PRADEEP CHAKRAVARTHY
| Untouched by pollution, the palace of Singampatti Zamin is a link to the Raj. |
No ordinary house this: A wing of the palace.
A DUSTY book in a dusty library, I thought was the most unlikely place to begin a story on a fascinating weekend stay in a place in the heart of the Tamil country. The 1916, Tinnevelly Gazetteer made a brief mention of Singampatti. It spoke of its picturesque situation on the right bank of the Manimutharu and two miles from the foot of the hills and the fertile fields that surrounded it excited the nature lover in us. The short history of the Singampatti Zamin added another dimension. Did the "fine and spacious bungalow and palace," the Zamindar had still exist? We had an able `conspirator' in Dr. Senthil. "Could you wangle a quick visit to the palace?" we asked half expecting a polite refusal. Surprise! Senthil not only arranged a visit but a weekend stay with T. N. S. Murugadoss Theerthapathi, Raja of Singampatti.
Verdant hills
Getting off the railway station at Tirunelveli,we took the road to Singampatti through the village of Cheranmadevi. A weather-beaten sign on the left side of the road pointed to Singampatti. The bumpy ride was offset by the Martian views on either side of the road of a rough and undulating terrain of ochre earth with boulders creating stark zen- like dry garden landscapes. This soon gave way to verdant fields and large water bodies at the foot of the green hills.
On reaching the village we were instantly directed to the palace, an unostentatious building with a front of three arches supported by pillars all painted a pale yellow. "This looks like any other house," I said to myself as we climbed up the flight of stairs, and were faced with an imposing door with a warning, "Don't enter without a prior appointment." Inside the hall, coloured skylights threw pools of light on the photographs on the wall and on the huge brass vessels stacked up in the corner. Despite its barren appearance, it only required a little imagination to visualise the wooden kiosk covered with richly embroidered cloth and the floor laid with exquisite carpets. The reverie was interrupted by the Rajah's summons. Moving across the hall we passed to a pillared corridor which served as the Rajah's office. "I was expecting an older couple," he chuckled as we entered. His encyclopaedic knowledge, especially of Tamil philosophy, was amazing. ``Read all about the family in the book," he said waving his hand imperiously. The courtesy and old-world hospitality extended were overwhelming. A guided tour by the Rajah's secretary, Kittu, was arranged.
Climbing the stone flight of stairs we went on to a grandly proportioned reception room built during the time of the Raja's father. More old photographs of the family with royalty from Travancore and Gwalior, a bear skin and carved woodwork offset the more modern furniture. Passing this we had a fleeting glimpse of the very spartan living apartments of the Rajah and climbed up for a view of the scene around us.
Singampatti's claim to immortality seemed to be more than anything else, the quality of air! The landscape around simple - lush green rice fields leading on to the foothills of the Manjolai tea estate.
This principality must have been an independent kingdom which was transformed in the 1530s into a Palayam/Poligar by the Nayaks and then British. In consequence the Zamin of the palayam would have had the right to levy taxes and administer his lands while he paid an annual rent to the Nayak/British. An earlier zamin had supported the Travancore ruler in the Ettuveetu Pillamar rebellion and in gratitude, were gifted 75,000 thousand acres of in the hills. However due to a protracted legal wrangle, much of this was taken over by the British.
Watching the sunset over this tranquil landscape, we were transported from the hustle and bustle of the concrete jungle to a life, calm and breezy. Our tour ended in the oldest part of the palace, more than 200 years old. The original palace seemed to have been a house like the other ones in the village except that it must have had a spacious compound. A few artefacts in metal, grim looking spears, a gift from Swami Vivekananda (to the Zamin for co-sponsoring his trip to Chicago) and a tile from the now defunct tile manufacturing plant of Singampatti were some of the exhibits.
"You will be staying in what used to be the andhapuram (zenana) said the Rajah's daughter and gave us a sumptuous menu to choose for dinner. We were then shown comfortable rooms set amidst a walled garden of fragrant jasmine.
Our rooms were surely old style, the entrance door with a finely carved Lakshmi panel needed a strong hand to push and the bathrooms were four rooms away from the bedroom! Sitting on the large swing, the junior Rani told us of how sumptuously furnished the room was in her grandmother's time.
The scene of action King's durbar.
The present Zamindar's grandfather was instrumental in starting a school in the village in 1905 and a hospital in 1918 and had done much to not only articulate his communities' views but also uplift those in the lower sections of society. Having freshened up we joined the Rajah in the grove that stands where the army once was stationed. The cool breeze and fragrance peppered with the Raja's tales of his education in Sri Lanka and his views on almost everything from business to politics, communities to agriculture.
Reminiscent of a bygone age, he granted audience to a local bigwig who wanted him to declare open his new shop.
Our signal to leave was the entry of a solemn procession of the local priest preceded by musicians who brought the Rajah the offerings from the temple of a puja done everyday for the Raja's wellbeing.
Where are the bearers? The queen's palanquin
We went back for dinner and were asked to wakeup early to visit the nearby falls in the hills that once belonged to the Zamin. The sky was bright and sunny even at 6 a.m. as we began our ascent. We passed the dried up Manimutharu dam and were soon at the falls.
Refreshed by the bath we had a quick picnic breakfast and headed back to the palace. We chatted once more with the Rajah and Rani and were entreated to come for the annual festival at the Sorimuthu temple.
``This is my temple and every year in the month of July on new moon day, a large number of my community congregate there and I hold court in regal robes and watch over the festivities which include even walking on fire," the Raja said.
We promised to be present and took leave. Movement froze as the Raja came out to bid us goodbye. The Palace, Singampatti Village, 627416. Tirunelvel District. Ph - 04634 250209.
Courtesy: http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/04/29/stories/2005042902390300.htm
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