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(ARCHIVE) Vol. XVIII No. 23, march 16-31, 2009
The dubashes of Olde Madras
(By Dr. M. Sundara Raj)

Dubash is a Hindustani word which literally means a man of two languages, and an interpreter (dho = two, and bash or bashi = language, thus dhobash or dubash). During the East India Company days they emerged as prominent personalities and played a vital role in trade, politics and society. Ananda Ranga Pillai, born in Perambur, Madras, became the dubash of Dupleix, the Governor of French Pondi­cherry, and Pachiyappa Mudaliar born in Kanchi­puram was one of the most famous dubashes of the British. Avadhanam Paupiah was one of the most talented dubashes but was also the most notorious in the latter half of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th ­Cen­tury.

Language barriers between the European traders and the ­native merchants caused the emergence of the dubashes as ­interpreters. But gradually the dubashes became the middlemen in all business transactions, in the process exploiting both ­parties.

The foreigners who were ­unaware of the local languages and trading systems as well as of the value of the local commodities, became fully dependent on the bilingual dubashes who spared no opportunity to benefit from the European traders as well as the native merchants by giving false information about the ­values of the commodities to both sides. For instance, they fixed low prices for the Indian goods with the native merchants by stating that the European merchants would not pay more and fixed high prices for the same commodities telling the European traders that the native merchants never lowered their prices. The difference between a low-priced sale and a high-priced purchase was the dubash’s ­benefit.

The knowledge of European languages changed the Brahmans, the Chetties and the Nayaks into dubashes and, later, as the leading merchants in the Madras Presidency. This led to their emerging as influential personalities in the political affairs of the East India Company after the Company changed from commercial activity to political interference in India.

The early records of the English East India Company refer to the dubashes as servants, but subsequently call them ‘agents’ and ‘brokers’. In 1679, there were 12 dubashes in Madras. With the growth of commercial activities, the Company administration appointed a Head Dubash in 1679 to undertake additional services beyond routine commerical activities. For instance, when severe famines affected Madras in 1686 and 1687, the Company asked the Head Dubash to get the rice boiled and distributed it to the starving.

Such humanitarian activities earned the dubashes a high reputation among the natives. The Company too honoured them. In January 1716, the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb gave the English East India Company the liberty of custom-free trading in all the port towns in the territories of the Sultan of Golconda. The Company was asked to annually pay 1200 pagodas to the king for the rent of Channapatnam. The Company, after getting the firman from the Sultan, celebrated with a function. During the festive occasion, a procession was organised in which the document was placed on a palanquin and the Chief Dubash was asked to read the document in the local languages. He was permitted to sit on horseback along with several European riders, including the Mayor and the Aldermen of the Corporation of Madras and other city officers of the East India Company.

From the beginning of the 18th Century the dubashes were the leading merchants among the natives in Madras. For instance, in 1717, the four principal merchants were Sunca Raman Chetty, Bell Chetty, Colloway Chetty and Callastry Chetty. Sunca Raman Chetty was allowed to purchase a house in Middle Gate Street in the Fort from Thomas Frederick for use as a cloth godown. In 1724, the Chief Merchants were Sunga Rama and Thumby Chetty. These dubash-cum-merchants had great influence with the European settlers in the Fort. St. George.

Fort St. George entrusted the Head Dubash to superintend the markets and regulate the prices of provisions for the natives of Madras. It was an authority so extensive issued in the Gover­nor’s name. But such honour was misused by the dubashes and exploited by the natives who fixed the prices of commodities according to their whims and fancies. These kinds of activities caused the public to submit their grievances to the Company which in turn replaced the Chief Dubash on one occasion. Mutual intrigues, rivalry and hatred among the dubashes in commercial and Company affairs were commonplace. When the Company replaced Chief Dubash Krishna with his kinsman Kittee Chinna Narayan in 1716, Krish­na gave him much trouble and hardship and even bewitched him. For this unruly behaviour of his he was fined 500 pagodas and sent to Fort St. David with the Deputy Governor with orders to make him stand in the pillory with a notice around his neck stating his crimes. This was intended as a lesson to others.

Dubashes played conspicuous roles in the political affairs of Fort St. George. Their close acquaintance with the Governors and high officials of the Company administration gave them a considerable role in political matters, their services as interpreters or agents or translators being regularly needed. They were instrumental in helping to make commercial and political agreements with local powers. In this regard, Avadhanum Pau­piah, a Brahmin from Nel­lore, earned a fortune through his close connection with Governor Jon Holland (1789) and his brother Edward Holland, third member of the Governor in Council and President of the Board of Revenue (constituted in 1786).

Avadhanum Paupiah began his career in the Sea Customs office as a clerk with a salary of Rs. 6 a month and was entrusted with collection of customs dues. Though his salary was small, his appointment proved a highly lucrative one which enabled him to own several houses in Madras and he soon possessed property worth three or four lakhs of pagodas. The Holland brothers took a fancy to him and made him their dubash. Before long, it became the custom for everyone to speak first to the dubash in all business matters before consulting the Governor. It was through Pau­piah that the Governor chiefly communicated with the native courts. Paupiah had access to the Governor even at the dead of night and the Raja of Tanjore and the Nawab of Carnatic could not dare to refuse any bid by Paupiah. “His house became the rendezvous of all sorts of recipients of favours in the past or of favours yet to come.”

After obtaining a jagir from the Nawab of the Carnatic in 1763, the East India Company began to alter the existing revenue system by taking more revenue for itself. In this regard, Haliburton, the most powerful and influential member of the Board of Revenue, introduced warachittam, a new mode of revenue-collection, by which the Company could get more revenue than through the then existing system. The natives and the merchants opposed the warachittam system and appealed to the Governor. Some leading merchants, like Kandappa Mu­da­liar, Sami Sungaraman Chetty, Ponnappa Mudali and Appaji Rao, approached Ava­dha­num Paupiah and bribed him to get the Board of Revenue stop the system of warachittam. But Haliburton opposed the resolution and blocked any change. Finding themselves forestalled by Haliburton, Paupiah and the Holland brothers plotted to remove Haliburton from the Board of Revenue. They charged Hali­burton with instigating the natives to oppose the Company administration. Avadhanum Pau­piah organised several natives to send petitions against Haliburton to the Company. Using all this as evidence, they removed Halibur­ton from Board of Revenue and sent him to Chan­dra­giri as pay master, a post of no importance.

After removing Haliburton, a huge amount of money was swindled by the Holland brothers and Paupiah. The notoriety of Avadhanum Paupiah became a byword. The Holland brothers also became very unpopular and Jon Holland was relieved of the Governership and Edward ­Holland was dismissed from the Board of Revenue due to misappropriation of funds and ­amassing huge wealth through bribes.

After the removal of the Holland brothers, Haliburton appealed to the new Governor, William Medows, to constitute a commission in July 1792 to investigate the activities of Dubash Avadhanum Paupiah, his role in having Haliburton relieved and his relationship and dealings with Holland brothers in swindling both Government and private parties. The accomplices of Ava­dhanum Paupiah, Avadha­num Thangasami, his brother, Appay­yangar, a relative, and Venka­tacha Chetty admitted their roles. Governor Medows presided over the sessions and was assisted by three Justices of Peace. All four accused were sentenced to imprisonment and fine and were ordered to stand in the pillory for an hour. Avadhanum Paupiah was sentenced to imprisonment for three years and fined £ 2000 in addition.

Paupiah’s misfortune followed him even after his release from prison. A large number of forged bonds in the names of various Nawabs of the Carnatic were in circulation in the country. The holders of the genuine bonds agitated for repayment of the value of the bonds. The Madras Government appointed a committee in 1808 to inquire into the matter. The committee found that Avadhanum Paupiah had swindled a very large amount. Prosecution for forgery was instituted against Paupiah, but he escaped trial by passing away in 1809. His popularity in the midst of notoriety is even now remembered because there is a street named after him, as Avadhanum Paupiah Street, in Choolai. A number of other streets in Madras are named after prominent duba­shes, such as Thambu Chet­ty Street, Lingi Chetty Street, Sunga Raman Chetty Street in George Town and Pachiyappan Street in Chetput, among others.

The word dubash in time became commonly used to describe a fraudulent person because people believed that a dubash normally cheated all he came in touch with. Even today the word dubakoor is used in cinema and street language to denote a cheat.

 

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