Coffee Estate In Wayanad Madras Presidency, 1888 Photo
An 1888 photo of a coffee estate in Wayanad, Madras Presidency. Wayanad in Malabar was under the Madras Presidency during the British era. It was then simmering with anti-British activities. The rebel activity was led by Kerala Varma Pazhazzi Raja against the East India Company. Because of East India Company’s business interests in Wayanad’s commercial produce like Malabar pepper, spices, coconut, and so on.
To protect this interest, Arthur Wellesley, from the Madras Presidency with his British soldiers was deputed to capture the rebel leader. But that was far-fetched as Pazhazzi Raja resorted to guerilla tactics and he was never captured by Wellesley. Today Pazhazzi Raja is one of the greatest heroes in the history of Kerala. A small garrison of soldiers was left behind to oversee the East India Company’s interests.
Usually, the British soldiers under the East India Company were not paid well. The soldiers normally supplemented their income with small businesses with the tacit approval of the Company. In Wayanad, British soldiers introduced coffee. W#hich they cultivated and sold to merchants probably from Madras or Bangalore. However, In the course of time, coffee became a huge success in the region. Today Wayanad accounts for 90% of Kerala’s coffee. And Kerala ranks second in India’s coffee production after Karnataka.
Read- Small Coffee Growers. See post- Antique Photograph British India Plantation Owners 1900.
Did you know- first discovered in Ethiopia, coffee spread to the entire world from there. During 1670 the beans ws first smuggled into India from Yemen (a fiercely held secret), by Baba Budan after his Haj pilgrimage.
From the collection- Vintage Raja Ravi Varma “Laxmi” Oleograph., Coir Retting By Travancore Women – Old Photograph 1870., Air-India Golden Temple – Old Postcard 1950s., Srirangam Temple – Old Print 1872
