வரலாற்றைத்தேடி: Research Article -3 - Dubashes recorded in the Diary of Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai (1794-1796)

Dubashes recorded in the Diary of Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai(1794-1796)

(Monograph in Tamil by Jayaseela Stephen, Pondicherry, 1999)

Introduction:

Dubash (dho-two, bash or basha, bashi-language) which means knowledge of two languages. He also played role of an interperter, translator, supervisor, agent and mediator in trade and personal/official matters during 18^th century.

When the European traders established trading activities during 17^th century they had difficulty in conversing and to deal with the local people. Hence they sought the help of natives to communicate and made them as their assistant. Most of the Europeans i.e, English, French, Dutch and Portuguese who had to essentially need to interact with the regions where they wanted to establish their activities had to depend on these Dubashes. As explained the literal meaning of dubashes are multifaceted and they enacted as interperter, translator, supervisor, agent and mediator in trade and personal/official matters. Not only they knew two or more languages some were even conversant one or more of Dutch, Portuguese, German, Persian, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Marathi languages. There were several dubashes, they predominantly belonged to Brahmin, chetti, pillai and nayaks. Most of the European had dubashes/assistants. Even Indian Princely State Rulers, Kings and other chiefs had one or more dubashes.

The type of work or negotiations they have done are varied from translation of conversation, interpreter, writing letters and other documents, dealing of business, collection of taxes, settlement of disputes among locals and between foreigners, arranging loan, finance between company, working as secretary, manager, banker, creditor, accountant as well as commercial brokers to the chief whom they were working and to the European companies like English/French East India Company, Dutch and Portuguese.

French Dubashes

The details of these dubashes are found in British and French records. In French they were spelt as ‘daubachy’ as seen in French documents. They were also referred as ‘modeliar’ a caste name and generally termed as commercial brokers. Mostly the term ‘courtier’ was used by the Compagnie des Indes(French East India Company) who is the senior local Tamil employee and designated as ‘chef de malabars’. These so called dubashes played dual roll both as courtier to the company and between the local artisans, weavers and merchants as chef de malabars¹. The prominent among them were Anandarangapillai, Rangappa Thiruvengadam Pillai, Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai, Avadhanum Paupiah, Pachiappa Mudaliar, Muniya Pillai, Kanakappa Mudaliar, Neydavoyal Narayana Pillai, Manali Muthu Krishna Mudaliar, Tottikalai Kesava Mudaliar, Vayalur Kulandaiveera Perumal Pillai ^2&3, and European dubases such as Christian missioneries like Bartholmaus Ziegenbalg, Roberto de Nobili, Giuseppa Beschi and Christian Friedrich Schultz were also carried out role of dubashes³.

These dubashes played a significant role in the social history of South India and to the society where they lived. This paper analysis specifically about the dubashes narrated in the Diary of Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadampillai (1794-1796). In Pondicherry itself during French rule especially the family of Ananda Ranga Pillai, his son and grandson had written the diary consequently. There were five diaries found from Pondicherry they are:

Sl.No	Name of diarist and life period	Period of diary edited and published
1	Ananda Ranga Pillai (30-03-1709 to 12-01-1791)	From 06-09-1736 to 12-01-1761
2	Rangapa Thiruvengadam Pillai (15-02-1737 to 07-02-1791)	From 01-04-1761 to 15-04-1781
3	Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai (1777 to 1801)	From 11-08-1794 to 15-01-1796
4	Second Veeranayakar (1755 – 1827)	From 10-05-1779 tp 17-07-1792
5	Guruvappa Pillai	Not known

The period of diary recorded is between 1794-1796 when Pondicherry was under British occupation for the second time. The French revolution also took place in France during this period.

The diaries of Pondicherry:

The spot light on the dubashes and history of southern India during the 18^th and 19^th century was thrown out by Anandaranga Pillai, because it was due the translation of his diary from tamil to English and published on the auspicious of the English rulers. The other three diaries which were later published had not been studied in detail. Hence as an attempt to show some more reading is now made of the history through the diary of Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai.

There are several aspects that could be looked into the daily writings of the diary with the language that was used, social aspect, religious activities, political affairs, customs, practice and systems existed at that time, business, trade, natural and geographical events, type of money dealings like advance borrowings, interest, loan etc.

A number of researches, articles and books have been released and seminars conducted on Anandaranga Pillai diary. The first four diaries mentioned above i.e, Ananda Ranga Pillai, Rangapa Thiruvengadam Pillai, Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai, Second Veeranayakar has been published and the last one the diary of Guruvappa Pillai is not found but a reference appears in the Anandarangapa Pillai diary. All three diarists are from the same family spanning around 60 years. The fine streaming of diary events jotted down in the 18^th Century throws light on the history of French India, the society of the yester years, customs, practices, trading, business etc., Still more studies could be done on the unexplored subjects. The essence of system of religions, customs and practices existed, role played by these dubases, administrative and legal system that prevailed, castes and community in 18^th century can be felt when we read the diary. From this study of these dubashes the picture of 18^th century social strata, education, customs and rituals followed, trade, business etc can also be visualized.

Diary of Rangapa Thiruvengadam Pillai:

The diary of Rangapa Thiruvengadam Pillai and his son Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai has been edited and published Shri S.Jayaseela Stephen. The present study is taken on the dubashes mentioned in the French colony of Puducherry.

Diary of Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai (1794-1796).

Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam Pillai is the son of Rangappa Thiruvengadam pillai born in 1777 and he has called as Vengadasam as pet name. His name has been mentioned in Paris documents as Vasaradarya Muthu Vijaya Tiruvengadam Pillai. French Governor Thembran has appointed him as Tamil leader after his father on 1^st March 1791, when the English troops laid siege on Pondicherry. He helped and guarded the Governor and died in 1801. The period in which this diary was recorded is after the third Mysore war (1790-1792) where British under rule of East India Company gained more power for their colonization. The British then occupied Pondicherry for the second time from 23 August 1793 to 18^thJune 1817 for a period of 23 years. The diarist who was living during this period has written only for two years and only a short period of British administration is known. But it is known that migration and desertion of people from Pondicherry to other places took place since the English has demolished the buildings and entire town in ruins.

The Gist of the diary:

Elaborate details of judgement, orders passed by the court i.e, Chavadi, notices, public announcement of the authorities has been recorded in the diary. The clashes between Right and Left hand caste people, payment of tax for his inherited Sedarapet village income, getting permission for construction of house in the Puducherry town, death of Arcot Nawab Mohammed, death of Vijayanagar King, the cannonball villages of Puducherry taken over by the Cuddalore Collector, Temple festival celebration about the fire walking, Kolattam, houses auctioned for non payment of taxes and loans, announcement of French police Chief in French on 11^th April 1795, Monsieur Fumeron shot himself dead by his two barrel gun for not paying the loan he borrowed from local chettis, Tanjore Amarsingh proceeding on pilgrimage to Kasi are some of the incidents registered in the diary. Another fact that has been recorded is that he has appointed an English men to teach English for him (15^th Sept 1794) and could not continue because of his busy work.

Dubashes illustrated in the diary:

The list of dubashes mentioned in the diary are:

Sl. No	Chief/Prominent person	Dubasi name	Reference at page no.
1.	Colonel Nixon	Deivaperumal Pillai and Vengatesa Moudali	69, 41 &101
2.	Not mentioned	Perayaian	41
3.	Esquadron	Samy Mudali	60
4.	Maister Moll	Namanappa Mudaliar	75
5.	Raphel fore (Company’s foreign affair chief)	Nainiappa Mudaliar	81
6.	Not mentioned	Cuddalore Dubasi Appu Mudaliar	87
7.	Monsieur De Fresne	Yeramma Nayakkan	109 & 112
8.	Colonel Claude	Venkatesa Mudaliar and Theperumal Mudaliar	131 & 132
9.	Colonel Banovo	Kandappa Mudali	143
10.	Monsieur Colon	Anna Pillai	162 & 266
11.	Monsieur Chermon	Anna Pillai	164
12.	Colonel Lishta Linghu	Ramasamy Mudali	168, 176 & 304
13.	Josias Dupre Porcher (Madras Mayor in 1791) (Maister Thersubi)	Chenna Kesava Iyer, Sinnakesavaiyar Varisaiya Pillai	209, 261 & 307
14.	Monsieur Foder	Etiya Pillai, Periya Thambi	210, 217 & 339
15.	Monsieur Langhorne	Muthu Kumarappa Pillai	238, 334-335
16.	Monsieur Fumeron	Kuppiyer	242
17.	Monsieur Zerearck	Paramananda Pillai	252
18.	Cuddalore Major	Venkatarama Iyer	263
19.	Not mentioned	Thiruselvaraya Mudali	266
20.	Monsieur Gulontham	Kuzhanthaya Pillai	289
21.	Not mentioned	Asst Dubasi Pottulor	312
22.	Monsieur Poshethu	Anna Pillai (after death of Colonel Lishtalinghu)	326
23.	Perumukkal Captain Winch	Subbraya Mudali	331
24.	Moracin	Anna Pillai	338

The language spelt at the time of the diarist the names of the masters/chiefs Monsieur(Mister), Escotton (Esquadron), Maister (Major) etc, differs. These dubashes most of them are either picked up or appointed to the European masters who does not know the local language. The dubashes are well known persons in the Pondicherry and nearby local community and mostly from Pillai, Mudali and one Brahmin i.e Iyer. They know Tamil, French or English. As said earlier they main task is to assist the masters in interacting with local people and to deal with their personal and business requirements. The details of the salary or any other kind of payment or remuneration paid to these dubashes are not known. But most of them have got their share by way considerable percentage of business dealings by arranging loans & interest, sale of products in textile trade and collection of taxes.

The dubashes enjoyed dignity, pride and the higher status in the society and they were also leaders of their respective community. It was also the responsibility to solve amicably the clashes, problem arising in the community and in their area. The qualification were mainly to know the languages of Tamil, French or English and the ability to deal with their European masters requirements.

The period of this diary from 11^th August 1794 to 15 January 1796 which comes to 402 days most of the days the word dubashi is mentioned. This shows that there are a number of dubashes were working for their masters are well recorded.

Some important events documented in the diary

The significance of this diary is that tamil language with mixed words of French, English, Portuguese, Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian and Hindustani is written in the diary and a list of glossary and word that is spelt has been given for guidance to read the diary. The 18^th century tamil has slowly changed its face in a way with mixed words of above said languages. This shows the dominance of foreign rulers for the past few centuries and especially there are more foreign words mingled in French Puducherry than other parts of India. The system of collection tax, judicial system, punishment, announcement by tom tom are elaborated here. The diarist Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam has translated French to Tamil, Tamil to Arabic and Tamil to English as seen on date 06-01-1975. An advocate from Srilanka Kandy has visited Pondicherry and he was welcomed in the palanquin with drums, dance and fanfare on 23-09-1795. The diarist explains in detail that the information written in a letter which was received by another dubash Subbraya Mudali from Gudiyatham. about the incidence of flood that occurred on 24-12-1795 in Arcot, Gudiyatham, Chetpet and Chittoor where it washed away several houses, damaged trees, cattle and caused huge loss to crop and to the people. There is also information about the death of Nizam Ahamed Khan on 28-10-1794 and death of Karnataka Nawab Mohammed Ali Khan on 13-10-1795. Another recorded report is the Police Chief Bimron committed suicide by shooting with his two barrel gun since the lender has asked to repay the loan that he borrowed and didn’t pay. Solar eclipse occurred on 10-01-1796 as was recorded in this diary. The celebrations of Gokulashtami, Bogi, Pongal, Pot breaking(uriyadi), New Year are documented in the diary.

Conclusion:

From 17^th century until the transformation to the direct control of the British and only during the period of East India Company when the Europeans needed to establish their trade and business they appointed dubashes. In the beginning of 19^th century the Company, when more problem arose with the dubashes the Europeans discontinued the assistance from them and directly dealt with entities. Hence the dubashes disappeared from the scene.

It is evident from the diary that the dubashes recorded in the Muthu Vijaya Thiruvengadam diary are prominently caste leaders and even the diarist itself has a strong binding on their religious faith dealt with the Right and Left hand caste feud and about their financial dealings such as collection of taxes, mediation, translation and interpretation for their masters are the main task they had carried out during the study period of this diary.

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End Notes:

1. An uneasy Alliance: Traders, Missionaries and Tamil intermediaries in the 18th Century French India by Danna Agmon. Ph.D Desserattion in the University of Michigan – 2011.

2. Christianity in India – Robert Eric Fry Kenberg – 2008 Oxford University Press.

3. The Dubashes of Madras – Susan M.Neild, Modern Asian Studies Vol.18, No.1, 1984, page 1-31, Cambridge University Press and Trade and finance in the Coromandel Coast 1757-1833, Lalitha Iyer, Ph.d Desseration, University of Hyderabad, 1992