Rajahmundry Town
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Rajahmundry Town
(Rdjamahendravarani). Head-quarters of the subdivision and taluk of the same name in Godavari District, Madras, situated in 17 i' N. and 81 46' E., on the left bank of the Godavari, 360 miles from Madras by the East Coast Railway, which here crosses the river by a girder-bridge of 56 spans, with a total length of 9,000 feet between abutments. The population in 1901 was 36,408, of whom 33,680 were Hindus, 2,073 Muhammadans, and 631 Christians.
The founding of Rajahmundry has been variously ascribed to either the Orissa or the Chalukyan kings, but it was almost certainly founded by the latter. Being the key to the passage of the Godavari, it at once became a fortress of importance. It passed in turn to the Chola kings and theGanpatis of Warangal; and Muhammadan influence must have been felt early, as the inscription over the gateway of the principal mosque records its erection in 1324. With the decline of the Warangal power, Rajahmundry came into the possession of the Gajapatis of Orissa. From them in 1470 it was wrested by Muhammad II of the Bahmani line. Not long afterwards, however, the Raja of Orissa made a determined attempt to regain the lost provinces, and Muhammad's general was besieged in Rajahmundry. He was relieved by the Sultan in person, and the latter remained three years at Rajahmundry settling the country. The place was soon, however, reoccupied by the Gaja- patis. In 1512 the great Krishna Deva of Vijayanagar captured the city, but restored it to Orissa. It was not till 1572, after two protracted sieges had failed, that it yielded to the Muhammadans under Rafat Khan. Rajahmundry was Bussy's head-quarters from 1754 to 1757, and it was hither that Conflans 3 army retreated after its defeat at Condore. The place was taken by the English without any difficulty 3 but after Forde's departure to attack Masulipatam, the French recap- tured it, only to evacuate it almost immediately. Portions of the fort ramparts still remain, giving a picturesque appearance to the town.
Rajahmundry is the head-quarters of the District and Sessions Judge, the Superintendent of police, and the Civil Surgeon. One of the seven Central jails of the Presidency is located here. It was begun in 1864, and is constructed on the radiating principle, with accommodation for 1,052 criminal and thirteen civil prisoners. The articles manufactured in it include carpets, coarse woollen rugs, sandals, and woodwork. The town also contains a museum and public garden. Owing to its favour- able position with regard to the mam lines of communication in the District, it is an important distributing centre, and the principal de'pdt for the timber floated down the river.
Rajahmundry was constituted a municipality in 1866. The muni- cipal income and expenditure daring the ten years ending 1902-3 averaged Rs. 44,000 and Rs. 43,000 respectively. In 1903-4 the income was Rs. 48,000, derived principally from the house and land taxes and tolls. The mam items of expenditure, which amounted to Rs. 53,000, are conservancy and communications. A municipal hospital has accommodation for 32 in-patients.
The principal educational institution in the town is the first-grade college. Established as a Zila school in 1853, college classes were opened in 1873 , m 1877 it was raised to its present grade, and in 1904 had 216 students in the upper classes. The town also contains a teachers' training college, with 103 students \ a practising school attached to the training college, with 429 pupils; and a high school managed by the American Evangelical Lutheran Mission, with 295 pupils.
