Raja Venkatappa Nayaka
| Raja Venkatappa Nayaka | |
|---|---|
| Raja | |
Nayak Dynasty | |
| Father | Krishnappa Nayak[1] |
| Mother | Eshwaramma[1] |
| Religion | Hinduism |
Raja Venkatappa Nayaka IV or Nalvadi lakshya (?–1858), was a prominent final ruler from the
Biography
This district was ruled by Valmiki Nayaka's (
When the prince started his personal rule, being well educated, he felt the British overlordship very irritating. He was in his early 20s and had sent an agent to
Campbell was sent to Surapur by Malcolm to advise young Venkatappa. On 7 February, the British army near Surapur was attacked and many soldiers were killed by Venkatappa's men. The next day, the British attacked Surapur fort, and the army from
Reinforcements were called from the nearby cantonment site (Chavani) at
However, Venkatappa was apprehended at Hyderabad by Salar Jung, and handed over to the British.[5] He was tried and sentenced to life imprisonment. When Taylor met him, Venkatappa told him that:
he did not wish to live and if he was to be sentenced to death, he must not be hanged like a criminal, but killed at the mouth of a cannon. I was not a coward.
Taylor, who had great affection for Venkatappa, had his life term reduced to four years internment by prevailing upon the Governor General, and he was to be reinstated after this four-year term. He was to be taken to Kurnool fort, and was to be interned there together with his two queens. While he was being taken to Kurnool, on an early morning when his armed guard had gone out for ablution, Venkatappa took the revolver his guard had left behind and shot himself dead. Though there are debates over his death, some historians believe that he was stabbed from the back by a British officer and buried near Amberpet, a few miles away from Hyderabad.[5]
Developmental works
Raja Venkatappa Nayaka was instrumental in the construction of water tanks, bunds, wells and water stations. The Mandakini lake and the Lotus Lake near the Surapur fort are credited to him. He initiated measures for soil and land conservation, and encouraged afforestation.[3]
References
- ^ a b c d B.R, Gururaja (10 August 2022). "Piety with Beauty". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
- ^ Karnataka State Gazetteer: Dharwad District (including Gadag and Haveri Districts) (PDF). Office of the Chief Editor, Karnataka Gazetteer. 1993. p. 685.
- ^ ISBN 9789811083365.
- ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 26 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 472.
- ^ ISBN 9781387847860.