" The Thumboo Sindhamani " Being A Poetical Sketch Of The Life Of Raja Dharma Pravina, T. R. A. Thumboo Chettiar, C. I. E. by A. Venkatasubbu Pillai. [1905]

1. "The Thumboo Sindhamani" is a poetical sketch, in Tamil, of the life of Raja Dharma Pravina, T. R. A. Thumboo Chettiar, C. I. E., who retired, from the service of His Highness the Maha Rajah of Mysore, as Officiating Dewan. The author, Pundit A. Venkata Subbu Pillai, has composed the work, comprising 12 chapters of 930 verses, with grace and elegance, in spite of the many difficulties that attend the treatment of a modern subject on the model of the old classics like the "Jeevakha Chintamani." The work attains, in certain portions, to an excellence, combined with Wordsworthian simplicity, that is admirable.

2. The preliminary chapter opens with a stanza, invoking the help of that Divine Light. the fountain of all knowledge. This is followed by a few verses referring to that noble Sovereign Lady, Her Most Gracious Majesty the late Queen-Empress Victoria, to His Highness the late lamented Maha Rajah, Sri Chamarajendra Wodeyar Bahadur, G. C. S. I., and to his amiable consort, Her Highness Vani Vilas Sannidhana, C. I., Maharani (late Regent), under whose auspices, the subject of this Sindhamani, received honors and distinctions. Allusion is then made to the present Young Maharajah, His Highness Sri Krishna Rajendra Wodeyar Bahadur, whose ruling motive the welfare of his subjects has already won the affection of the five millions of people committed to His Highness' care.

3. The remaining portion of Chapter I, and Chapter II, treat of the parentage, birth and early education of young Thumboo. Having had the misfortune to lose both his parents at the early age of twelve, his patrimony had to be managed and administered by five Executors, one of whom was his future father-in-law. The Pial School, where Thumboo was taught the vernacular languages, the subsequent English education he received in the Free Church Mission Institution, now known as the Madras Christian College, the part he took in the Debating Classes and Literary Institutes, the contributions he made to the local journals, on subjects such as sanitation, social reform, female education, evils of early marriage and the undesirable exclusion of the non-caste from public schools, are all described in a manner which is most interesting and instructive.

4. Chapter III narrates how, after leaving school, Thumboo Chetty first apprenticed himself to a Mercantile Firm, Griffith's and Co., (where his revered father, Desai Royaloo Chettiar, filled the responsible post of Chief Book-keeper), and, in December 1855, entered Public Service as Clerk, Cash-keeper, and Indexer, in the office of the Quarter Master General of the Madras Army, Thumboo Chetty showed remarkable intelligence and industry which secured for him the approbation of his official superiors.

5. Chapters IV & V give an account of Thumboo Chetty's marriage, and the ceremonials observed on such occasions, and of his sojourn in Ootacamund. The description of the scenery there is realistic. Soon after his return from the Nilagiris in January 1862, he became the Manager of the office of the Madras Legislative Council, of which Mr. John Dawson Mayne was Secretary. While this eminent Barrister was Professor of Law in the Presidency College, Thumboo Chetty was induced to study and pass in law. This paved the way for his future advancement. The laborious work he had to perform in the Legislative Department, and the proposed legislation, to legalise Hindu Wills, and to amend Section 498, of the Indian Penal Code, for bringing the adulteress also within the purview of the penal provisions of that Section, so as to maintain the high ideal of chastity and virtue enjoined upon a married woman, are all graphically described by the Poet.

6. Chapter VI describes how Mr. Thumboo Chetty acquitted himself, in his judicial capacity, as Munsiff of Purghi, in the Zillah of Bellary, how he coped with the heavy litigation of his subdivision and helped the poor during the Famine of the year Akshaya and averted a grain riot, and how he endured the privations of a village life in an unhealthy station, in spite of the comforts and conveniences he had been accustomed to in a city like Madras.

7. Chapter VII gives an account of his transfer to Mysore on the first of February 1867, as Registrar under Mr. (afterwards the Hon'ble) J. R. Kindersley, Judicial Commissioner; the formation of the Mysore Bar; his employment in the graded rank of Assistant Commissioner in the Revenue and Judicial Branches, and as Judge of the Bangalore Court of Small Causes; the detection, during his tours, of defalcations in the Revenues; his promotion as Head Sheristadar (or Dewan, Revenue Department) and Assistant Secretary to the Chief Commissioner; and the valuable services he rendered, in connection with the Great Famine of 1876/1877 and as a member of the Mysore Retrenchment Committee.

8. The next Chapter VIII contains a narrative of the ceremony connected with the Rendition which took place on the 25th of March 1881, the presentation of an address by the Catholic Christians on that occasion, in which Mr. Thumboo Chetty took a prominent part; the constitution of the Mysore Council and the appointment of Mr. Thumboo Chetty as senior Ex-Officio Member.

9. Chapters IX, X & XI refer to the formation of the Chief Court plurality of Judges, one of whom was Thumboo Chetty, who was, subsequently, promoted to the responsible office of Chief Judge of the State and to the several occasions on which he was appointed to act as Dewan.

10. The last Chapter XII alludes; in pathetic terms, to the much lamented demise of His Highness the late Maharajah, to the establishment of a Regency Council under the able and enlightened administration of Her Highness the Maharani C. I., and to the important duties which devolved on Mr Thumboo Chetty as Senior Councillor, Chief Judge and Officiating Dewan till his retirement in March 1901. It then proceeds to describe the Installation of His Highness the present Maharajah and his (Mr Thumboo Chetty’s) accompanying His Highness to the grand Delhi assemblage held on the first of January 1903, to commemorate the coronation of His Most Gracious Edward VII, King-Emperor of India, an event, unparallelled in the history of the world, which Mr. Thumboo Chetty had immense pleasure in witnessing, having, also, had the good fortune, in 1875, (as a Member of the Mysore Deputation,) to personally pay his homage to this Great Sovereign.

11. As to various other matters dealt with by the Poet, such as Mr.Thumboo Chetty's views on Education, Famine, Plague, Sanitation, &c., the reader is referred to the list or contents in Tamil which is appended.

12. This biography of one, whose official life covered a period of half a century whose connection with Mysore dates back to 1867, must be of interest to a wider circle of readers than those who could read this poetical composition. To those it will be welcome news, that this biography will, also, be published, in English prose, early. Having had occasion to see through portions in Tamil work while in progress, I acceded, with pleasure, to the request of the talented author, to write an introduction, in English, to the work, which deserves well of those to whom it appeals.

31st January 1905, Chamarajendrapet.

S. Krichnasaswami Aiyangar, M. A.

Source :

From the Book Written in Tamil, " The Thumboo Sindhamani " Being A Poetical Sketch Of The Life Of Raja Dharma Pravina, T. R. A. Thumboo Chettiar, C. I. E., by A. Venkatasubbu Pillai, Head Tamil Pundit, Saint Joseph's College, Bangalore. Printed at the kalaratnakaram Press, MADRAS, 1905.