Circars, THE NORTHERN

Circars, THE NORTHERN (Sarkar, 'a government'), is the historical name for an Indian territory lying along the coast of the Bay of Bengal, from 18 to 100 miles wide, with an area of 17,000 miles. It nearly corresponds with the present Madras districts of Ganjam, Vizagapatam, Godavari, Kistna, and parts of Nellore and Karnul. In 1757 the Circars were ceded to the French by the subahdar of the Deccan; but after a struggle, in which Lord Clive had the chief part, the Delhi court in 1766 granted the Circars to the East India Company; but not till 1823 did they become really a British possession.