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Shamaiya Iyengar (Shyama Iyengar) popularly known as Anche Shamaiya(Anche Bakshi Shamaiah),[1] son/descendent of Vasudeva Iyengar, was the minister of the police and the post office (also served as the intelligence department) during the time of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. He was originally from Sulikunte in Kolar district of Karnataka [1] (also known as Sulkunte), near Budikote in Bangarpet. Although it is said he was born in Shambonahali or Shamaiahhalli after his name sake (source: Mysore State Gazetteer) in the tumkur district, his ancestors had migrated by then to Sulikunte(Sulakunte) agrahara formerly known as soolikere village in Kolar district from tumkur. He was of the Bharadvaja Gotra. He was a Valluraar Iyengar of the Thenkalai(Southern) Tradition i.e. he belonged to a family of Srivaishnavas who had migrated from Thiruvallur in Tamil Nadu into Kolar and parts of Andhra.
Shamaiya had met Hyder when he was a young man. He rose to the height of his power when he was appointed as the head of the post office and police which also served many other functions (Anche Guritana) in 1776 (Some historians put this date at 1779) after helping catch a corrupt official in hiding who had run off with significant money from the state treasury who is referred to as Anche Thimmaih. It is said he used his agents and network of emissaries to track him down and bring him back to face justice.
For this he was honoured with an umbrella, medal, pearl necklace, received 5000 varahas as reward and 1000 varahas as allowance from Hyder Ali and appointed as the Anche Bakshi. Shamaiah enjoyed great success as an all round administrator during the time of Hyder. It was said that shamaiah was so trusted and an important figure that all courtiers except Shamaiah were to compulsorily attend Tippoos wedding. Shamaih was left free to look after the affairs of the state even when the most important nobles and administrators were forced to attend the wedding. Shamaih was the only Hindu allowed to wear the mohammeden elite noble green headdress and ride on a palanquin during the time of Hyder.
Later in Tipu sultan's time an alleged insurrection to overthrow Tipu and re establish the Hindu king was plotted around 1783. Shamaiya was believed to be the leader of the insurrection. It is not known whether Shamaiah was indeed inviolved in such a coup or if it was a fake trial with fake charges. Although C Hayavadana Rao in his History of Mysore book suggests Shamaiah may have been a royalist and after witnessing Tipu's fanaticism and actions and the poor treatment of Maharani Lakshmi Ammani and the Mysore Wodeyar royals, must have dediced to overthrow Tipu. Many alleged conspirators of this alleged coup were put to death instantly, it is not known why Shamaiya did not suffer the same fate. Shamaih was with Tipu at Mangalore when Tipu ordered him to be put in heavy iron's and sent to SrirangaPattinam. His brother Ranga Iyengar a Bakshi in Srirangapattinam was arrested in Srirangapattinam. They were occasionally fed on a low diet Shamaiah was flogged publicly with chilli powder applied to his back and later blinded. Shamiaya and his brother Rangaiya persisted to their last in denying any involvement in the insurrection. Shamaiya was extremely popular and got along with all communities and all parties so well that Tipu kept him imprisoned instead of executing shamaih. Shmaiah's eyes were implaed and was left blinded due to Tipu's Torture[2].
The Coup of 1783
Details of the coup from 'Memoirs of the war in Asia, from 1780 to 1784. Including a narrative of the imprisonment and sufferings of our officers and soldiers, by an officer of Colonel Baillie's detachment. 1795':
This is an diary entry from July 24th 1783.
"At five o'clock, P. M. received intelligence of a project - contrived in order to reinstate the King of Mysore. How dangerous however this conspiracy. might appear to be, yet every member at first appeared steady and undaunted. The parties who entered into this plot, were the Inchivalla(Anche Shamaih), head post-master to Tippoo Saib, and keeper of the privy seals; the Prime Minister of the old King of Mysore(Tremalrow i.e Tirumala Iyengar, a Mandyam Iyengar and Pradhan to the old Mysore king); two Subadars; and nine other head men. One of the Subadars had the command of one hundred men: the other had been a Subadar in Captain Keating's battalion; and taken prisoner at the fall of Amboor, a garrison in the Carnatic. - The whole of the conspirators assembled several times, and after matters were arranged, they each swore solemn to observe secrecy. Letters were then dispatched to our army the Marratras, and Corakees, requiring their assistance: Every thing promised success. They then agreed to disperse for the present, and to meet at the general rendezvouz about seven the same evening: but unfortunately for them, and likewise for all the prisoners, the Subadar who had the command of the hundred men instantly went to the Keeladar and informed him of the whole plot. Guards were ordered, and the whole party secured and thrown into dungeons.
The first object of the conspirators was to have made sure of the Keeladar, the head Myar, and Asoff Cawn; these three were to have been instantly put to death: their next, to have released all the European and other prisoners, and then to have murdered the whole of Asoff Cawn's battalion,” the sepoys of that corps having charge of all the magazines, gates, etc..[3]"
The Aftermath of the 1783 Coup
Massacre of the Mandyam Iyengars
Around 700 mandyam iyengars of the bharadwaja gotra, the same gotra as that of Shamaiah and likely the Mysore Pradhans Tremalrow(Tirumala Iyengar and Narainrow(Narayana Iyengar), including men women and children were massacred in large numbers near the same period circa 1783. They were hung in a tamarind grove near the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangapattinam. It is assumed that the involvement of Shamaih and the Mandyam Iyengar Mysore Pradhans in this coup was used to persecute peoples that had resisted the jizya tax and who had kept their loyalties to their old masters (The Wodeyar Dynasty)
It is also said that many members of the Jyestimalla (Jetti) clan of Brahmin wrestlers and athletes were also massacred en masse at the same time. This is due to the threat perception that such Hindu athletes and warriors would be dangerous if a rebellion ever broke out. This community was and is still popularly known as the Jetti or the Jetti Pehelvan community in and around Mysore. They can be found in their wrestling establishments known as garadi mane in the Mysore region.
Tipu's Sanad in 1783
Tipus Sanad in 1783 mentioning Shamaiah as Anche Shamaiya, indicating Tipu's attempt at provoke divisions between the tenkalai sect mandyam iyengars and vadakalai parakala mutt members after Shamaiah's downfall.
Extract from Sannad of Nawab Tippu Sultan Bahadur of Mysore (15 th September 1783 A.D.).[4]
“The ‘Nirup ’ is addressed to Kuppaiya, Deva- sthanada-Sime-Parupatyagar or manager of the department of temples in the State to the system of reciting invocatory verses in the temple at Melukote (see above). It is stated in this nirup that Anche Shamaiya (an officer under Tlpu) was violating the old usage in the temple at Melukote regarding the use of invocatory verses and it was now ordained that both forms of invocation which begin with “Ramanuja-dayapatra. ” and “Srisailesha-daya- patra” might be used. Further the Parupatyadar was ordered to be fair to both the sects of Vadagalai and Tenkale (which used the above invocations) and to remove the image of Pillai Lokacharya (a saint of the Tenkalai sect) to its original place at Melukote and to take the God in procession to Kesavaswami mantapa and other mantapas and distribute tirtha (sacred water) and prasada consecrated food offered to God during the Tirunakshatra and conduct the services with zeal in the usual manner.”[5]
Shamaih's Treatment in prison
Details of Shamaih's treatment in captivity from 'Memoirs of the war in Asia, from 1780 to 1784. Including a narrative of the imprisonment and sufferings of our officers and soldiers, by an officer of Colonel Baillie's detachment. 1795':[3]
Diary entry from November 4th 1783:
"The Inchivalla, who was the ring leader in the conspiracy still remains in heavy irons, and on low diet"[6]
Diary entry from January 4th 1783:
"The Inchivalla was publicly. flogged, near our prison, and his back rubbed with chillies, or Cayenne pepper."[7]
Tipus Sanad in 1793
A Sanad from 1793 survives which shows Tipu handing over authority of Shamaiya's home village to the Parakala Matha. The Sanad of Tipu Sultan in 1793 regarding Sulakunte Agrahara is a document that specifies the grant given to the Parakala Matha of Mysore by the ruler. The contents of the Sanad are as follows:[5]
"The grant of the village of Sulakunte Agrahara, along with all its rights, revenues, and other benefits, to the Parakala Matha for its maintenance and upkeep.
The grant of the privilege to the Parakala Matha to hold a weekly market in the village, which would provide additional revenue to the Matha.
The grant of the right to construct tanks, canals, and other waterworks in the village, and to use the water thus obtained for agricultural purposes.
The stipulation that the Parakala Matha must pay an annual tribute of 1000 Pagodas to the government.
The requirement that the Parakala Matha must maintain law and order in the village, and ensure that the villagers pay their taxes regularly"[5]
Family view of events
Adherents of Shamaiya's family believe that Shyam Iyengar was a victim of political conspiracy by other jealous ministers and the political class at the time. Some accounts say that Shamaiya was killed in 1784 but he may well have been alive and fathered a son in 1821 as indicated by his family tree.[8]
Shamaiya's elder brother Ranga Iyengar was also a highly placed officer under Tipu. Rangaiah was the head of the department at Srirangapattinam. [1] His younger brother Aprameya was also given a position in the government.[9]
He is also referred to as anche shamaiah, inchiwalla, inchivalla, anchewalla, shamia in many records. Rangaiah has been referred to as Bungea, Rungea, Rungeia in many records.
He was such a famous part of Mysore between 1770s and 1799 that many English, Muslim and Mysore Wadiyar commissioned historians have mentioned him in many books. He was in touch with the British, Persians and French. He was a man of great character but ultimately He was a victim of circumstances of his time. Left blinded by Tipus torture and sidelined by the British, he was a victim of the circumstances of his time. He was probably born near the mid-1700s and died somewhere near 1820s. His family tree suggests he fathered a son in 1821. He is survived by many descendants. Although a lot of property was confiscated from Shamaiah, he still had a good amount of property to his name and his descendants were large landowners with one of his descendants of the same name "Sulkunte(Su) Shyama Iyengar" living in the late 1800s and early 1900s was only one of two tax payers to pay more than 1000 rupees in land tax in the entire Kolar district.
Overall Shamaih was a highly intelligent and capable administrator and leader who was able to handle everything from diplomacy to internal affairs to warfare. He was man well respected by all including Hyder and Tipu, the British and even the French. He was a scholar and a master accountant. Despite all this he was a victim of the circumstances of his time in a very exited and chaotic political time.
↑History of Mysore (1399–1799) by C. Hayavadana Rao
↑The captivity, sufferings, and escape, of James Scurry by James Scurry
↑Historical Sketches of the South of India, in an Attempt to Trace the History of Mysoor by Mark Wilks
↑C. Hayavadana Rao - Administration of Mysore (Gazetteer Vol. IV) by C. Hayavadana Rao
↑Personal recollection of Sulkunte Ram Iyengar of Hongenahalli, Malur Taluk 1970
↑Personal recollection of Sulkunte Ram Iyengar Dwarakanath of Hongenahalli, Malur Taluk 1980
↑Personal recollection of Sulkunte Dwarakanth Iyengar Vasanthkumar of Doddanekundhi, Bengaluru 2004
↑Personal recollection of Arun Sulkunte Iyengar Son of Vasanthkumar of Doddanekundhi, Bengaluru 2010
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