler of Mysore.
Krishnaraja Wodeyar III is a noble and colourful personality in the history of the Wodeyars of Mysore. He has attracted the attention of scholars as well as common man for a variety of reasons.
Considered by some as tormented man from his cradle, he showed great courage in his later life against the corruption and nepotism of the Dewans and thier men. Without loosing temper even once against insults hurled at him by Purnaiah and successive British officers, he behaved like a king maintaining the dignity and decorum of the royal family of the Wodeyars. He pardoned many of these unworthy people and exhibited his nobility. His fight against the British not for his personal ends but for preserving the independence of Mysore state is worthy of being recorded in golden letters. From this point of view he may be conidered as a freedom fighter.
Contribution of Krishnaraja Wodyear III to literature, fine arts, education, society and economy has become proverbial in our history. He has been hailed as the harbinger of Modern Mysore. Keeping all these in view, we wrote a monograph in 2004 titled Mumadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar (A Study in History 1799-1868) in Kannada. This Kannada book was well received by the historians, and common readers; many of them suggested that this should be rendered into English for the benefit of wider readership.
Sri B. R. Jayaramaraje Urs, IAS and Secretary to Government, Department of Kannada and Culture, Information, Government of Karnataka inspired us to take up this work. An ardent lover of history and culture in general and that of Mysore Wodeyars in particular, he evinced great interest in the publication of this book. We express our gratefulness to Sri Jayaramaraje Urs, IAS.
The rare photographs used in this volume have been procured through the courtesy of Sri P. V. Avaradi, Deputy Director, Mysore Palace Board, Mysore and to Sri Lakshimnarayana, Secretary, Jaganmohana Palace Trust, Mysore.
We are also grateful to the authorities of Karnataka State Archives at Bangalore and Mysore as well as to the officers of the libraries of JSS College for Women and Directorate of Archaeology and Museums in Mysore. We are also indebted to Prof. M. V. Srinivas, Sri Tirumale Srirangacharya and to Sri N. Mahadevaswamy, JSS College, for their academic help. In bringing out this Volume we have received the help of many scholars and friends and colleagues. It is necessary to remember the help received from Sri N. S. Sharada Prasad, Translator (Rtd.), Kuvempu Institute of Kannada studies, Manasagangothri, University of Mysore who helped us in preparing this volume for printing. We thank all the persons who supported in bringing out this volume.
Sri Murali of Suhas Graphics, Bangalore has designed the cover page of this volume and the same has been executed very neatly by the Sri Sadguru Printers, Mysore for making this volume more presentable. Thus, the need for the wholehearted appreciation for their painstaking job.
It is hoped that this work will be warmly received by the historians as well as the general readers.
Krishnaraja Wodeyar III, is popularly known as Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar in local tongue. His period is a tragic but a fascinating chapter in the history of modern Karnataka.
The entire historical events of the princely state of the period revolves round a triangle consisting of the Wodeyar Dewan Purnaiah and the British officers who utlised the helplesness of the Wodeyar Krishnaraja III and made him to live in difficult days. Any student of history of modern Karnataka is familiar with the evil designs of the British and Purnaiah joined them for his selfish ends. The nepotism of Purnaiah became proverbial. Though, the British were aware of all these nefarious activities of Purnaiah, they sided with him for their own personal agenda.
At that critical juncture, Krishnaraja Wodeyar III behaved in an excellent manner befitting to a king and a great Statesman. His behaviour was highly dignified; he did not stoop to the level of Purnaiah or to the level of corrupt British officials. This has endeared Maharaja not only to the people of Mysore and Madras, but also to the discerning historians.
With all these problems, Krishnaraja Wodeyar III patronised literature, music, dance, philosophy, architecture and all other aspects of culture. Even today Maharaja's name is taken with respect while dealing with cultural development in the princiely state.
This is not a biography of the Krishnaraja Wodeyar III, but an analysis of his personality through the contemporary records. In other words, the records speak for themselves and paint Krishnaraja Wodeyar III as a great king of the Yadava dynasty. I congratulate the authors for this fascinating study and hope that this will be warmly received by the research scholars and the readers interested in knowing the role played by Krishnaraja Wodeyar III in making Modern Mysore. The beautiful and rare photographs in this volume are an added bonus.
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