On December 16, 1750, the assassination of Nasir Jang, the second Nizam of Hyderabad, marked a turning point in the Second Carnatic War (1749–1754), reshaping the political landscape of South India. Orchestrated by the treachery of Himmat Bahadur Khan and executed with French support under Joseph François Dupleix, this event near Gingee Fort led to the establishment of Dupleix Fath-abad, a commemorative site whose exact location remains debated. Drawing from the Tamil Chronicle of Narayana Pillai, unpublished pages of Ananda Ranga Pillai’s diary, and the meticulous research of Mon. A. Lehuraux, this blog post explores the assassination and the ongoing quest to pinpoint the site of Dupleix Fath-abad near Vellimedupet, in the South Arcot District of Tamil Nadu.
The Fall of Gingee and Nasir Jang’s Response
The French capture of Gingee Fort on September 11, 1750, was a seismic event that jolted Nasir Jang into action. Known as the “Troy of the East” for its impregnability, Gingee’s swift fall to Charles de Bussy’s small French force, orchestrated by Dupleix, exposed the vulnerabilities of Nasir Jang’s coalition. The Tamil Chronicle of Narayana Pillai underscores the fort’s strategic importance, noting its resistance to Mughal sieges and its symbolic value. Alarmed, Nasir Jang rejected Dupleix’s diplomatic demands—restoration of Muzaffar Jang, appointment of Chanda Sahib as Nawab of Arcot, and French retention of Gingee—and mobilized his army of 60,000 infantry, 45,000 cavalry, 700 elephants, and 360 cannons toward Gingee.
The March to Vellimedupet and Wandiwash
By November–December 1750, Nasir Jang advanced from Arcot to the plain of Elangadu, targeting Pondicherry. En route, he paused at Wandiwash, where the killadar, Ghulam Takya Khan, submitted after hosting a grand durbar, as detailed in the Tamil Chronicle. From Wandiwash, Nasir Jang moved to Vellimedupet, northeast of Gingee, near the French encampment. Mon. A. Lehuraux, in his 1939 correspondence, suggests Vellimedupet as a key location, supported by Bussy’s march diary, which records a French detachment moving from Perimby (near Villiyanallur) to a halt 20 miles north at Mailam, then advancing 22 miles, passing five miles south of Wandiwash—placing Nasir Jang’s camp near Vellimedupet.
The Assassination: A Tale of Treachery
The Tamil Chronicle vividly recounts the betrayal by Himmat Bahadur Khan, Nawab of Kurnool, who conspired with French commander La Touche for a night attack. Swearing an oath on the Quran, Himmat Bahadur promised to kill Nasir Jang and deliver the Carnatic to the French. On December 16, 1750, La Touche advanced via Desur, reaching Nasir Jang’s ahadi guard before dawn. As the French attacked, Nasir Jang ignored warnings from his jamadar and mahout, trusting Himmat Bahadur as a brother. Approaching Himmat Bahadur’s elephant, Nasir Jang was shot, his head severed and displayed on a spear, causing chaos. Muhammad Ali Khan and his allies fled, and the French plundered a treasure worth two million sterling.
Dupleix Fathabad: A Commemorative Vision
To mark this triumph, Dupleix established Fath-abad (Town of Victory) near the assassination site. An unpublished entry from Ananda Ranga Pillai’s diary, dated November 12, 1751, discovered by Lehuraux at Montbrun Mansion, reveals Dupleix’s plan for a multilingual inscription in French, Tamil, Telugu, Persian, Gujarati, and Marathi, stating: “The 35th year of Louis XV, the 3rd year of Ahmad Shah, the French General Provost de Latouche, acting in the name of Governor Dupleix, killed Nasir Jang on this spot.” This inscription, intended for a gopuram at Fath-abad, was to be engraved by engineer M. Abeille, alongside buried commemorative medals. However, Robert Clive later burned the town and destroyed the planned monument, though the chaudri (choultry) commemorating Nasir Jang likely remained.
Locating Dupleix Fathabad: Lehuraux’s Investigation
Mon. A. Lehuraux, writing from Chandernagore in 1939, proposed that Dupleix Fathabad was near Puthanandal village, north of Vellimedupet, close to mile-stone No. 35 on the Tindivanam-Wandiwash road. His evidence includes:
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A Ruined Mantapam: A large chaudri near Komarappa Kulam, noted by Clive, likely built to honor Nasir Jang.
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Burnt-Out Village: Traces of a village destroyed by Clive, identified as Dupleix Fath-abad.
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Muhammadan Grave-Stones: Evidence of a battlefield, as the site saw heavy fighting.
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Local Tradition: Stories of a great fight and the Nizam’s death persist in the area.
Lehuraux cross-referenced Bussy’s march diary, which places the site 16–17 miles east of Gingee, ruling out distant locations like Balachetti Chatram near Conjeevaram. He consulted experts like Prof. Dubreuil, who suggested Banal (between Nerkunam and Tellar), and M. Fauchaux, who proposed Tanyal. Dupleix’s mention of Sarasangupettai (possibly “Nasir-jangai konra-pettai,” meaning “the village where Nasir Jang was killed”) between Wandiwash and Villupuram further narrows the site. Other suggested locations include Katteri, Senal, and Sarodriuni, but Lehuraux favored Puthanandal due to its proximity to Vellimedupet and the presence of Komarappa Kulam.
The assassination, set against the Second Carnatic War, highlighted the decline of Mughal authority and the rise of European influence. The French, leveraging alliances with Muzaffar Jang and Chanda Sahib, gained temporary dominance, though Muzaffar Jang’s death in 1751 limited their gains. The mystery of Fath-abad’s location persists, with Lehuraux’s research offering compelling clues. Unearthing Dupleix’s commemorative medals could confirm Puthanandal as the site, preserving the memory of a betrayal that reshaped South India.
Related Posts
- Nizam’s Intervention in the Carnatic (1743): Power, Intrigue, and Tragedy
- Safdar Ali Khan: Rule, Intrigue, and Assassination in the Carnatic
- Carnatic Politics 1734–1750: A Tumultuous Era of Intrigue and Conquest
- Religious Conflicts and Nawabi Rule: The Carnatic under Dost Ali Khan
- Administrative Organization of the Carnatic under Nawab Saadatullah Khan
- Nawab Sadatullah Khan and the English: Tensions Over Madras, 1711–1725
- The Fugitive Mughal Prince of Gingee: A Mughal Heir in Exile