Telaga

Telaga
Classification	Warriors, kings, Zamindars
Religions	Hinduism, chandravanshi
Languages	Telugu
Populated states	Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka
Subdivisions	Six

Telaga is a community of Andhra and concentrated primarily in the coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh. The Telagas are one of the ancient Warrior Clans and Feudal Landlords of India who had links to all the major Ruling Dynasties of South India like Chalukya,Chola,Kakateeya and Vijayanagar. They have the caste titles Naidu, Dora which indicate their Feudal and Warrior past who are considered as the Forward Caste (O.C).

Epitomology of the Telagas

Telagas are the most ancient Warrior clan of the Deccan and South India who specialized in warfare and took to agriculture during times of peace.

The Origin of the Telagas can be traced back to the Western Chalukyan Expansion into Andhra region which happened in the 1st century A.D. The term Telaga was a derivation of the word Telingana.[4] Andhra was referred to as Telingana/Tri-Linga Desam in the ancient texts as it was the area that had three major Shivinsa-Aramas, thus was called Tri-Linga', and the people living there were called Telugus and the language spoken by the people there was called Telugu. It is easy to see from this that the Telugu warriors came to regarded as Telagas par excellence.

This is how the word Telaga was Derived.

Trilinga -> Telinga -> Telanga -> Telaga (It is a Country of Telaga People)

Trilinga -> Telangu -> Telungu -> Telugu (It is a language of Telanga People)

They ruled the Telugu country for most part of the medieval ages in the form of Telugu Chodas and were the foundation on which the Chalukyan Empire flourished. The Telagas served as Nayakulu (Governors), commanders and vassals of the Western Chalukya rulers under Pulakesin. These commanders were also called Telugu Nayakulu from which the community name Telaga have been derived. They seem to have a connection with the Eastern Chalukyas. The vassals of Chalukyas entered into matrimonial alliances, and ultimately established the Chalukya Dynasty. They formed the bulwark of ancient armies of the Deccan and South India like Chalukyas, Kakatiyas, Vijaynagar, Nayaks Kings etc.

Some of the ruling Dynasties are

• Telugu Chodas

The Telugu Cholas ruled the various regions of Andhra for more than four centuries. Important ruling Clans were:-

• Velanati Cholulu of Palnadu War who supported Bramha Naidu in his war against the Nalagam Raju. They ruled over Velanadu
• Renati Cholas of Renadu who rules over the current Cuddapah, Prakasam and Kurnool Regions
• Konidena Cholas ruler from the current Guntur region.
• Nannuru Cholas
• Nellore Chola Kings
• Kolanu Kings ruled the area between Krishna Godavari Rivers
• Kona Kings ruled the present Konaseema area
• Koppula Chiefs ruled the Polunati seema present pitapuram area
• Musunuri Nayaks
• Korukonda Nayaks
• Nayak Kings of Madurai, Tanjore, Chenji, Kandy and Vijayanagar.

After the fall of the Eastern Chalukyan kingdoms and the Velanati Cholas. The Telagas served as vassals/Governors during the Kakateeyas. They were given the title Nayaka/Nayakudu and played a major role in shaping the history of modern Andhra.

After the fall of the Kakateeyas, the Telagas, under Kaapaya Nayaka and Prolaya Nayaka, led the battle against the invading Bahamanis by combining forces with the Balija, Reddy, Velama and Kamma Nayaks, and liberated the Andhra country.

Telagas had matrimonial Alliances with the Kakateeya and Vijayanagar Rulers. Araveeti Rama Raya the son in law of Krishna Devaraya and the ruler of the last dynasty of Viajayanagar was a Telaga. This family was an Eastern Chalukyan Fuedataory called the Arayeti Family which became Araveeti in due course of time.

With Vijayanagara coming into power the Telagas served under the new rulers and were dispatched off to protect the far-flung regions of the empire to Tamil Nadu and were posted as Nayaks and took up Administration as Nayaks/Nayakers. The most famous Telaga general was Viswanatha Nayaka who started the Madurai Nayak Dynasty

After the fall of the Vijayanagar Empire in the Battle of Talikota large sections of Telagas migrated towards the North and settled down in their native region of the Godavari deltas and took to agriculture while some of them went further South and settled down in the Madhurai and Tanjavur region and joined the Nayak King army.

Telaga Bravery

Telagas are known for their bravery and fearlessness aptly put by a famous Telugu saying describing the community "Teginche vade Telaga" which means "One who dares is a Telaga". Even now, one can find swords, armour and weapons with some of the Telaga families in Rajamundry. All of these people are Vaishnavas and have Sri Venugopala Swami as their family deity. Most of their surnames represents the names of weapons used by this warrior community.

• The Palnadu Battle also called the Andhra Mahabharatam played a pivotal role in shaping Andhras History Palnati Bramha Naidu

a Velama who was ousted from his Kingdom had to reli bed on the Telagas the Velanati Chodas who formed the bulwark in his battle against Nagamma's forces. The bravery exhibited in Palnadu battle is part of Andhra folklore and is still sung as Ballads.

• After the fall of the Kakateeyas, the Telagas Kaapaya Nayaka and Prolaya Nayaka along with Koppla Prolaya Nayaka of Pithapuram, led the battle against the invading Bahamanis by combining forces with the Reddy, Velama Nayaks, and liberated the Andhra Country and Orugallu from tyranny and destruction of the invaders."

• A legendary instance of Telaga bravery was exhibited during the Bobbili War, fought between the Velama Kingdom and the Vizianagaram Kingdom, led by Vijayaram Raju. Telagas warriors are the principal combatants of the Bobbilli war. When all seemed lost for the Bobbilli, Ranga Rayudu, the Bobbili king, before riding out to war, in no mood to submit the honour and the dignity of the Royal House, ordered all of his commanders to execute their families before riding out to meet their fate. Accordingly the Telaga and Velama commanders and soldiers executed their families before proceeding out to war. King Vijayaramaraju was laid to rest by a valiant Telaga commanders Miriyala Sitanna, padala ramudu along with Papa Rayudu.

• Pulakesin II's brother, Kubja Vishnu Vardhana, founded the Eastern Chalukya Empire after he was appointed Viceroy of Vengi, and gave many of his trusted generals fiefdoms to rule over as his vassals, and took up reign as Telaga Nayakulu (Governors). Most of the Telagas are feudal landlords concentrated mainly in the coastal areas of Andhra. Because of their warrior past and valiant fighting nature most Telagas were recruited in the British army as Major, Nayak Subhedars, Naikers etc. before India's independence. Telagas are very prominent in the Madras Regiment of British India army. Even now the Police and Indian Army recruits Telagas in large numbers from rural areas.

Social reformers

• Kaneganti Hanumanthu — started the Palandu Rebellion against British General Rutherford
• Gazulu Lakshminarasu Chetty— Social reformer,
• Salem Pagadala Narasimhalu Naidu — Writer and industrialist social reformer, Coimbattore
• Ray Bahaddur Sir Sri Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu — Social reformer, Former Chief Minister of Madras, President of Koormapuram, near Kakinada
• Brahmarshi Sir Dr. Rao Bahaddur Sri Raghupathi Venkataratnam Naidu — Social reformer and educationalist.

Kingdoms and dynasties

• Telugu Chodas
• Kona Chiefs
• Koppula Chiefs, Pithapuram
• Korukonda Nayaks
• Madurai Nayaks
• Tanjavur Nayaks
• Kandy Nayaks who ruled Sri Lanka
• Gingee Nayaks / Chenchi Nayaks, Thundeera
• Channapatna Rayas who ruled Bangalore area
• Penukonda
• Kalyandurg
• Rayadurgam
• Chandragiri:Kasturi Nayadu and Peda Koneti Nayudu of the Vasarasi family belonged to the Balija caste.
• Udayagiri
• Vijayanagara Empire
• Poligars: Some of the tax collectors of Tamil Nadu were of Balija origin, notably Veerapandiya Kattabomman.
• Metla Rajulu
• Rana of Baramal

Chief Ministers

• Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu (Rao Bahaddur Sir) — Governor Madras Presidency (1936–1937) Chief Minister of Madras Presidency (1937)

Politics

• Sanakkayala Aruna — EX-Health Minister Of AP.

Writers

• Tapi Dharma Rao - Telugu writer
• Dasari Narayana Rao - Writer, director, actor, producer
• A. M. Rathnam — Producer, lyricist
• Meher Ramesh- Director, writer
• Ananth Sreeram — Lyricist

Athletics, sports

• Col. C. K. Naidu, Former Captain of Indian Cricket.
• Buchi Babu Naidu, Father of Indian Cricket in Chennai.
• Cotah Ramaswami, Double international who represented India in both cricket and tennis.
• C.S. Nayudu, Indian Test cricketer,
• Kodi Rammurthy Naidu — Bodybuilder and wrestler
• Venugopal Rao — Cricketer
• Ambati Rayudu— Cricketer
• Tirumalasetti Suman— Cricketer
• Achanta Sharath Kamal, Table Tennis Champion

Industrialists and entrepreneurs

• Allu Aravind — Cine Producer in Telugu Hindhi industralist
• Vikram Akula — Founder of SKS Microfinance and Time's Top 100 persons in world 2006
• D. K. Audikesavulu Naidu — Industralist & Ex.M.P.
• Srini Kopollu — MD, Microsoft India

Artists

Dancers and stage actors

• Shobha Naidu

Painters

• Chandra —-Kala Ratna
• Nandikolla Gopala Rao —-Father of modern contemporary artist in A.P

Movies

Producers

• Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu — Father of Telugu Film Industry
• S. V. Ranga Rao (Viswa Nata Chakravarti, Nata Sarvabhouma, Nata Sekhara, Nata Simha) — Actor
• Edida Nageshwara Rao — Producer
• P. Pullaiah— Producer and director
• B. A. Subba Rao — Producer and director
• Krishnaveni (actress) — Producer, actress, singer
• Santha Kumari— Producer, actress
• Pasupuleti Kannamba — Producer, Telugu and Tamil
• A. M. Rathnam — Producer
• Naga Babu — Producer
• Dasari Narayana Rao — Telugu director and producer
• M. S. Narayana — Producer and actor
• Chegondi Venkata Harirama Jogaiah — PRP leader, cinema producer
• Savitri (actress) — Telugu and Tamil actress, producer:
• Srihari— Producer and actor

Actors

• S. V. Ranga Rao (Viswa Nata Chakravarti, Nata Sarvabhouma, Nata Sekhara, Nata Simha) —Famous Actor
• Savitri Kommareddy — Mahanati
• Allu Rama Lingaiah — actor and freedom fighter
• Chiranjeevi — Padmabhushan, Megastar, doctorate holder, PRP Founder.
• Rajanala Kaleswara Rao — Actor
• Santha Kumari— Producer, actress
• Pasupuleti Kannamba — Telugu and Tamil actress and producer
• Dasari Narayana Rao — Telugu director, actor and producer
• Kaikala Satyanarayana — Actor
• Nagendra Babu — actor and producer
• Pawan Kalyan — Actor, Director, Comman Man Protection force(C.M.P.F) founder
• Ram Charan Teja — Actor
• Allu Arjun — actor
• Navdeep; actor
• Devika — Actress [3]
• Nirmalamma— Actress [4]
• Roja Ramani — Actress
• M. R. Radha (Mohan Rajagopala Radhakrishnan Naidu) — Tamil actor
• Raadhika Sarathkumar — Tamil and Telugu actress and producer
• Radha Ravi— Tamil actor and producer [5]
• Sneha — actress
• Srihari — Actor and Producer
• Ravi Krishna — Actor
• M. S. Narayana — Actor
• Bhanu Chander — Actor and producer
• A. M. Rathnam — producer
• Ravi Krishna;Actor and A.M.Ratnam's son
• Krishnaveni — Actress, singer, producer
• G. Varalakshmi — Actress
• Sarath Babu;Tamil and Telugu film actor
• Rambha_(actress) — Actress

Directors

• P. Pullaiah— Producer and director
• B. A. Subba Rao — Producer and director
• Dasari Yoganand — Director
• Tapi Chanakya— Director
• Dasari Narayana Rao — Telugu director/Producer, Former Union Minister of India
• Kodi Ramakrishna — Director
• Krishna Vamsi Pasupuleti — Director
• V.V. Vinayak — Director
• Sukumar — Director
• Meher Ramesh — Director
• Pawan Kalyan - Actor, and Director
• Nagesh Kukunoor— Director
• M. Raja — Director
• M. S. Narayana — Director
• Sekhar Kammula — Director

Musicians

• Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu — Classical musician
• Ramesh Naidu — Music director
• Master Venu — Music director
• Devi Sri Prasad— Music director
• Ramana Gogula — Music director
• Ananth Sreeram — Lyricist(Palkol,WGDt)

Singers

• Jikki (Pillavalu Gajapathi Krishnaveni)[6]
• Chakri (music director)
• Devi Sri Prasad
• Ramana Gogula
• Santhakumari
• Kalyanam Raghuramaiah

Technicians

• Thota Tharani — Art director
• Marthand K. Venkatesh — Editor
• Shyam K. Naidu — Cinematographer
• Chota K. Naidu; Cinematographer

Unsorted

• Marotrao Kannamwar Chief Minister Government of Maharashtra 1961- 1964.
• S.V. Ranga Rao, one of the greatest actors in the history of Indian Cinema.
• Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga Politician.
• Chiranjeevi, politician, iconic film star, social worker and philanthropist of Andhra Pradesh.
• Beri Thimmappa Naidu (Chetti) of Palakollu, one of the founders of Madras city
• Marotrao Kannamwar, Chief Minister Government of Maharashtra (1961–1964)

Telaga

Main article: Telaga

Telagas are the most ancient feudal warrior/agricultural clans of the South India, who practiced agriculture during times of peace. Modern-day Telagas continue in their traditional agricultural occupation, but also have diversified into other occupations.

Origin

• The origin of the Telagas can be traced to the Western Chalukyan expansion into the Andhra region during the 1st century A.D. The term "Telaga" was a derivation of the word "Telingana". Andhra was referred to as Telingana in the ancient texts as it was the area that had three major Shivinsa-Arama's, thus was called Tri-Linga. The people living there were called "Telugus" and the language spoken by the people there was called "Telugu".

• Another source of origin mentions that when the Chalukyas invaded Andhra so in order to differentiate between the Native Commanders of the Tri-linga Desam from the commanders in the Chalukyan army the term Telugu Nayakulu was coined which eventually became Telaga Nayak/Naidu.

The Telagas may have served as soldiers of the Western Chalukya rulers under Pulakesin . They formed the bulwark of ancient armies of the Deccan and South India like Cholas, Chalukyas, Kakatiyas, Vijayanagar and Nayaks. They seem to have a connection with the Eastern Chalukyas. The Vassals of Chalukyas entered into matrimonial alliances and ultimately established the Chalukya - Chola Dynasty. Another important dynasty of Telagas were the Telugu Cholas who were the first Andhra Kings to write inscriptions in Telugu. They ruled over the Palnadu, Velanadu and Renadu regions of Andhra Pradesh for most of the medieval ages. The Telugu Chodas formed the base on which Chalukyan Empire flourished and were the principal combatants of the Palanadu war/Palanati Yuddam. Telugu Cholas supported Bramha Naidu in this war against the Nalagam Raju.

Other Telaga dynasties are mentioned below.

Dynasties

• Telugu Chodas. Metla Rajas of Kadapa region were Telugu Chodas who had matrimonial alliances with Sadasivaraya of Vijayanagar dynasty. Matli Varadaraju, the son of Somaraja of Matli families of Telugu Choda descent was married to Krishnamma , the second daughter of Vijayanagar emperor Sreekrishnadevarayalu.[7] According to Etukuri Balarama murthy in " Andhrula Samkshiptha Charithra" Telugu Chodas gradually came to be known as Kapus or Telagas. According to Etuki Balaramamurthy Kakatiya emperor Ganapathi Deva gave his second daughter "Ganapamba" in marriage with Dharanikota king "Kota Betharaju" of Telaga caste(Kapu)of Telugu Choda descent. As per Paula Richman In "Questioning Ramayana: A South Asian Tradition" a ruler by the name of Katta Varadaraju of Balija caste claimed descent from Karikala Chola.According to Kante Narayana Desayi in "Balija Kula Charithra" Telugu Cholas claimed descent from Karikala Chola.
  • Velanati Chodas (Velanadu region, current E.G, W.G and Krishna Districts)
  • Renati Chodas (Renadu regions, current Cuddapah, Kurnool Regions)
  • Pottapi Cholas (Renadu regions, current Cuddapah, Chittor Districts)
  • Konidena Chodas (Palanadu region, current Guntur, Prakasam Districts)
  • Nannuru Chodas (Pakanadu region Current Anantapur District)
  • Nellore Chodas (Nellore, Chittor, Chengalpeta and Cuddapah Regions)
• Kona Kings (Visakhapatnam, E.G, W.G regions, The name Konaseema is derived after these Kings)

• Kolanu Kings (ruled from Kolanupuram (eluru), ganapavaram, akiveedu as their capitals)
• Koppula Chiefs (ruled with Pithapuram as capital, E. Godavari, were one of the main combatants along with Mununuri, Reddy and Velama Nayaks in the revolt against Muslim rule)
• Korukonda Nayaks (ruled from Korukonda)

There are thousands of surnames in the Telaga / Balija community people in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu states in India.

References