A conquerer of hearts

BIRTH CENTENARY

June 4 was the 128th birth anniversary of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar, whose people-friendly policies won him much acclaim and respect. Ravindra Bhat profiles this people’s king.

Mysore has several identities, including brand names prefixed with Mysore. Take Mysore silk, Mysore rasabale, Mysore peta, Mysore pak, for instance. Mysore has been known for all these, but more importantly, for its royalty. The Wodeyar governance was so highly appreciated that a leader of Gandhi’s stature called Mysore ‘Rama Rajya’, the ideal state. Mysore ruler Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar was given the title ‘Raja Rishi’.

Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar, who was born on June 4, 1884, was a great brand ambassador of Mysore’s famed administration.  

The Mysore ruler was not known for war; instead it was his people-friendly policies that brought him acclaim. Though Krishnaraja Wodeyar became king at the age of eleven, he was officially coronated only on August 8, 1902. He continued as king till July 31, 1940. Mysore became a model State during his rule, and the State gained many firsts to its name.

It was in 1902 that hydroelectric power was generated at Shivanasamudram for the first time in the whole of Asia. And it was not the king’s palace that was electrified first; it was KGF’s gold mines. Next was the turn of Bangalore City, followed by Mysore and its Palace, and then, the rest of the State. The Wodeyar was called “Krishnaraja Bhoopa, Mane Mane Deepa,” the man who lit up every home in Mysore.

The Mysore Representative Assembly was formed as early as 1881 by Chamarajendra Wodeyar. It was in 1907, during Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar’s period, that the Legislative Council was formed. At a time when some of the so-called ‘more developed’ countries were seeing protests and campaigns seeking equal franchise for women, by 1923, the women of Mysore state had voting rights.

The secret of Krishnaraja Wodeyar’s success was that he co-opted people from all communities and professions into the administrative machinery. He gave a lot of importance to the backward classes, Dalits and socially and financially backward groups.

He constituted the first ever Backward Classes Commission in the whole of India. He implemented the recommendations of the Miller Commission. He also set up a system where people of different communities would get representation in the Assembly based on the demographics of each group.

Among the king’s greatest ambitions was education for all; it was to make this dream a reality that he decided to provide free education to Harijans. Also, parents belonging to backward communities were given incentives to send their children to school. Harijan hostels were set up in Mysore, Chikmagalur and Tumkur in 1915, 1916 and 1918 respectively. The king provided an opportunity to many backward sections of society to visit the Navarathri Durbar. Equal opportunities for education were also provided to the Lambani community. The Gazette entry published on November 29, 1918 is an indication of the king’s ideas about education for the backward classes.

“The administration cannot support any move that keeps children away from schools based on which section of society or community they belong to. Because public schools are being run for the welfare of all groups of people, education, much like hospitals, courts, train services should be available to all sections of society.” 

Mysore was also the first State in the country to implement compulsory education. Child labour was abolished and a legislation was brought in to send children between the ages of 7 and 11 to school. In a move to stress the importance of higher education, Mysore University was established in 1916. Urdu education and education for the physically challenged was also prioritised. When Krishnaraja Wodeyar took over the administration, there were 3,884 schools in the State.

By the time he celebrated the silver jubilee of his reign, the number of schools went up to 12,869.As per the advice of Swami Vivekananda, the Indian Institute of Science was set up during his rule.

Mysore and its many firsts

The Krishna Raja Sagar reservoir, built during Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar’s period, provided water to lakhs of farmers in the State. The Thippagondanahalli reservoir that supplies water to Bangalore was also built during this period. Mysore took the highway to progress on all fronts, including roads, banks, hospitals, bridges, etc. Several dams and reservoirs were built between 1923 and 1939.The construction of the Krishna Raja Sagar was started in 1911. Work was completed in 1931. The dam was built at a cost of Rs 2.75 crore. The income of the Mysore state itself was Rs 2.32 crore. There were no excess funds to build the dam. Heavy jewellery from the king’s private treasury was sold in Mumbai and funds were made available for the construction of the dam.
 In 1930, the birth control wing of the Krishnarajendra Hospital was opened, and it became the first ever government hospital to have a birth control unit. Krishnaraja Wodeyar’s reign was also known as the ‘golden age of industry’. 

The number of industries in Mysore state in 1921 stood at 21. By 1947, it went up to 167. Many industries including Bhadravathi’s Mysore Iron and Steel Factory, Bangalore’s Government Soap Factory, Lacquer Factory, Porcelain and Glass Factory, were all set up. Nalwadi Wodeyar also started Mysore Paper Mills and Mysore Sugar Factory.

A lot of emphasis was laid on rural development as well. In 1913, the Mysore Village Court Act was implemented. The Gram Panchayat Act was implemented in 1918, and the Agriculturists’ Relief Act was implemented in 1928. Lalitadripura was developed as a model village in 1926.

A great sportsman himself, the king also patronised the arts. He abolished the Devadasi system in 1909, and banned ‘Gejje Pooje’ in temples in 1910. In 1936, the Prostitution Control Act was implemented. Other Acts including the Tobacco and Narcotics Sale Act, and Widow Remarriage Act were also implemented. Widows were given scholarships for education. Abalashramas (for women) were started. In 1933, an Act that would provide Hindu women rights to inherited property was implemented.

An Act that would provide amenities for women labourers was implemented in 1937. A king who ruled many hearts, thanks to his policies that made a huge difference to the common man.