Rajeshwar Hospital at 12:08, 27 March 2026

2026-03-27T12:08:18Z

New page

{{Short description|Maharaja of Mysore from 1799 to 1868}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Krishnaraja Wadiyar III
| image = Krishnaraja Wadiyar III, Maharaja of Mysore.jpg
| caption = Photograph of Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar III, circa 1866
| succession = 22nd [[Maharaja of Mysore]]
| reign = 30 June 1799 – 19 October 1831 19 October 1831 – 27 March 1868 (titular)
| coronation = 30 June 1799, Royal Palace, Mysore
| predecessor = [[Chamaraja Wodeyar IX]] (1776–1796) (father)
| successor = [[Chamarajendra Wadiyar X]]
| birth_date = 14 July 1794
| birth_place = Royal Palace, [[Srirangapatna]], [[Sultanate of Mysore]], (present-day [[Karnataka]], [[India]])
| death_date = {{death date and age|1868|03|27|1794|07|14|df=yes}}
| death_place = Royal Palace, [[Mysore]], [[Kingdom of Mysore]] (present-day Karnataka, India)
| spouse = Devajammanni<ref name="Mysuru District Website">{{Cite web|url=https://mysore.nic.in/en/tourist-place/srikanteshwarananjundeswara-temple/|title=Srikanteshwara (Nanjundeswara) Temple|publisher=Mysuru District Website}}</ref>
| issue = [[Chamarajendra Wadiyar X]] (adopted son)
| full name = Sriman Rajadhiraja Raja Parameshvara Praudha-pratapa Apratima-vira Narapati Birud-antembara-ganda Maharaja Sir Krishnaraja Wodeyar III Bahadur
| house = [[Wadiyar dynasty]]
| father = [[Chamaraja Wodeyar IX]]
| mother = Maharani Kempa Nanja Ammani Avaru
| religion = [[Hinduism]]
}}

'''Krishnaraja Wadiyar III''' (14 July 1794 – 27 March 1868) was an Indian king who was the twenty-second [[Maharaja of Mysore]]. He ruled the kingdom for nearly seventy years, from 30 June 1799 to 27 March 1868, for a good portion of the latter period of which he was merely a [[Mysore Commission|nominal ruler]]. He is known for his contribution and patronage to different arts and music during his reign. He was succeeded by his biological grandson and adopted son, [[Chamarajendra Wadiyar X]].

==Early years==
[[File:Krishnaraja Wodeyar III as the child king.jpg|thumb|Krishnaraja Wodeyar III as a child]]
Krishnaraja Wodeyar III was born at [[Srirangapatna]] to Maharaja [[Chamaraja Wodeyar IX|Chamaraja Wadiyar IX]] and his first wife, Maharani Kempananjammani Devi.<ref>Annals of The Mysore Royal Family Part-1: A publication by the Royal Family of Mysore: 1916</ref> Maharani [[Lakshmi Ammani Devi|Lakshmi Devi]], his adoptive grandmother, played a major role in the education and upbringing of her adopted grandson, Krishnaraja Wodeyar III, and was instrumental in his ascent to the throne.<ref name="hist">Rajakaryaprasakta Rao Bahadur (1936), p265</ref>

Since the insurrection of Mysore and storming into power by [[Kingdom of Mysore#Under Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan|Hyder Ali and Tipu]], Lakshmi Devi had been awaiting an opportunity to unseat Ali, who died, and later his son, and had delegated numerous feelers to the [[British Raj#Building the Raj: British expansion across India|British]] to unseat him and hand over the kingdom to the Wadiyars. She also informed the British about the treaty between [[Tipu Sultan|Tipu]] and the [[French India|French]].<ref name="hist1">Rajakaryaprasakta Rao Bahadur (1936), p271</ref> When Tipu died at the hands of the British in 1799, she discussed the handing-over of the Mysore throne, which finally led to the installation of the five-year-old Krishnaraja Wodeyar III as the Maharaja of Mysore on 30 June 1799 under her regency.<ref name="hist2">Rajakaryaprasakta Rao Bahadur (1936), p266</ref>

The ceremony took place in a special pavilion constructed near the Lakshmiramana Swamy temple in Mysore.<ref name="hist2"/> Being led to it by [[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington|Arthur Wellesley]] on his right, Lakshmi Devi managed to have Tipu's adviser [[Purnaiah]] continue as the [[List of Diwans of Mysore|Dewan of Mysore]] with the instruction that he should be loyal to the king till the latter himself attains the age of discretion.

==Ruler of Mysore State==
[[File:Silver Rupee of Krishna Raja Wodeyar, Mysore State, struck in the name of Mughal emperor Shah Alam II, Zarb Mahisur Mint, AD 1805.jpg|thumb|Silver Rupee of Krishna Raja Wodeyar III, Mysore State, struck in the name of Mughal emperor [[Shah Alam II]], Zarb Mahisur Mint, RY47, AD 1805.]]
Krishnaraja Wodeyar III attained the age of 16 in early 1810, an age then no longer deemed him a minor. After discussing with [[Arthur Henry Cole|Arthur Cole]], the British Resident of Mysore, the reins of the state were transferred from [[Purnaiah]] to the prince.<ref name="hist5">Rajakaryaprasakta Rao Bahadur (1936), p383</ref> Wodeyar's grandmother died in 1810, soon followed by Purnaiah, who died in 1812.

=== Removal from power ===
The years that followed witnessed cordial relations between Mysore and the British until things began to sour in the 1820s. Even though [[Thomas Munro]], the [[governor of Madras]], determined after a personal investigation in 1825 that there was no substance to the allegations of financial impropriety made by Cole, the civil insurrection leading to the [[Nagar revolt]] broke out towards the end of the decade and changed things considerably. In 1831, close on the heels of the insurrection and citing maladministration, the British took direct control of the princely state and instituted [[Mysore Commission]]. For the next fifty years, Mysore passed under the rule of successive British Commissioners; [[Mark Cubbon (army officer)|Mark Cubbon]], renowned for his statesmanship, served from 1834 until 1861 and put into place an efficient and successful administrative system which left Mysore a well-developed state.

==Contribution to culture==
Krishnaraja Wodeyar III was responsible for the cultural growth of the Kingdom of Mysore. He was himself a writer, having written Kannada books like ''[[Sritattvanidhi]]'' and ''Sougandhikaparinaya''.<ref name="kam">{{cite web |url=http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/deccan/wodeyars/mummadi.htm |publisher=Kamat's Potpourri |title=Krishnaraja Wodeyar III |work=Wodeyars of Mysore |date=4 April 2014 |access-date=16 June 2015}}</ref> He also has a number of writers in his court who together contributed to the development of modern Kannada prose, which had a style different from the ''Champu'' style of prose which was followed till then.<ref name="book1">K. M. George (1994), p167</ref> Other important writings that emerged during his rule include ''Mudramanjusha'' by Kempu Narayana, ''Kalavati Parinaya'' by Yadava, and ''Vachana Kadamabari''.<ref name="book1"/> The king was well versed in many languages, including Sanskrit, Kannada, Tamil, English, Telugu, and Urdu. He even played the musical instrument, [[veena]].<ref name="kam"/> He was an expert player of board games and is credited to have revived the [[Ganjifa]] game. He was also a collector and an inventor of board games.<ref name="gam">{{cite web |title=Games afoot |url=http://www.radionetherlands.nl/features/cultureandhistory/041215doc |work=Online webpage of Radio Netherlands, dated 15 December 2004 |author=Laura Durnford |access-date=8 October 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070510034728/http://www.radionetherlands.nl/features/cultureandhistory/041215doc |archive-date=10 May 2007 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref name="board">{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A63008-2005Mar24.html |work=Online Edition of The Washington Post, 25 March 2005 |title=Fun Is the Name of the Game|author=Mary Quattlebaum|access-date=27 September 2007 | date=25 March 2005}}</ref>
[[File:Queens of Mysore, Thomas Hickey, 1805.jpg|thumb|"Queens" of [[Mysore]]: left, Krishnaraja Wodeyar III's first wife, Devajammani, right, his second wife, also named Devajammani. [[Thomas Hickey (painter)|Thomas Hickey]], 1805. The two queens in the painting are thought to advertise [[vaccination]] over [[variolation]], as they display the respective traces on their skin.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sethu |first1=Divya |title=How 3 Mysore Queens Became The Face Of A Campaign For The World's First Vaccine |url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/251100/national-vaccination-day-india-smallpox-covid-19-vaccine-awareness-programme-british-history-div200/ |website=The Better India |date=16 March 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=An Indian Queen's "Vaccine Selfie" in Oils |url=https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/indian-queens-vaccine-selfie-oils |website=www.gavi.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=The Indian queens who modelled for the world's first vaccine |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-53944723 |work=BBC News |date=19 September 2020}}</ref>]]
Krishnaraja Wodeyar III was a ruler who gave a lot of importance to the development of art during his period. He patronised many scholars in his court and he himself was a great Kannada and Sanskrit Scholar, and has composed more than 50 works. The [[Yakshagana]] form of literature, its growth, and survival are all due to his efforts. Parti Subba from South Canara, a famous Yakshagana writer, flourished during his period. Devachandra, Venkatarama Shastri, Basavappa Shastri, Aliya Lingaraja, Kempu Narayana, Srinivasa Kavisarvabhouma, Thammaya Kavi, Nanjunda Kavi, Shantaraja Pandita were all patronised by him.

Devachandra wrote ''Rajavali Katha'' which is of great historical importance and also ''Ramakathavathara'', a work in Champu style. Kempu Narayana wrote ''Mudra Manjusha'', which is a Kannada prose. Asthana Vidwan Basavappa Shastri has written various works. He composed Kannada poems such as ''Shakuntala'', ''Vikramorvasiya'', ''Rathnavali'', ''Chandakousika'', and ''Uttara Ramacharita''. He has also translated the famous work of Shakespeare, ''Othello'', into Kannada and it is known as ''Shurasena Charita''. He has also written ''Damayanti'' in Champu style, ''Savitri Charita'' in Shatpadi, ''Sri Raghavendra Swamy Ashtottara Stotram'', and numerous other works in Sanskrit.
[[File:Krishnaraja Wadiyar lll.jpg|thumb|left|Krishnaraja Wadiyar lll in 1866]]

Krishnaraja Wodeyar III has composed many works like ''Dasharatha Nandana Charita'', ''Grahana Darpana'', ''Sankya Ratna Kosha'', ''Chaturanga Sara Sarvasva'', ''Sri Tatvanidhi'', ''Saugandhika Parinaya'', ''Sri Krishna Katha Sangraha'', ''Ramayana'', ''Mahabharata'', ''Surya Chandra Vamsavali'', ''etc''. He was called Bhoja Raja of Kannada. Wodeyar's ''Surya Chandra Vamsavali'' narrates a hundred episodes from the Ramyana and the Mahabharata, and the adventures of Yaduraya and Krishnaraya, the founders of the Wadiyar Dynasty.

Krishnaraja Wodeyar III also sponsored a number of art pieces and invited a large number of artists to the royal workshop, where a number of ambitious projects including [[mural]]s and [[illustrated manuscript]]s were commissioned. These included illustrated volumes of the [[Bhagavata Purana]] and a splendid [[Ramayana]] featuring [[Rama]] shooting a flaming arrow exploding on the page.<ref name="Lyons">{{Cite journal|author=Lyons, Tryna|url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/23223171|title=Indian Painting from 1825 to 1900|journal=Artibus Asiae. Supplementum |year=2011 |volume=48 |pages=753–758 |publisher=Artibus Asiae. Supplementum 48 (2011): 753–58|jstor=23223171 }}</ref>

==See also==
{{portal|Poetry}}
* [[Mummadi]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==

* {{cite book |last= Rao Bahadur|first= Rajakaryaprasakta|title= Mysore State Gazetter|year=1936|publisher=[[Mysore State]]}}
* {{cite book |last= George|first= K. M.|title= Modern Indian Literature: An Anthology|orig-year=1994|year=1994|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn= 8172013248}}

==External links==
{{commonscat}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20171026093648/http://www.gamepandit.com/know_culture.html Game Pandit]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071229230519/http://www.goddesschess.com/chessays/ashtapadacosmos.html The Origins of Chess]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20101121125818/http://www.ktn.freeuk.com/1d.htm History of Magic Knight's Tours]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121107210306/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mag/2004/11/14/stories/2004111400660800.htm Games of yore]
* [http://www.yogajournal.com/wisdom/466?page=3 New Light on Yoga] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131124062425/http://www.yogajournal.com/wisdom/466?page=3 |date=24 November 2013 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120207041013/http://www.sai.uni-heidelberg.de/ecmsa/29.html In-Door Games in Karnataka's Heritage]
* [http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Apr62008/finearts2008040561212.asp Cards of Honour]

{{s-start}}
{{s-hou|[[Wodeyar|Wodeyar dynasty]]||1794||1868}}
{{s-reg|}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Tipu Sultan]] (as Ruler of Mysore)}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Maharaja of Mysore]]|years=1799–1831}}
{{s-aft|after=[[John Briggs (East India Company officer)|J. Briggs]] (As Senior Commissioner) and [[C. M. Lushington]] (As Junior Commissioner)}}
{{s-pre|}}
{{s-bef|before=None}}
{{s-tul|title=[[Maharaja of Mysore]]|years=1831–1868}}
{{s-inc|heir=[[Chamarajendra Wadiyar X]]}}
{{end}}

{{Karnataka topics}}

{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wadiyar, Krishnaraja III}}
[[Category:1794 births]]
[[Category:1868 deaths]]
[[Category:Kings of Mysore]]
[[Category:Wadiyar dynasty|Krishnaraja III]]
[[Category:19th-century Indian poets]]
[[Category:Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India]]
[[Category:Hindu monarchs]]
[[Category:Indian male poets]]
[[Category:19th-century Indian royalty]]
[[Category:Poets from Karnataka]]

Krishnaraja Wodeyar III - Revision history

Rajeshwar Hospital at 12:08, 27 March 2026