 Home

 |
 Kabir
 |
 Poetry
 |
 Blogs
 |
 BoloKids
 |
 Writers
 |
 Contribute
 |
 Search
 |
 Contact
 |
 Site Map
 |
 Advertise
 |
 RSS
 |
 Login
 |
 Register
July 15, 2019

Channels
In Focus
 
Analysis
 Cartoons
Education
Environment
Opinion
Photo Essays
 
 
Columns
 
Business
Random Thoughts
 
 
Our Heritage
 
Architecture
Astrology
Ayurveda
Buddhism
Cinema
Culture
Festivals
Hinduism
History
People
Places
Sikhism
Spirituality
 
 
Society & Lifestyle
 
Health
Parenting
Perspective
Recipes
Society
Teens
Women
 
 
Creative Writings
 
Book Reviews
Computing
Humor
Individuality
Literary Shelf
Memoirs
Quotes
Stories
Travelogues
Workshop
 
 
People Share This Page

A Prince Among Scholars

by Dr. Rama Rao Vadapalli V.B.

Continued from “The Patron of Arts and Letters” 

Every Hindu coms across this sloka which ends with lokaa samasthaa ssukhino
bhavantu. His Holiness Jagadguru Kanchi Kaamakothi Peetadhipati, the
traditional custodian of Hindu Dharma in a discourse, once cited the above sloka
and explained it. In this state craft (raajaneeti) this is established at the beginning
and at the end a payer is sent up for the happiness of the entire universe. The
deity enshrined in the temple and invisible from the outside is important – the
icons seen at the threshold and on the prakaras are elementary. We have to see
both; what is important and what is only elementary. Without the elementary the
important cannot be protected. Without the compound and the outer structures,
the shrine stands exposed. For the protection of Dharma (Religious Values)
statecraft is necessary. If Kings, rulers entrusted with the responsibility of
protecting the people, keep to the path of Dharma, sorrow can find no place in
this world. When happiness is arranged in the land, the acquisition of
sastrasbegins following the saying: dharmo rakshati rakshitah. For this every
man in this world should endeavour to see that proper rule is established.

Philosophically speaking, a religious mind and pious outlook on life are gifts
from the divine grace. Religion is a matter of upbringing first and conviction
later. Ananda Gajapathi's grand father. Narayan Gajapati took his two years old
son Vijaya Rama Gajapathi to Banaras. Under the guidance of the Raj Purohit,
Dwaraka Rama Deekshitulu, Narayana Gajapati, himself a very religious minded
man, saw to it that his son would get the best of initiation into the religious
practices and observances. As his son grew up he arranged for his exposure to the
religious and cultural values of Hindu Heritage. The prime reason why these
Maharajahs particularly Vijaya Rama Raju and his son Ananda Gajapati took to
launching projects for promotion of learning and propagation of knowledge was
their exposure to religion in the holiest of the holy shrine of religious exponents
and theologians, the hub of oriental religious intercourse, Banaras.

Maharajah Vijaya Rama Gajapati, being a devout Hindu imbued the highest of
Hindu religious values and it could be one of the reasons for his preference to
stay in Banaras end keep himself away from the mundane affairs as long as he
could. The environment at Banaras which he loved a great deal left on his mind a
deep impress of Dharma, the holy duty, enjoined on man. A Prince that he was
and one that had a great measure of divine grace, he had a greater and much more
weightier and holier Dharma. Exposed to holy discourses and holy discourses and
holy men, tutored by the best among scholars who specialised in the various
branches of disciplined learning, having had the closest understanding of the rich
Hindu wisdom and knowledge as revealed from the Vedas and the scriptures,
Vijaya Rama Gajapati knew what mattered most. The estate and its
administration he postponed taking up till he decided the time was ripe. Learning
the ancient lore and strengthening his inner psyche were for his matters that came
uppermost in importance. When once he knew what his responsibility was in the
light of Jnana he had acquired, the call of Dharma was not to be ignored.

The holiest of religious values are the best of human values too. Hinduism is not
merely a religion confined to books and theologians dissociated and isolated from
life. It is a way of living a way of life, a way of finding harmony between the
inner and the external, between the Saguna and Nirguna. The call of duty is the
call of Dharma; the call of Dharma is a divine call and answering the call is
obeying the almighty. Maharajah Vijaya Rama Gajapati exposed his son to the
excellence of training in religious practices. His deep faith in religion swayed his
judgement to bring up his son along the lines laid down by tradition. A deeply
religious sensibility had been imbibed by the illustrious son Ananda Gajapati
from his father. He knew what his great father had in his mind. He also knew
what his father strove to do to preserve the Hindu texture of society in his
capacity as the first member of Viceroy’s Council. If the British had respect for
Hindu religion and if they had not interfered with it, a large part of the credit
should go to these Maharajahs who knew Hindu Dharma and cherished the
continuation of Hindu Law.

Raja Purohit Dwaraka Bhamidipati Venkata Subrahmanya Ssastry wrote in his

preface to Vijayanagara Vijaya Yatra :

‘Ananda Gajapati Maharaja has become a household word in the Andhra country.
His culture and refinement, his mercy and benevolence, his piety and devotion,
his majesty and sublimity, have made him dear to the heart of every Andhra even
of this generation. Among the innumerable historical events that filled his reign
with glory, most of which my revered father, as the then high priest of the
Vizianagaram Court was fortunate enough to chronicle, the one that is presented
here to the pious Hindu world is of the greatest importance as it relates to the
meeting together of the greatest spiritual and secular Samsthanams in the
Presidency during the last century. The visit of the present head of Sri Kanchi
Kamakoti Peetha of Kanchipura with party to Vizianagaram in the last autumn
from Benaras passing all the way by slow moving vehicles and on foot in
accordance with the Holy traditions of the Peetham made me inquisitive about the
former visit of the same Jagadguru Peetha in the year 1885 which I had vaguely
heard from my elders. A perusal of the archives of my father's library brought
into light the most detailed account of the event in the reign of His Highness
Maharaja Ananda Gajapati Raj G,C.I.E. From the time of the Srimukha
Proclamation of the then impending visit upto the farewell to Bobbili. Being
unable to control my joy at this discovery, I submitted the same to the Diwager
Maharani Saheba, who true to her House, at once undertook to publish the same
together with an account of the recent visit and present the same to all Bhaktas.’

The Chief Priest of Maharaja Ananda Gajapati chronicled in his diary the visit of
the spiritual lord in the year 1885. These entries reveal the worshipful attitude of
the Maharajah to the Jagadguru as also the Jagadguru's respect for the secular
power. On 3rd of July, 1885 a Srimukha was sent to the Maharajah along
with prasad. On the 23rd the Pandits of the mutth paid a darshan to the
Maharajah who had seen to it that every effort was made to honour and worship
the Jagadguru in the way laid down by tradition. On the 26th of July the
Maharajah paid worship to the Jagadguru. On the 23rd of September to the entire
Royal family took part in the worship offered in the manner prescribed by the
Hindu tradition. These show the Maharajah's intimate knowledge of religious
propriety and his devotion to Holymen.

Maharajah Ananda Gajapati was a scholar among princes and a Prince among
scholars. Scarcely was there any religious scripture which he had left unread. He
studied the Sasthras with care and learnt them under able guidance. Being a
secular monarch, he showed great concern for social progress and found ways of
finding remedies for various evils that the populace suffered from in society. The
Maharajah respected all religions since for him the goal of all faiths was just the
same.

It is interesting to note here the entry of the High Priest in his diary dated 23rd
October, 1885. The Jagadguru sent to the Maharajah a Srimukham on the subject
of the prohibition of Kanya Sulka through Matham Visweswara Sastry.
According to the Maharajah's wish Sri Kharidehal Narasinga Rao Pantulu Garu
preserved the Sri Mukham.
A deeply religious minded and devout man that he was, the Maharajah did not
think secular outlook the less important. He found a religious kind of satisfaction
in making efforts to promote the welfare of the people mainly in areas of
propagating education, traditional as well as English, social reform and patronage
to literature and the fine arts. He showed a genuine reverence for all religions and
religious denominations. The Theosophical Society founded by Blavatsky and
Col. H.S. Olcott was one of the many supported by the Maharajah.

In the Inaugural address of the centenary Celebrations of Vasistha Lodge,

delivered on 11-2-84, Dr.P.V.G.Raju, Rajah Saheb of Vizianagaram said. “It is a
privilege to say a few words in Vasistha Lodge of the Theosophical Society at
Vizianagaram today. If one accepts and believes in esoteric vasanas (past life
tendencies) as a concentrate reality, then this meeting is no accident, but is taking
place because of occult reality. I am the last living Zamindar of Vizianagaram
claiming descent from Maharajah Poosapati Ananda Gajapati Raju who received
Col. Olcott, a leading theosophist on 7-1-1884 who founded this Lodge on 10-1-
1994”.

The Vasistha Lodge, Theosophical Society Branch was established in

Vizianagaram when Maharajah Ananda Gajapati was the Ruler. The Vice
President of the Society at Vizianagaram, Sri Kandregula Surya Narayana Murty
mentioned in his annual report. “It was at the instance of the Masters who guided
the destinies of the Theosophical Society he contacted the then Maharajah
Ananda Gajapathiraj a patron of learning, of fine arts and every good cause and
who himself lived a pious Hindu spiritual life. Col. Olcott stayed for 4 days. He
noted in his diary that he was received with utmost courtesy for which he as
known to the whole European community at Madras and Calcutta, that he talked
earnestly and fluently about religious and philosophical questions and that he had
earned from the European community the title of “Prince Charming” During his
visit Col. Olcott delivered two lectures on religious subjects in the “Daba
gardens” and organised on 10-1-1884 a branch of the Thesophical Society at
Vizianagaram which on the suggestion of the Maharajah was called “Vasishta
Theosophical Lodge”, after the gotra, name of the Pushavati ruling family of
Vizianagaram – Col. Oloctt visited Vizianagaram a second time in 1887 and
stopped here for 3 days 9-8-1887 to 11-8-87 and was Maharajah's guest. Col.
Olcott wrote in his diary that the Maharajah engaged him in a long discussion on
religious matters and kept on talking to him from 3 p.m. To 8 p.m. On 9-8-1887,
wished him every success for the Theosophical Society and promised him he
would look after the welfare of the Society. On the two occasions he subscribed
liberally to the funds of the Theosophical Society and even in 1834 he sent
considerable order for Theosophical Literature”.

The patronage which the Maharajah extended the Muslims among the many he
encouraged speaks of his truly religious outlook which transcended the
limitations of adherence to a single faith. This is borne out by the fact that
Munshi Mohammed Pachamia received the same patronage with the
title: Taranath Tarka Vachaspati.

The Historiographer

The mighty prince was a remarkable historiographer. Veracity, objectivity and

enthusiasm for justice are the hallmarks of a worthy historian and we find all
these qualities in abundance in the composition Vizianagaram Treaty.
Vizianagaram Treaty of November 15th, 1758 and the end fifteen years war
between the English and the French for the sovereignty of India from 1744 to
1759 A.D. With a sketch account of some of the noteworthy facts connected with
the Vizianagaram family” was the work of a historiographer. The prince
composed and got it printed by Vest & Co., Mount Road, Madras, in 1984. The
Preface is included as an appendix at the end.

Vizianagaram Treaty was in the form of a letter to Francis D.A.O. Wolfe-Murray

Esquire:

As desired, I beg to forward the accompanying true copy of the Treaty extracted
from several reliable historical works wherein it is quoted, together with an
account of the circumstances that led to it, which account and Treaty I hope will
be found deseving space in Aitchson's Treaties and supporting my reasons given
further on, for the application I made to the Foreign Secretary, the Hon'ble
Mr.W.J.Cunningham, C.S.I., regarding the insertion of this treaty in Aitchison's
work, persuaded partly by Sri Charles Aitchison's communication to my revered
father and partly on account of the fact of his work containing other compacts
analogous in form as will be seen from the Appendix. I to the present one and I
trust that the following account and excerpts will be found ample and accurate.

The original Treaty between Ananda Gajapati Raj the fourth ancestor of the
present writer), and Col.Forde is not with me and I think, I had mentioned this
fact to the Foreign Secretary, the Hon'ble Mr.W.J. Cunningham, C.S.I
Nevertheless that is treaty is well grounded on sound historical basis, is an
undeniable fact, as it is warranted by numerous historical illustrations cited
below:

Maharajah Ananda Gajapati quoted extensively from various historical sources

the chief of which was The History of the Rise and Progress of the Bengal Army.
Before giving further historical evidence he mentioned the reasons and rationale
for the inclusion of the Treaty in Aitchison's work :

I remember that Sir Charles Aitchison in his answer to my revered father's letter
wrote to the effect that hsi treaty would be included in the next edition. Although
the letter is missing, A.J.Underwood Esq., who as private secretary to my revered
father distinctly remembers and confirms the fact. However, this is not the only
reason that led me to mention the circumstance to the Foreign Secretary before
the ensuing third edition of Aitchison's Treaties was out, when I was last in
Calcutta. My main reason for broaching the subjecto to him was that Aitchison's
Treaties does contain numerous compacts, because. I suppose they are history,
although descendents of many of the contracting parties exist now only in name.
Again many of the treaties in Aitchison's work in the form of entry being similar
in resemblance to the Treaty in question without seal and signature (vide
Appendix 1) the inclusion of the treaty. I thought, would rather add to, than
detract from the harmony of the work.

Thereafter the Maharajah adduced incontrovertible evidence to establish the

authenticity of the Treaty. Ananda Gajapati's love of learning was prodigious
even as his admiration for the glory of his forbears. Patronising art and literature
is one thing and striving for excellence as a savant is quite another. There have
been princes who have been dilettantes but here is one who took up a laudable
project not as a literary or historiographical exercise but as a challenge to
vindicate truth and justice, recounting a vision of the glorious past where his
ancestors paved the way for the firm establishment of the British power in this
country. In the situation that obtained in those days that was patriotism and a real
love of the motherland. Vizianagaram Treaty is the brilliant work of a painstaking
researcher. Though it had been in his power to appoint someone competent to do
the work and assign him the task, the prince wanted to write it himself, though it
meant setting aside other significant literary projects he wanted to undertake. The
work stands testimony to the prince's high sense of commitment and
extraordinary capacity to work hard on challenging task of a scholarly calling.
Three reasons must have prompted him to compose the treaty himself:

  (i) Loyalty to truth

 (ii) Loyalty to the honour and fame of his family, the Royal House of Poosapatis
of Vizianagaram
(iii) Loyalty to the Crown

With a keen and abundant sense of responsibility, equipped with vast scholarship
and deep erudition the way he marshalled facts and adduced evidence from
historical works to prove and substantiate his point are indeed remarkable. His
scholarship could rise to meet the challenges an historiographer would have to
meet to be clear, analytical and unbiased. Every statement he made, he knew,
must be duly proved by weighty pieces of evidence. The range of the sources
from which he quotes to give support to his argument is wide and his scholarship
extensive. British scholars and historians, writers of manuals and Gazetteers,
poets in Telugu Sanskrit and Persian; and several other supplementary pieces of
evidence are quoted. The records of the government are quoted time and again
with a view to correcting some errors, false conclusions and illogical prejudices.
For example:

This statement (from Orme): “Mr. Moracin not having troops enough to reduce
the united forces of the Rajah and Jaffer Ally, made overtures to Vizeramarauze,
offering to farm out to him the countries of Rajahmundrum and Chicacole at a
lower rate than they had ever been valued at. Such a temptation was perhaps
never resisted by any prince of Indostan) seems to be absurd on the very face of
it. The question being: whether Vijayaram Raj or Mr. Moracin was the greater
one. That the consent to give on the part of the Rajah, even a portion of it, does
credit to the sense of duty and Rajah's honesty rather than to lucrative
temptations, is self-evident. Bussy obtained right to Northern Circars through
Hyderabad, to which Vizianagaram was nominally subject. It was the good sense
and honesty of Viziarama Raj powerful as he was at that time, that prompted him
to agree to pay that nominal tribute to Bussy as the agent of Hyderabad, but not
his fear or the power of the French. So the insinuation in the above phrase of
Moracin, farming out the revenues, seems to be a vain-glorious statement and
wilful exaggeration of self-importance, prompted pride, rather than an honest
declaration of the existing facts probably on the French especially when we view
these transactions in the light cast upon them by other histories cited above,
written by contemporaries who were themselves also famous prime ministers of
the court of Nizam.

Ananda Gajapati wanted to explain to the Foreign Secretary the historical fact
that the Gajapatis were noble and glorious. His account of the origin and extent of
the power of the Rajahs of Vizianagaram in the Kalinga Country: the history of
the title of Gajapati” (quoted elsewhere in the present monograph) are brilliant
 illustrations of the admiration in which ananda Gajapati had held his forbears.
The work stands mighty testimony to the writer 's objectivity and zeal for truth.
He quotes not less than forty scholars, historians, poets and documenters some of
the most important of which are: Orme, Broome, Cambridge, Carmichael, Greig,
Taylor and Adams: Poosapati Vijayarama Raju and Meer Alum: Megasthenese
and Huen Tsang.

With all the quotations the narrative does not flag in holding interest and swaying
reason. The historical account receives the main attention and truth the major
focus. The Summary of the History of the Vizianagaram Family (Given in this
work as an Appendix) shows the Prince's objectivity if the other two earlier
points prove his zeal for doing the right thing for the right reason upholding the
truth.

The treaty, which as has been pointed out earlier is in the form of a letter, has a
fitting peroration.

In conclusion, I beg to repeat that the insertion, in Aitchison’s Treaties of this

Treaty, with the summary of the Vizianagaram family given below, can in no way
detract from the work, but on the contrary may be conducive to the enhancement
of its harmony, and certainly to the glory of the family of the Rajahs of
Vizianagaram specially as mentioned on the second page, many of the treaties in
Aitchison's work, in the form of the entry, being similar to the treaty in question
as indirect quotations without seal and signature of the contracting parties.”

Continued to "The Great Personality"

Share This:

13-May-2018

More by :  Dr. Rama Rao Vadapalli V.B.

Views: 520      Comments: 0
 Name *

Email ID

 (will not be published)

Comment *

500
 Characters
Verification Code*

 Can't read? Reload
Please fill the above code for verification.

Post Comment

 
Top | People

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Analysis
 Business
 Environment
 Individuality
 Perspective
 Sikhism
 Workshop

 Architecture
 Cartoons
 Festivals
 Literary Shelf
 Photo Essays
 Society

 Astrology
 Cinema
 Health
 Memoirs
 Places
 Spirituality

 Ayurveda
 Computing
 Hinduism
 Opinion
 Quotes
 Teens

 Book Reviews
 Culture
 History
 Parenting
 Random Thoughts
 Travelogues

 Buddhism
 Education
 Humor
 People
 Recipes
 Women

 
 
1999-2019 All Rights Reserved
  RSS Feed Home | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Site Map
No part of this Internet site may be reproduced without prior
written permission of the copyright holder
.
Developed and Programmed by ekant solutions