METROPOLITAN MAR DIONYSIUS SEMINARY LOTTERY – 1899

MOTV -Indian Orthodox Malankara Church- 21/8/17

This lottery was sanctioned by the Government of Travancore in aid of the Funds of the Mar Dionysius Seminary, The central Educational Institution of the Syrian Christian Community of Travancore, Cochin and Malabar. In spite of their venerable antiquity and other historical associations, and inspite of their political privileges, the progress of the Syrians in general and higher education has not, so far, been all that their well-wisher might wish to be. It was no doubt because the Mar Dionysius Seminary and the above lottery were started with a view to remedy this defect, that both of them have been accorded the countenance of the Government of His Most Gracious Highness the Maha Rajah of Travancore.

The lottery will be conducted at Kottayam by a local managing committee acting under instructions from a Board of Supervision constituted as follows.

H. H. Marthanda Varmah B. A. the First Prince of Travancore
H. H. Kerala Varmah CSI Valia Koil Thampuran

BOARD OF SUPERVISION
1. M. R. Ry Rajaraja Varmah, Avl. Senior Koil Thampuran Ananthapuram
2. M. R. A. Sree Narayanan Thampy Avl. Son of H. H. the late Maharajah.
3. M.R. T. Vedadrisadasa Mudaliar, Avl. retired Judge of the High Court of Travancore.
4. M.R. A. Govinda Pillay, Avl. B.A. B.L. Puisne Judge of the Highcourt
5. M.R. T. C. Punnen Esq. B.A. Retired Civil & Sessions Judge Ernacolum.
6. M.R. I. H. Prince Esq. Head Sirkar Vakil, Trivandrum
7. M.R. M. Neelakanda Pillay, Avl. Palace Survadikariakar
8. M. R. R. Renga Row Avl. B.A. B.L. Asst. Sirkar Vakil
9. M. R. Veeraraghava Iyengar, Avl. B.A. B.L. Asst. Sirkar Vakil
10. M. R. V. Subramonya Iyer, Avl. B.A. B.L. Asst. Sirkar Vakil
11. M. R. E. J. John Esq. Avl. B.A. B.L. Asst. Sirkar Vakil
12. T. L. Gomez Esq. Assistant Surgeon Kottayam.
13. P. A. Ayyappan Pillay Avl. B. A. Inspector of Schools, Kottayam.
14. C. John Esq. Abkari contractor
15. Panakal I Mathu Esq. Landlord Kunnancolum
16. C. J. Kurian, Esq. Managing Director Western Star.
17. Rev. Fr. Konattu Matthan catanar, Malpan of Malabar
18. Jaralji lalji Esq. Marchants Alleppey
19. Haji Muhamad Haji Jacob Esq. Marchants Alleppey.

MANAGING COMMITTEE
1. The Most Revd. Mar Dionysius, Syrian Metropolitan of Malabar (President).
2. The Rt. Revd. Mar Gregorius Syrian Bishop of Niranam (Treasurer).
3. The Very Revd. V. J. Givargese, Principal, M.D. Seminary (Manager).
4. M.R. Vayakara Narayanan Moosath, Avl. Govt. Physician, Kottayam.
5. T. C. Poonen Esq. B.A. Retired Civil & Sessions Judge Ernacolum.
6. C. John Esq. Abkari Contractor.
7. N. C. Kumara Menon Avl. Vakil Munsiff Court.
8. K. T. Koshy Esq. Avl. Vakil Munsiff Court.
9. C. Cherian Esq. Landlord.
10. K. C. Mammen Mappillay Esq. B.A. Hd. Master MDS Kottayam.
11. G. Alexander Esq. B. A. Asst. Master Do Kottayam.
12. K. C. Oonnitton Esq. B.A. Asst. Master Do Kottayam.
13. K. I. Varugese Mappillay Esq. Editor Malayala Manorama (Joint Secretary).
14. E. M. Philip, Esq. Editor, Edvaka Patrika (Joint Secretary).
The lottery shall consisted a lakh of tickets at Rupee one each. Forty percent of the amount shall be given away in a thousand money prize and nine thousand of other prizes. The money prizes will be as follows subject to proportionate reduction in the amount of each prize (not in the number of prizes) in .. all tickets are not sold.
Prizes
Rs. Rs.
1 of 12000 = 12000
1 ’’ 5000 = 5000
1 ’’ 1000 = 1000
4 ’’ 500 each 2000
8 ’’ 250 = 2000
15 ’’ 100 = 1500
70 ’’ 50 = 3500
100 ’’ 25 = 2500
300 ’’ 10 = 3000
500 ’’ 5 = 2500

The remaining 9000 prizes to the value of Rs 5000 will comprise time pieces, watches, chains, books & c., Each Prize will be worth not more than Rs. 5 and not less than half a Rupee. This will be subject to proportionate reduction both in the amount and number of prizes, in case all tickets are not sold. Hence 10000 persons or one tenth of the total number of the ticket holders are bound to recover almost the whole amount they invest, while a great many of the lucky ones among them will, of course, carry away prizes that will be the making of the fortunes of themselves and their posterity.

It is confidently expected that all the 100000 tickets will be sold in less than a year. The prizes will be drawn as soon as all the tickets are sold, or if that will take long, on a not far distant date to be hereafter settled. The drawing and other proceedings will be supervised by responsible Goverment officials. The exact date will be subseqently notified in the English and vernacular Newspapers of Travancore & Cochin.

A discount at the rate of 4 per cent will be allowed to agents who undertake to sell tickets. But to cash purchasers of not less than 100 tickets at a time, 10 per cent discount will be allowed. The Money Order expenses and other contingencies are to be borne by agents or purchasers.

Persons desiring to have copies of the result of the drawing will have to pay two annas extra in advance, such payments if any, must be noted on the counter foils of tickets by those selling them. Persons winning prizes of Rs 100 and above will receive telegraphic information immediately, and the cost will be reducted from their prizes.
Orders for tickets and all other correspondences as well as all remittances of money must be made to the Manager only; and agents are specially informed that, in all cases, they will be held responsible for any amount they may have remitted to any persons other than the Manager.

Letters requiring replies must be accompanied with stamps to cover the expense.
To avoid counterfeits, purchasers are warned to note the seal of the Seminary and the signature of the Manager on every ticket. Tickets not containing both the above are not genuine. Names and addresses of purchasers must be legibly written on the tickets in English or Malayalam.

All ticket books not sold off within three months from the date of issue must be returned by the agents to the Manager, and no agent will be allowed to keep the money collected by sale for more than three months.
In order to prevent disappoinment, agents and intending purchasers are requested to apply sharp.

Fr. V. J. Gevargese
Principal
Mar. Dionysius Seminary
(Manager)
M. D. Seminary
Kottayam
March 1899

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