1901 and visited His Excellency Lord Curzon, the Viceroy and Governor-General of India, and also Sir Arthur Havelock, the then Governor of Madras. He again visited Madras in January 1902 and had an interview with Lord Ampthill the present Governor. The construction of the new fort which was commenced during his minority was completed by him. After assuming the reins of the Samastanam, he made grand improvements to the old fort now in the occupation of the Royal Family. A temple was lately constructed by Her Highness Lakshmi Devi Rajeswari, the Dowager Maharani, at a cost of 70,000 Rupees and dedicated to the god Ramachandraswami.
Be it said to the credit of the Maharajah that he opens his purse liberally to any institution that is calculated to do good to the public at large. He is not conservative, but is very liberal although he may be said to be orthodox. We are, glad to observe that he has offered Rs. 150,000 to the Government of Madras for the construction of the Collab and the Indravati bridges. To the Victoria Memorial Hall Fund at Calcutta, he lately gave Rs. 5,000, and a similar amount to the same fund at Madras. The Maharajah and the Maharani Circar have established four beds in Victoria Caste and Ghosh a Hospital at a cost of Rs. 8,800. The Maharajah sometime ago subscribed and paid Rs. 4,000 to the Indian Famine Relief Fund and 1,050 Rupees to the Transvaal War Fund. Through Mr. H. A. Sim, the Maharajah paid Rs. 1,500 to the Royal Asiatic Society's Medal Fund in England, and to the Victoria Memorial Hall Redemption Fund in Madras, Rs. 1,500.
