Notes on Cuddapah

Scope and Content

"Notes on Cudapah" (Kadapa), "Read July 17/30" "Ordered not to be printed Nov 13/30" with label "Catalogue of English MSS. II No 5, Cuddapah, Presented by Mrs Skinner and read before the Society on 17 July 1830. Three anecdotes concerning traditions:

  • The self-devotion of a headman of the village of Chitwail
  • An account of the "Assaree Shereef" - a building erected to contain a hair from the beard of Muhammad
  • The behaviour of a fakir
Handwritten, 3 pages + label. This manuscript and details concerning it are found in the Society's "Catalogue of English Manuscripts in the R.A.S.", p.20.

Administrative / Biographical History

The identity of Mrs Skinner is not known. She was not a member of the Society at this time. Samuel Skinner of Portland Place, was a member and John Skinner, was a member of the Madras Literary Society, an allied society. It is possible she was the spouse of either of these.

Access Information

Open. Please contact the archivist using the email address given here. The archive is open on Tuesdays and Fridays 10-5, and Thursdays 2-5. Access is to any researcher without appointment but it will help if an appointment is made via phone or email. Please bring photo ID

Archivist's Note

These papers were catalogued by Nancy Charley, RAS Archivist, in 2018

Separated Material

it appears that she also gave another paper concerning Cuddapah to the Society, "Traditional Account of Cuddapah collected from the natives on the spot". This no longer seems to be in the Society's Collections. (See Catalogue of English Manuscripts, p.36)

Conditions Governing Use

Digital photography (without flash) for research purposes may be permitted upon completion of a copyright declaration form, and with respect to current UK copyright law.

Custodial History

This material was given to the Society by Mrs Skinner in 1830.

Related Material

The handwritten "Catalogue Of English Manuscripts in the R.A.S." provides details of this material.
The reading of this paper was reported in the Asiatic Journal and Monthly Register for British India and Its Dependencies, Volume 2, 1830, p.328.

Geographical Names