Sivaganga estate

Kingdom of Maruthu Pandiyars
1730–1947
Status	Independent kingdom till 1801. After the death of Maruthu Pandiyar, sivaganga was permanently settled zamindari by padamathur gowri vallaba udayana thevar to British from 1803.
Capital	Sivaganga
Common languages	Tamil, English, Persian, Urdu, French, Kannada
Religion	Hindu, Jain
Government	Monarchy until 1801 , zamindari from 1803
zamindar
History
• Established	1730
• Disestablished	1947

The estate of Sivaganga, as per British records also known as Kingdom of the Lesser Marava, was a permanently settled zamindari estate in the Ramnad sub-division of Madura district, Madras Presidency, British India. Along the estate of Ramnad, it formed one of the two zamindari estates of Ramnad subdivision.

The Sivaganga estate was ruled by a branch of the Marava royal family of Ramnad till 1790 by Rani Velu Nachiyar. After her death, Maruthu brothers ruled the kingdom from 1790-1801. After their death, the kingdom was reduced to a zamindari by the British in 1803. The zamindari was abolished through socialist reform on India's independence.

History

The Pudukkottai and Sivaganga regions were actually parts of the kingdom of Ramnad when it became independent in the 1680s. In 1725, Ramnad was invaded by the polygar of Nalkottai who captured two-fifths of the kingdom including the territory of Sivaganga.

In 1773, the British conquered Sivaganga and killed Muthu Vaduganatha Periyavudaya Thevar, the king of Sivaganga. His widow, queen Velu Nachiyar, fled to Dindigul and lived under the protection of Hyder Ali. During her exile, she formed an armed force and alliance with Hyder Ali. In 1780, she became the first queen in India to fight against the British colonial power. Till 1790 sivaganga was ruled by Rani Velu Nachiyar. After her death, the Maruthu brothers ruled the kingdom from 1790-1801. After their death, the kingdom was handed over to the British bondservant Padamathur Gowri vallaba udayana Raja. He died in 1801 and after that it was reduced to a zamindari by the British in 1803. The zamindari was abolished through socialist reform on India's independence. Maruthu brothers .

In 1803, the British restored the rightful heir Udayathevan to the throne. The kingdom was subsequently reduced to a zamindari by the permanent settlement of Arthur Wellesley.

Monarchs

• Vijaya Raghunatha Sasivarna Periyavudaya Thevar (ta:சசிவர்ணத் தேவர்) (1730–1750)
• Muthu Vaduganatha Periyavudaya Thevar (1750–1772)
• Velu Nachiyar (1780–1790)
• Vellacci (1790–1793)
• Vangam Periya Udaya Thevar (ta:வேங்கன் பெரிய உடையாத் தேவர்) (1793–1801)

Zamindar under British rule (1803–1947)

References

• Imperial Gazetteer of India. 1908.

Further reading

• Shubendra (2023). Warrior Queen of Sivaganga: The Legend of Rani Velu Nachiyar (1st ed.). New Delhi: Pan Macmillan. ISBN 978-9390742295. OCLC 1389887387.