PREFACE
The great Antiquarian:
The great 'Antiquarian' and scholar-administrater, Col. Mackenzie, created out of his work in the territories of Mysore and Ceded districts valuable records which help in the reconstruction of a quantitative socio-economic history of India relating to the territories covered by the treaty with the British signed by Nizam in 1800. The Nizam ceded to the 'British-Raj', territories acquired from Mysore, covering the districts of Bellary, Kurnool, Anantapur and Cuddapah. Col. Mackenzie was appointed by the Governor General "to undertake a survey on an extensive scale of the territories lately subjected to the Company. The attention of the surveyor was not to be confined to mere military or geographical figures of statistical accounts of the whole country" Col. Mackenzie's survey of Ceded Districts was completed by 1814.
The 'Dandakaviles' or village records, containing fund of information about political, religious, social and economic conditions in the village in the custody of village officers who recorded important events, enthused Mackenzie into a systematic collection of the material from different parts of Andhra Desa. Mackenzie's assistants, Kavali Venkata Borayya, Lakshmayya and others prepared a digest of village records Jotted by Karnams, which are known as 'Kaifiyats'. Partly fable, mostly the kaifiyats are 'authentic-accounts' with locational details like Agro-climatic and economic conditions, mineral wealth, details of grants and grantees, legends of pilgrim centres, family accounts of zamindaris and 'nuances' of trade.
The Department of Archives has initiated research projects based on these collections and microfilm copies of the Brown's reproductions of original Mackenzie' collections. The present publication is an
