The Nelliyalam Royal Family

Most of the area was under the control of Nilamboor kovilagam and Mysore Maharaj, the landlord form Nelliyalam royal family administering the area behalf of the Mysore maharaja and they where Jenmis (Landlord) of almost 4000 Acers of land , Bujangaraj Royal was the last landlord in Nelliyalam royal family based at Kottakunnu in the Nelliyalam village and the they where from the Lingayath family from Maduvanalli near Kollegal in present Karnataka state , The Landlord Bujangaraj was known as Nelliyalam Raja, Raja’s family had no successors and decided for a second marriage, he married Boramma from the Ummathoor royal family latter she was well established in the local communities and known as Nelliyalam Rani ,but they had no luck to have kids and later decided to adopt a kid from her family and adopted one of her close relative Girijamma’s son Puttusamy, after Bujangarajs departure Rani was not able to manage the huge property and the Rani’s fame started to diminish and the land lords was literally isolated from the society and the she started to dispose the properties and gifted a big number of herds to the locals, rapidly the dynasty witnessed a complete fall and Rani and most of the royal family shifted back to Mysore but the adopted son and few of the sibling remained in Nelliyalam as care takers. The Queen’s death triggers royal squabble and conflict between the her relatives over property  and they where positioning themselves over her will. Later the property was managed by the new heir and caretakers but very unfortunate they where only interested in disposing the property for throw away price and many of the locals exploited the situation and got benefited and the only remained Nelliyalam fort was literally abandon.


The ruins of the Nelliyalam Rani’s fort is still visible in the area ,the fort was a huge structure designed in the Mysore Architecture with a lounge and pool in the middle of the fort and a royal swing in the lounge where the Queen Bohramma always used to sit, the fort was left abandoned and the same was reduced into debris due to non maintenance and negligence. The remaining stone pillars and antique wooden structures and furniture were purchased by some unknown antique collectors from Kerala in the year 2005. The Only sole remains of the so-called famous fort of a great dynasty is a Shiva lingam and a Small Nandi statue and a Devi’s effigy in the midst of a ruined temple structure.

- Afasja Jajy       
 

Photos

   

Ruins of the Nelliyalam Fort