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Serfoji II
Raja
Raja of Thanjavur
Reign	1787 – 1793 (1st reign) 29 June 1798 – 7 March 1832 (2nd reign)
Coronation	1787 (Date unknown) 29 June 1798
Predecessor	Thuljaji Amar Singh (usurper)
Successor	Amar Singh (usurper) Shivaji II
Born	(1777-09-24)24 September 1777 Unknown
Died	7 March 1832(1832-03-07) (aged 54) Thanjavur
Burial	Thanjavur
Consort	Muktambal
Issue	Shivaji
Names Serfoji Raja Bhonsle Chattrpathi
House	Bhonsle
Dynasty	Maratha Dynasty

Serfoji II (Tamil: இரண்டாம் சரபோஜி ராஜா போன்ஸ்லே, Marathi: शरभोजी राजे भोसले (दुसरे)) (24 September 1777 – 7 March 1832), or Sarabhoji II Bhonsle, was the ruler of the Maratha principality of Thanjavur from 1787 until 1793, and then again from 1798 until his death in 1832. Adopted by the previous ruler Thulaja, he eventually was nominated as his successor. During his reign, his powers were ceded to the British East India Company, leaving him and his descendants as titular Maharajas of Thanjavur. He was part of the Maratha Bhonsle dynasty. He is also celebrated for his contributions to art and culture during his time.

Early life

Serfoji was born on 24 September 1777 in the Bhonsale royal house of Shivaji I. King Thuljaji, the king of Thanjavur formally adopted him on 23 January 1787, and his education was entrusted to the Danish missionary Christian Friedrich Schwarz. His early education begun at Civilian Orphan Asylum, now known as St. George School on Poonamalle High Road, Chennai from 1793-1797. Thuljaji died soon afterwards and his half-brother Amar Singh who had earlier been appointed regent to the boy-king usurped the throne in 1793.

Born on September 24, 1777 in the household of Maratha ruler Chattrapati Shivaji, Serfoji II was formally adopted by Raja Thulajah, the king of Thanjavur, on January 23, 1787. Danish missionary Reverend Christian Frederick Schwarz was put in charge of the adoptive heir’s education.

However, after the death of Thulajah, his half-brother Amar Singh usurped the throne, leaving the young Serfoji under house arrest. It was with the help of British intercession that Serfoji came to power on June 29, 1798. The help came with a caveat: Serfoji was made to cede over administration of the kingdom to the British in return for a pension and a share in the land revenue. Despite being a titular head, Serfoji II devoted himself to uplifting his kingdom in a myriad ways.

At this juncture, Christian Schwarz intervened to save the young prince and sent him to Madras where he was educated by Wilhelm Gericke of the Lutheran Mission. Soon, he became proficient in Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Sanskrit, French, German, Danish, Greek, Dutch and Latin.

Meanwhile, the British interposed on his behalf and Serfoji ascended the throne of Thanjavur on 29 June 1798. In return for their assistance, Serfoji was forced to cede the administration of the Kingdom to the British and, in return, was granted an annual pension of 100,000 star pagodas and one-fifth of the state's land revenue. Serfoji's sovereignty was restricted to the Fort of Thanjavur and its surrounding areas. Therefore, Serfoji is remembered in history as the last sovereign ruler of Thanjavur.

Reign and administration

Serfoji II miniature painting. National Museum, Copenhagen

During Serfoji's reign which lasted from 1798 until his death in 1832, for the first time, the proceedings of the Tanjore durbar were recorded in paper. The Delta region was divided into five districts each under a Subedar Administrative Heads . And created a strong Advisory Board with 6 Intelligent peoples, later who served as administration heads of five divided districts. Cultivable lands yielded good profits and the judiciary system was highly efficient and praiseworthy.

Tanjore painting of a royal procession: Maharaja Amarasimha and Serfoji
From the collection of the V&A Museum.

Serfoji is also credited with having built a lot of chathrams or rest houses for weary pilgrims. These pilgrims received free boarding and lodging and their needs were taken care of by the State. In all Serfoji built three important chathrams, including one at Orathanadu.

Contribution to the Sarasvati Mahal Library

Entrance of the Sarasvati Mahal Library, Tanjore, Tamil Nadu, India.

The Encyclopedia Britannica in its survey of the libraries of the world mentions this as "perhaps the most remarkable library in India".

The Library is situated in the centre of Nayak palace and it was opened for public in 1918. There is also a small museum there for the visitors.

There were 39300 Sanskrit manuscripts, written in scripts like Grantha, Devanagari, Nandinagari, and Telugu, various Tamil manuscripts, 3076 Marathi manuscripts, 800 Telugu manuscripts, 22 Persian and 19 Urdu manuscripts. Apart from these, there were various records (written in Modi script) on the administration of the Tanjore Maratha kingdom. Raja Serfoji II made accord with the British administrators, which helped to preserve the library from a situation similar to that of Tipu Sultan's library whose books were scattered around.

Educational reforms

Serfoji founded a school called Navavidhya Kalanidhi Sala where languages, literature, the sciences and arts and crafts were taught in addition to the Vedas and shastras. Serfoji maintained close ties with the Danes at Tarangambadi and visited their schools quite often and appreciated their way of functioning. Impressed, he tried to implement European methods of teachings and education all over his Empire.

Serfojis is also credited with installing a hand press with Devanagari type in 1805, the first of its kind in South India. He also established a stone type press called "Nava Vidhya Kalanidhi Varnayanthra Sala".

Civic amenities

Serfoji constructed ten water tanks and a number of wells for civic use. He implemented an underground drainage system for the whole of Thanjavur city.

Medicine

Young Serfoji with Schwatz

Serfoji established the Dhanvantari Mahal, a research institution that produced herbal medicine for humans and animals. The institution also treated sick people and maintained case-sheets. Physicians of modern medicine, ayurveda, unani and siddha schools have performed research upon drugs and herbs for medical cure. A book called the "Sarabhendra Vaidya System" details various procedures to treat conditions. He also built a pharmaceutic godown called Aoushadha Kothari.

Ophthalmology

In September 2003, during a meeting between Dr. Badrinath and Shivaji Rajah Bhonsle, the current scion of the royal family of Thanjavur and sixth in line from King Serfoji II, the existence of 200-year-old manuscripts in the Saraswathi Mahal library, containing records of the ophthalmic surgical operations believed to have been performed by Prince Serfoji II, came to light. Serfoji II regularly carried a surgical kit with him, wherever he went and performed cataract surgeries. Seforji's "operations" have been recorded in detail in English with detailed case histories of the patients he operated. These manuscripts form a part of the collection at the Saraswathi Mahal Library.

Zoological garden

Serfoji created the first Zoological Garden in Tamil Nadu in the Thanjavur palace premises.

Shipping

Serfoji erected a shipyard at Manora, around fifty kilometers from Thanjavur. Serfoji also established a meteorological station to facilitate trade. He had a gun factory, a naval library and a naval store with all kinds of navigational instruments.

Serfoji was also keenly interested in painting, gardening, coin-collecting, martial arts and patronized chariot-racing, hunting and bull-fighting.

Contribution to arts and music

Serfoji was a patron of traditional Indian arts like dance and music. He authored famous works like "Kumarasambhava Champu", "Mudrarakshaschaya" and "Devendra Kuruvanji" and introduced western musical instruments like clarinet and violin in Carnatic Music. Serfoji is also credited with inaugurating and popularising if not inventing the unique Thanjavur style of painting.

Construction and renovation activities

The five story Sarjah Mahadi in the Thanjavur palace and the Manora Fort Tower at Saluvanayakanpattinam were constructed in Serfoji's reign. He installed lightning rods at the top of these monuments and had the history of the Bhonsle Dynasty inscribed on the south-western wall of the Brihadeeswara Temple. It is considered to be the lengthiest inscription in the world. Serfoji also renovated and reconstructed several existing temples like the Brihadeeswara Temple apart from building new ones. He was also an ardent philanthropist and a member of the Royal Asiatic Society.

Pilgrimage to Kasi

In 1820-21, Serfoji embarked on a pilgrimage to Kasi along with a retinue of 3,000 disciples and camp-followers. He encamped at several places along the route, giving away alms to the needy and the poor and engaging himself in acts of charity. He was also involved in the renovation of several holy places. Memories of the pilgrimage have survived to the present day in the paintings of the bathing ghats on the Ganges and the different holy sites commissioned by him. On the pilgrimage, the King took with him 8 boxes full of medicines and 1 box full of medical instruments to do surgery.

Death

Miniature painting on ivory, silver frame with engraving in the National Museum of Denmark,. Unknown Indian artist, c. 1800.

Serfoji II died on 7 March 1832 after a reign of almost 40 years (His first reign was from 1787 to 1793 and his second reign was from 1798 to 1832). His death was mourned throughout the empire and his funeral procession was attended by over 90,000 people.

See also

• Bhonsle
• Maratha Empire
• List of Maratha dynasties and states
• Thanjavur Maratha kingdom

External links

• www.example.com