The social
and political scenario during the siege of Pondicherry in the 18th
Century Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai diary.
(Monograph in Tamil by Jayaseela
Stephen, Pondicherry, 1999)
Introduction:
The diary of Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai was written from 11-08-1794 to 15-01-1796. Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai served as Dubashi for French and was written during the period of second siege of English in Pondicherry. There were number of Social and Political events took place. Some has been recorded with its colloquial spoken tamil with other language words that prevailed at that time. Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai has helped and guarded the French Governor during this period of English occupation.
The manuscript copies written in Tamil of this diary are found in National Library, Paris, National Archives of India, Puducherry and French Institute, Puducherry. Dr.Jayaseela Stephen has edited and published this diary in 1999 and this article is written based on this edition.
Brief life of Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai:
Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai is the nephew of Anandarangam Pillai the Chief Dubash of Pondicherry during French rule. He was appointed as Dubash after his father Rangappa Thiruvengadam Pillai. Born in 1777, he was also called Vengadasalam and recorded in the French documents as Vasatharaya Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai. When English forces occupied Pondicherry he was appointed as Tamil leader ‘Modelier’ on 01-03-1791 by the then Governor Brezhne. He was also appointed as courtier on 27-02-1796 1. He died in 1801.
French Dubashes
Diary of Events:
The social, political life and events that is seen from this diary shows that there were caste conflicts, elaborate original text of court judgements, orders of the Governor and Police Chief, agreement for collection of taxes from villages, festival celebrations, news and happenings that the diarist heard from others and other places. In order to know the real life and actual feelings of the 18th century Pondicherry during English occupation some of the diary of events which are noteworthy as recorded are given under chronologically so as to understand the essence of the Diary.
17-08-1794 – A death procession went through the Brahmin street and there were nobody in the street at that time. When the residents of the Brahmin street heard about it, gave a petition in protest against this to the Police Chief.
19-08-1794 – There was a celebration on the occasion of Gokulashtami and there was pot breaking play, kolattam, robe dance and other entertainment on the streets.
05-09-1794 – The Subedar of Tirunelveli Sadik Khan came to Pondicherry for handing over the cannon to the English bought by the French. He was given 21 cannon fire salute.
Ø It is noted that during the colonial period, the independent rulers and the Mughal, Muslim rulers had acquired, purchased the guns, artilleries, cannon, gun powder and modern weapons that was introduced and used by the foreign rulers. This is evident from the subedar of Tinnnelveli which was under Arcot Nawarb was ordered to give away the canon purchased from the French
18-10-1794 – The judgement pronounced on the right and left hand caste clashes is fully recorded, it was ordered that the right hand caste people to use white flag for festival and processions, left hand caste peoples should use red, blue, green and yellow and not use white at any time. Any violation will be punished.
28-10-1794 – The death of Nizam Ahmed Khan is recorded.
31-10-1794 – The diarist came to know that couple of days back a ship with goods broke due to heavy wind and rain it stuck on the Koonimedu coast. Some of the goods, woods were taken away.
23-12-1794 – A colonel at Vellore has asked his cook to prepare food with calf head that he had invited 20 guests for a feast to be hosted tomorrow. Next day, when the guests asked that the pieces of calf head are not found, the colonel dragged his cook inside, chopped his head and placed on the dining table. The guests walked out at this terrible incident. The colonel was arrested, punished and his properties were confiscated.
31-12-1794 – When the English Officer Nixon stepped into the chariot to go to Cuddalore, 18 cannons were fired. At this time some farmers from Kalapet came to give petition and he evaded without listening to them.
04-01-1795 – Three tom tom announcement was made in the town streets that as per the orders of Governor, (1)The citizens of this town of any caste could meet between 10 to 12 in the morning. (2)Residents who wants construct new house has to register his name with the Police chief. (3)The residents of white town (French people) street has to clean up and put the garbage in front of their houses. The street sevak will monitor the cleanliness. Violations will be penalized. The French text of this announcement is recorded.
Ø From the above tom tom announcement, it could be seen that there was restrictions to construct houses after the occupation of English in Pondicherry and only the white people were allowed to build houses in the fortified town near the Government buildings. There was also orders for cleaning the garbage in the streets which shows their cleanliness activities being implemented since entire town was in a dilapidated condition.
11-01-1795 – Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai after English occupation in Pondicherry has discontinued the celebration of Pongal, but went to Sithathoor agaraharam to take holy bath in Pennaiyar river and travelled in palanquin via Valavanur, Kavenipakkam, Siruvanthadu and Koodapakkam for 7 days and reached back home on 17-01-1795.
Ø Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai was deeply hurt by the English occupation in Pondicherry and discontinued the celebration of Pongal. It is due to large scale demolishment of buildings, destruction of many places in the town, and to the people, he completely felt depressed.
20-01-1795 – Some English officers has told to dismantle and take away the wooden planks in the church opposite to Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai house.
22-01-1795 – The diarist has requested his Persian teacher to invite the caziar to his house when the Chennai caziar came to Pondicherry, accordingly the caziar visited Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai house and greeted him with beetle nut. The civil court judge Fotedar also came to his house to see the painting work of palanquin that is to be gifted to him.
Ø From the above it is evident that Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai has learnt Persian.
31-01-1795 – On the orders of the English Company the full text of the tax collection agreement by the collector of Cuddalore from the cannon ball villages of Saram, Pakkamudayanpet, Olandai, Pudupalayam for 5 years has been prepared and signed by 11 persons has been written. A separate text of same agreement for Uzhavargarai is also recorded.
Ø This shows the transfer of power, tax collection agreement from French to English
Ø It is seen that Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai has offered bribe to civil court judge in order to get his court cases in his favour.
25-03-1795 – The death of Rajarajeswari, aunt of Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai with her horoscope is written on this date.
06-04-1795 – The diarist has sold a plot located in Chetty street to vazudavur Sinnathambi for 450 star pagodas and he gave this low price as his brother helped him. The sale deed was registered in the Chavadi Court (Pondicherry natives court) and obtained sign from the area supervisor for registration.
10-04-1795 – A tom tom was beaten and announced by the orders of the Police chief Fumeron that Colonel Nixon dubashes Deivaperumal Pillai and Vengatesa Mudaliar are to be tied to a pole in the ground opposite to Governor’s bungalow. The full text of this announcement in French is recorded on this date.
13-04-1795 Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai has heard that the Police chief Fumeron has shot himself with his double barrel gun and died. The Pariahs in groups vandalized in the town and looted 7 shops. Colonel Nixon dubashis Deivaperumal Pillai and Vengatesa Mudaliar were beaten up 24 times to their alleged involvement in the rituals against the right hand caste.
Ø It is noted from the above event that the French and English had enforced strict orders to be adhered on the caste clashes between left and right hand people.
25-04-1795 – The diarist heard a news that the Ramanathapuram Madurai Sethupathis were converted to Christianity and followed the Christian faith, hence they were handcuffed, arrested and brought to Thiruchirappalli.
27-04-1795 - The demised Police Chief Fumeron has to give 38 rupees to Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai and when he understood that his properties are to be auctioned, he gave petition to the Police officer for recovery of his due amount.
28-04-1795 – When Fumeron’s properties were auctioned and sold Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai received 240 rupees towards his old dues.
01-05-1795 – When a soldier took bath in beach, was heavily wounded by a shark fish.
11-05-1795 – A foreigner has brought some items, articles and displayed in Benova’s house. He collected one rupees as fee for this exhibit. The display was mannequins of French kings, their family members, eating in a dining table, European nation maps, arresting a thief, a plate with chopped head in a riot. Many people visited the exhibition by paying one rupee. Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai has personally visited seen the exhibits and recorded it as 100% true.
Ø In August, 1794 an exhibition in the Ameer Bagh, Nawab Walajah’s Palace was conducted and 2 star pagodas were collected as entrance fees3. It was Mary Tussad wax exhibits displayed and the Madras courier in its publication dated 18-08-1794 4 has written in detail about this exhibition.
23-09-1795 – An advocate from Kandy, Srilanka visited Pondicherry and he was welcomed and greeted with much fanfare by taking him in a decorated palanquin, musical drums, dances of dasis.
13-10-1795 – Death of Nawab Mohammed Ali Khan is recorded on this date.
24-12-1795 – Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai explains in detail about the information written in a letter which was received by another dubashi Subbaraya Mudali from Gudiyatham near Vellore. Heavy rain and devastating flood that took place in Arcot, Gudiyatham, Chetpet and Chittoor where it washed away several houses, fell down trees, death of cattle and caused huge loss to crop and to people.
Conclusion:
From the day to day events written in the diary, the real life that happened are well explained in the colloquial tamil language. It is in the same spirit that his ancestors wrote the diaries. But the period of this diary in a unfavourable situation when the English demolished the buildings and acquired the town. This is the second siege by the English. The daily social life has been running pillar to post. It is also evident from the diary that the Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai has spent most of the time in settling down his old dues through legal means. Also most of the orders, notice announcements and judgements are recorded with full text in the original French language which shows its authenticity of the recorder of Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai.
Page-17, Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai life, Monograph in Tamil by Jayaseela Stephen, Pondicherry, 1999
1. An uneasy Alliance: Traders, Missionaries and Tamil intermediaries in the 18th Century French India by Danna Agmon. Ph.D Dessertation in the University of Michigan – 2011.
3. Madras courier dated 18-08-1794
https://facebook.com/nivedita.louis/posts/10218870005277626
The diary of Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai was written from 11-08-1794 to 15-01-1796. Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai served as Dubashi for French and was written during the period of second siege of English in Pondicherry. There were number of Social and Political events took place. Some has been recorded with its colloquial spoken tamil with other language words that prevailed at that time. Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai has helped and guarded the French Governor during this period of English occupation.
The manuscript copies written in Tamil of this diary are found in National Library, Paris, National Archives of India, Puducherry and French Institute, Puducherry. Dr.Jayaseela Stephen has edited and published this diary in 1999 and this article is written based on this edition.
Brief life of Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai:
Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai is the nephew of Anandarangam Pillai the Chief Dubash of Pondicherry during French rule. He was appointed as Dubash after his father Rangappa Thiruvengadam Pillai. Born in 1777, he was also called Vengadasalam and recorded in the French documents as Vasatharaya Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai. When English forces occupied Pondicherry he was appointed as Tamil leader ‘Modelier’ on 01-03-1791 by the then Governor Brezhne. He was also appointed as courtier on 27-02-1796 1. He died in 1801.
French Dubashes
Diary of Events:
The social, political life and events that is seen from this diary shows that there were caste conflicts, elaborate original text of court judgements, orders of the Governor and Police Chief, agreement for collection of taxes from villages, festival celebrations, news and happenings that the diarist heard from others and other places. In order to know the real life and actual feelings of the 18th century Pondicherry during English occupation some of the diary of events which are noteworthy as recorded are given under chronologically so as to understand the essence of the Diary.
17-08-1794 – A death procession went through the Brahmin street and there were nobody in the street at that time. When the residents of the Brahmin street heard about it, gave a petition in protest against this to the Police Chief.
19-08-1794 – There was a celebration on the occasion of Gokulashtami and there was pot breaking play, kolattam, robe dance and other entertainment on the streets.
05-09-1794 – The Subedar of Tirunelveli Sadik Khan came to Pondicherry for handing over the cannon to the English bought by the French. He was given 21 cannon fire salute.
Ø It is noted that during the colonial period, the independent rulers and the Mughal, Muslim rulers had acquired, purchased the guns, artilleries, cannon, gun powder and modern weapons that was introduced and used by the foreign rulers. This is evident from the subedar of Tinnnelveli which was under Arcot Nawarb was ordered to give away the canon purchased from the French
18-10-1794 – The judgement pronounced on the right and left hand caste clashes is fully recorded, it was ordered that the right hand caste people to use white flag for festival and processions, left hand caste peoples should use red, blue, green and yellow and not use white at any time. Any violation will be punished.
28-10-1794 – The death of Nizam Ahmed Khan is recorded.
31-10-1794 – The diarist came to know that couple of days back a ship with goods broke due to heavy wind and rain it stuck on the Koonimedu coast. Some of the goods, woods were taken away.
23-12-1794 – A colonel at Vellore has asked his cook to prepare food with calf head that he had invited 20 guests for a feast to be hosted tomorrow. Next day, when the guests asked that the pieces of calf head are not found, the colonel dragged his cook inside, chopped his head and placed on the dining table. The guests walked out at this terrible incident. The colonel was arrested, punished and his properties were confiscated.
31-12-1794 – When the English Officer Nixon stepped into the chariot to go to Cuddalore, 18 cannons were fired. At this time some farmers from Kalapet came to give petition and he evaded without listening to them.
04-01-1795 – Three tom tom announcement was made in the town streets that as per the orders of Governor, (1)The citizens of this town of any caste could meet between 10 to 12 in the morning. (2)Residents who wants construct new house has to register his name with the Police chief. (3)The residents of white town (French people) street has to clean up and put the garbage in front of their houses. The street sevak will monitor the cleanliness. Violations will be penalized. The French text of this announcement is recorded.
Ø From the above tom tom announcement, it could be seen that there was restrictions to construct houses after the occupation of English in Pondicherry and only the white people were allowed to build houses in the fortified town near the Government buildings. There was also orders for cleaning the garbage in the streets which shows their cleanliness activities being implemented since entire town was in a dilapidated condition.
11-01-1795 – Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai after English occupation in Pondicherry has discontinued the celebration of Pongal, but went to Sithathoor agaraharam to take holy bath in Pennaiyar river and travelled in palanquin via Valavanur, Kavenipakkam, Siruvanthadu and Koodapakkam for 7 days and reached back home on 17-01-1795.
Ø Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai was deeply hurt by the English occupation in Pondicherry and discontinued the celebration of Pongal. It is due to large scale demolishment of buildings, destruction of many places in the town, and to the people, he completely felt depressed.
20-01-1795 – Some English officers has told to dismantle and take away the wooden planks in the church opposite to Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai house.
22-01-1795 – The diarist has requested his Persian teacher to invite the caziar to his house when the Chennai caziar came to Pondicherry, accordingly the caziar visited Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai house and greeted him with beetle nut. The civil court judge Fotedar also came to his house to see the painting work of palanquin that is to be gifted to him.
Ø From the above it is evident that Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai has learnt Persian.
31-01-1795 – On the orders of the English Company the full text of the tax collection agreement by the collector of Cuddalore from the cannon ball villages of Saram, Pakkamudayanpet, Olandai, Pudupalayam for 5 years has been prepared and signed by 11 persons has been written. A separate text of same agreement for Uzhavargarai is also recorded.
Ø This shows the transfer of power, tax collection agreement from French to English
Ø It is seen that Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai has offered bribe to civil court judge in order to get his court cases in his favour.
25-03-1795 – The death of Rajarajeswari, aunt of Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai with her horoscope is written on this date.
06-04-1795 – The diarist has sold a plot located in Chetty street to vazudavur Sinnathambi for 450 star pagodas and he gave this low price as his brother helped him. The sale deed was registered in the Chavadi Court (Pondicherry natives court) and obtained sign from the area supervisor for registration.
10-04-1795 – A tom tom was beaten and announced by the orders of the Police chief Fumeron that Colonel Nixon dubashes Deivaperumal Pillai and Vengatesa Mudaliar are to be tied to a pole in the ground opposite to Governor’s bungalow. The full text of this announcement in French is recorded on this date.
13-04-1795 Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai has heard that the Police chief Fumeron has shot himself with his double barrel gun and died. The Pariahs in groups vandalized in the town and looted 7 shops. Colonel Nixon dubashis Deivaperumal Pillai and Vengatesa Mudaliar were beaten up 24 times to their alleged involvement in the rituals against the right hand caste.
Ø It is noted from the above event that the French and English had enforced strict orders to be adhered on the caste clashes between left and right hand people.
25-04-1795 – The diarist heard a news that the Ramanathapuram Madurai Sethupathis were converted to Christianity and followed the Christian faith, hence they were handcuffed, arrested and brought to Thiruchirappalli.
27-04-1795 - The demised Police Chief Fumeron has to give 38 rupees to Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai and when he understood that his properties are to be auctioned, he gave petition to the Police officer for recovery of his due amount.
28-04-1795 – When Fumeron’s properties were auctioned and sold Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai received 240 rupees towards his old dues.
01-05-1795 – When a soldier took bath in beach, was heavily wounded by a shark fish.
11-05-1795 – A foreigner has brought some items, articles and displayed in Benova’s house. He collected one rupees as fee for this exhibit. The display was mannequins of French kings, their family members, eating in a dining table, European nation maps, arresting a thief, a plate with chopped head in a riot. Many people visited the exhibition by paying one rupee. Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai has personally visited seen the exhibits and recorded it as 100% true.
Ø In August, 1794 an exhibition in the Ameer Bagh, Nawab Walajah’s Palace was conducted and 2 star pagodas were collected as entrance fees3. It was Mary Tussad wax exhibits displayed and the Madras courier in its publication dated 18-08-1794 4 has written in detail about this exhibition.
23-09-1795 – An advocate from Kandy, Srilanka visited Pondicherry and he was welcomed and greeted with much fanfare by taking him in a decorated palanquin, musical drums, dances of dasis.
13-10-1795 – Death of Nawab Mohammed Ali Khan is recorded on this date.
24-12-1795 – Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai explains in detail about the information written in a letter which was received by another dubashi Subbaraya Mudali from Gudiyatham near Vellore. Heavy rain and devastating flood that took place in Arcot, Gudiyatham, Chetpet and Chittoor where it washed away several houses, fell down trees, death of cattle and caused huge loss to crop and to people.
Conclusion:
From the day to day events written in the diary, the real life that happened are well explained in the colloquial tamil language. It is in the same spirit that his ancestors wrote the diaries. But the period of this diary in a unfavourable situation when the English demolished the buildings and acquired the town. This is the second siege by the English. The daily social life has been running pillar to post. It is also evident from the diary that the Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai has spent most of the time in settling down his old dues through legal means. Also most of the orders, notice announcements and judgements are recorded with full text in the original French language which shows its authenticity of the recorder of Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai.
* * * * *
End Notes:Page-17, Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai life, Monograph in Tamil by Jayaseela Stephen, Pondicherry, 1999
1. An uneasy Alliance: Traders, Missionaries and Tamil intermediaries in the 18th Century French India by Danna Agmon. Ph.D Dessertation in the University of Michigan – 2011.
3. Madras courier dated 18-08-1794
https://facebook.com/nivedita.louis/posts/10218870005277626
This article was presented at the 40th Annual session of South Indian History Congress held in Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, during Feb, 2020.
கருத்துகள் இல்லை:
கருத்துரையிடுக