Karnataka

Chapter 6 Developments in the

19th and 20th Century

Glimpses of
British Rule

T
he advent of British rule after the death of
Tipu Sultan brought about many changes in
Karnataka. The Kannada speaking land was
divided into several fragments and placed under
different administrations. The British retained
Krishnaraja Wodeyar III Mysore as a separate principality but with reduced territory.
The prince of the Wodeyar dynasty, Krishnaraja III was
still a boy when he became the ruler in 1799 A.D. so the
areas in the modern districts of Gulbarga, Raichur, Koppal
and Bidar were handed over to the Nizam of Hyderabad.
The Kanara District (now the districts of Uttara Kannada,
Dakshina Kannada and Udupi) and Bellary which were
taken from Tipu, were added to the Madras Presidency. The
region of Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri, Bijapur, Bagalkot and
Belgaum districts which were taken from the Peshwa in
1818 A.D., were merged into Bombay Presidency. In 1862
A.D., the Kanara District was divided into two. While North

139
Glimpses of Karnataka
Kanara was tagged on to Bombay Presidency, South Kanara
remained in Madras Presidency. In addition to the Nawab of
Savanur, there were over 15 other princes ruling over small
Kannada principalities. Most of them were Maratha rulers. They
included the princes of Jamkhandi, Aundh, Ramdurg, Mudhol,
Sandur, Hire Kurundawad, Jath, Sangli, Kolhapur, Meeraj, Kiriya
Kurundawada, Akkalkote, etc.
Krishnaraja Wodeyar III
The princely state of Mysore emerged as the nucleus of Karnataka
and grew to be a progressive state. It nurtured Kannada culture
and encouraged Kannada literature and scholarship. In fact, it
is believed that Karnataka would have lost its identity had it not
been for the Mysore State.
Purnaiah was appointed the Chief Administrator (Dewan) during
the rule of the minor king Krishnaraja Wodeyar III until 1810
140
A.D., when Krishnaraja took over the administration. In 1830
A.D., trouble started in Nagar, a territory which was under the
Keladi Nayaks and had been annexed by the Hyder Ali. Budi
Basavaiah, who called himself a scion of the Keladi family, started
a peasant revolt. Though the Mysore troops put down the revolt,
a commission of enquiry was instituted. However, before the
findings of the commission were released, Lord William Bentick,
the British Governor-General, decided to bring Mysore state under
the British administration, stating the administrative inefficiency
of the king as an excuse. The order was delivered to Krishnaraja
Wodeyar III in 1831 A.D. during the time of the Dasara festivities.
The ruler submitted with dignity and subsequently, Mysore was
ruled by the British Commissioners for the next 50 years.
Krishnaraja Wodeyar III, also called Mummadi Krishnaraja
Wodeyar, was a great scholar and lover of literature and spent the
rest of his life in literary and artistic pursuits. The Mysore court
became a major center of renaissance in Karnataka during his
period. He founded the Raja School for teaching English in 1833
A.D., which became the nucleus of the Maharaja’s High School
and was later upgraded as Maharaja’s College in 1879 A.D. He
also started a lithographic press called Ambavilasa in 1841 and
started printing books in Kannada.
Commissioners’ Regime
The major change that occurred during the Commissioners’ regime
was the replacement of the old Hindu administrative system by
the British system. Of the Commissioners who ruled Mysore
between 1831-81 A.D., two are the most notable - Mark Cubbon
(1834-61 A.D.) and Lewin Bowring (1862-70 A.D.). The credit for
making Mysore a modern state by organising the administration
along European lines and bringing it at par with other districts
in the British Presidencies goes to these two men. They also
encouraged education by increasing the number of schools. By
building roads and railways and introducing telegraph systems, a
sound infrastructure was provided, paving the way for industrial
progress.

The year 1881 A.D. saw the Rendition, after which, Chamarajendra
Wodeyar, the adopted son of Krishnaraja III, secured the throne.
He was assisted by able Dewans like Rangacharlu and Sheshadri
Iyer. Rangacharlu founded the Representative Assembly in
Mysore in 1881 A.D., with 144 nominated members and thus,
prepared the ground for a responsible government. From 1891
A.D. onwards, the members were elected on an annual basis
from among the revenue paying landlords, rich merchants and
graduates. In 1894 A.D., their office of tenure was extended to
three years. Rangacharlu encouraged Kannada scholarship and
was also a great lover of literature and fine arts.
The prince died in 1894 A.D. and young Krishnaraja Wodeyar
IV was crowned the king and the Queen-Mother Vanivilasa
Sannidhana became the Regent. Sheshadri Iyer continued as
Dewan till 1901.
Old Railway Engine
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Developments in the 19th and 20th Century
Economic Changes
Dewan Purnaiah commissioned a dam across the river Kaveri at
Sagarakatte to improve irrigation. The laying of the first broad
gauge railway line between Bengaluru and Jolarpet was initiated
during the regime of Cubbon, but it started functioning from 1864
A.D. when Bowring was the Commissioner. Cubbon was also
responsible for the construction of new roads of over 2,560 km. in
length and of 300 bridges. Rangacharlu was responsible for the
completion of the Bengaluru-Mysore metre gauge rail line in 1882
A.D. This had been initiated earlier during the Commissioners’
rule in 1877 A.D. with a budget of Rs. 55.48 Lakhs. Over 150 lakh
acres of land were allotted for coffee plantations. He also founded
the Public Works and Forest Departments and set up the District
Savings Bank in Mysore in 1870 A.D.
Sheshadri Iyer started gold mining in Kolar region (Kolar Gold
Fields, K.G.F.) in 1886 A.D. He created the Departments of
Geology in 1894 A.D., Agriculture in 1898 A.D. and launched the
Vanivilasa Sagara Irrigation Scheme in Chitradurga district. The
Shivanasamudra Hydro-Electric Project, which supplied power to
KGF in 1902, was also started during this period. This later
Glimpses of Karnataka
provided electricity to Bengaluru city in 1905 (the first city to
obtain electrical facilities in the whole country) and to Mysore in
1907. It was the first major project of its kind in India, although
it is interesting to note that in 1887 A.D., a very small scale Hydro
Electric project was started at Gokak in the Bombay Presidency
by a private company called Gokak Spinning Mill.
It was around this time that elsewhere in Karnataka too, modern
industrialisation began and railway and road transport facilities
started improving. Harihara-Pune railway line was completed
in 1888 A.D. Mangalore was connected by rail with Madras in
1907. The Gokak Spinning Mill had been founded in 1885 A.D.
by sourcing power from the Gokak Falls in 1887 A.D. and some
tile factories were started in Mangalore, first initiated by the
Basel Mission in 1865 A.D. A spinning and weaving mill was also
started at Gulbarga in 1888 A.D. Gold mining had started in the
Hatti region of Raichur District after preliminary investigations
in 1886 A.D. Hubli and Gadag too had several ginning mills by
then. Thus, industrialisation gave impetus to urbanisation and
modernisation. Agriculture also received great fillip because of
better irrigation facilities and demand. In 1860 A.D., the ‘Cotton
Boom’ of the American Civil War days gave impetus to growing
cotton crops, but the demand from Manchester fell after 1860
A.D. New factories founded at Bombay and Sholapur (Sollapur)
purchased cotton from north Karnataka area. However, spinning,
a domestic industry which had provided jobs to lakhs of women by
assuring a wage equal to farm workers, was totally destroyed after
the Industrial Revolution and so was weaving. Thus, pressure on
land increased. The Bengaluru Mill was started in 1884 A.D. and
it was taken over in 1886 A.D by the Binny’s Bengaluru Woollen,
Cotton and Silk Mills.
Anti-British Uprisings
Karnataka did not tamely submit to the foreign rule of the British
and saw several violent anti-British uprisings between1800-58
A.D. The earliest was that of Dhondia Wagh, who after the fall
142
of Tipu, unfurled the flag of revolt against the British in 1800
A.D. from the Bidanur-Shikaripur region. Many former princes
joined him and his revolt spread from Jamalabad to Sode in
the coastal districts and beyond the Ghats up to Belgaum and
Raichur Districts. He was killed at Konagal in September 1800
A.D. and his colleague Krishnappa Nayak of Belur (Balam) was
killed in February 1802 A.D. The Vellore (Tamilnadu) uprising of
1806 A.D. has to be recorded in the annals of Karnataka since the
rebels invited Fateh Hyder, the son of the deceased Tipu Sultan,
to assume the leadership but he refused. Eventually, the uprising
was quelled very easily by the British. The Koppal Rebellion led
by Virappa in 1819 A.D. was also suppressed. The year 1820
A.D. saw the Deshmukh rebellion near Bidar. A strong revolt was
witnessed at Sindagi in Bijapur District in 1824 A.D. The revolt of
Kittur Channamma in 1824 A.D. and of Sangolli Rayanna of the
same kingdom in 1829 A.D., are also famous. This was followed by
the Nagar Uprising of 1830 A.D., accompanied by similar agrarian
revolts in the Kanara District in 1831 A.D. Sarja Hanumappa
Nayak of Tarikere also joined the insurgents and though this
revolt failed, it cost Krishnaraja III his throne. Between 1835-
37 A.D., there was an uprising in Kodagu and neighbouring
Dakshina Kannada (Sullya Puttur, Bantawala and Mangalore),
popularly known as Kalyanappana Katakayi, so named because
its leader was Kalyana Swamy, (also called Swamy Aparamapara)
who projected himself as the relative of the Kodagu royal family.
Ultimately, Kalyanappa, Kumble Subbaraya Hedge, Lakshmappa
Banga and Biranna Banta of Kasaragod were all hanged in 1837
A.D. A former official of the Peshwa, Narasappa Petkar organised
a revolt against the British in 1840 A.D, popularly known as the
Badami revolt.
Karnataka responded to the 1857-58 A.D. uprisings positively. The
Chandakavate Deshmukhs joined hands with Venkatappanayaka
of Surapur and revolted against the British. In November 1857
A.D., the Halagali Bedas revolted against the Arms Act. They were
ruthlessly suppressed by the British army and several people died.
During the struggle, more than 300 persons were arrested and 32
persons were hanged at Mudhol and Halagali. Jamakhandi also

witnessed an uprising. The rulers of Naragund and Surapur and
the Desais of Govanakoppa, Hammige, Soraturu etc, also revolted
in 1858. Mundargi Bheemarao was executed and the rebellion
was quelled. In fact, 12 copies of Tatya Topi’s Anti-British
proclamation chart were recovered from Mundargi Bheemarao’s
family. There was a long revolt in Supa, jointly led by men from
Goa and Uttara Kannada, (who included some Siddis), between
1858-59 A.D.
Though the uprisings were suppressed, their lessons were not
totally forgotten. It was the Nagar Uprising in 1830 A.D. which
ultimately resulted in the founding of the Mysore Representative
Assembly in 1881 A.D. The British learnt to respond to the
grievances of the people quickly. Local self-governing bodies were
founded in towns during 1850s and 60s A.D. People also learnt
that without proper organisation, it would not be possible to free
the country from the British. The British also felt the need to
improve means of transport and communication to enable them
to meet situations of breach of peace.
Beginning of Renaissance
The British administration helped the spread of modern education
as the Christian missionaries started education on western lines.
There were over 2,000 primary schools in Mysore state by 1881
A.D. and the Bombay-Karnataka area had over 650 primary
schools. Though there were only Marathi schools in the Bombay-
Karnataka area, individuals like Elliot and Channabasappa
worked to introduce Kannada medium. A college was started
at Bellary in 1869 A.D. and a Government College was set up
at Bengaluru in 1870 A.D. (named Central College in 1875).
Bengaluru saw a second institution when the St. Joseph’s College
was started in 1882 A.D. The Maharaja’s College of Mysore was
started in 1879 A.D. and the Government College of Mangalore
was founded in 1869 A.D., followed by the St. Aloysius College in
1879 A.D. Christian Missionaries started printing in Kannada as
early as 1817 A.D. (first from Serampore near Calcutta) and the
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Developments in the 19th and 20th Century
first newspaper named ‘Mangaluru Samachara’ was started by
the Basel Mission in 1843 A.D. Many old Kannada classics were
printed. All these developments promoted literary activities.
Art, music and architecture too were influenced by these changes.
The Central College building in Gothic style, the Athara Kachery
(1867 A.D.) and the Bengaluru Museum Building (1877 A.D.)
in Corinthian style, were built during this period. The Basel
Missionary, introducing light tiles from Mangalore, revolutionised
architectural patterns. Churches too introduced the western
style. Our Lady of Sorrow Church (Mangalore 1857 A.D.), St.
Mary’s Church (Shivajinagar, Bengaluru, 1882 A.D.), St. Joseph’s
Seminary Church (Mangalore 1890 A.D.) and St. Mary’s Church
(Belgaum, 1896 A.D.) are some such early examples.
Many social movements stirred the Hindu society. The
propaganda of the Christian Missions was also responsible for
this, especially of the newly founded Protestant Missions. The
Theosophical Society started its work in Mysore state in 1886
A.D. The Brahma Samaj started its activities at Bengaluru in
1866 A.D. and at Mangalore in 1870 A.D. This was followed by
the Depressed Classes Mission, founded by Kudmul Ranga Rao
at Mangalore in 1897 A.D., which started many schools for the
depressed classes. The Indian Progressive Union was started in
Bengaluru in 1894 A.D. Mysore state banned the marriage of girls
below eight years. Sheshadri Iyer started separate schools for
the untouchables as they were reluctant to attend other regular
schools. The Maharanis School for Girls founded in 1881 A.D. at
Mysore by Palace Bakshi Ambale Narasimha lyengar, became a
high school in 1891 A.D. and later a college was added in 1901.
The Ramakrishna Mission was founded in Bengaluru in 1904.
These developments also helped in the emancipation of women
and attempted eradication of untouchability.
It was in this atmosphere that the history of the state also came
to be written. B.L. Rice’s ‘Mysore and Coorg,’ Fleet’s ‘Dynasties
of Canarese Districts’ (1882), Bhandarkar’s ‘Early History of
Glimpses of Karnataka
Dakhan’ (1884), Rice’s ‘Epigraphia Carnatica Volumes’ (beginning
from 1886), ‘Indian Antiquary Volumes’ from Calcutta (1872)
and Sewell’s ‘A Forgotten Empire’ (1901) helped the recovery of
Karnataka’s history and made the people of Karnataka feel proud
of their eventful past. This paved the way for the Renaissance
and the national awakening in the 20th century.
Amidst all these developments, the first Agricultural and
Industrial Exhibition was organised at Mysore in 1888 A.D. The
Karnataka Vidyavardhaka Sangha of Dharwad in 1890 A.D., the
Athara Kachery
144
Mythic Society of Bengaluru in 1909 and the Karnataka Ithihasa
Samshodhana Mandala of Dharwad in 1914 further helped the
Renaissance. An all-Karnataka literary and cultural forum was
founded in 1915. This was the Karnataka Sahitya Parishat,
with its headquarters in Bengaluru. It had the active support
of the Mysore Government and its President, H.V. Nanjundaiah
also became the Vice-Chancellor of the newly founded Mysore
University in 1916. Aluru Venkatarao, who is regarded as the
father of the Karnataka Unification Movement, wrote Karnataka
Gata Vaibhava in 1917, introducing to the Kannadigas in Kannada,
the history and cultural achievements of Karnataka. Written in a
tone highly charged with emotion, the work played an important
role in inculcating national feelings.
Modernisation
The rulers of Mysore were enlightened administrators and their
genuine interest in the progress of the state won them the affection
and respect of the people. All of them were patrons of learning,
literature, music and other fine arts. Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV,
who ruled from 1902-40, did not lead an ostentatious life and
combined piety with a modern outlook. During his reign, the
state made rapid progress in all directions. His younger brother,
Kanthirava Narasimharaja Wodeyar, the Yuvaraja of Mysore, was
also a generous patron of fine arts. For many years, he was the
Honorary President of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat. His son
Jayachamaraja Wodeyar came to the throne in 1940 and proved
as enlightened as his uncle. When the country won independence,
Mysore acceded to the Indian Union. Jayachamaraja Wodeyar
served as governor and won an enduring place in the hearts of the
people. The Dewans in charge of the administration in Mysore
made the principality not only a modern state but also a model
state. Dewan P.N. Krishnamurthy, who served from 1901-06,
improved the administration by introducing up-to-date methods
followed in British India in office procedures and maintenance of
records along with the setting up of the Co-operative Department in
1906. The next Dewan, V.P. Madhava Rao founded the Legislative

Council in 1907, the
second chamber, and
took measures for forest
conservation. The Central
Cooperative Bank was also
his creation.
Sir M. Visvesvaraya,
an engineer, economist
and administrator with
tremendous foresight,
became the Dewan in 1912.
He was a man of vision and
a dynamic administrator.
During his brief period
of administration, the
Kannambadi Reservoir
Project, initiated earlier,
was started and top priority was given to its construction. During
this period, the strength of the Legislative Council was increased
to 24 and a second session called Budget Session was introduced
in June 1917. The assembly was made more powerful by allowing
discussions about the budget of the state. He founded many
industries and undertook such progressive and far-reaching
administrative measures that he came to be known as ‘Maker
of Modern Mysore.’ The Sandalwood Oil Factory of Mysore in
1916, Mysore Chrome Tanning Factory in 1918, Government
Soap Factory in Bengaluru and the Wood Distillation Factory at
Bhadravati were all started by Sir M. Visvesvaraya. The iron unit
at Bhadravati was also his brainchild. In the field of academics,
he founded the Engineering College in 1917 and the Medical
College at Bengaluru in 1917. The Agricultural School was started
in 1913 which became the nucleus for the future University of
Agricultural Sciences and the Mysore University in 1916. The
Mysore Bank was also started in his time in 1913, as well as
the Mysore Chamber of Commerce in 1916. During this period,
a non-Brahmin party i.e. Praja Mitra Mandali was founded in
145
Developments in the 19th and 20th Century
1917 based on the demand for social equality in public service for
non-Brahmins. The government appointed the Miller Committee
to enquire about grievances and subsequently, Visvesvaraya
resigned in 1918. Later, in 1919, the Miller Committee submitted
its report recommending proper representation for backward
class people in public employment. The constitution for electing
the members to the representative assembly in a more democratic
way was initiated and the strength was increased from 250 to
275. Voting power was given to those who paid Rupees Fifty as
land revenue and Rupees Ten as municipal tax and women were
given the franchise.
Another important Dewan, who was in office between 1926-41,
was Sir Mirza M. Ismail who was responsible for making Mysore
one of the best known princely states in India by expanding its
industries, founding new ones and undertaking major irrigation
projects. Mysore state made rapid progress in economic and
cultural achievements during this period. Plantation-based
industries were expanded both in Mysore and Kodagu regions.
Kannambadi project, commissioned earlier, was completed when
Sir Mirza was the Dewan. It gave impetus to sugarcane growing
and helped in establishing sugar factories at a later date. Under
Sir Mirza Ismail, the Kaveri Upper Canal was commissioned,
benefitting over one lakh acres of land. The Bhadravati Iron Factory
which had been founded by Sir M. Visvesvaraya, was expanded by
Sir Mirza Ismail by adding a steel unit.
The District Savings Banks attached to District Treasuries were
started in 1870 A.D. Bengaluru saw the opening of three banking
companies in 1868 A.D. and though a total of 24 such institutions
were set up by 1876 A.D. in the city, not many survived. Chitradurga
Savings Bank was founded in 1870 A.D. The Bombay Presidency
Bank set up its branch at Dharwad in 1863 A.D., the Madras
Presidency Bank founded its branch at Bengaluru in 1864 A.D.
Subsequently, branches were started at Belgaum and Mangalore
in 1867 A.D., in Hubli in 1870 A.D. and in Kumta in 1872 A.D.
South Kanara had its banking companies like the Canara Bank
Glimpses of Karnataka
in Mangalore in 1906 and Corporation Bank in Udupi in1906.
Later, the Pangal Nayak Bank in 1920, Jayalakshmi Bank in 1923,
Karnataka Bank in 1924, Udupi Bank in 1925, Catholic Bank in
1925, Vijaya Bank in 1925 and the Syndicate Bank in 1925, were
established. The Town Co-operative Bank was started at Hospet in
1915. Dharwad District saw many Co-operative Societies starting
with the one at Kanaginahal in 1906. Most of them are in the
present Gadag district. The Dharwad D.C.C. Bank was started
in 1916. The Co-operative Movement also made great strides in
Kodagu, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts.
The tile industry was expanded in South Kanara and cashew nut
husking units such as the Pierce Leslie and the Mallya Cashew
were started in 1924. Beedi rolling in coastal region and agarbati
production in Mysore state were started as domestic industries
in an organised manner. The Swadeshi Movement gave a fillip
to industrial activity in the British districts of Karnataka. A big
oil mill i.e. the B.T. Mills was started at Davanagere in 1918 and
several cotton ginning factories had been started earlier.
Sir Mirza Ismail was responsible for
the founding of many new industries
in Mysore State. He founded the
Government Cement Factory in
1936 and Mysore Paper Mills in
1938, both at Bhadravati. The
Sugar Factory at Mandya in 1934,
the Mysore Chemical and Fertilizers
Factory in 1937 at Belagola (the first
of its kind in India) and the Glass
and Porcelain Factories in 1939
at Bengaluru, were also his brain-
child. He initiated plans to produce
power at Shimsha and Jog, but perhaps the most important
industry initiated during his time was Hindustan Aircrafts in 1940.
The Kaiser-I-Hind Woollen Mill had started production in 1922
and was followed by the Minerva Mills. At Harihara, the Mysore
146
Kirloskar Machine Shop was started in 1941. The Davanagere
Cotton Mills started in 1939, set an example for establishing more
such mills in the town. A sugar factory was founded at Hospet in
1935, followed by the Munirabad Sugar Mills in 1944. The Faruk
Anwar Oil Mills was started at Raichur in 1944. Oil mills, soap
units, saw mills, etc were set up in small towns too. Banks and
the Co-operative sectors provided the necessary finance.
Independence Movement and
Formation of Karnataka
Fight for Freedom
The Freedom Movement and the demand for unification of
Karnataka became very strong after 1920 and marked the
climax of trends witnessed in resurging Karnataka. The freedom
movement influenced literature, journalism, arts, industries and
society. Eradication of untouchability and emancipation of women
were taken up with great zeal. The achievement of social unity
and undoing caste prejudices was also part of the movement. The
Virashaiva Mahasabha (1904), the Okkaligara Sangha (1906) and
other such organisations helped in spreading education and in
creating a consciousness of rights among the backward classes.
In 1917, the Praja Mitra Mandali was founded in Mysore and in
1920, the Brahmanetara Parishat at Hubli, both with similar
goals. Though these movements were against the Congress
which spearheaded the freedom struggle, they wholeheartedly
supported the Congress in its struggle for freedom. Prior to
this, four persons from Karnataka (one from Belgaum and
three from Bellary) attended the first session of the Congress at
Bombay in 1885. The impact of Bala Gangadhara Tilak and his
journal Kesari on Karnataka was immense. The Bombay State
 Developments in the 19th and 20th Century

Sericulture of Karnataka

147
Glimpses of Karnataka

Oriental Research
Institute, Mysore

Maharani’s Science
College, Mysore

148
 Developments in the 19th and 20th Century

Crawford Hall, Mysore

Government College of Indian

Medicine, Mysore

149
Glimpses of Karnataka

Sandal oil factory, Mysore

150

Political Conferences were held at Dharwad in 1903, in Belgaum
in 1916 and in Bijapur in 1918 in north Karnataka area, which
were then under the Bombay Presidency. There was picketing of
liquor shops in Belgaum in 1907 during the Swadeshi movement,
following Vangabhanga or Partition of Bengal and 15 people were
imprisoned. National Schools were founded at Belgaum, Dharwad,
Hubli and Bijapur; theosophists had earlier founded the National
High School at Bengaluru in 1917.
Gandhiji in Karnataka
Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) returned from South Africa in
1915 and in the same year, visited Madras. At that time, at the
request of D.V. Gundappa, he made a short visit to Bengaluru on
8 May 1915 to unveil the portrait of Gopala Krishna Gokhale. In
fact, this was his first visit to the princely state of Mysore. Later
in 1916, he visited Belgaum and stayed there for five days and
inaugurated the Bombay State Political Conference.
As a part of the Khilafat Movement, Gandhiji visited Bengaluru
again on 11 August 1920 and gave a public speech before he left
for Madras. A week later, while returning from his Madras tour,
Gandhiji visited Kasaragod and Mangalore on 19 August 1920.
During the same year, on 7 November, Gandhiji visited Nippani,
Chikkodi, Hukkeri, Sankeshwar and halted at Belgaum. On 10
November, he visited Dharwad and on the following day, after
addressing the gatherings at Hubli and Gadag, he left for Miraj.
During 1921, he visited Bagalkot, Bijapur and Kolhar on 27-28
May.
The first Karnataka State Political Conference was held at
Dharwad in 1920. Nearly 800 people from Karnataka attended
the Nagpur Congress in 1920 where Karnataka secured a separate
Karnataka Provincial Congress Committee (K.P.C.C) in 1921 and
Gangadhara Rao Deshpande of Belgaum was chosen as the first
K.P.C.C. President.
151
Developments in the 19th and 20th Century
In Karnataka, the Non Co-operation Movement of 1921-22 was
actively pursued. Many lawyers gave up their practice and students
boycotted schools and colleges. The Khilafat Movement was also
launched alongside. Nearly 50 National Schools were started in
Karnataka and over 70 persons from the British Districts courted
arrest. Picketers were fired at in Dharwad and Bengaluru and
three Khilafat workers died in Dharwad and two in Bengaluru
Cantonment. In the meantime, Dr. Hardikar from Karnataka
organised the Hindustani Seva Dal, a voluntary corps, with Hubli
as its all-India headquarters.
The 39th meet of Congress in Belgaum held on 20-21 December
1924, the only Congress session ever presided over by Gandhiji, was
a grand success and was greatly responsible for public awakening
in the state. Gangadhara Rao Deshpande, Hanumanta Rao Kaujalgi
and Shrinivasa Rao Kaujalgi of Bijapur, Tekur Subrahmanyam of
Bellary and Karnad Sadashiva Rao of Mangalore were some of the
early leaders of Congress from Karnataka.
Meanwhile, Gandhiji undertook the Khadi campaign tour in 1927
and visited Nippani on 31 March. In the course of this tour, he
fell ill and came to Nandi Hills for recuperation on 20 April 1927.
He stayed in Nandi for 45 days and reached Bengaluru on 5 June
1927, where he stayed till 30 August. During his long stay in
Bengaluru, he toured extensively in Karnataka, meeting people
and giving speeches. He made brief trips to Yelahanka, Tumkur,
Madhugiri, Mysore, Krishnarajasagar, K.R. Nagar, Srirangapatna
and Mysore. He also visited Ramanagar, Kanakapura, Arasikere,
Holenarasipur, Hassan, Davanagere, Harihara, Honnali,
Malebennur, Shimoga, Ayanuru, Kumshi, Kerodi, Anandapur,
Sagar, Tirthahalli, Mandagadde, Gajanur, Shimoga, Bhadravathi,
Kadur, Birur, Chikkamagaluru, Belur, Halebid, Arasikere, and
ultimately left Bengaluru for Vellore on 30 August 1927.
Glimpses of Karnataka
Civil Disobedience Movement
Later the Civil Disobedience Movement launched by Gandhiji in
1930, began in Karnataka with the Salt Sathyagraha at Ankola,
followed by various law breaking programmes like Jungle
Sathyagraha, Picketing of liquor shops, Non-payment of Pasture
Tax (hullubanni) and finally No-Tax Campaign
when peasants refused to pay land revenue.
Over 2,000 people courted arrest in the British
districts of which 750 people were from Belgaum
District. The movement was resumed with
greater vigour in 1932 after a nine-month lull
following the Gandhi-Irwin Pact. The No-Tax
Campaign launched in Siddapura and Ankola
taluks was an epic struggle. The lands of over
800 families were confiscated and 1,000 people
went to jail in Uttara Kannada alone, among
whom 100 were women. Most of them were
illiterate and even conservative widows with
shaven heads. They got their lands back only
in 1939 and till then, suffered in silence.
Programmes and propaganda to eradicate
untouchability were launched in Karnataka,
when Gandhiji undertook a fast on the issue
in 1932. The highlights of the programme in
Karnataka included a campaign to allow the
Harijans to enter the Marikamba Temple of
Sirsi and the Basavanagudi Temple in Bengaluru. Gandhiji also
toured Karnataka as a part of his programme for the upliftment
of Harijans in 1934-1936. By then, Harijan Sevak Sangh’s
Karnataka unit was founded with Sardar Veeranagauda Patil as
the President.
During his 1934 tour, between January and March, Gandhiji
visited Vidhuraswatha, Gowribidanur, Doddaballapur, Tumkur,
Tyamagondalu, Nelamangala, Bengaluru, Mysore , Tagadur,
Badanawal, Nanjanagud and Mysore, proceeded to Mandya
152
Sugar town, Maddur, Besagarahalli, Shivapura, Somanahalli,
Channapatna, Ramanagar, Kanakapur, Bidadi, Kengeri and
reached Bengaluru on 6 January. Four days later, he left for
Vallavi Kote and after touring Tamilnadu, visited Mysore,
Tittimatti, Ikkeri, Ponnampet, and Hudigere, Virajpet,
Bellur, Somwarpet, Gundagutti, and halted at Madikeri on 23
February. Then he proceeded to Sampaje, Sullia,
Puttur, Uppinangadi, Vittala, Kannadaka, Pane,
Mangalore, Bantwal and halted at Mangalore
on 24 February. Next day he visited Gurupura,
Bajpe, Katilu, Kengoli, Mulki, Padubidri,
Kapu, Kattapadi, Udayavara,Udupi, Brahmavara
and halted at Kundapur on 25-26 February.
Between 27 February and 8 March, he went to
Bhatkal, Honnavara, Kadri and Karwar, Binaga,
Chandiya, Ankola, Hiregutti, Mandageri, Kumta,
Ammanapalli, Hegde, Sirsi, Kanasur, Siddapur,
Dasanakoppa, Isur, Yakkambi, Samasagi, Akki
Alur, Devi Hosur, Haveri, Byadgi, Motebennur,
Murugamath, Haveri, Ranebennur, Harihara,
Davanagere, Duggatti, Bennihal, Harapanahalli,
Kottur, Kudligi, Kanavihalli, Sandur, Bellary,
Hospet, Bhanapura, Gadag, Jakkali, Hubli,
Dharwad, Marewada, Amminabhavi, Moraba,
Harobidi, Inam Hongala, Uppina Betageri,
Hirehullekere, Saundatti, Gurlahosur, Bailhongal,
Sampagaon, Bagewadi, Belgaum, Tondekatte,
Yamakanamaradi, Ontamuri, Hukkeri, Gokak, Sankeshwar,
Gadihingalga, Hattikanagale in Maharashtra; Nippani, Bhoj,
Havinhal, Kotahalli, Dholagarawadi, Chikkodi, Ankali, Shedbal,
Mangasuli, Banahatti, Athani, Honnawad, Tikota, Toravi, Bijapur
and Ilkal, before proceeding to Hyderabad. This tour of over two
months brought about social awareness and boosted the self-
confidence and morale of the downtrodden whom he referred to
as Harijans.
In 1936, he came again to Nandi Hills for rest between 11-30 May.
 Developments in the 19th and 20th Century

Vidurashwata

On 31 May, he visited Chikkaballapur, Sidlaghatta, Chintamani,

Kolar, Bangarpet, KGF and Malur and stayed in Bengaluru till 10 Dasappa were some of the
June. This was his last visit to Bengaluru and the princely state important leaders of Mysore
of Mysore. Congress.

The agitation was launched

Flag Satyagraha at KGF in 1939 and
curfew was clamped on
Although there were no agitations in the princely state till 1937, the mines area. Likewise,
the people of Mysore state founded Mysore Congress in that year in other princely states
and launched the Flag Satyagraha in April 1938 by organising of Karnataka, a strong
the first session of the Mysore Congress at Shivapura (Mandya demand for responsible
District). The Vidurashvattha (Kolar District) tragedy followed government was launched
soon after on 25 April 1938, in which 10 satyagrahis were under the guidance of
killed by police fire. This was followed by the Forest Satyagraha the National Congress.
movement in 1939, demanding a responsible government in the Similarly, the Hyderabad
princely state. Over 1,200 persons were imprisoned during the Congress was launched in
movement. T. Siddalingaiah, H.C. Dasappa, S. Siddayya, K.C. 1938, making a strong demand for responsible government.
Reddy, H.K. Veeranna Gowda, K.T. Bhashyam, T. Subramanyam,
K. Hanumanthaiah, S. Nijalingappa, M.N. Jois and Yashodhara

153
Glimpses of Karnataka
Quit India Movement 1942-43
The Quit India Movement saw an unprecedented awakening in
Karnataka. Students in all colleges and schools went on strike.
Labourers in Bengaluru and other places, numbering over 30,000,
also struck work for over two weeks.
Over 50 people, of whom 11 were from Bengaluru, fell victims
to police firing. Seven people from Bailhongal, seven from
Davanagere and six from Shravanabelgola were martyrs of the
Quit India Movement. The death of Mailara Mahadevappa and
two of his companions in Haveri District was a serious tragedy.
The Isur village, in Shimoga district, demonstrated unbridled fury
against the British and five of its heroes were hanged. A total of
15,000 people (out of which 10,000 were from princely Mysore)
went to jail in 1942. Dharwad, Bijapur, Belgaum, South Kanara
and North Kanara areas witnessed sabotage and subversive
activities by organised groups of patriots, which became famous
as the ‘Karnataka Pattern’ praised even by Jayaprakash Narayan.
154
Hyderabad Police Action and Mysore Chalo
Movement
Even though India became independent in 1947, the
Hyderabad-Karnataka region was liberated only after the
police action in 1948. Among the men who organised
Congress, Ramananda Teertha, Janardanrao Desai, G.
Ramachar, Krishnacharya Joshi, A. Shivamurthy Swamy
and Sharanagouda Inamdar were the noted leaders from
Hyderabad-Karnataka area.
In Mysore state, an agitation called ‘Mysore Chalo’ was
launched for the establishment of a responsible government.
The agitation succeeded and a team of ministers headed
by K. Chengalaraya Reddy as the Chief Minister took
charge of the administration in October 1947. Later, he
was succeeded by K. Hanumanthaiah in 1952 and Kadidal
Manjappa in 1956 as Chief Ministers in the erstwhile Mysore
state. Hanumanthaiah commissioned Vidhana Soudha, the
biggest granite building of modern times and a famous landmark
of Bengaluru.
Daily newspapers like the Taruna Karnataka (Hubli), Samyuktha
Karnataka, (Belgaum and later Hubli), Janavani, Tayinadu,
Navajeevana, Veerakesari and Vishwa Karnataka (all from
Bengaluru) and Kodagu (from Madikeri)rendered yeoman support
to the movement. Women also came to the fore and participated
in processions and the picketing of liquor shops and pro-British
establishments. They braved lathi blows and went to jail with
babies in arm. Kamaladevi Chattopadhyaya, Umabai Kundapur,
Krishnabai Panjekar, Yashodhara Dasappa, Siddamma Bellary
and Gauramma Venkataramaiah were at the forefront of the
movement.

Reorganisation of Mysore State in 1956
155
Developments in the 19th and 20th Century
Unification of Karnataka
After Independence, a persistent effort was made for the
unification of Karnataka. This movement had been launched
together with the movement for freedom in Karnataka. Before
Independence, Karnataka had been distributed among as
many as 20 different administrations like Mysore state,
Madras Presidency, Bombay Presidency, Nizam state, Kodagu,
Kolhapur, Sangli, Meeraj, Chikkameeraj, Kurundawada,
Chikkurundawad, Jamkhandi, Mudhol, Jath, Akkalakot,
Aundh, Ramdurg, Sondur and Savanur principalities,
Bengaluru, Belgaum, and Bellary Cantonments, and the people
of Karnataka suffered immensely as a result of this division. In
a Kannada area like Mudhol, which was ruled by a Maratha
Prince, there were no Kannada schools and the administration
was conducted in Marathi. This was the case with many
Maratha states. In Hyderabad state, Urdu dominated. In big
British Presidencies like Bombay or Madras, where Kannada
districts were few and the Kannadigas were a minority, there
were many problems. They had no share in the development
activities and could not secure minimum facilities like roads or
bridges. Everywhere, the voice of the Kannadiga was a voice in
the wilderness.
The Renaissance had also created a strong yearning for
unification. Dharwad was the center of the movement with
Alur Venkatarao as the brains behind it. He had supporters
like Mudavidu Krishnarao, Kadapa Raghavendra Rao and
Gadigayya Honnapurmath. The Karnataka Sahitya Parishat
which was founded in 1915 at Bengaluru through the efforts of
these people, provided a forum for the writers and intellectuals
of Karnataka. The writers and journalists met annually at the
Kannada Literary Conference organised by the Parishat and
finally, the first Karnataka State Political Conference held at
Dharwad in 1920 decided to agitate for unification through
the Congress organisation. The Nagpur Congress agreed to
establish the K.P.C.C. in that year. Thus, unification, initially
Glimpses of Karnataka
an idea of the Kannada writers and journalists, also secured
the support of the politicians. The first Unification Conference
was held at Belgaum in 1924 during the Belgaum Congress with
Siddappa Kambli as its President. Nine such conferences were held
in various places between 1926-47 - at Bellary in 1926 and 1936,
Dharwad in 1928, 1933 and 1944, Belgaum in 1929, Hukkeri in
1931, Sollapur in 1940, Mumbai in 1946 and Kasargod in 1947.
In the meantime, the Hindustani Seva Dal founded in 1923 by N.S.
Hardikar started the signature campaign for unification in 1926
with nearly 36,000 people signing it. In 1928, the Jawaharlal
Nehru Committee strongly recommended the formation of a
separate Karnataka Province. Literary figures like D.R. Bendre,
Sham Joshi, Betgeri Krishnasharma, Sriranga, Panje Mangeshrao,
Govindapai, Shivaramakaranth, Ti Ta Sharma, D.V. Gundappa,
Kapataral Krishnarao, Taranath, B. Shivamurthy Shastry, V.N.
Gokak, A.N. Krishna Rao, B.M. Sri, Kuvempu, Gorur Ramaswamy
Ayangar and others gave inspiration through their writings, and
Kannada newspapers and Kannada organisations also pressed
for unification later.
As a result, Karnataka was reorganised under five administrations
instead of the earlier 20 i.e., (1) Bombay (2) Madras (3) Kodagu (4)
Mysore and (5) Hyderabad state. As many as 15 minor princely
states like Jamkhandi, Ramadurg, Mudhol, Sandur, etc. were
merged with neighbouring districts soon after Independence. At
the time of its merger, Jamkhandi had B.D. Jatti as its Chief
Minister.
From 1947, unification was a demand that had to be impressed
upon the Government of India. However in 1947, the legislatures
of Mumbai and Madras states accepted the resolution for the
creation of linguistic provinces. The Karnataka Ekikarana Maha
Samiti was formed in 1947 with S. Nijalingappa as its President
and A.J. Doddameti and Mangalavede Srinivasa Rao as its
secretaries. This was later renamed as Karnataka Ekikarana
Sangha in 1952. The Dhar Committee, appointed by the Central
156
Government to look into this issue, gave an adverse report. This
was strongly criticised at the Jaipur Congress Session in 1948.
To find a solution, a new committee under Jawaharlal Nehru,
Vallabhabhai Patel and Pattabhi Seetharamaiah was constituted
in 1948, but it recommended the creation of Andhra Pradesh
only. In 1953, Andhra Pradesh was formed and Bellary district
was handed over to Mysore state.
In Karnataka, however, the agitation for forming a united
Karnataka intensified. People like Gorur, Kuvempu and others
inspired people through their speech and writings. C.M.
Poonaccha, worked for the merger of Kodagu state with Mysore.
Political leaders like S. Nijalingappa, Andanappa Doddameti,
K. Hanumanthaiah and thinkers like Sir M. Visvesvaraya and
others campaigned for the unification. In 1953, the Akhanda
Karnataka Rajya Nirmana Parishat, a newly founded party with
K.R. Karanth as the President, launched a major Sathyagraha
and more than 5,000 people courted arrest. Leaders like Jinaraja
Hedge, Channappa Wali and Chinmayaswamy Omkarmath were
its members. Finally, the Fazl Ali Commission was appointed
in December 1953 and according to its recommendations,
linguistically united Mysore state (Karnataka) came into existence
on 1 November 1956 and S. Nijalingappa became its first Chief
Minister. Later, during D. Devaraj Urs’ regime, in 1973, the state
was named Karnataka and a long cherished dream and desire of
the Kannada people was finally realised.
 Developments in the 19th and 20th Century

Chapter 7 Administrative System in Karnataka

157