Page:The Aristocracy of Southern India.djvu/222

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The Aristocracy of Southern India.

for 5½ years, but his management did not show any better results, and the arrears were considerably augmented. At the end of that period the Collector again recommended the sale of the estate, and ultimately it was sold in auction and bought in on account of Government.

Sri Rajah Vatsavaya Venkata Simhadri Jagapathi Razu Bahadur Garu was born in 1853 at Tuni. He learnt Sanskrit and Telugu at home under able pundits, and can talk Hindustani fluently. At a comparatively early age he evinced much interest in hunting and riding, and in course of time he became an expert in both. He did not spend his time in frivolous pursuits but in careful study of vedic lore; and books treating on the ethical code of Hindus occupied a great portion of his time. He is very active and energetic, and he has developed these qualities to such an extent that he works for hours unfatigued.

The present Zemindar some years ago appealed to His Excellency the Governor in Council to restore the estate owned by his ancestors.

His prayers were:—

1st. That the Government would be pleased to restore his Zemindari to him with all its profits, after deducting the annual Peishcush and the charge of management from the collections of the twenty years from 1842 to 1862.
2nd. That, if the Government did not consider that he was entitled to a remission of the whole balance due by his father, they would be