MANGALORE-BRIEF HISTORY

  Mythological associations: According to Hindu Mythology, the region covering Mangalore is part of Parashurama Shristi, the coastal belt reclaimed from the sea by the legendary sage Parashurama. He crowned a king known as Bhanu Vikrama, who appointed one of his brothers, Udayavarma to rule the territory between Payaswini river in the south and Gokarna in the north. As for other mythological associations, Rama was the Lord of Tuluvanad during the days of the Ramayana; and Sahadeva, the youngest of the Pandavas, was the Governor of this place during the days of the Mahabharatha. The Pandavas lived in Banavasi during their exile visiting Sarapadi near Mangalore. Arjuna, the hero of Mahabharata also appears to have visited this place when he travelled from Gokarna to Adur near Kasargod.

Early History: Under the rule of Ashoka, the land of Tuluva was called Sathia (Shantika) and the Kadambas ruled this place from 200 to 600 AD. From the earliest references in documented history, it is clear that the region covering Mangalore was a part of the Kingdom of Alupas, whose unbroken dynastic rule from 567 to 1325 AD is perhaps the longest in Indian history. Some of the prominent Alupa rulers were Alva Rananjaya (10th century), Kavi Alupendradeva (1113-1115 AD) and Vira-Bhutal Pandya Deva (1254-1277 AD), who enforced the matrilineal law in this region. Kulashekaradeva Alupendradeva was the last Alupa king.

The Vijayanagar Kingdom was founded in 1346 and Tuluvanad was absorbed by the kingdom. Harihara Raya, the founder of the Vijayanagar Empire, appointed deputies to command the military force and collect revenue from the Jain rajas and other tributaries. After Harihara Raya, twelve other Vijayanagara princes possessed the kingdom for a period of about three centuries. The Jain Rajas were held as feudatories. While the Alupas (567 to 1325 AD) ruled independently, the Bangara kings after them (1325 to 1556 AD) ruled firmly under an efficient and centralised administration of the Vijayanagar Empire.

Portuguese Invasion and after: Portuguese depredations started in the reign of Kamaraya II (1491-1533 AD) In the year 1498 Vasco-Da-Gama landed on the west coast of India near Udupi and set up a cross on St. Mary’s Isles. The region had longstanding trade relations with the Arabs and Portuguese made forage raids towards the Arab junks. In 1526, the Portuguese viceroy Lapaz-De-Sampayo succedded in defeating the Bangara king and his allies and the trade passed out of Muslim hands into Portuguese hands. During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Portuguese commanded the Arabian Sea and they intruded actively in the affairs of the local chieftains. The Portuguese gradually made themselves the masters of the whole of the trade and then proceeded to collect a levy. The levy was opposed by Abbakka Devi II, the famous queen of Ullal, who was the first woman to raise the banner of revolt against foreign rule. She faught against the Portuguese for almost three decades, in the course of which the Portuguese repeatedly attacked Mangalore and wreaked wanton destruction. Following the final subjugation of the valiant queen in 1568, the Portuguese ruled the place without opposition till 1640. Then in the middle of the 17th century, Venkatappa Nayaka, Raja of the Ikkeri family stormed the Portuguese bastion and defeated them. Thereafter the Bangara chieftains continued as rulers with the Portuguese only allowed trade relations until their final expulsion by the Ikkeri kings on 27 May 1805.The Dutch and the French relationship was restricted to trade.

The Ikkeri King’s rule started during the 16th century, when King Sadashiva Nayaka of the Ikkeri family, who rose in the service of Krishna Deva Raya of Vijayanagar, obtained the grant of the Gornment of Barkur in 1560 as an underlord. When Raja Venkatappa Nayaka defeated the Portuguese in 1640, the Rajas of Ikkeri family were ruling Mangalore and this continued till 1762. 

Mysore Rule and the advent of the British : The Mysore kings entered the region in the 18th century with Nawab Hyder Ali Khan, who regarded Mangalore as of great importance as a naval station. In 1763, his troops took possession of the dominions of the Ikkeri rulers including Mangalore, which gave him a valuable tract of land containing a port of great commercial and strategic importance to Mysore. He ruled for 21 years till his death in 1784 and he was succeeded by his son Tippu Sulthan. He personally interested in developing Mangalore as a naval station as was designed by his father. He built the Sulthan Battery at Boloor, a light house and an Idgah. The English who had trade relations with Mangalore watched with apprehension the rise of Hyder Ali the conversion of Mangalore as his naval base, which was a threat to their mastery of the sea. The English sent an army under Admiral Watson from Bombay in 1768. This led to the first Mysore War when Mangalore was captured by the English. However, Hyder Ali soon routed the English and took them prisoners.

In the Second Mysore War, the English again captured Mangalore in 1791, but Tippu besieged it in 1793 and the English under Col. Campbell surrendered in 1794. Then in 1799, after the fall of Tippu Sulthan at Srirangapatna, the entire Kanara region including Mangalore came into British Hands and continued till Indian indepence in 1947. Captain (later Sir) Thomas Munro was appointed as the first Collector of South Kanara in June 1799 and Mangalore has remained the administrative headquarters since then.

The city had a peaceful administration under British rule and permanent visible improvements effected during this period. It flourished gradually in education and in industry and became a commercial centre for export and import trade. The linking of Mangalore, in1907, with the South Indian Railway and later the advent of motor vehicles further increased the trade and communication with the rich hinterland. The opening of the Basel Mission in 1834 brought many industries into the city. The Roman Catholic missions, from the beginning, have done important work in education, health and social welfare. South Kanara, which was under the administration of the Madras Presidency continued under the Madras state even after Indepedence until the state. However at the time of reorganisation of states in 1956, a portion of South Kanara was annexed to the then Mysore State (now Karnataka) and a portion went to Kerala. Therafter Mangalore gained a very important position in the state since it gave the erstwhile Mysore state the benefit of a coastline. Mangalore is now a fast growing city.

   THE MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION

Mangalore came under municipal administration following enactment of the Madras Town Improvement Act 1865 and the thereafter the establishment of the Municipal Council on 23 May 1866. Prior to the introduction of the local self-government system, the district collector was in charge of the administration of the city. W.M. Codelho Esq., the then collector of the district was the first President of the Council.  The functions and deliberations of the municipality were conducted in the collector’s office till 22-2-1909. Thereafter the municipal office was shifted to its own buildings.

        The council started its functions with 7 members who were then district officers. Most of them were Europeans.  The Vice-President was the administrative officer. The income of the municipality was about Rs. 15,000. The population and the area of the town in the year 1866 were about 28,000 and one square mile respectively.  In the year 1871, the population of the town was 29712; and there were 6619 houses out of which 4341 were thatched. A dispensary was started for the first time in 1868 at the site of the Lady Goschen Hospital.

         Subsequently a series of legislations under the Madras Presidency resulted in the gradual empowerment of the local administration and facilitated many welfare activities. Following the reorganisation of States, the Mysore Muncipalities Act 1964 came into force as a uniform act throughout the state on 1 April 1965, replacing the Madras District Municipalities Act of1920. The provisions of this act gave a new phase to the municipality and it became a city Municipality. Ample opportunities were made in the Act to raise the income and also to carry out some of the obligatory functions.

       Mangalore City Corporation came in to existence during 3^rd July 1980, which was formerly a Municipality and was expanded during 1996-97 by including Surathkal Town Municipality, Katipalla Notified area, Panamboor, Baikampady, Kulai, Hosabettu villages. Further during April 2002, it was further extended to include Bajal, Kannuru, Kudupu and Thiruvail Panchayath limits into Mangalore City Corporation.

          Mangalore City Corporation presided by a Mayor.  Mangalore City Corporation currently has a population of 4,19,306 and area of 132.45 sq. kms. It is divided into 60 wards each represented by a Corporator. Elections to the Corporation are held every five years and subsequently a Mayor and a Deputy Mayor are elected for a term of one year. It Covers portion of 3 Lokasabha Constituencies, 4 Legislative assembly constituencies and one legislative council constituency.

The administration of the Corporation is vested in the Commissioner, who is designated by the state government.

        The city Corporation is now housed in its own premises located at M.G. Road, Lal Bagh, Mangalore. Since its upgradation as a city corporation, the civic body has spearheaded several developmental activities in the city and it has been adjudged as the best Corporation in the state in the continuously for 3 years.