GLEANINGS IN TELINGA - ANDHRA HISTORY THROUGH CENTURIES

P.V. Parabrahma Sastry

Telinga-Andhra
The term Telinga is as old as Kalinga, both being coined by the prehistoric people, the former denoting the region lying to the south of the river Godavari and the latter denoting the region to the north of the same river. This kind of pairs in the names of some ancient regions is not uncommon as noticed in AngaVanga and Tosala-Kosla. Andhras were a migrated people from the north, perhaps during the period when the river Sarasvati disappeared owing to some repeated earth quakes of severe magnitudes and the formation of the large desert of Rajasthan resulting in the mass migrations of people from that area seeking for safer lands. The Godavari-Krishna basins with comfortable seasonal rains attracted those migrants among whom Andhras were popular in those days. With their semi Aryan culture and improvised methods of agriculture and metallurgy, Andhras could easily find a place among the indigenous Telugu people. The process of adjustment and assimilation of cultures between the Telugus and the Andhras went on smoothly for some centuries in the second millennium B.C. Thus, the two groups formed into a homogeneous society long back. Hence, the two terms Telinga and Andhra have become almost synonymous being applied to the same people, same language they spoke and the same land they inhabited. The migrant Andhras constituted all sects of people i.e. kapus, weavers, potters, artisans and some others of the early farming society. The subsequent northern contacts of the traders, religious preachers and political invaders beginning from the Nandas and Mauryas who were more familiar with the Andhras than the Telingas preferred the term Andhra rather than Telinga both in Sanskrit and Prakrits. Thus, the Satavahanas were called Andhra Jatiyas in the Puranas. But the original locals did not forget the term Telinga which is still noticeable in a section of the kapus called Telangas / Telungus.

5th Century B. C.:

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As a result of increasing northern contact, some learned brahmanas like Bavari of the Buddhas time came over to Asmaka, the region around present Bodhan and the delta region of the Godavari-Krishna basin and founded Vedic gurukulas. Katyayana (Vararuchi), the author of vartikas on Paninis Ashtadhyayi is categorically stated to be a dakshinatya (southerner) by Patanjali, the third of the trio on Sanskrit grammar. Baudhayana, the renowned sutrakara is believed to have written his sutras keeping in view the southern text of Yajurveda and the customs of Andhras. Apastamba, another sutrakara is also believed to be of this time in the 4th to 3rd century B. C. and his sutras are still followed in brahmanical rituals among Andhra brahmanas. It is thus evident that scholars of eminence hailed from the gurukulas along the rivers Godavari and Krishna. The Buddhists followed suit from the time of Bavari and his disciples. Usage of iron implements gave a tremendous impetus to the growth of agriculture in the Godavari-Krishna basin, a fertile land with comfortable rainfall. Needless to say that trade contacts developed in Andhra on all sides, giving rise to several urban centers. Political authorities and territories are less known.

3rd Century B. C.:

The political history of this part of the Deccan begins from this century. According to Megasthanese the Greek ambassador in the court of Maurya Chandragupta (4th century B. C.) the Andhras were reckoned to be a powerful people possessing about thirty walled towns, 2000 elephants, etc. but we lack any evidence in support of this statement except some punch marked coins bearing symbols considered to be of pre Mauryan origin. About ten of the Rock edicts of Asoka (c 262-230 B. C.) are located along Andhra Karnataka border including Erragudi (Jonnagiri-sonnagiri), Rajula Mandagiri and even at Amaravati in Andhra which bear testimony to the event that the Mauryan emperor visited Andhra and posted his governor at Jonnagiri (Suvarnagiri), in the present Kurnool district. In the second phase of development of the Buddhist stupa at

Dhanakada (Present Amaravati) that emperors initiative is evidenced in more than one aspect. Perhaps he was the first political authority to set up an administrative order in Andhra. A certain Raja Kubiraka is known from the casket inscription found in the ruins of the Buddhist stupa at Bhattiprolu near the mouth of the river Krishna. Culturally, besides the scattered brahminical gurukulas along the banks of the rivers Godavari and Krishna several Buddhist centers were established along Kalinga and Andhra coastal track. Some trade centers and port towns were having contacts with other parts of the country as well as the lands beyond, such as Burma and Ceylon to which places Buddhist missionaries ventured to visit.

2nd Century B. C.:

Consequent on the fall of the Mauryan authority, the Sungas and the Kanvas ruled Magadha in succession and their authority in Andhra was not much effective. Some small chieftains seem to have carved their principalities issuing separate coins with or without legends. Among such authorities were Gobhadra, Sirikamvaya, Sirinarana, Swamigopa, besides some chiefs of unknown names who ruled northern Telangana of Andhra Pradesh. One Raja by name Somaka is known to have exercised some political authority in the Dhanakada / Amaravati region. Some Maharathi chiefs are also known from their coins to have ruled in Andhra-Karnataka border areas. Neither the extent of their kingdoms nor the durations of their individual rule is not ascertainable. The Buddhist stupas at Ghantasala and Gudivada in the Krishna district are believed to have had their foundations in this century. Similarly the origin of the hill stupa at Vaddamanu near Amaravati, which is said to be an edifice of Jaina faith, is also dated to this period.

1st Century B. C.:

About two centuries after Asoka, the Mauryan empire dwindled. As a result an upsurge in political prominence took place in the Kalinga country through the Chedi ruler Mahamegha Vahana Kharavela and in the Telangana region through the Andhra Jatiya Satavahana ruler SatakarniI simultaneously in about the mid 1st century B.C. The former with his capital at Udayagiri in Orissa occupied the coastal tract upto Dhanakada(Dharanikota) and Satakarni with his capital at Kotalingala in the present Karimnagar district founded the Satavahana Kingdom in the Central Deccan. Kharavela invaded Magadha. So also Satakarnis son Simuka Satavahana marched upto Magadha and routed the Kanva king Susarman along with the remnants of the preceding Sungas. Thus by about 30 B. C. Simuka the son of Satakarni-I established the independent Satavahana authority and supremacy over all the minor rulers in the Deccan and seized the western port towns - Broach (Bharukachha) and Sopara, and as a mark of the victory got several vedic sacrifices performed by his old parents Satakarni and Naganika, which events were recorded in the elaborate inscription incised on the rock wall of the trade route at the Naneghat pass where the portraits of the members of the royal family were also engraved with labels. This was done after the demise of the old king Satakarni and the accession of Simuka to the Satavahana throne. He is reckoned in the puranas to be the founder of the real Satavahana sovereignty and family as well.

1st Century A. D.:

Simuka Satavahana ruled upto
C.7

B. C. followed by his brother Krishna

Satakarni who ruled upto 12 A. D. It seems certain, basing on the evidence of a bilingual lead coin-like tablet found in the excavations at Veerapuram, Kurnool district, Satakarni-I's younger, last but one son named Hakusiri Satakarni ruled for few years. The said bilingual lead piece is supposed to be a traders license token, containing on its obverse, the bust image of the Roman emperor Tiberius, A. D. 14 37, and on the reverse a similar image with the legend Hakano Satakanino in Brahmi characters of that period. This is a clear indication that

Hakusiri ruled the Satavahana kingdom being a contemporary of the Roman king Tiberius, eventhough for a short period of few years or some months. Coastal Andhra during this period was under the rule of the members of the Sada family, likely a collateral descendant line of Mahameghavahana Kharavela. About half a dozen members of this family are known from their numerous coins and few inscriptions found in that region. A certain Sirisada is known from the pillar inscriptions found at the Buddhist hill resort near Guntupalli, West Godavari district. He is said in the records to be ruling over both Kalinga and Mahisaka regions, perhaps the delta lands drained by the rivers Krishna and Godavari and owned by several individual landlords. Thus the terms Mahi (land) and isaka (owner) were applied to the region of the later Vengi territory by the early Brahmana settlers. Intensive agriculture in the delta lands during the early period is reasonably suggested by the name Mahisaka to this region. Rome. Another noteworthy activity of this century was the brisk sea borne trade particularly with

2nd Century A. D.:

Gautamiputra Satakarni wrested the coastal Andhra territory from the Sada rulers likely in the 1st decade of this century and expanded the Satavahana kingdom from the western to the eastern seaboard. In this context it is worth noting the so called image of Andhra Vishnu at Srikakulam in the Krishna District might have been installed by a famous general named Vishnu Palita in the service of Gautamiputra Satakarni. The flourishing state of sea borne trade is indicated by depicting the symbol of ship with one or two masts on the coins issued by the latter Satavahana rulers, viz. Pulumavi-II and Yajnasri. The discovery of several thousands of coins issued by the Satavahana rulers all over the Deccan indicates the flourishing state Potala of trade activity Revupalle during the Satavahana period. and Machilipatnam, lanka, (Repalle), Kalingapatnam

Krishnapatnam were the important port towns along Andhra coast.

The rise of Mahayana Buddhism and its masterly rational exposition from the pen of the great Acharya Nagarjuna was a noteworthy contribution of this century to the Buddhist theology. It was during this century that the renovation of the world famous Buddhist Stupa at Amaravati was begun, which was completed in the early decades of the following century. Now, unfortunately the grand edifice remains simply imaginable from the miniature reproductions depicted on some casing slabs, the originals being lost due to vandalism or otherwise.

3rd Century A. D.:

The Satavahana power came to an end in the first quarter of this century. The Ikshvakus in the lower Krishna basin (Nagarjunakonda-Nandikonda.), some Naga chieftains in the south, some generals like Talavaras and Rathas in Telangana began to found their principalities, none of them being worth the name. Among those it was only the Ikshvakus, with Vijayapuri near Nandikonda in the present Guntur district as their capital, rose to prominence. performing Aswamedha sacrifice. One Vasisthiputra Chantamula was the founder king who proclaimed sovereignty by His son was Veerapurusha datta, his son Ehuvula Santamula and the latters son Rudrapurusha datta ruled in succession, all for about seventy-five years. Their sovereignty extended upto the present Nalgonda District. The greatness of the family lies in the liberal patronage extended by its members both kings and queens, and other dignitaries to the Buddhist creed by raising stupas and viharas in the valley for the benefit of stationary monks and those visiting from far off countries like Ceylone and Gandhara as attested by the lithic records. The Amaravati tradition of Buddhist art reached its zenith at Nagarjunakonda under the royal patronage of these rulers. Amaravati and Nagarjunakonda became the cradle for the flourishing Mahayana Buddhism.

4th Century A. D.:

This century had to witness a tremendous change in the political and cultural formations of India particularly in Andhra. The fall of the Ikshvakus in the Krishna valley gave place to the rising Pallavas. Other minor authorities like the Brihatphalayanas and Anandagotrins appeared for a short period of one-two generations. The Kadambas made their first appearance in Andhra Karnataka regions, likely patronising Vedic religion. The Naga chiefs in the south were still holding some parts and as in the case of the Ikshvakus were succeeded by the Pal lavas, not by arms but by marital alliance. Some time in the later half of the century, the Gupta emperor Samudra Gupta marched his armies to the south as narrated in his Allahabad inscription and overthrew all the petty chiefs who contributed for the spread of Buddhism in coastal Andhra and likely in Telangana also. The Gupta conqueror installed his own favourites almost in all the vanquished regions, leaving Vengi and Kanchi, where he allowed the Salankayanas and Pallavas to continue, perhaps on the condition that they should endeavour for the revival of Brahminism replacing Buddhism. Thus began the decline of Buddhism in Andhra. The Salankayana rulers in the Vengi country and the Pallavas in the Karma rashtra, (Guntur and Prakasam districts) and Munda rashtra (in Nellore region) started founding Brahmana Agraharas for hundreds of learned Brahmanas with the main purpose of instilling the purana dharma among the masses. Founding of temples for the puranic Gods was another means by which common devotees could find place as in the case of Buddhist stupa worship. Some popular indigenous deities like Mallayya of Srisailam, another Mallayya of Vijayawada and Kotaiah of Kotappa Konda were taken into the puranic pantheon giving suitable legends called sthala puranas to them for establishing their antique sanctity. Sanskrit language began to replace erstwhile Prakrit in the royal Charters. The erstwhile Brahmi script was being adopted for local Telugu words. In fact, culturally, Andhradesa inspite of its diversity in language and local traditions, became an integral part of Bharat adopting the same festivals and temple rituals, based on to the lunar calendar.

It was Samudraguptas greatest ideal to create Akhanda Bharata in the concept of Asetu-Himachala (from Rameswaram in the south to Himalayas in the North and from Gandhara in the west to Kamarupa in the east). He did achieve it. Akhanda Bharata became one cultural unit which lasted till the day of partition in 1947 under political compulsions. What Asoka did in the 3rd Century B.C. by creating a Buddhist country was undone by Samudragupta in the 4th Century A.D. by creating Akhanda Bharata through the puranic culture which again was undone in 1947 by the suicidal agreement of partition. Thus, 4th Century A.D. becomes a land mark in the cultural history of India and Andhradesa was not an exception to that great transitional landmark.

5th Century A. D.:

In the post Gupta scenario, new political authorities namely the Pallavas in the south, the Salankayanas in Vengi, the Vasishthas in south Kalinga, the Matharas in central Kalinga, and the Pitribhaktas in northern Kalinga and Vishnukundis in Telangana asserted their positions. Among the Pallavas Sivaskandavarman, The Pallavas and among the Salankayanas Vijayadevavarman and among the Vishnukundis Madhavavarman-II performed Aswamedha sacrifice. Vishnukundis were equally powerful. The Pallavas and Salankayanas were the early rulers who tried to introduce a systematic governance by appointing several officials in different cadres from village level for which purpose they brought, likely from the north, some experienced personnel, i.e. Brahmins as well as others including some Rattas - the latter Reddis, some generals like the Durjayas of Velanadu, weavers etc. A certain Pallava Trinetra alias Trinayana Pallava is severally praised in some kaifiats or local records preserved in the Mackenze manuscripts. Some local chiefs like the Kota chiefs of Amaravati, the Durjaya chiefs of Velanadu, and the Parichhedi chiefs of Guntur claim in their records that they were installed originally by Trinayana Pallava. He seems to have appointed administrators called bhojakas in all the villages of the kingdom for collecting taxes due to the king particularly from the landed agricultural community and

cattle breeders. Officials to look after the Kings lands or racha-bhoomi were called vishtis (bhojakas) who had to get those lands cultivated freely by the land owners. The gramani or the head of the village civic body had to assist the officials in executing their duties. He used to behave as the headman or representative of the village in all their dealings with the kings officials. Politically Deccan (Dakshinapatha) during the 5th and 6th centuries was dominated by the Vishnukundis in Telangana and part of coastal Andhra whereas the Pallavas ruled the southern and western Andhra to the south of the river Krishna. The Salankayana authority in Vengi was first overthrown by the Pallavas who in turn were overthrown by the Vishnukundi Madhavavarman in the mid 5th century A.D. Trinayana Pallava can be reasonably identified with Sivaskandavarman (C 360380 A.D.) as suggested by the mention of several officials in his administration and performing of Aswamedha sacrifice to his credit. Some Telugu words often occurring in the inscriptions of this century, are dalava, kaduru, kuttu, patta and Samvatsarambul. Drawing thread from cotton and weaving clothes formed major cottage industries that were taxable in those days. There were two classes of weavers viz., the individual Maala families and the Saale families.

6th Century A. D.:

The fall of the Vishnukundis at the hands of their erstwhile feudatories Ranadurjaya of Pishtapura and Mularaja of the Guntur region, took place simultaneously some time in 569-70 A.D. These two rulers could rule upto C. 617 A. D. At this time the Pallavas were strong enough to hold their sovereignty in three units namely 1. Kanchi region, 2. Darsi or Addanki in Karma rashtra and 3. likely Pedamudiam in the Cuddapah region. Hence they were called Trai Rajya Pallavas. A ruling family called Renaticholas rose to power in the Cuddapah region. Another family namely the Chalukyas rose up as sovereign rulers in the Kurnool Mahabubnagar (Chalkivishaya) under the leadership of Pulakesin-I who

10

captured the Badami Fort in Karnataka in 540 A.D. Hence his descendants were known as Chalukyas of Badami. Another important political event of the century is the founding of the eastern Ganga family in the Kalinga region which lasted for about 1000 years as an uninterrupted dominant power in that region. One more landmark occurrence of the century was the introduction of Telugu language in many of the stone inscriptions by the Renaticholas in the Cuddapah region and subsequently in other parts of Andhra. Buddhist influence among the masses was fast declining giving place to the religion of the puranas, the so called Hindu Dharma, the religion of the Bharat at large.

7th Century A. D.:

The occupation of Andhradesa by the Badami Chalukya king Pulakesin-II took place in two phases, one in 617 A.D. and another in 624 A.D. In the former instance the Ranadurjaya king named Prithvisri maharaja of Pishtapura (or Pithapuram) and in the latter case Mularaja of Guntur region were totally defeated. Pulakesin-II installed his younger brother Kubja Vishuvardhana as the ruler of this newly acquired region with hereditary rights, who thus founded the family of the eastern Chalukyas or the Vengi Chalukyas, as they were ruling the coastal Andhra from Pistapuram in the north to Chezerla in the south. In farther south the Pallavas were well established with Kanchipura as capital. Mahendra Varman-I was its first member who ruled from 610-30 A. D. At this time Kalinga was under the rule of eastern Gangas. Telangana and Rayalaseema regions were under the Badami emperors, PulakesinII, Vikramaditya-II and Vinayaditya. Buddhism was on its decline during this period. Huantsang, the Chinese Buddhist pilgrim visited Dhanyakataka (Amaravati) and other Buddhist centers of Andhradesa. The Renaticholas were exercising power in the Cuddapah region some time as independent rulers and at another time as subordinates to the Chalukyas of Badami. The Bana chiefs were another such family exercising authority in the Chittoor region. During this period it seems that another minor family of the Chalukyas was founded in the southern Telangana with Mudigonda

11

in the Khammam district as capital who came to be called as the Chalukyas of Mudigonda.

8th 10th Centuries A. D.:

The early Chalukyas of Badami were overthrown by the Rashtrakutas in about 750 A.D. As a result, the regions of the present Telangana and Rayalaseema formed part of their empire. The Chalukyas of Podana (Bodhan) in the Nizamabad district under the Rashtrakuta overlords rose to power in Telangana and continued to remain as trusted feudatories till their fall in 973 A.D. The latter members of this family shifted their capital from Podana to Vemulavada in the present Karimnagar district. The region from Podana to Kaleswaram on both sides of the river Godavari was called Podananadu and also as Sabbinadu including some other parts of Telangana which was the hub of their kingdom. Yuddhamalla, NarasimhaI, NarasimhaII, ArikesarinI, ArikesarinII and Baddega were the prominent members of this family. Under their patronage Jainism flourished in the region. The reputed scholar poets Pampa who wrote Vikramarjuna vijayam, otherwise called Pampa Bharatam in Kannada language and Adipurana in Sanskrit and Somadeva suri the author of Yashodhara charitra or Yasastilaka Champu flourished in the court of ArikesarinII in the mid tenth century. Pampas half brother Jinavallabha and the latters companion Malliya Rechana author of Kavijanasraya, a work on Telugu poetics the earliest Telugu writers, were also enjoying Arikesarins patronage. The eastern Chalukyas of Vengi were put under political coercion by the Rashtrakuta rulers. The Chalukya king VijayadityaIII alias Gunaga Vijayaditya (848 892 A. D.) having defeated the Rashtrakuta king KrishnaIII acquired unopposed sovereignty over the Vengi kingdom. The earliest Telugu inscriptions in verse were composed during his period. The minor ruling chiefs of the Renaticholas, the Banas, the Vaidumbas and the Nolamba Pallavas were the regional quasi independent rulers in Rayalaseema who used to change their 12

allegiance to the sovereign authority of the Pallavas, the early Chalukyas and the Rashtrakutas depending on circumstances. The early Telugu language in the form of inscriptions appeared in their records. were prominent among those chiefs. Installing of temples for different Gods was an important feature during this period. The temples at Alampur, Mahabubnagar district and Mahanandi region, Kurnool district were the structures of the early Chalukyas, during seventh and eighth centuries. The Chalukyas of Podana founded some Jinalayas at Podana and Vemulavada. Chalukya VijayadityaII (810 845 A. D.) of Vengi is said to have built several Siva temples called Narendreshwara temples in the Vengi region named after his title Narendra mrigaraja, to commemorate his victories over the Rashtrakutas. The last quarter of the 10th century witnessed an unexpected political change in the Telugu speaking and the neighbouring regions. The Rashtrakutas were overthrown by the Western Chalukyas in 973 A. D. The Vemulavada Chalukyas, the subordinates of the Rashtrakutas disappeared totally from the political scene of Telangana. In Vengi, the Chalukya king Danarnava was assassinated by Jatachoda Bhima and the formers two sons Sakthivarman and Vimaladitya fled the Vengi country and took refuge in the court of the Cholas in Tanjore till 999 A. D., when they were reinstated on the Vengi throne by the Chola emperor Rajaraja. The Renatichola king Punyakumara the Bana king Vijayaditya and the Vaidumba chief Ganda Trinetra

11th Century:
Consequent on the simultaneous fall of the powerful Rashtrakutas in the last quarter of the tenth Century in the main land of the Deccan, the Eastern Chalukyas in Coastal Andhra and the Chalukyas of Vemulavada in Telangana, the political scene in the entire Telugu Country became unsettled. No new authorities could establish any stable Government. The inscriptions describe the Vengi region as ruler less for a period of a quarter century. However, evidences

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show that the Telugu Choda Chief named Jata Choda Bheema a valorous Chief took the cause of the Chalukya king Amma Raja-II who had to flee to Kalinga because of a revolt by his step brother Danarnava. Having slain Danarnava, Jata Choda became the master of Vengi. Danarnavas two sons Saktivarman and Vimaladitya took refuge in the court of the Chola emperor Rajaraja in the Chola Country. This Chola emperor sent Saktivarman with a strong army to Vengi against Jatachoda Bhima who was slain by the Chola army in about 1000 A. D. Thus Saktivarman recovered his throne and ruled the Vengi kingdom till 1010 A. D. This Chola King Rajaraja gave his daughter Kundava in marriage to Vimaladitya, the younger brother of Saktivarman. As a result of these two events the Vengi Kingdom was put under subordination of the Chola Emperors from the beginning of the eleventh Century. Vimaladitya ruled Vengi from 1011 to 1020 A. D. Then he was succeeded by his son Rajaraja, the daughters son of the Chola emperor Rajaraja-I. He ruled Vengi kingdom till 1060 A. D., when his step brother Vijayaditya succeeded to the Vengi throne. Rajaraja (Narendra) had to his credit the remarkable achievement of getting at least 3 parvas of the Sanskrit Mahabharata of Vyasa namely, Adi, Sabha and a portion of Aranya Parva rendered into Telugu language by the celebrated poet Nannaya Bhatta. Rajaraja narendra had a son by his Chola princess Ammanga devi named Rajendra Kulothunga Chola after his maternal grandfather, the Great Rajendra Chola. Subsequently the young prince had the unique opportunity to become the lord of both the Chola and Vengi countries, having his capital in the Chola country. Thus Vengi kingdom formed part of the Chola empire, being administered by Kulottunga Cholas sons as viceroys in succession with their seat of administration at Daksharamam. These princes were : 1. Rajaraja Mummadi Chola; 1076 to 1079; 2. Veerachoda; 1079 to 1084; 3. Rajarajachola Gangu; 1084 to 1089; 4. Veerachoda (second time); 1089 to 1094;

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5.

Vikramachoda; 1094 to 1107; 6. Parantakadeva; 1107 to 1118. Telangana and Rayalaseema in the eleventh century were ruled by the Chalukyas of Kalyana, generally called the Western Chalukyas. The important subordinates under them were: Telugu Choda chiefs of Kanduru in Nalgonda and Mahbubnagar districts called in those days as Kandurunadu. The Kakatiya chiefs in the Anumakonda (Warangal) region. The Polavasa chiefs in the Karimnagar region.

Among these subordinate chiefs Kakatiya Beta-I, Prola-I and Beta-II became politically powerful and were designated as mahamandalesvaras. Rayalaseema during this period was ruled by minor chiefs like the Vaidumbas, Nolamba Pallavas and few other chiefs belonging to Telugu Chola families. The Kalinga region in the eleventh century was ruled by the Eastern Gangas, among whom Vajra Hasta and his son Devendra Varman Rajaraja were prominent. The latters son Ananta Varma Choda Ganga deva ruled for a long period from 1078 to 1152 A. D. He was a monarch of great prowess. His contemporaries were the Chalukya emperor Vikramaditya-VI (1076 1126 A. D.) in the Telangana region and Kulothunga Rajendra Choda (1070 1122 A. D.) in the Vengi country. powers. All these three were contending for supremacy among themselves and in fact the Telugu country was locked by these three great

12th Century:

15

The political History of Andhra desa in this century is marked by a peculiar polity, i.e., no sovereign rule was there in the whole of Andhra, leaving the Kalinga region which was directly ruled by the Ganga Kings with their Capital at Bhuvaneswara. Several Mandalika subordinate chiefs were owing nominal allegiance to the emperor of the Chola country in the South and to the Western Chalukyas of Kalyana in the Karnataka country. Of such Mandalikas, the Durjaya chiefs of Velanadu with their capital at Chandavolu near Repalle were most powerful exercising a sort of semi independent authority in the coastal tract extending their influence from Pithapuram in the north to Nellore in the south. Those chiefs were ; 1. Gonka Raja-I (upto 1108) 2 Rajendra Chola-I (1109 to 1134) 3. Gonka Raja-II (1135 to 1162) 4. Rajendra Chola-II (1162 to 1181) 5. Gonka Raja-III (1181 to 1186) 6 Prithviswara (1186 to 1206) the last ruler of this line. They built several temples and endowed them with liberal gifts including the temples at Srisailam, Simhachalam, and even Annamalai in the South. The other minor chiefs in this region were the Kota chiefs of Dharanikota, the present Amaravati, the Haihaya chiefs of Gurajala in Palnadu, the Haihaya cheifs of Konaseema, the Telugu Chola chiefs of Konidena in the Ongole region, and other Telugu Choda chiefs of Nellore, the chiefs of Parichhedi family, the chiefs of Kondapadumata, some Chalukya chiefs of Pithapuram, Nidadavolu and Yelamanchili, the Kolanu chiefs of Kolanu in the present west Godavari district, the Undi chiefs and the chiefs of Diviseema. In the Telangana part of Andhra desa it was a remarkable period when the Kakatiya cheifs with their capital at Anumakonda rose to prominence under the

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powerful chiefs named Beta-II (C 1076 1108), his son Prola Raja-II ( 1117 to 1156) and the laters son Rudradeva. This powerful chief proclaimed sovereignty in 1158 A. D., just 1 or 2 years after the usurpation of the Chalukya throne at Kalyana by Kalachuri Bijjala in about 1157 A. D. In the meantime both Prola-II and his son Rudra suppressed the neighbouring chiefs of Polavasa in the present Karimnagar District, other minor chiefs of Koravi in the Khammam District and the Telugu Choda chiefs of Kandurunadu in the Nalgonda and Mahaboobnagar Districts. The change of capital from Anumakonda to Orugallu was first begun by Prola-II and completed by Rudra. These victories paved the way for proclaiming sovereignty by Rudradeva at Anumakonda in 1162 making the entire Telangana and a part of coastal Andhra his kingdom . Thus, in the latter half of the century a sovereign kingdom came into existence under the authority of Kakatiya Rudradeva. However, there remained the Mandalikas in coastal Andhra, of whom the Velanadu chiefs still remained a power to be reckoned. Rudradeva ruled upto 1195 A. D. and was succeeded by his younger brother Mahadeva who ruled for only 3 years.

13th Century:
Then came the illustrious monarch Ganapathideva, son of Mahadeva, who succeeded to the Kakatiya throne in 1198 A. D. and ruled for a long time of more than 62 years i.e., upto 1262 A. D. He was a great warrior statesman of the period. He brought many Mandalikas of coastal Andhra including the Velanadu chief Prithviswara into his subordination either by military victories or by marital alliances. He gave one of his daughters Rudrama in marriage to a Chalukya prince of Nidadavolu and another daughter Ganapamba to a Kota chief. His kingdom extended from the river Godavari in the north to Kanchi in the south. He was not only a great conqueror but also a patron of learned scholars and poets like Balabharati, Mayurabhatta, Eswara Bhatta, Kavi Chakravarthy and Vidya Chakravarthy; which were all titles conferred on them by the king. His renowned

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minister and general, Jayasenapati was also an author of the treatises on dance and music. Ganapatideva was also a great builder of Temples and the temples like those at Palampeta (Ramappa Temple,) Pillalamarri, Nagulapadu and Ghanapuram were built during his time. He was also noted for creating big and small tanks under which several thousands of hectares of land are being irrigated till date. The impenetrable inner rock wall of the Orugallu fort with moat and bastions is said to have been built by Ganapatideva. Ganapatideva brought under his rule a major part of the Telugu speaking country leaving Kalinga. He was succeeded by his daughter Rudramadevi to the Her Kakatiya throne in 1263 A. D. who ruled the kingdom till 1290 A. D.

remarkable achievement was the capture of Bidar fort from the Yadavas of Devagiri. Her daughters son Prataparudra succeeded her to the throne. This king, like Ganapathideva and Rudradeva was a great conqueror as well as a promoter of arts. Vidyanatha the renowned author of Prataparudra Yashobhushana a Sanskrit work on the rhetorics flourished in his Court. Narasimha Kavi was another great scholar poet of his time. The four magnificent Thorana Gates in the Orugallu Fort are believed to be the creation of his court sculptors. It was in this century the great scholar poet Tikkana Somayaji rendered into Telugu from Virataparvam to the end of Vyasa Maha Bharata. His greatness lies in advocating the theory of non duality of the divinity particularly between the Gods Hari and Hara to which deity he dedicated his Andhra Maha Bharata.

14th Century:
At the command of Ghiyas-ud-din Tughluq, his son Ulugh Khan invaded Warangal more than once and finally seized it in 1323 A. D. and Prataparudra was taken captive. But the Kakatiya Monarch is stated in the subsequent inscriptions to have committed suicide on the way to Delhi near the river

18

Narmada. Although Ulugh Khan could capture Orugallu and a large part of the Kakatiya kingdom, within a short period, his victory became short-lived, as the Telugu Nayakas all over the kingdom made a concerted attempt to drive away the Muslim armies from the Telugu country and succeeded in their attempt within two years. During this period of two years, the inscriptions state that the invading armies destroyed a large number of temples and plundered the country. The Venugopala swamy Temple at Rajahmundry was totally demolished and a Masjid was raised over it in 1324 A. D. as per the record on its gate. A similar case is noticeable at Bodhan where the Indra Narayana swami temple was plundered and domes were built over the temple. Some temples at Eluru, Kondapalli and other important towns were likewise demolished. The Reddi chief Prolaya Vema, the Korukonda chief, the Kolani chief Musunuri Prolaya Nayaka and several other chiefs became independent in their respective regions within a short period of four / five years. But in Telangana it took some more time to drive away the Muslim armies from Orugallu. The Musunuri chief Kapaya nayaka, with the help of Velama chief Anapota and Mada could recapture Orugallu fort along with other subsidiary forts before 1336 and all the remaining Telugu country was made free from the Muslim armies. Prolaya Nayakas cousin Kapaya Nayaka, a warrior of great prowess became the king of Orugallu in about 1336 A. D. proclaiming himself as Andhradesa adheeswara and Andhra sura trana, i.e. the Master of the Andhra country and the protector of the Andhras like Indra who protects Devas. It was in 1335 that the Sangama Brothers Harihara and Bukka founded the Vijayanagara Kingdom, with the blessings of the Sage Vidyaranya, with Vijayanagara as capital in the Bellary District of Karnataka. Within a short period of a decade, it became an empire. The Velama chiefs Anapota and Mada became independent with their capital at Rachakonda in the Nalgonda District.

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Rulers of the 14th Century. 1. 2. Kakatiya Prataparudra deva Eastern Ganga Kings in Kalinga: Veera Bhanu deva-II Veera Narasimha deva-III Veera Bhanu deva-III Veera Narasimha deva-IV 3. Musunuri Nayakas: Prolaya Nayaka Kapaya Nayaka 4. Rachakonda Velama chiefs: Anavota (Founder, being assisted by his brother Madanayaka) Singabhupala-II (Sarvajna Singa) 5. Reddis of Kondavidu in the Guntur District: Prolaya Vema Reddi (son) Anavota Reddi (Brother) Anavema Reddi (son) Komaragiri Reddi Pedakomati Vema Reddi (of collateral line) 6. Bahmani Sultans from Daultabad: Alla-ud-din Hasan Gangu Mohmed Sahu-I Mujahid Sahu Mohmed Sahu-II 7. Vijayanagara Kings in the South of the Krishna River: Harihara raya-I Bukkaraya-I Harihara raya-II 1335 1355 1355 1377 1377 1404 1347 - 1358 1358 - 1375 1375 1378 1378 1397 1325 1353 1353 1364 1364 1386 1386 1402 1402 1420 1361 1384 1384 1399 1325 1332 1332 1367 1305 1326/27 1327 1352 1353 1377 1377 1409 1291 1323

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CHRONOLOGY OF THE POLITICAL EVENTS IN ANDHRA DESA FROM 1323 TO 1464 A. D. 1. Fall of the Kakatiyas 2. Founding of Reddi Kingdom by Prolaya Vema Reddi 3. Araviti Somaraju captures Krishna Tungabhadra doab 5. Revolt against Muslim invaders by Kampili Ramanatha from Anegondi near Hampi 6. 7. 8. Recapture of Warangal by Musunuri Kapaya with the help of the Velama chiefs Founding of the Vijayanagara Kingdom by Harihara and Bukka with the blessings of the sage Vidyaranya Founding of Bahamani Muslim rule at Devagiri by Ala-ud-din Hasan Gangu Bahamani; his son Muhammed Shah captured Golconda fort from Kapaya Nayaka of Warangal 9. The Velama chiefs Anapota Nayaka and his brother Madanayaka founded their independent principality at Rachakonda in the Nalgonda district 10. 11. Fall of the Reddi kingdom of Kondavidu : 1424 : 1434 : 1455 : 1460 : 1464 Fall of Eastern Ganga king Bhanudeva-IV at the hands of his commander and Minister Kapileswara Gajapati. 12. Fall of the Reddi kingdom of Rajahmundry 13. Kapileswara Gajapatis invasion of Bahamani Kingdom and capture of Gulbarga and Warangal 14. Kapileswara Gajapati becomes unopposed master of the entire eastern belt and southern Telangana : 1368 : 1364 : 1335 : 1335-36 : 1330 :1323 : 1325 : 1326

4. Koppula Prolaya captured Godavari region (Rajahmundry): 1326

In many of these events the role of Velama chiefs in Telangana is of much significance.

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15th Century:
The Vijayanagara Empire under the able rulers of Harihara-I and his brother Bukka-I and Harihara-II was in its ascendancy embracing the entire peninsular India, the river Krishna being its northern border. The Reddi Kingdom after Pedakomati Vema and his son Racha Vema at Kondavidu owing to internecine troubles has fallen in 1424. Kataya Vema the erstwhile general founded another kingdom with Rajahmundry as capital. It was put to severe pressure as buffer state, by the other expanding power in the coastal belt, viz. that of the Suryavamsi Gajapati King Kapileswara, who overthrew the last eastern Ganga ruler Bhanudeva and usurped the throne. Politically, Kapileswara was a great potentate, who within a short period could conquer all the erstwhile Ganga subordinate chiefs in the Visakhapatnam region and marched against the Reddi kingdom in 1444. But, with the help of the Vijayanagara King Devaraya-II, the advancing Gajapati armies were repelled by the Reddi ruler at Rajahmundry. On a subsequent occasion Kapileswaras armies crossed the river Krishna and captured Kondavidu. His son Hamvira penetrated into the Vijayanagara Kingdom till he reached Srirangam in 1464. The Bahmanis tried to wipe out the Velama Kingdom by the side of Warangal and hence made an attack against the Velama ruler Lingamaneedu (1422-1480) who in turn appealed to the Gajapati king for immediate help. Kapileswara, taking this opportunity marched against the Bahmanis and captured their town Kalubarige (Gulbarga) and posted his son Hamvira as his viceroy at Warangal in 1460. Kapileswara acquired the title Kalubarigeswara, the Lord of Gulbarga. the Bahmani Kingdom. Thus by about 1460 the Gajapati Kingdom extended upto Chandragiri in the Vijayanagara empire and Warangal in Both the regions thus formed part of the Gajapati Empire. After the death of Kapileswara in 1468, his second son Purushottama Gajapati, as per the dictates of their tutelary God Jagannatha of Puri (in a dream) succeeded to the throne and ruled upto 1497, keeping a large part of the kingdom under his control for some decades. The weak rulers of the latter 22

Vijayanagara Sangama family and those of the Bahmanis could not recover their respective lands lost to the Gajapatis. Century. Important rulers of the 15th Century: 1. 2. Veera Bhanu deva-IV, last E.Ganga king, overthrown by Kapileswara Gajapati Reddi kings at Kondavidu: Pedakomati Vema Reddi. (son) Racha Vema Reddi 2A. Reddi kings at Rajahmundry: Kataya Vema Reddi (son) Kumaragiri Reddi Anitalli ( d/o. of Kataya Vema & w/o. of Veera bhadra Reddi) 3. Vijayanagara Kings: Bukkaraya-II Devaraya-I Proudha Devaraya-II Mallikarjuna raya Virupaksha raya Saluva Narasimha raya Saluva Immadi Narasimha 4. Velama Kings of Rachakonda: Anavota-II Mada Nayaka Singama Nayaka-III 4A. Velama kings of Devarakonda: Kumara Vedagiri 1400 1420 1399 1421 1421 1430 1430 1475 1404 1406 1406 1422 1423 1446 1446 1465 1465 1478 1485 1490 1492 1506 1423 - 1448 1395 1414 1414 1416 1402 1420 1420 1424 1409 1439 Thus much of the Telugu speaking country came to be ruled by the Gajapatis of Orissa in the latter half of the 15 th

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Lingamaneedu 5. Bahmani Sultans of Bidar: Firoj Sahu Ahmed Sahu All-ud-din Ahmed Sahu Humayun Nizam Sahu Mahmad Sahu-III Mahmud Sahu 6. The Gajapati Rulers of Orissa Kapileswara Gajapati (son) Purushottama Gajapati

1421 1480 1397 1422 1422 1435 1435 1458 1458 1461 1461 1463 1463 1482 1482 1518 1434 1468 1468 1497

16th Century:
1. The Gajapati authority in the Telugu country was checked by Saluva Narasimharaya in the first instance and by Sri Krishna devaraya in the final. The coastal Andhra was brought under the sway of the Vijayanagara emperors by about 1514. 2. The Velama chiefs shifted their scene of activity to Velugodu in the Vijayanagara domain. 3. The Bahmani kingdom was shattered to pieces by the end of the 15th century because of the weakness of the last rulers and revolts by the subedars. Kutub-ul-mulk was at that time the Governor of Telangana and after the death of the last Bahmani sultan Mahmud Sahu in 1518, became independent with his capital at Golkonda with the title Kuli Kutub Shah. 4. Saluva Narasimha occupied the Vijayanagara throne with the noble intention of driving away the Gajapatis from the Telugu Country. He did it to some extent by recovering the Forts of Chandragiri and Udayagiri. His son and successor Narasimha-II was not as powerful as his father and hence replaced by Narsa Nayaka of the Tulu family, whose second son was the illustrious Sri

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Krishna devaraya. He ruled the empire from 1509 to 1530, with remarkable ability and earned the repute of being one of the greatest rulers. He drove away the Gajapati king Prataparudra from the Telugu country as far as their capital at Katak in Orissa. Prataparudra made peace with the Raya by offering his daughter in marriage to the Raya. Hence forward, the whole of coastal Andhra was restored to the Vijayanagara domain in about 1514. The raya visited all the famous temples viz., Simhachalam, Amaravati, and Srikakulam in Krishna District, Srisailam, and Tirupati Tirumala thrice, Srikalahasti and other places. He endowed lavish gifts in the form of villages and gold ornaments to all the deities he visited in his victorious return. During his time, the Tirumala Temple of Sri Venkateswara grew to be the richest shrine where the Raya set up life size images in bronze of himself and his two consorts Tirumaladevi and Chinnadevi, which attract the pilgrims attention in the first courtyard of the main temple. He performed Tulapurusha Danas at many shrines. He was also a great learned king and authored the book Amuktamalyada in Telugu. Some great scholars and poets flourished in his court, among whom Allasani Peddana, Tenali Ramakrishna and others were renowned, and were designated as Ashta-Diggaja poets. He was a great conqueror, scholar and benevolent patron of scholars and poets and made his name permanent in the annals of Indian History, like the Gupta Emperor Samudra Gupta and the Paramara King Bhoja of Dhara. Kirshnadeva raya was succeeded by his step brother Achyutaraya who ruled the empire from 1531 to 1544. After him another brother, Sadasiva raya ascended the Vijayanagara throne and ruled with the able assistance of Aliya Ramaraja of the Araveedu family. He was the son-in-law of Krishnadeva raya. The Sultans of Bijapur, Ahmednagar, Bidar and Golconda made a concerted attack on Vijayanagara kingdom in 1565 and a severe battle was fought at Tallikota also called the battle of Rakkasa Tangadi, which marked the fall of the capital. Thereafter, Sadasiva raya shifted his capital to Penugonda. He died in 1576.

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As a result of the fall of Vijayanagara empire in 1565, Ibrahim Kutubshah of Golconda acquired large quantities of gold, silver, jewellery with diamonds as his share of the gains, apart from the entire coastal Andhra territory, which made him for the first time the master of the whole of the Telugu country. For the first time, all the three regions came under a single Government. On the cultural aspect, the early Vijayanagara rulers under the guidance of Vidyaranya got the four Vedas and the allied works commentated by eminent scholars of that time which are still considered authoritative and studied by Vedic students including Western orientalists. In the area of Art and Architecture, the Vijayanagara style became unique which is still adopted by the sculptors and architects in the Telugu country. In the 16th century or even earlier, the great devotional poet Tallapaka Annamacharya and few descendants composed thousands of songs dedicated to the Lord Venkateswara of the Tirumala which are popularly sung till date. Innumerable temples of their creation still stand as fine specimens. Among them those in the capital Humpi, Tadipatri, Kadiri, and the lofty Gopuras at Tirupati, Kalahasti, Madurai, Mangalagiri are worth mentioning. A memorable event of the 16th century was the layout and founding of the city of Hyderabad in about 1595, when Ibrahims son Sultan Mahmad Quli was ruling. The city was planned with fine roads and embellished with magnificent buildings and other civic amenities. Mohmad Quli died in 1612.

17th Century:

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After the battle of Rakkasa Tangidi the city of Vijayanagara was subjected to all sorts of vandalism by the Muslim invaders. The empire was partitioned among the four Sultans. The Telugu country formed the share of Ibrahim Kutubshah. Thus, fortune favouring him, all the integrated Telugu country from Srikakulam in the north to Chandragiri in the south and Telangana in the west formed his kingdom. With the demise of Sadasiva raya, the remnants of the empire were ruled by the members of the Araveedu family, viz. Sriranga raya, Venkatapati raya and others. None of them could restore the past glory of Vijayanagara. Even the fief holders called Palegandru in Rayalaseema did not give due recognition to the new rulers. Venkatapathi raya ruled for about 30 years from 1586 to 1614. He was originally the master of the fort of Chandragiri. He was the last effective ruler, as his successors were mere nominals with no following and support. The Sultans at Golconda could earn good name among the Hindus and Muslims as well, by their good and benevolent attitude to the subjects. Many of the Jamindaris in Andhra owed their origin to this period. Those Jamindars were the military generals serving the Kutubshahi Sultans. In the last decade of the Century, in 1685 the Mogal Emperor Aurangzeb began his campaign against the Deccan Kingdoms of Bijapur, Ahmednagar and Bidar. The Fort of Golconda was captured by the Mogals in 1687 which marked seizure of the entire Telugu Country by the invaders and it continued to be under them till the end of the first quarter of the 18 th century. Aurangzeb died in 1707. Since then began a period of political turmoil due to the ineffective control by any successor of Aurangzeb over the Deccan provinces. The Maratha rebels under the leadership of the Peshwas recaptured the forts from the Mogals.

18th c A. D.:

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Asafjahi Nizam-Ul-Mulk

was appointed as Governor of Golconda, who

became independent in about 1730 and then began the rule of Asafjahis in Telangana which lasted for more than two centuries i.e., till the police action in 1948, after Indian independence in 1947. Right from the beginning of the 17th century the European trading companies such as Dutch, Portuguese, English and French began to setup their fortified factories at Pulicat, Chennapatnam, Armagoan and Machilipatnam, after obtaining due permission (on Kaul basis) from the Zamindars of Kalahasti, Chandragiri and the Sultan of Golconda. These Zamindars and the Sultan invited those companies for setting up their Trading centers for the economic growth of their respective hinterlands. The main items of exports included long cloth of superior variety, rice, gunnies, yarn, indigo, ropes, coir, iron ore and metal, painted goods etc. Abdul Hassan Tanasha and his able minister Madanna maintained good relations with the companies but consequent on the fall of Golconda in 1687 the Moghal rulers could not put the Companies under constant vigil. The story of Bhakta Ramadasa (Kancherla Gopanna) relates to this period. An important event took place in Telangana during the time of Aurangzeb in the closing decade of the 17th century and after. A courageous young man of Gauda caste named Sarvayi Papanna of Tatikonda in Warangal district rose in revolt against the Moghal Sardars stationed at Golconda. According to the tradition preserved in the form of ballads he captured within a short period the fort of Shapur, besides strengthening the fort at Tatikonda. The sardars of Golconda being unable to suppress the rebellion appealed to the emperor at Delhi who responded favourably and sent an able General with necessary army. Owing to the machinations of his trusted followers, Papanna was taken captive by the Moghal armies. He was commemorated by erecting a hero stone depicting him with symbols of royalty, mounted on a horse at Dhilmitta,

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a village in Cheriyal mandal. This happened some time in the first decade of 18th century.

18th Century:
This Century is the most crucial period in the modern history of Andhra desa. Under the Moghal Administration the Telugu Country was bifurcated into two major divisions, Telangana with Golconda as capital and Eastern Andhra with Machilipatnam as capital. By about 1724 Asafjahi Nizam-Ul-Mulk founded the line of rulers after his name Asafjahi. Besides the interference of the Peshwas, the foreign company authorities both the French and English played disastrous role in the disintegration of the very structure of the Nizams dominions. Among the European companies those of the Dutch and They built large Portuguese lagged behind whereas the English East India Company and the French Company of India Orientale became prominent. fortified godowns with factories in Madras and Machilipatnam and other port towns maintaining armed soldiers with the permission of the respective Governments in England and France and native ruler of Golconda Salabat Jung. Under political pressure by frequent intrusions this Nizam had to seek protection from both the companies in turn and virtually he became a protg of the French companies for some years and of the English company later. The British Company authorities laid Railways and set up English colleges at Calcutta, Madras and Bombay with the purpose of training young Indians to help them in the Administration. Bussy, the French representative stationed at Machilipatnam, by providing some military protection to the Nizam and due to the internecine difference among the members of the Asafjahis got the circars of Srikakulam, Rajahmundry, Eluru and Kondapally (Mustafanagar) in 1754 in lieu of the expenses.

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But after 1768, the English East India Company managed to get the above mentioned 4 circars in its favour for the same purpose of providing protection to the Nizam. The Districts of Chittoor and Nellore were under the Nawab of Arcot. Western Rayalaseema was under Hyderali. to the British. Again by 1800 the entire

Rayalaseema formed part of the Nizams dominion which was shortly ceded

19th Century:
By the beginning of 19th Century both the circar Districts and Rayalaseema were under the authority of the British. Only Telangana region remained as a part of the Nizams dominions along with Marathwada and some districts of Karnataka. The Nizam became a protg under the British at the cost of ceding large chunks of his dominions. Rayalaseema districts thus became the ceded territory to the British. Right from the beginning of this century, the entire Telugu Country, as other parts of the country formed a part of the British supremacy. Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema formed part of Madras presidency and the Telangana as part of Nizams dominions. The Company rulers introduced the system of permanent settlement in 1802 all over the country according to which all the Zamindars had to pay fixed amount called peshkush to the Company and they need not maintain any private armies as the Company authorities took the responsibility of maintaining peace. Thus, all the Zamindars were relieved of the privileges of collecting taxes. The Palegars in Rayalaseema were totally removed under the Raithwary System introduced by the Collector Thomos Munro, according to which the farmers had to pay the taxes to the Collectors of the Company only. 30

20th Century: The Freedom struggle and formation of Andhra Pradesh.

As followers of Mahatma Gandhis principles of non violence and non cooperation and Swadeshi movement, the Andhras also along with other parts of the country, took active part in the freedom movement vehemently. After Independence, the Indian Government had to resort to Police action in 1948 September against the Nizam and his Razakar followers to bring order in his dominions and merger into the Republic Union of India. Following the self sacrifice of Potti Sriramulu, the leaders at Delhi conceded to the demand of separate Andhra State comprising Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema with Kurnool as capital on 1st November 1953. Subsequently, the Telugu Districts of the Nizams dominions called Telangana also, with the concerted efforts of the leaders at that time who launched Visalandhra movement, merged with the Coastal and Rayalaseema, and thus formed an integrated state of Andhra Pradesh, with all the Telugu speaking people into a single state with Hyderabad as capital on 1st November 1956. The English Engineer Sir Arthor Cotton constructed a dam across the river Godavari at Dhavaleswaram near Rajahmundry in 1852 and another dam on the Krishna river at Vijayawada in 1855, both resulting in irrigating several thousands of acres of land through canals in the two Godavari Districts, and Krishna and Guntur districts. Consequent on the first revolt against the Foreign rule in the country called the Sepoy Mutiny in 1857 and other un-favorable conditions, the Company Government was replaced by the Governance of the British Parliament. Along with the Railways and Postal system, printing presses were setup in important towns. Under the company administration the judiciary was taken over by the courts of Law from the Village sabhas. A number of Indian youths

31

studied in English schools and even went to England for studying the Indian Civil Services and Law course qualifying for Bar-at-law. Indians were appointed in Government service. 1900-1950: A salient feature of this century was the freedom struggle. The Indian Some qualified

National Congress was started in 1885 with the main aim of inculcating among the masses political awareness and the need to become politically free from the British rule, and through the spirit of Nationalism throughout the length and breadth of the country. Culturally the entire Bharat was already an integrated nation. The advent of Vandemataram movement in 1905 coupled with the song composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, became the first step in this direction. With the Swaraj movement launched by Balagangadhar Tilak in Maharashtra, and the powerful public speeches by Bipin Chandra Pal in 1907, the Freedom movement gained popularity. Under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi a new face in the movement started from 1920. Kopalle Hanumantha Rao, a great patriot in Andhra, founded the Andhra Jateeya Kalasala in Machilipatnam in 1907. Gandhis Satyagraha movement attracted several learned people who entered into the struggle by non-cooperation with the Government and prohibiting usage of imported English goods and wearing native khadi cloth etc. Two important events are to be noted: 1. The rebellion of Alluri Seetharamaraju in the agency areas of Visakhapatnam between 1897 and 1923 against the British contractors and non payment of the government dues. 2. Duggirala Gopala Krishnaiah in Bapatla Taluk set up an independent Municipal town neglecting the Government and raising a squad of youngsters called Rama dandu to guard his small village from the officials.

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The movement is notably termed as Chirala-Perala independent movement. Hundreds of traders were arrested and put in Jails. Hundreds were beaten with lathis by the police and so on. Gandhis individual Satyagraha led to the next phase of Quit India movement in 1942. Moved by all these unfavourable events in India, and particularly after Subhash Chandra Bose proclaimed independent India from outside the country, the British Parliament after the II world war realised that they can no longer rule the country any further, and hence passed the historical resolution to leave India on their own. Accordingly the sub-continent of India was declared as an independent country on 15th August 1947. It is most unfortunate that the leaders had to yield to the proposal of dividing the Bharat Desa into 3 parts viz., India , West Pakistan and East Pakistan. Large chunks in the West and East were declared as Muslim country. Now India is thus made a truncated country. A fresh Constitution for the country was finalised by 26th January 1949 and came into force from 26th January, 1950, according to which the country is proclaimed as a Republic ruled by its own people who were elected according to the Act of peoples representation (i.e. Adult Franchise Act) through a democratic system of elections at all levels. Formation of Andhra and Andhra Pradesh: The struggle for a separate Andhra State based on language, detaching all the Telugu speaking districts from the composite Madras province gained such a momentum that a veteran leader named Potti Sriramulu undertook fasting unto death. After a continuous severe fasting of 58 days he lost his life on 19th December 1952. As a result, the leaders in the Centre were forced to agree to form a separate State and accordingly Andhra State came into being on 1st October 1953 with Kurnool as its Capital.

33

Because of the unwillingness of Mir Osman Ali Khan, the Nizam of Hyderabad to merge his dominions with the Indian Union under the ill advice of the Razakars and the latters atrocities over the public, the Indian Government had to conduct police action against the Nizams Government in September 1948. Having suppressed the Razakar moment the Indian Government merged the Nizams dominions with Indian Union. Later on, the three linguistic parts viz., Marathwada, Kannada and the Telugu speaking Districts according to the States Re-organization Commissions recommendations were merged with the respective states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra. Thus, on 1st of November 1956, the State of Andhra Pradesh was formed bringing all the Telugu speaking areas into a separate state.

Books Consulted:
1. Early History of the Deccan, Ed. G Yazdani. Oxford, 1960 Mallampalli Somasekhara Sarma, The Reddi Kingdoms of Kondavidu and Rajahmundry, Waltair, 1945.

2. 3. 4. 5.

N Venkata Ramanaiah, Early Muslim Expansion in South India, Madras, 1942. Telugu Samskriti, Desamu Charitra, Vol. I (Telugu), Hyderabad, 1983. History and Culture of The Andhras, (Pub) Telugu University, Hyderabad, 1995.

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