The Mystery of the "Clive Maharakandi" adorned By Kanchi Varadaraja Perumal :An Imperial Puzzle in Kanchipuram

 The Varadharaja Perumal Temple in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, stands as a crowning jewel of South Indian architecture and a sacred center of Visishtadvaita philosophy. Among the ancient gold ornaments and emeralds that adorn the deity resides a priceless gemstone necklace wrapped in an enduring colonial mystery. Known locally as the Clive Maharakandi—more accurately, a Makara Kandigai (a traditional choker featuring mythical sea-monster motifs)—temple records simply note it as a gift from "Clive."

The identity of this donor remains a captivating contention among historians and devotees. Was it gifted by Robert Clive, the aggressive clerk-turned-general who laid the foundations of the British Empire in India, or by his affluent son, Edward Clive, who governed the Madras Presidency decades later?

Robert Clive (left) and Edward Kennedy, thehindu.com

The Case for Robert Clive

Robert Clive landed in Madras in 1744 as a teenage clerk earning a meager £5 a year, lacking the wealth or mobility to patronize distant temples. However, during the Carnatic Wars in 1751, Captain Clive led a diversionary attack on Arcot. Local lore suggests he survived a French ambush at the Varadharaja Perumal Temple, while another legend claims he recovered from a dangerous illness inside the temple walls, vowing a token of deep gratitude to Lord Varadaraja.

Robert Clive EIC, India.Pinterest
Former Gov. of Bengal

Varadharaja Perumal Temple in Kanchipuram
en.wikipedia.org

While his 1757 victory at the Battle of Plassey generated a monumental personal fortune, his focus had by then shifted entirely to Bengal and England. Furthermore, noted Madras historian S. Muthiah argued that during Robert's active southern campaigns, he was a cash-strapped soldier caught in frantic wartime maneuvers.

If Robert Clive did present the intricate masterpiece, antiquarians argue it bears distinct hallmarks of older Vijayanagara craftsmanship. Rather than being commissioned, the jewel was likely high-value wartime booty looted from local Nawabs or French forces, redirected to the temple as a tactical diplomatic gesture.

The Case for Edward Clive

Edward Clive governed the Madras Presidency from 1799 to 1805, possessing immense inherited wealth and explicit territorial jurisdiction over Kanchipuram. His governance coincided with an era of "Inter-Faith Diplomacy," where the East India Company actively used temple patronage to secure political legitimacy from local subjects.

Gen. of Madras Edward Clive, Madras 
Presidency. Art U

This precedent was set by Lionel Place, the Company Collector who became an ardent patron of Kanchipuram's temples. Official publications from the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam explicitly attribute the donation to "Clive, the Governor of Madras." Since Robert was only ever a Captain in Madras, this archival clue heavily points to Edward. Popular oral tradition adds that Edward’s wife, Lady Henrietta Clive, was so moved by the breathtaking Garuda Seva festival procession that she spontaneously offered her own necklace to the temple priests.

Conflation and Verdict

Further historical ambiguity stems from Joseph Collett, Governor of Madras from 1717 to 1720. Collett richly endowed the Kalyana Varadaraja Temple in Collettpet (now Kaladipet) with precious chains. Folk memory over the centuries may have conflated "Collett's chain" with "Clive's necklace."

Without an archival receipt, the exact identity remains a mystery, but the academic consensus leans toward Governor Edward Clive and Lady Henrietta. Edward possessed the tranquil political stability, territorial authority, and immense wealth required for such a grand offering.

Deity with Maharakandi x.com

Yet, folklore stubbornly clings to Robert Clive. His legacy in India remains deeply controversial, stained by institutional plunder and systemic exploitation that ultimately culminated in his tragic suicide. If it was indeed the elder Clive, the Makara Kandigai functions as an unconscious act of spiritual restitution. Every year during the Brahmotsavam festival, the artifact ceases to belong to colonial history, resting instead as a sparkling testament of devotion upon the chest of Lord Varadaraja.

https://tamilandvedas.com/tag/colonel-lionel-place

https://navrangindia.blogspot.com/2017/01/robert-clive-or-edward-clive-who-gave.html

http://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/Those-Clives-again/article16657620.ece

http//www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/When-the-postman-

K. N. Jayaraman (Author: navrangindia.blogspot.com)

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