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No. LXII.

SUNNUD to the Jaghiredar of BUNGANPULLY, dated the 11th March 1862.

Her Majesty being desirous that the governments of the several Princes and Chiefs, who now govern their own territories, should be perpetuated, and that the representation and dignity of their Houses should be continued; in fulfilment of this desire this Sunnud is given to you to convey to you the assurance that, on failure of natural heirs, the British Government will permit and confirm any succession to your State which may be legitimate according to Mahomedan law.

Be assured that nothing shall disturb the engagement thus made to you, so long as your House is loyal to the Crown and faithful to the conditions of the Treaties, grants or engagements, which record its obligations to the British Government.

BUNGAN-
PULLY.

No. LXII.

VOL. V.

(Signed)

CANNING.

2 x

SUNDOOR.

From a Report by the Madras Government.

SUNDOOR is a small valley lying between two chains of lofty hills on the west of the town of Bellary, containing a regular fort built by Hyder Ali and Tippoo Sultan at great expense, which is not now kept up. Its extent is about 145 square miles, and its population 13,446 souls. The revenue is about Rupees 37,821. This jaghire was at the end of 1853, and is still, held in possession by Vencut Rao Hindee Rao Gorepara, the nephew and adopted son of Sheva Rao, who held possession at the time the districts of Bellary and Cuddapah were ceded to the British Government after the fall of Seringapatam in 1799.

Sundoor formed a part of the principality of Morari Rao, the Mahratta Chief of Gooty, who was deprived of his dominions by Hyder Ali. His adopted son, Sheva Rao Bapa, fell in battle, leaving a son, Siddojee, only two years old, under the guardianship of his uncle Vencut Rao. In 1790 Vencut Rao and his nephew Siddojee, with a party of their own adherents, assisted by the inhabitants of Sundoor, expelled the Governor of Tippoo Sultan's fort and got possession of the place, which they were allowed to retain after the peace in 1792 as part of the ancient inheritance of their family. Siddojee died without issue in 1796, on which his uncle Vencut Rao applied to Dowlut Rao, the half-brother of Morari Rao, for one of his sons to be adopted by his widow, which was refused. He then made the same request of Eshwunta Rao, who also refused, but said that he might have one of the sons of his younger brother, Kundee Rao. On application being made to Kundee Rao, he consented and gave his son Sheva Rao, the Chief who held the jaghire in 1799. None of the descendants of Morari Rao ventured to reside in Sundoor during the life of

Tippoo, because, being completely surrounded by his dominions, they, SUNDOOR. were afraid of being seized by treachery. But on his death in 1799, Vencut Rao and Sheva Rao went to Sundoor. The Peishwa about the same time issued a Sunnud granting Sundoor as a jaghire to Eshwunta Rao. No use was made of this Sunnud until some years after, when Eshwunta Rao sent a copy of it with a letter to Vencut Rao, saying that he wished that means should be taken to prevent dissensions in their families. Vencut Rao therefore sent for Nursinga Rao, the second son of Eshwunta Rao, in 1804, and gave him an allowance of 100 Pagodas monthly. But as Nursinga Rao attempted to form a cabal for his own interests, he was dismissed in 1808, and Sheva Rao continued to hold the jaghire as an independent Prince until the Mahratta war. The Peishwa indeed always regarded him as a rebellious vassal and endeavored by fraud and stratagem in 1815, on pretence of making a pilgrimage to the temple of Coomarasawmy, to get possession of the place.

On the breaking out of the Mahratta war, Sheva Rao was summoned by Brigadier General Munro to surrender Sundoor, and was promised a jaghire of nine thousand Rupees in any part of the British territory he pleased. The surrender of his fort and abdication of the government of his little valley were quietly made by Sheva Rao on the 27th October 1817. It was at first determined that the territory of Sundoor should be annexed to the British dominions; that Sheva Rao should have other territory assigned him, subject to the laws and regulations of the British Government; and that his power over the inhabitants of his future jaghire should be that only of an ordinary zemindar. But after the lapse of a few months, Government determined on restoring the jaghire of Sundoor to Sheva Rao; and the Collector of Bellary was directed by the Madras Government, in June 1818, to deliver over both the fort and district of Sundoor to him without delay. This order was immediately carried into effect; but the terms on which the jaghire was to be held were not finally determined until some years after. In 1826 a formal Sunnud (No. LXIII.) was given to Sheva Rao. It confers upon him and his heirs for ever the jaghire of Sundoor free of all pecuniary demands; leaves in his hands the entire management of revenue, police, and civil justice, on the condition of maintaining

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SUNDOOR. faith and allegiance to the British Government, of maintaining a strict No. LXIII. watch over the public peace of the jaghire, of not affording an asylum to offenders from British territory but of delivering them up or assisting the officers of Government sent in pursuit of them, and of causing justice to be rendered to the inhabitants of the British territory and others who may have pecuniary claims on any of the inhabitants of Sundoor. It was also stipulated that the Chief should be answerable for the good government of his jaghire, to ensure which the interposition of the Madras Government when necessary was provided for.

Sheva Rao remained in undisturbed possession of his jaghire till the day of his death, which occurred on the 2nd May 1840. He left no son of his own but he had an adopted son, Vencut Rao, the son of his brother Boojunga Rao.

The title of Vencut Rao Hindee Rao Gorepara to succeed was acknowledged by Government, and a Sunnud (No. LXIV.) was granted to him. The terms of the Sunnud are the same as those granted to Sheva Rao, with the exception that a provision was entered prohibiting punishment by mutilation, and the jaghiredar was restricted from exercising the power of sentencing capitally or executing persons capitally convicted, without the sanction of Government previously obtained. Vencut Rao received a Sunnud (No. LX.) in 1862 granting him the right of adoption.

No. LXIII.

SUNNUD to SHEVA RAO GOREPARA, Jaghiredar of Sundoor.

The Honourable the Governor in Council of Fort St. George has been pleased to confer in jaghire on you and your heirs for ever the lands of Sundoor, free of peshcush and pecuniary demand.

You shall have the entire management of the revenue and police of your jaghire and also the duty of administering civil justice, subject to the undermentioned conditions :---

You shall at all times maintain faith and allegiance to the Honourable Company; their enemies shall be your enemies, and their friends shall be your friends. You shall assist the Honourable Company to

the utmost of your power against foreign and domestic foes. You shall SUNDOOR. maintain a strict watch over the public peace in your jaghire. You Nos. LXIII. shall not afford an asylum to offenders from the Company's districts, & LXIV. but shall either deliver them up, or assist the officer of the Company who may be sent in pursuit of them. You shall cause justice to be rendered to inhabitants of the Company's districts and others who may have pecuniary claims on any of the inhabitants of Sundoor.

You shall be answerable to the Honourable Company for the good government of your jaghire, and if ever it should happen that in consequence of misgovernment the interposition of the Honourable Company should become necessary, the Honourable the Governor in Council of Fort Saint George will, in such case, take such measures, as may appear just and proper for restoring order and providing for the security of the people.

Given under the seal of the Honourable Company and signature of the Governor in Council, in Fort Saint George, this 7th day of July one thousand eight hundred and twenty-six.

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By order of the Honourable the Governor in Council.

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SUNNUD to VENCUT ROW GORPADAY, Jaghiredar of Sundoor.

The Right Honourable the Governor in Council of Fort Saint George has been pleased to renew in your name the Sunnud granted to Sheva Rao Gorepara, under date the 7th July 1826, conferring on him and his heirs for ever, in jaghire, the lands of Sundoor free of peshcush and pecuniary demand.

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