Shamaiya Iyengar or Shyama Iyengar(ಶ್ಯಾಮ ಐಯ್ಯಂಗಾರ್) popularly known as Anche Shamaiya(Anche Bakshi Shamaiah),Hayavadana, Rao Conjeeveram. Mysore Gazetteer : Compiled for Government. Bangalore: Government, 1930. Print. son/descendent of Vasudeva Iyengar, was the minister of the police and the post office (also served as the intelligence department) during the time of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. He was originally from Sulikunte in Kolar district of Karnataka (also known as Sulkunte), near Budikote in Bangarpet. It is said he was born in Shambonahali or Shamaiahhalli which was named after him(source: Mysore State Gazetteer) in the Tumkur district. His ancestors had been residing in Sulikunte(Sulakunte) agrahara formerly known as Soolikere village in Kolar district. He was of the Bharadvaja Gotra. He was a Valluraar Iyengar of the Thenkalai(Southern) Tradition i.e. he belonged to a family of Srivaishnavas who had migrated from Thiruvallur in Tamil Nadu into the current Kolar and Mysore regions and parts of Andhra in and around the times of Ramanujacharya (1000-1100 CE) possibly following his migration to Thirunarayanapuram or Melukote(Higher Fort) as it is called now .
As Anche Shamaiah-Minister of the Post-office, Police and Intelligence Departments Shamaiya had met Hyder when he was a young man. He rose to the height of his power when he was appointed as the head of the post office, police and intelligence departments(Anche Guritana ) which also served many other functions in 1776 after helping catch a corrupt official, Anche Thimmappa in hiding who had run off with significant money from the state treasury . It is said he used his agents and network of emissaries to track him down and bring him back to face justice. In 1779 Anche Shamaiah assumed the management of the districts on his leaving the official records under his elder brother Rangaiya, Shanubhogue of the Narasimhasvami temple(likely the one in Srirangapattinam also known as Keelukote or Lower Fort where the Mandyam Iyengar massacre took place later in 1783) , and on his undertaking to deposit in the treasury a crore of varahas over and above the estimated annual revenue receipts.
Shamaiah is accused of excesses in order to fulfil the treasury collection promised to Hyder but it may well be that he was part of a very excited, life-threatening and uncertain time trapped in a dangerous system and under the pressure of his boss Hyder. One such example includes the interrogation of Purnaiah. Purnaiah narrowly escaped from the department of police's actions on account of his associates petitioning Hyder.
The military officer Roome Zeree or Romee, the money-finder, a native of Constantinople and a commandant of infantry, was most associated with the department of torture which was undoubtedly associated with the department of police
Anche Shamiah possessed all the cool acuteness necessary for giving efficiency to Hyder's plans. Shamaiya rose high in the favour of Haidar, being honoured by him with an umbrella (Kode), medal ( padaka. ), pearl necklace(muthina-sara) aud palanquin (Pallakki), a cash present(inamu) of 5,000 varahas, and an allowance (daramaha) of 1,000 varahas, with a pair of shawls as khillat. His elder brother Rangaiya was granted an additional allowance of 30 varahas, while his younger brother Aprameya was placed in charge of the records of the treasury (Toshe-Khane ) and cavalry, infantry and other establishments (savar, baru, ahasham vagaire).
Shamaiah enjoyed great success as an all round administrator during the time of Hyder. It was said that shamaiah was so trusted and an important figure that all courtiers except Shamaiah were to compulsorily attend Tippoos wedding. Shamaih was left free to look after the affairs of the state even when the most important nobles and administrators were forced to attend the wedding. Shamaih was the only Hindu allowed to wear the mohammeden elite noble green headdress and ride on a palanquin during the time of Hyder.
The Royalist Coup of 1783 In 1782 Hyder Ali died and Tipu took power. In July 1783 an alleged insurrection to overthrow Tipu and reestablish the Hindu king was plotted. Shamaiya was believed to be the leader of the insurrection. It is not known whether Shamaiah was indeed inviolved in such a coup or if it was a fake trial with fake charges. Although C Hayavadana Rao in his History of Mysore book suggests Shamaiah may have been a royalist and after witnessing Hyders increased sidelining of the Mysore king in the latter days of his reign and Tipu's fanatic actions, the poor treatment of Maharani Lakshmi Ammani and the Mysore Wodeyar royals, he must have dediced to overthrow Tipu.
The Plot Through this coup the conspirators aimed to restore the Hindu Wodeyar kings. Details of the plot from the 'HIstory of Mysore' by C Hayavadana Rao.
"the Hindu Raja, it was resolved, was to be nominally restored and Shamaiya, his elder brother Rangaiya and Narasinga Rao were to form the administration. the Killedar, the Head-Myar(Mir Amir) and Asad Khan, the Commandant, were to be captured and put to death; all the prisoners, European and other, were to be released and placed under the command of Gen. Matthews, and the whole of Asad Khan’s battalion was to be destroyed, and the gates of the capital to be seized, together with the magazines and treasures. Narasinga Bao undertook theactual execution of the material part of the plot. Letters were then despatched to the English army in the Coimbatore country, and to the Mahrattas and the Coorgs, seeking their assistance. To convince the English of the nature and extent of the Loyalist movement, seals and signatures of sufficient authenticity were obtained of the principal persons above named, of the commandants of corps, and particularly of Subbaraja Urs, ostensibly the representative of the imprisoned Royal Family, but in fact a descendant by the female line of the late Dalavai Devarajaiya. Rangaiya, through the medium of Singaiya at Coimbatore, kept up communication with the English army which was to ascend the ghats leading to Seringapatam at the period agreed. And intelligence from , Singaiya gave assurances of that army being ready to advance at the concerted notice whenever it should be given. Everything promised success. Rangaiya, however, considering further delay to be hazardous on account of the number of persons entrusted with the secret and the danger of treacherous or accidental discovery, pressed Narasinga Rao to strike the blow, and everything was prepared for nine o’clock on the 24th of July 1783, when the whole party were to meet at the general rendezvous point.
It was the pay-day of Asad Khan’s and some other Muhammadan corps, when he would Its failure. be present to superintend its distri-bution to the corps in waiting and without arms at the Cucheri, where the Killedar usually attended before the appointed hour. The treasury attendants, the corps of pioneers employed in moving the treasure, a body of jetties (professional athletes) who had the guard of that part of the palace, were all provided with daggers to commence the work with the destruction of the Killedar and his attendants, while large bodies of Hindu peons were ready to fall, in every direction, on the unarmed Muhammadans."
An English Prisoners View of Events Details of the coup from 'Memoirs of the war in Asia, from 1780 to 1784. Including a narrative of the imprisonment and sufferings of our officers and soldiers, by an officer of Colonel Baillie's detachment. 1795':
This is an diary entry from 24 July 1783.
"At five o'clock, P. M. received intelligence of a project - contrived in order to reinstate the King of Mysore. How dangerous however this conspiracy. might appear to be, yet every member at first appeared steady and undaunted. The parties who entered into this plot, were the Inchivalla(Anche Shamaih), head post-master to Tippoo Saib, and keeper of the privy seals; the Prime Minister of the old King of Mysore; two Subadars; and nine other head men. One of the Subadars(Richard Hegan) had the command of one hundred men: the other had been a Subadar in Captain Keating's battalion; and taken prisoner at the fall of Amboor, a garrison in the Carnatic. - The whole of the conspirators assembled several times, and after matters were arranged, they each swore solemn to observe secrecy. Letters were then dispatched to our army, the Marratras, and Corakees(Kodavas), requiring their assistance: Every thing promised success. They then agreed to disperse for the present, and to meet at the general rendezvouz about seven the same evening: but unfortunately for them, and likewise for all the prisoners, the Subadar who had the command of the hundred men instantly went to the Keeladar and informed him of the whole plot. Guards were ordered, and the whole party secured and thrown into dungeons.
The first object of the conspirators was to have made sure of the Keeladar, the head Myar(Mir Amir), and Asoff Cawn(Asad Khan); these three were to have been instantly put to death: their next, to have released all the European and other prisoners, and then to have murdered the whole of Asoff Cawn's battalion, the sepoys of that corps having charge of all the magazines, gates, etc."
Betrayal and the Plot Uncovered "Matters being thus arranged the Killedar Saiyid Muhammad Khan, while returning from the hall of business to his house on the night of the 23rd, was accosted in a whisper by the Subadar commanding one hundred men, who betrayed to him the whole plot. Forthwith, a dispatch prepared for transmission to the English army was seized, guards were ordered and the whole party secured and thrown into prison. Narasinga Rao made a full disclosure in the hope of pardon, and all the minor agents confessed to the degree of their actual information/ By way of intimidation, most of the conspirators were immediately done to death by the process of “ being stripped naked and dragged through the streets of the capital at the heels of elephants”; some, “with their noses and ears cut off and ridden on jack-asses ”, being hanged at the north gate of the fort. Tipu's orders were sought for the disposal of the perpetrators of the plot, and on the arrival of these orders, Narasinga Rao, Subbaraja Urs, the commandants of corps and the jetties were executed. Shamaiya was sent in heavy irons from Mangalore and with his brother Rangaiya was exposed to every contumely in separate iron cages — fed on “low diet,” occasionally “publicly flogged” near the English prison, and “his back rubbed with chillis, or cayenne pepper ” — where they are said to have persisted to the last in denying their participation in the crime, although the torture extracted considerable treasures. Shitab, the former Killedar of Seringapatam, who had been superseded by Saiyid Muhammad, was seized on the first alarm, on mere conjecture ; and was released later on a perfect conviction of his innocence. Order was restored in the capital, the inhabitants being forbidden by tom- tow to appear in the streets after nine o’clock at night, on pain of losing their noses and ears. The subadar who was responsible for the betrayal was soon made a commandant of Kallars (“Collieries”), with many other favours from the Nawab.