andhra telinga history through centuries

7/29/2019 Andhra Telinga History Through Centuries

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GLEANINGS IN

TELINGA - ANDHRA HISTORY

THROUGH CENTURIES


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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 Anga-

Vanga 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 areaseeking 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 Buddhistsfollowed 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 (c262-230 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

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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 Somakais 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.:

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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 realSatavahana 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

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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. Another

noteworthy activity of this century was the brisk sea borne trade particularly with

Rome.

2nd Century A. D.:

Gautamiputra Satakarni wrested the coastal Andhra territory from the Sada rulerslikely 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 of trade activity during the Satavahana period.

Machilipatnam, Potala lanka, Revupalle (Repalle), Kalingapatnam and

Krishnapatnam were the important port towns along Andhra coast.

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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. One

Vasisthiputra Chantamula was the founder king who proclaimed sovereignty by

performing Aswamedha sacrifice. 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.:

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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 foundingBrahmana 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.

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It was Samudraguptas greatest ideal to create Akhanda Bharata in the concept

ofAsetu-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, 4 th 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,

among the Salankayanas Vijayadevavarman and among the Vishnukundis

Madhavavarman-II performed Aswamedha sacrifice. The Pallavas andVishnukundis 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

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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 360-

380 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

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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 thecoastal 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

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

Mudigonda.

8

th

10

th

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

andAdipurana in Sanskrit and Somadeva suri the author ofYashodhara charitra

orYasastilaka Champu flourished in the court of ArikesarinII in the mid tenth

century. Pampas half brother Jinavallabha and the latters companion Malliya

Rechana author ofKavijanasraya, 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

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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. The Renatichola king

Punyakumara the Bana king Vijayaditya and the Vaidumba chief Ganda Trinetra

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 twosons 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.

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. All these three were contending for supremacy among

themselves and in fact the Telugu country was locked by these three great

powers.

12th Century:

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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 thetemples 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

Kakatiya throne in 1263 A. D. who ruled the kingdom till 1290 A. D. Her

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 hisAndhra 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

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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. proclaiminghimself 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. Kakatiya Prataparudra deva 1291 1323

2. Eastern Ganga Kings in Kalinga:

Veera Bhanu deva-II 1305 1326/27

Veera Narasimha deva-III 1327 1352

Veera Bhanu deva-III 1353 1377

Veera Narasimha deva-IV 1377 1409

3. Musunuri Nayakas:

Prolaya Nayaka 1325 1332

Kapaya Nayaka 1332 1367

4. Rachakonda Velama chiefs:

Anavota (Founder, being assisted by his

brother Madanayaka) 1361 1384

Singabhupala-II (Sarvajna Singa) 1384 1399

5. Reddis of Kondavidu in the Guntur District:

Prolaya Vema Reddi 1325 1353

(son) Anavota Reddi 1353 1364

(Brother) Anavema Reddi 1364 1386(son) Komaragiri Reddi 1386 1402

Pedakomati Vema Reddi (of collateral line) 1402 1420

6. Bahmani Sultans from Daultabad:

Alla-ud-din Hasan Gangu 1347 - 1358

Mohmed Sahu-I 1358 - 1375

Mujahid Sahu 1375 1378

Mohmed Sahu-II 1378 1397

7. Vijayanagara Kings in the South of the Krishna River:

Harihara raya-I 1335 1355

Bukkaraya-I 1355 1377

Harihara raya-II 1377 1404

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CHRONOLOGY OF THE POLITICAL EVENTS IN ANDHRA DESA FROM 1323

TO 1464 A. D.

1. Fall of the Kakatiyas :1323

2. Founding of Reddi Kingdom by Prolaya Vema Reddi : 1325

3. Araviti Somaraju captures Krishna Tungabhadra doab : 1326

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

5. Revolt against Muslim invaders by Kampili Ramanatha

from Anegondi near Hampi : 1330

6. Recapture of Warangal by Musunuri Kapaya with the

help of the Velama chiefs : 1335-36

7. Founding of the Vijayanagara Kingdom by Harihara and

Bukka with the blessings of the sage Vidyaranya : 1335

8. 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 : 1364

9. The Velama chiefs Anapota Nayaka and his brother

Madanayaka founded their independent principality atRachakonda in the Nalgonda district : 1368

10. Fall of the Reddi kingdom of Kondavidu : 1424

11. Fall of Eastern Ganga king Bhanudeva-IV at the hands

of his commander and Minister Kapileswara Gajapati. : 1434

12. Fall of the Reddi kingdom of Rajahmundry : 1455

13. Kapileswara Gajapatis invasion of Bahamani Kingdom

and capture of Gulbarga and Warangal : 1460

14. Kapileswara Gajapati becomes unopposed master of the

entire eastern belt and southern Telangana : 1464

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 brotherBukka-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. Thus by about 1460 the Gajapati

Kingdom extended upto Chandragiri in the Vijayanagara empire and Warangal in

the Bahmani Kingdom. 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

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Vijayanagara Sangama family and those of the Bahmanis could not recover their

respective lands lost to the Gajapatis. Thus much of the Telugu speaking

country came to be ruled by the Gajapatis of Orissa in the latter half of the 15 th

Century.

Important rulers of the 15th Century:

1. Veera Bhanu deva-IV, last E.Ganga king,

overthrown by Kapileswara Gajapati 1409 1439

2. Reddi kings at Kondavidu:

Pedakomati Vema Reddi. 1402 1420

(son) Racha Vema Reddi 1420 1424

2A. Reddi kings at Rajahmundry:

Kataya Vema Reddi 1395 1414

(son) Kumaragiri Reddi 1414 1416

Anitalli ( d/o. of Kataya Vema & w/o. of Veera

bhadra Reddi) 1423 - 1448

3. Vijayanagara Kings:

Bukkaraya-II 1404 1406Devaraya-I 1406 1422

Proudha Devaraya-II 1423 1446

Mallikarjuna raya 1446 1465

Virupaksha raya 1465 1478

Saluva Narasimha raya 1485 1490

Saluva Immadi Narasimha 1492 1506

4. Velama Kings of Rachakonda:

Anavota-II 1399 1421

Mada Nayaka 1421 1430

Singama Nayaka-III 1430 1475

4A. Velama kings of Devarakonda:

Kumara Vedagiri 1400 1420

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Lingamaneedu 1421 1480

5. Bahmani Sultans of Bidar:

Firoj Sahu 1397 1422

Ahmed Sahu 1422 1435

All-ud-din Ahmed Sahu 1435 1458

Humayun 1458 1461

Nizam Sahu 1461 1463

Mahmad Sahu-III 1463 1482

Mahmud Sahu 1482 1518

6. The Gajapati Rulers of Orissa

Kapileswara Gajapati 1434 1468

(son) Purushottama Gajapati 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 madehis 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

Portuguese lagged behind whereas the English East India Company and the

French Company of India Orientale became prominent. They built large

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 seekprotection 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. Again by 1800 the entire

Rayalaseema formed part of the Nizams dominion which was shortly ceded

to the British.

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.

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20th Century: The Freedom struggle and formation of Andhra

Pradesh.

As followers of Mahatma Gandhis principles of non violence and non co-

operation 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

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studied in English schools and even went to England for studying the Indian

Civil Services and Law course qualifying for Bar-at-law. Some qualified

Indians were appointed in Government service.

1900-1950:

A salient feature of this century was the freedom struggle. The Indian

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 coupledwith 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 ademocratic 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.

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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

2. Mallampalli Somasekhara Sarma, The Reddi Kingdoms of Kondavidu and Rajahmundry,

Waltair, 1945.

3. N Venkata Ramanaiah, Early Muslim Expansion in South India, Madras, 1942.

4. Telugu Samskriti, Desamu Charitra , Vol. I (Telugu), Hyderabad, 1983.

5. History and Culture of The Andhras, (Pub) Telugu University, Hyderabad, 1995.

andhra telinga history through centuries

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