Kingship and Political Practice in Colonial IndiaIn a cultural history which considers the transformation of south Indian institutions under British colonial rule in the nineteenth century, Pamela Price focuses on the two former 'little kingdoms' of Ramnad and Sivagangai which came under colonial governance as revenue estates. She demonstrates how rivalries among the royal families and major zamindari temples, and the disintegration of indigenous institutions of rule, contributed to the development of nationalist ideologies and new political identities among the people of southern Tamil country. The author also shows how religious symbols and practices going back to the seventeenth century were reformulated and acquired a new significance in the colonial context. Arguing for a reappraisal of the relationship of Hinduism to politics, Price finds that these symbols and practices continue to inform popular expectation of political leadership today. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Honour status and state formation in seventeenth and eighteenth | 9 |
Cosmological fragmentation in the public sphere | 39 |
Domain formation in midnineteenthcentury Ramnad | 77 |
Human and divine palaces in the fragmentation of monarchical | 106 |
Ritual performances the ruling person and the public | 132 |
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Common terms and phrases
administration appears authority Baskara Setupati Brahmins British caste chattiram Chettiar chief Collector of Madura colonial rule conflict Court of Madras Court of Wards culture devadasis devastanam dharmic District domain Dorasinga durbar festival Goddess heir High Court Hindu Law Hinduism honour and status Ibid ideologies imperial Jayalalitha Kathama king kingdom kingship lands largess late precolonial litigation Madras Presidency Madurai district Madurai Mail major Maravar country Minaksi monarchical cosmology Muthu Chella Muthu Ramalingam Muthu Virayi Nachiar Nagarathar Navaratri Nayaka nineteenth century officials organised palace Palaiyakkarars Pandaram Parvata Vardhani Permanent Settlement political Ponnusami Privy Council procession protection public sphere puja Raja of Ramnad Rama Ramasami Ramayyan Rameswaram Ramnad Zamindari Rani rank relationship religious revenue ritual royal house royal kin ruler rupees sakti samastanam Siva Sivagangai social south India symbols Tamil country Tamil Nadu Tevar Tirumalai Vellalar Venkatasami villages warriors worship zamindari