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MYSORE RACES

By R Rajachandra | 20 Apr 2020 |


March 01, 2020 is a Red letter day in the Annals of Racing in the Royal City of Mysore when for the first time Indian Turf Invitation Cup will be held at one of most picturesque race tracks in the world. 

On the eve of this historic occasion one is tempted to dwell on role of Horses from both mythological and historic point of view.

As per Indian mythology and Vedic literature Indra is considered as the king of Svarga (Heaven) and the Devas (Gods). Indra is the most referred to deity in the Rigveda. Uchchaihshravas is considered as the best of the horses and king of horses. Uchchaihshravas ("long-ears" or "neighing aloud") is a seven-headed flying horse, that emerged from “churning of the ocean milk” ( 'Samudra manthan') along with other treasures and the ‘amrita’ – the drink of immortality, which both the devas (gods) and asuras (demons) wanted to possess.

For anyone familiar with great Indian Epic Mahabharata, the role played by the Horses in the savage 18 day war of succession between the cousins Pandavs and Kauravas is well known. Lord Krishna considered as the 8Th incarnation of God Vishnu himself spearheaded the war on behalf of Pandvas by being the Charioteer to Arjuna and his exposition of the sacred Bhagavatgeetha is the greatest gift to mankind!

The Ashvamedha is a notable ritual of Yajurveda . It was used by ancient Indian kings to prove their imperial sovereignty. A horse accompanied by the king's warriors would be released to wander for a period of one year. In the territory traversed by the horse, any rival could dispute the king's authority by challenging the warriors accompanying it. After one year, if no enemy had managed to kill or capture the horse, the animal would be guided back to the king's capital. It would be then sacrificed, and the king would be declared as an undisputed sovereign. The ritual is recorded as being held by many ancient rulers, but apparently only by two in the last thousand years. The most recent ritual was in 1741, the second one held by Maharajah Jai Singh II of Jaipur.

When recently a group of intrepid Bengalureans found an inscription half buried in a gutter in Hebbal- Bangalore, it took the antiquity of the city to as far back as 750 CE. It depicts one Kittayya fending off an attack on Hebbal by an enemy who is shown seated on a Horse!

This tradition and role of Horses in wars have spanned to as late as 19th century when the famed Mysore Lancers have made Mysore Horses immoral in many a celebrated battles.

Mysore Lancers have impeccable records having proved themselves during Mysore wars against British and their allies during 1791-1799. However, the saga and success of Mysore Cavalry did not come to an end with the conclusion of Mysore wars. Col. Arthur Wellesley – later Duke of Wellington and Prime Minister of Great Britain was involved in many battles during his campaigns in India. Battle of battles of Assaye and Argaum where he subdued the Maharattas in 1803 is considered as the crowning glory of Mysore Horses and a brilliant tactical victory for the Iron Duke. It is said to have given the future Duke of Wellington the experience which stood him good in his famous battles of Waterloo.

But with the onset of World War I, Mysore Lancers were back again in the thick of action but in faraway Middle East. A regiment of Mysore Lancers consisting 528 Horses and men left Bangalore on 13-10-1914 to take part in the World War –I. Their finest hour was the liberation of Haifa in modern Israel on 23-9-1918. It is considered as one of the bravely contested battles of World War-I and last of the successful, cavalry actions in the world and it is still celebrated both in India and Israel.

Earliest mention of Horses in the literature of Wodeyars can be found during the reign of Chmaraja Wodeyar –V. Ramachandra, a protégé of Chamaraja wrote the Ashva Shastra (c. 1625), a rendering, in colloquial Kannada, of Salihotra’s treatise on horses. It is written in 18 chapters dealing with the physical constitution and the age of horses, method of worshipping them during the Mahânavami festival and the treatment of their diseases. Padmanna Panditaa Jain Àyurvëdic scholar wrote the Hayasâra-Samuchchayam (1627), a compendium of the science of horses. It is a poetiical work, in 20 chapters, written in the Kannada). It begins with invocation to Jina and treats, among others, of the shape and sex of horses and the treatment of their diseases.

But it was not before 1811 one learns about Horse racing being conducted in Mysore State. It is said that Maharaja Krishna Raja Wadiyar III (Also known as Mummadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar) after assuming reins of power visited Bangalore for the first time in October 1811 and a horse Racing was specially arranged in his honour on 14Th by the then British Resident A.H. Cole. This was at some location near Krsihnarajapuram.

Though exact date is not known, a regular Race Course was built at Hinkal- a suburb of Mysore soon thereafter. Resident of Mysore, Hon. Arthur Cole is said to have erected the Yelwal Residency on designs taken from his family mansion of Enniskillen seat in Ireland with extensive stables and out-buildings. Mysore gazetteer also mentions that a mile or two to the south was the old Hinkal race-course, with several bungalows erected for the occupation of the chief officers and guests at the races. Later it became part of Vijayashripura estate of the Jayalakshmi Vilas mansion built for the eldest sister of Maharaja Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV. Now it has become part of the Jaya chamarajendra Engineering College campus.

Around this time it appears many Race Courses were built in India. The following table lists some of the major Race Courses in the country at that time and also depicts the length of Courses. It is interesting note that the old Mysore Race Course was almost 2 miles in length and was much bigger than the one at Bangalore at that time.

LENGTH OF COURSES.

    M. F. Y
1 Ahmedabad 1 4 55
2 Allahabad 1 2 31
3 Ahmednuggar 1 3 0
4 Belgaum 1 2 63
5 Baroda 1 4 10
6 Bowenpally 1 2 Less 16
7 Bolarum 1 4 Less 60
8 Burdwan 1 3 95
9 Byculla (Bombay) 1 4 67
10 Bangalore 1 2 0
11 Barrackpore 1 4 197
12 Berhampore 1 7 28
13 Calcutta 1 6 18
14 Calcutta (St. Leger) 1 6 132
15 Cawnpore(Kanpur) 1 5 49
16 Chuprah (Chhapra) 1 4 146
17 Cuttack 1 5 83
18 Gorruckpore 1 2 219
19 Ferozepore (Circular) 1 5 205
20 Ferozepore Steeple Chase 2 4 0
21 Hyderabad (Scinde) 1 4 7
22 Jullunder 1 3 5
23 Lucknow About 2 miles.
24 Meerut 1 5 198
25 Madras 1 4 0
26 Mozufferpore 1 3 202
27 Moradabad 1 4 100
28 Mysore 2   Less 100
29 Muttra (Mathura) About 1 4 0
30 Poonah 1 4 65
31 Purneah 1 4 0
32 Rajkote 1 4 Less 100
33 Rampore Beauleau 1 2 36
34 Sonepore 1 4 158
35 Vizianagram 1 3 107
36 Umballah( Ambala) 2 0 188

Under the patronage of Maharaja Krishna Raja Wadiyar III races were regularly held at Mysore . The following proposed Race card in 1868 is quite a revelation to know that Mysore Derby was as much a prestigious race as it is now!

MYSORE RACES, 1868.

RACES TO COME.

SECOND DAY, TUESDAY, 7Th JULY, 1868.

First Race: The Mysore Derby." 60 G. Ms. from H. H. the Rajah for all Maiden Arabs imported after the 1st September, 1867. Weight for age. The winner of the "Rajahs Plate" to carry 7 lbs. extra. Entrance 20 G. Ms. 11. F., and 5 G. Ms. if declared by the 1st June. To close and name on 1st April, 1868.

Unfortunately the Races could not be held in Mysore as the Maharaja Krishna raja Wadiyar III passed away on March 27, 1868 and consequently the Bangalore Races for 1868 were modified as under:

BANGALORE RACES, 1868.

Revised in consequence of their being no Mysore Races, and a Cup given by the late Maharajah, of Mysore.

STEWARDS.

COL. THORNHILL, Staff Corps.
CAPT. MESHAM, Staff Corps.
Dr. ORR, C.B., Deputy Inspector.
CAPT. Twiss, R. A.
MAJOR, PEARSE, Mysore Commission.
LIEUT. TURNER, 16th Lancers.

FIRST DAY.—TUESDAY, 11Th AUGUST, 1868.

FIRST RACE.—Gold Cup, value Rs. 3,000, presented by the late Maharajah of Mysore. For all Maiden Horses. Weight for age. 2 Miles. Entrance 1st June, 5. G. M., 1st July 10 G. M., when the Race closes. Sweep-stakes of 10 G. M. for each Horse declared to start. For this Race Australians carry 17 lbs. extra, with no allowance for Mares and Geldings.

SECOND DAY.—THURSDAY, 13TH AUGUST.

FIRST RACE.—Bangalore Derby.-500 Rupees from the Fund. For all Maiden Arabs. Weight for age. 11 miles. Winners once 7 lbs., oftener 10 lbs. extra. Entrance 1st June 50 Rupees, 1st July 100 Rupees, when the race closes. Sweepstakes of Rupees 100 for each horse declared to start.

Quite interestingly Maharaja’s interest was not restricted to just racing! It appears thro’ his trusted personal doctor & surgeon Dr. John Collin Campbell, he encouraged breeding as well. Dr. Campbell at that time stayed in the current Chamundi Vihar complex. Among the racing circles his stud was known as Dr. Cambells’s stud. It might well have been located inside Chamundi Vihar Complex. After the death of Maharaja in 1868, he wound up his stud farm and left the country. One of the best Horses the Doctor ever possessed was known as Grey Leg. Grey Leg started 80 times, and won 51 times. He commenced his career at Bombay in February, 1861, and ran his last race also in Bombay, 1868. Grey Leg had rare staying powers, and undeniable pluck. During most of his career, he was always ridden by W. Brewtey. Ever since W. Brewtey arrived from England around 1860, he was under Dr. Campbell; and during Doctor’s visits to London to spearhead the campaign for restoration of power and acceptance of his adopted son by the British parliament, Brewtey even managed the entire racing and stud farm activities!

Another celebrated Horse of the time from Dr. Cambells stud was an Arab dark rich bay Horse called “ Copenhangen”. He was sent to Dr. Campbell by Hajee Abdool Waheb- a rich horse owner with some other maidens. Dr. Campbell initially disapproved the horse but was requested by Hajee to train. After a few gallops, “Copenhagen" did his first mile in lm. 54s. This opened the doctor's eyes, and he very generously sent the Hajee a present of Rupees 5,000 for his advice. He began his career at Mysore in July 1857, started for the Colt's Plate and won in a canter. He went on to race at other centres till 1861 and won many races and after an injury retired to stud as a stallion.

An interesting feature of Racing in those days was Horses raced in more than one race in a given day!

Another famous Mysorean of that period was undoubtedly celebrated Persian Horse Trader Agha Aly Asker who as a 16 year old landed in Bangalore around 1824 with his brothers along with a string of 200 Arab Horses. Not there after he established himself as a respectable businessman. He had a distinguished clientele that included the British Commissioner, Sir Mark Cubbon, Hassan Ali Shah, the first Aga Khan and Maharaja of Mysore, Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar III . He played significant role in Maharaja’s campaign with British for restoration of power by secretly conveying his messages. It was this confidential association which enabled his grandson Sir Mirza Ismail became a selected student in the Royal School to study along with Young Maharaja Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV and eventually become Dewan of Mysore and a much respected administrator. Well Known Horse veterinarian Dr. Hasneyn Mirza and upcoming Olympian equestrian Fouaad Mirza hail from the same family and their romance with horses and racing continues.

Maharaja Sri. Chamarajedra Wadiyar (1868-1894) - adopted son of Maharaja Krishna Raja Wadiyar III was extremely fond of horses. After a long lapse of 50 years of British commissioners Rule, ruling powers was restored to him by the famous Rendition of power in 1881.

General Sir George Wolseley, K.C.B., in his article on Maharaja says: The day after I reached Mysore I drove with his Highness round by the lake (or, properly speaking, the tank) to the new Racecourse. This was around 1893. Thus clearly establishing the fact that the current Mysore Race Course was built by Maharaja Chamarajendra Wadiyar. Richard Caton Woodville Jr. (1856–1927) a famous English artist and illustrator, who painted the above painting of the Maharaja stayed at Government House during his stay and in his book “Random Recollections” says: During the Race Week this compound is covered with tents and a lively week it is! In old maps of Bangalore Palace Grounds one can see a Race Course and also a polo ground. Maharaja’s passion for racing and horses were legion. In another book - THE CAPTURE OF WILD ELEPHANTS IN MYSORE, Caton woodville says : The Maharajah is one of the best whips of Southern India, and thoroughly at home in the saddle. Even a day before his untimely demise in Calcutta in 1894 , Maharaja visits a stud farm despite being not well !

After the untimely demise of Maharaja Chamarajendra Wadiyar his son Maharaja Krsihna Raja Wadiyar succeeded him. He was an excellent sportsman. He was a prominent member of the famous annual “Ootacamund Hunt”. He was among the keenest riders. He was also a very keen Polo player and along with his brother Yuvaraja Kanteerava Narasimharaja Wadiyar participated regularly in polo tournaments held in Mysore and won many cups.

In one of his Birthday banquet speeches on 13-6-1905 he succinctly sums the race History by saying:

“The Mysore Race week is I think I may say, historic. In my Grandfather’s time it was a famous institution and Mysore Cup was a trophy coveted by all racing men. The week was revived by my father more or less on its present lines and when, after some years of abeyance during my minority, I was in a position to revive it, I had the satisfaction and only of doing what I could to promote sport and entertain my friends but also of continuing a tradition which will, for many years to come, I hope be associated with my father’s memory”

Amen! This glorious tradition has been nurtured over the decades since then both by the last Maharaja Sri. Jaya Chamaraja Wadiyar and his son Sri. Srikanta Datta Narasimha Raja Wadiyar in many ways.

With the coming of turf Invitation cup to Mysore this glorious Tradition has come the full circle and Long Live the king of Sports and let us rejoice this momentous occasion!

Mr. R. Rajachandra is the son-in-law of the former Maharajah of Mysore Sri Jayachamrajendra Wodeyar.