Revision as of 12:29, 16 February 2015

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.

Parlakimedi Estate

Taluk in Karimnagar District, Hyderabad State, with an area of 654 square miles. The population in 1901, including jagirs, was 84,228, compared with 74,048 in 1891. The taluk contains 117 villages, of which 5 are jagtr; and Ambal (population, 1,849) is the head- quarters. The land revenue in 1901 was 3.1 lakhs. Rice is extensively laised by tank-irrigation.

The largest permanently settled impartible estate in Ganjam District, Madras, lying in the west of the District, with an area of 614 square miles, and a population (1901) of 256,414. In 1903 THE peshkash and ceases amounted to Rs. 1,05,900.

The Raja claims descent from the Orissa Gajapatis. The whole Kimedi country, consisting of the present zamlndaris of Parlakimedi, Peddakimedi, and Chinnakimedi, was under one ruler until 1607 : but in that year the Kimedi Raja allotted Peddakimedi and Chinnakimedi to his younger son, whose descendants subsequently divided them into the two existing zamlndaris of those names. The British first came into contact with the Parlakimedi family in 1768, when Colonel Peach led a detachment against Narayana Deo, the zamtnddr, and defeated him at Jalmur. In 1799 the Company temporarily assumed control of the estate for breach of an engagement. Restored to the family, this difficult country was the scene of continued disturbances for many years. In 1816 it was ravaged by Pindaris; in 1819 it was found necessary to send a Special Commissioner, Mr. Thackeray, to quell a rising in it ; while in 1833 a field f rce wab sent under General Taylor, and peace was not finally restored till 1835. No further disturbance took place for twenty years, but in 1856-7 the employment of a small body of troops was again necessary to restore order.

The estate was under the management of the Court of Wards from 1830 to 1890, owing to the incapacity of two successive Rajas. When the estate was taken under management there was no money in hand and the fcshkash was heavily in arrear. During the management considerable improxement was effected in its condition, a survey and settlement being made, good roads constructed, sources of irrigation improved at a cost of 29 lakhs, and cultivation greatly extended ; the income rose from Rs. 1,40,000 to Rs. 3,86,000, and the cash balance in 1890 amounted to nearly 30 lakhs. The Raja who then succeeded has recently died, and the estate is again under the management of the Court.

Parlakimedi is singularly favoured by nature, the soil being fertile and 'irrigation available from the Vamsadhara and Mahendratanaya rivers, a channel from the latter, and many large tanks. The lands are lightly assessed, and the ryots are much better off than in the other zamlndaris of the District.

There are 120 miles of metalled road in the estate. A light railway of 2 feet 6 inches gauge, 25 miles in length, was constructed by the late Raja at a cost of 7 lakhs from Naupada, a station on the East Coast Railway, to PARLAKIMEDI, the chief town of the zamlnddri. This is the first work of the kind undertaken by a private individual in Southern India. Besides its capital, the chief places in the estate are MUKHALINGAM, a place of pilgrimage, and Patapatnam, Battili, and Hiramandalam, which are centres of trade.