Kodagu's History - Part 2

The history of the Coorg Rajas is delineated in the Rajendraname, a work compiled by order of Dodda Vira Rajendra Wodeyar, the hero of Coorg history, and the Coorg beau ideal of a warrior king. It comprises a period of 175 years, from 1633 to 1807. A manuscript copy of the Kannada original was found in the archives at Mercara in 1834. The English translation made by Lieutenant R. Abercromby in 1808 at Mangalore, renders accurately the contents of Dodda Vira Rajendra's original, and very likely remained untouched by the Raja's successors, who were unacquainted with the English language. But the Kannada original was undoubtedly destroyed, after the preparation of spurious copies, one of which remained in the Mercara archives. The two last pages of the English translation are not to be found in the Kannada. They were probably expunged by Linga Raja or his son, because they contained the last will of Dodda Vira Rajendra, the suppression of which lay in their interest.

Rajendraname commences with the reign of Muddu Raja, who is introduced as the son of Appaji Raja, and the grandson of Vira Raja. He reigned at Haleri in 1633, but subsequently established himself at Madikeri (Mercara), where he built the Fort and a Palace in 1681. He had three sons : Dodda Virappa, Appaji Raja and Nanda Raja. After a long reign of 54 years, Muddu Raja died in 1687, and his eldest son Dodda Virappa succeeded him. The second son settled at Haleri, and the third at Horamale.

Dodda Virappa, with the harelip, was succeeded by his son Appaji Raja. The latter had a son, whose name was Chikka Virappa, and with him this branch of the family came to an end. The succession thus passed to the Haleri branch, in which, though disputed at first by the Horamale branch, it continued till the extinction of the dynasty.

Appaji of Haleri had five sons, of whom three died in early life. Of the others, the eldest, Muddu Raja, had a son Appaji Raja ; the second, Linga Raja, married Devambikegamma, who bore him a son at the full moon of June 1763, the celebrated Vira Rajendra Wodeyar, the author and hero of the Rajedraname. His two brothers were Linga Raja and Appaji, the former of whom was the father of Vira Raja, the last king.



 

Source: Mysore and Coorg, Vol. III by Lewis Rice