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Bengalurina Santhusa peteya itihasa – History of Santhusa Pete in Chikpet,Bangalore

Author:  Dr.  Thulasirama Nayak

Place: Santhusa Pete, Chikkapete, Bengaluru

This article studies the history of Santhusa Pete in Chikpet area of Bangalore. Author has studied the family history of Mr. K. G. Gangadhar Sa residing at Santhusa Pet and concludes that the ancestors of Santhusa family who are from Rajasthan, settled in Bangalore during late Hoysala period  (early 14th century). The name ‘Santhusa’ given to this area in Chikpet must have been the name of a famous family member of Santhusa’s.  Author suggests more research regarding this name as no information is available either from the family nor the Government records, about this person.

Author gives very interesting information about how silk and cotton industries flourished in and around Bangalore from the period of Hoysalas to 1800s.

Two inscriptions of Hoysala king Ballala III (1301 AD) mention taxes levied on weavers of Gunjur (near Whitefield), Madivala and Nukkur. During the reign of Chikkadevaraja Wodeyar in early 1600, there were 12000 families of weavers in Bangalore city as well as surrounding areas like Kadugodi and Sarjapura. Francis Buchanan, in 1801, in his travelogue has written about Bangalore’s variety of clothes, superior carpets and expert skilled weavers. Various communities like Pattegars, Devangas, Kathri’s from Gujarat, weavers from Tanjavore, Arcot settled in this area during the time of Kempegowda, Hyder Ali and Mysore Wodeyars. In  1862, Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, after his visit to Japan, decided to set up a sericulture form in Bangalore because of its good weather and availability of cocoons in the surrounding regions. He invited two experts from Japan and set up Tata Silk Form in 12 acre area of Basavanagudi.