Velama (caste)

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Velama
Classification Warriors, Zamindars and Landlords, Farmers)
Religions Hinduism
Languages Telugu, Tamil
Populated States Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu
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Velama or Velama Doralu is a social group found mainly in Andhra Pradesh. Velamas are classed as "Upper Shudras".[1][2][3]

Military exploits of Velamas form an important part of Telugu tradition, history and folklore. The earliest occurrence of "Velama" in inscriptions dates from the mid 15th century. According to some historians, warriors who migrated from Velanadu (part of present day Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh) to the Kakatiya empire in the 11th century came to be called "Velama".

Contents

[edit] Origin

The division of warrior clans of Telugu land into many social groups commenced during the time of Kakatiya king Rudra I (1158-1195). According to Velugotivari Vamsavali and Padmanayakacharitra, texts written in medieval times, farmers (Kapus) became Kammas and Velamas.[4][5] In medieval times the term Kapu meant a farmer or protector.

Badabanala Bhatta, the minister in the court of Ganapatideva prescribed Surnames and Gothras of Velamas.

Kakatiya king Prataparudra entrusted the defence of Warangal to 77 Padmanayaka clans.[6] Velamas constituted a significant proportion of the broader "Padmanayaka" group. Velamas have 77 gothras and 77 flags in earlier times. According to Cynthia Talbot, Velama and Padmanayaka are not synonymous.[7] Velama and Padmanayaka were listed as separate communities in Bhimeswara Puranamu.[8] Famous Telugu poet Srinatha (14th century CE), while describing the social divisions during his time, categorized Padmanayaka, Velama and Kamma in his Bhimeswara Puranamu.[9]

In addition, an inscription in Telangana from 1613 described one man as a Padmanayaka and ascribed Velama clan status to another.[10]

[edit] Pre-Kakatiya period

[edit] Palnadu Battle

Palnadu region is located in the Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh. One Dodda Nayudu and his son Brahma Nayudu of Recherla dynasty served as ministers under Haihayas kings such as Alugu Raju ruling at Macherla. Brahma Nayudu was a progressive leader with egalitarian ideals. Nalagama Raju and Narasinga Raju were ruling at Gurajala, a small town near Macherla. Nagamma, a widow and an orthodox minister, did not relish the progressive ideals of Brahma. In a cock fight, a popular sport of those times, Macherla lost to Gurajala. Brahma and his followers had to live in exile as part of the gamble. Subsequent to the return from exile tensions between both the kings led to the battle of Palnadu (1182 CE) at Karempudi village. Macherla was defeated, a generation of warriors perished and Brahma Nayudu took to renunciation. As an aftermath of this war Kakatiyas extended their rule to coastal Andhra region and several Velama warriors migrated to Warangal.

[edit] Kakatiya period

Velama warriors formed the bulwark of Kakatiya army and fought many victorious battles. Some illustrious Kakatiya commanders of Velama group are:

[edit] Ganapathi Deva Period (1199–1262 A.D.)

  • Recherla Rudra, Commander-In-Chief of Kakatiya king Ganapatideva's army.
  • Recherla Raja Nayaka helped Ganapatideva in conquering parts of Kalinga, Vengi and Bastar.

[edit] Rani Rudrama Devi Period (1259–1289 A.D.)

  • Recherla Prasaditya, along with other Reddi and Kayastha Nayaks (Gona Gannaiah, Jannigadeva, Tripurari, Ambadeva) helped consolidate the position of Rani Rudrama Devi against nobles and her step-brothers.

[edit] Prataparudra II Period (1289–1323 A.D.)

Prataparudra II entrusted the defense of the Warangal predominantly to Velama Nayakas.

  • Recherla Venna, along with other Nayaks (Pothuganti Maili), fought and cut short the expedition of Alauddin Khilji at Upparapalli (now in Karimnagar) in 1303 CE.
  • Recherla Singama Nayaka established his own independent Kingdom with Rachakonda, now in Nalgonda Dist, as his capital.

[edit] Rachakonda Kingdom

Recherla Singama Nayaka, the first King of Recherla clan of Velamas, was closely followed by the Devarakonda Chiefs. Stories of his valour are sung as ballads. His sons Anavota Nayaka and Mada Nayaka carried on his legacy after his assassination by Jallipalli Kshatriyas.

[edit] Devarakonda Kingdom

Eight kings ruled Deverakonda from 1287 to 1475 CE. Some of the kings who ruled Deverakonda Kingdom are:

  • Raja Maada Nayudu II
  • Raja Peda Vedagiri Nayudu (1384 - 1410 CE)
  • Raja Maada Nayudu III (141 -1425 CE)
  • Raja Lingama Nayudu (1425 - 1475 CE), the last of the eight Kings.
  • Devarakonda Fort

[edit] Bahmani Period

Recherla chiefs of Rachakonda and Devarakonda served as vassals of Bahmanis after Musunuri Kapaaneedu was killed. Their descendents acquired Zamindaris (Samsthanams) in Mahboobnagar, Kurnool and Raichur Districts.

[edit] Vijayanagara period

The Velamas under the influence of Bahmanis became rivals of Hindu Vijayanagar kings and fought several battles with Raya kings. However, those Velamas who did not relish serving as vassals to Bahmanis migrated to Vijayanagar empire.[11] As this empire expanded some of the Nayaks were sent to places in southern Tamil Nadu like Madurai and Thanjavur.

[edit] Golkonda Period

Jetaprolu Samsthanam is a historic Samasthanam in the Nizam dominion in Telangana region. The Jetaprolu family gave rise to Rajas of Bobbili, Pithapuram, Nuzividu, Narasaraopeta, Malleshwaram (Krishna District), Mylavaram and Venkatagiri)

[edit] British Period

  • Raja Rao Venkata Gopala Krishna Ranga Rao - Raja of Bobbili of the battle of Bobbili fame
  • Rani Mallamma Devi, wife of Ranga Rao and sister of Tandra Papa Rayudu.
  • Thandra Papa Rayudu[12] was a valiant fighter and brother of Rani Mallamma Devi. He was away at the time of the battle, and avenged the killing of all his relatives by killing Vijaya Rama Raju of Vizianagaram. However, he had to kill himself, as did the two accomplices to his act, after they were surrounded by the combined forces of Vijaya Rama Raju and Busey

[edit] Post-Independence Period

L. Sriramulu Naidu was the first Indian governor of the Madras Presidency under British rule, and the first mayor of erstwhile Madras post-independence. He was held in high regard for his philanthropy.


'K Yarram Naidu ... Ex.MP & TDP State Sr Leader

[edit] Notable personalities

 This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2011)

[edit] Primary references

  1. Katten, Michael; Making Caste In Nineteenth-Century India: A History of Telling the Bobbili Katha & Velama Identity, University of California at Berkeley, USA
  2. Roghair, Gene H; 1982, The epic of Palnadu: a study and translation of Palnati virula katha, a Telugu oral tradition from Andhra Pradesh, India, Oxford University Press
  3. Talbot, Cynthia; 2004, Precolonial India in Practice: Society, Region, and Identity in Medieval Andhra (Hardcover), Oxford University Press
  4. Prasad, Durga; 1988, History of the Andhras Till 1565 A.D., Durga Prasad, PG Publishers, Guntur
  5. A History of Telling the Bobbili Katha & Velama Identity, Michael Katten, University of California at Berkeey
  6. Castes and Tribes of South India

[edit] Other references

  1. ^ Sabyasachi Bhattacharya (2002). Education and the disprivileged: nineteenth and twentieth century India. Orient Blackswan. p. 17. ISBN 9788125021926. http://books.google.com/books?id=f-jBIp3iWdEC&pg=PA17. Retrieved 4 July 2011. 
  2. ^ Bruce Elliot Tapper (1 January 1988). Rivalry and tribute: society and ritual in a Telugu village in South India. Hindustan Pub. Corp.. p. 56. ISBN 9788170750031. http://books.google.com/books?id=h-vZAAAAMAAJ&q=velama+shudra#search_anchor. Retrieved 4 July 2011. 
  3. ^ Ilaiah Kancha (1 September 2010). The Weapon Of The Other: Dalitbahujan Writings And The Remaking Of Indian Nationalist Thought. Pearson Education India. pp. 130–. ISBN 9788177582468. http://books.google.com/books?id=9ANTprZwn9YC&pg=PA130. Retrieved 4 July 2011. 
  4. ^ Velugotivari Vamsavali, English Translation by N. Venkataramanaiah
  5. ^ Padmanayakacharitra, Sarvajna Singabhupala (in Telugu)
  6. ^ Prataparudracaritramu, translated by P. Ramachandra Rao
  7. ^ Pre-colonial India in Practice: Society, Region and Identity in Medieval Andhra, C. Talbot, 2001, Oxford University Press, p. 191, ISBN 0-19-513661-6
  8. ^ Musunuri Nayaks: A Forgotten Chapter of Andhra History, M. Somasekhara Sarma, 1948, Andhra University Press, Waltair
  9. ^ Bhimeswara Puranamu, Srinatha, 1-31 (in Telugu)
  10. ^ IAP, K-48
  11. ^ Velugotivari Vamsavali, Translated by N. Venkaaramanayya
  12. ^ B. M. G.. "The Tiger of Bobbili". The Hindu. http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2002/09/02/stories/2002090200940200.htm. Retrieved 2007-03-28. 

'K Yarram Naidu ... Ex.MP & TDP State Sr Leader

[edit] External links

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