A Manual of The Pudukkottai State (Vol-1)

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The Pudukkottai Princely State was keen in preserving the history and heritage of the State. A museum and the department of Archaeology were established in 1910 and books were also published on the history of the State. The first edition of the Manual of Pudukkottai State, Volume I was brought out in 1920 and a revised edition in 1938. Volume II of the Manual was published in 1944. These books are important for the study of the south Indian History. They are the mine of information for the history of Pudukkottai region. These books are interesting and informative and even enlighten Engineering students like me.

These volumes were out of print for a long time and not available for consultation to the student and scholars. The department of Museums, Tamilnadu took-up this cause, reprinted and published Volume II of the Pudukkottai Manual and Inscriptions of Pudukkottai State, in 2002. When Dr. J. Raja Mohamad, Assistant Director of Museum (formerly Curator, Pudukkottai Museum) brought to my notice that Volume I of the Manual is due for reprinting, I was happy to release funds for reprinting this book as a publication of the department of Museums. This was possible because of the liberal grants from the Government of Tamilnadu for reprinting such rare books. Our thanks to M/s. Seawaves Printers, Chennai for executing the reprinting work of this book.

IN June 1934, the Darbar decided that since the first edition IN of the State Manual issued in 1920 was out of date and also susceptible of considerable improvement, a new and np-to-date edition should be prepared. Owing to various cir- cumstances no progress could be made with the work till it was entrusted to Mr. K. R. Venkatarama Aiyar, B. A., L. T., M. R. A. S., Head-Master, High School Section, His Highness the Raja's College, Pudukkottai, in December 1935. The manuscript draft of the first volume was ready by September 1936, but owing to the time and labour involved in putting it into its final form, and to congestion of work in the State Press, it could not be published till 1938.

The Darbar have exercised close personal supervision over the work throughout. Most of the chapters were originally drafted by the Manual Officer himself, but Chapter II 'Flora and Fauna' was drafted by Mr. K. R. Srinivasa Aiyar, and Chapter IV 'Agriculture' by Mr. T. S. Sundaram Aiyar who was supplied with necessary information by the Officers of the Agricultural Department.

This volume is to a considerable extent based on the corres- ponding chapters of the first edition, though the phraseology has undergone considerable modifications. Chapters I and II how- ever have been rewritten and amplified. The section of Chapter III relating to 'Cultural Anthropology' has been recast and includes Chapter XVIII of the old edition. Chapter VII on 'Trade and Occupation' contains much entirely new matter. Chapter XII on 'Local Self-Government' contains two new sections, 'Unions and Village Panchayats' and 'Rural Develop- ment Activities. Chapters XI (Co-operative Movement), XIX (Devastanam and Charities), XXI (Finance) and XXII (Museum and Archæology) are altogether new.