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Telaga is a community of Andhra and concentrated primarily in the coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh.[1] 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

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.

List of Telagas

Social reformers

Kingdoms and dynasties

Chief Ministers

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

Politics

Writers


Athletics, sports


Industrialists and entrepreneurs


Artists

Dancers and stage actors

Painters

Movies

Producers

Actors

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Musicians

Singers

Technicians

Unsorted

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 [citation needed] 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 [citation needed] 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 [citation needed]. 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[citation needed]. 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.[citation needed]

Other Telaga dynasties are mentioned below.

Dynasties

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

References

  1. ^ Singh, Kumar Suresh (2003). People of India, Volume 26, Part 3. Anthropological Survey of India. pp. 1427 ff. ISBN 9788185938981.
  2. ^ a b Manual of the Pudukkóttai State, Page 127, by K. R. Venkatarama Ayyar, Commissioner of Museum, Pudukkottai (Princely State)
  3. ^ a b Politics and Social Conflict in South India: The Non-Brahmin Movement and Tamil Separatism, 1916 to 1929. Author: Irschick, Eugene F. Page 8
  4. ^ The Ceylon gazetteer: containing an accurate account of the districts, by Simon Casie Chitty, Frederick Jayetileke, Page 11
  5. ^ Delhi School of Economics. The Indian economic and social history review, page 411
  6. ^ Sanjay Subrahmanyam. The Political Economy of Commerce: Southern India 1500-1650, page 304
  7. ^ <Sanjay Subrahmanyam. Improvising empire: Portuguese trade and settlement in the Bay of Bengal, 1500-1700, page 206
  8. ^ http://books.google.co.in/books?id=p0wSoEIub1YC&pg=PA62&dq=jagadeva+banajiga&lr=&num=100&as_brr=3#v=onepage&q=jagadeva%20banajiga&f=false
  9. ^ [1] [dead link]
  10. ^ [2]
  11. ^ K.V. Raman. Sri Varadarajaswami Temple, Kanchi: A Study of Its History, Art and Architecture. Abhinav Publications, 2003. ISBN 8170170265, 9788170170266
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