Wodeyars

On the overthrow of Tipu Sultan's government and restoration of the ancient royal family of Mysore on the 30th June 1799, the Chitradurga region formed a part of the princely State of Mysore. Soon after the enthronement of Krishnaraja Wodeyar (III), Purnaiya was appointed by the Commissioners to be the Dewan of His Highness and Lt. Col. Close became, under the orders of the Governor-General, Resident at the Court of Mysore. Under the Partition Treaty of Mysore, dated 22nd June 1799, certain areas on the northern frontier of the then Mysore State were reserved for the Peshwa ; but as he did not accede to the treaty, these areas (Holalkere, Mayakonda and Harihara) which now form part of the Chitradurga district, were tempora­rily placed in charge of the Government of His Highness for purpo­ses of management. Purnaiya managed them for the Company. These territories were later transferred to Mysore , in accordance With the Subsidiary Treaty, dated the 6th April 1801. Lord Clive, the then Governor of Madras, is said to have complimented Purnaiya, in acknowledging the accounts sent by him, on his "prudent and just management of these districts and every part of Mysore.(161)

With these changes there may be said to have been ushered into being an era of peace and prosperity, after a century of disquiet, in the history of this district. The west and south of the district, however, suffered to some extent in the insurrection of 1830. At this time it formed the Chitrakal Rayada Subayana or Faujdari.

There have been found two inscriptions in this district, refering to "Krishnaraja Wodeyar. One of them, dated about 1800, gives the measurement of a Krishnaraja haradari as 5,280 yards. The other dated 1820 records a grant made by the ruler to one Channa Basava Shastri. Tlirre are a few older record belonging to this period ; but they all pertain to the grants made by private individuals.

The rest of the history of this district runs parallel to that of the entire erstwhile State of Mysore. There was all-round development of the district, particularly in the post-rendition period, i.e., after 1881. The Marikanive works, started in August 1898 and completed in August 1907, proved a boon to the people of the district. It gave a fillip to wet cultivation among the people who were, so far, unaccustomed to it.

Administratively, the region has undergone changes many a time in the post-Paleyagar oeriod. Under the British manage­ment, the Chitradurga Division included the Chitradiirga and Tumkur districts, with head-quarters at Tumkur. In 1803, that Division was broken, by joining the Chitradurga district to the Nagar Division and the Tumkur district to the Nandidurga Division. In 1879, the Divisions were abolished, and in 1882 Chitradurga was reduced to a Sub-Division under Tumkur district. In 1886, the Chitradurga district was re-established, but Pavagada taluk remained a part of Tummkur district. After many changes in the structure of sub-taluk;- and taluks, the district administra­tion settled itself with two revenue sub-divisions, nine taluks and 30 hoblis. When the States of the Indian Union were reorganised on linguistic lines in November 1956, the Chitradurga district formed part of the Bangalore Division under a Commissioner.

Courtesy : Gazetteer of India, Chitradurga District, 1967.