Telaga

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Telaga is a Community of Andhra Pradesh concentrated Primarily in the Coastal Areas of Andhra.the Telagas are Agriculturists by Profession and have been Fuedal landlords. Telaga is a Branch or a Division of the Kapu, or Naidu Community of Andhra.They have the caste title Naidu.

Contents

[edit] Sub Castes

The other SubCastes or Geographical Names of Telagas are

Please Refer to Kapu for more details about the Community.

[edit] Origins

The Origin of the Telagas can be traced back to the Western Chalukyan Expansion into Andhra region which happened in the 6th century A.D. Telagas are the most ancient Warrior/Agricultural clans of the Deccan and South India who are specialised in warfare.

The term Telaga was a derivation of the word Telingana.[4] Andhra was referred to as Telingana 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.

The Telagas have 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 might also might have been derived Telaga.

They formed the bulwark of Ancient armies of the Deccan and South India like Cholas,Pallavas,Chalukyas,Kakatiyas etc.They seem to have a connection with the Eastern Chalukyas.

The Vassals of Chalukyas entered into Matrimonial Alliances and ultimately established the Chalukya- Chola Dynasity. Etukuri Balaramamurthy and Colin McKenzie in fact mentione that these Telagas or Kapu communnity are the Descendants of these were these Telugu Cholas.

Telugu Cholas The Telugu Cholas rules for over Four Centuries the various regions of Andhra.

Important ruling Clans were

After the fall of the Easten Chalukyan kingdoms and the Velanati Cholas. The Telagas had to serve under the Kakateeyas as Vassals and accept their Suzzienarity.Under the new rulers 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 Reddy,Velama and Balija Nayaks and liberated the Andhra Country from Tyrranny nd Destruction.

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 Dynasity of Viajayanagar was a Tealaga. This family was a Eastern Chalukyan Fuedataory called the Arayeti Family which became Araveeti in due cource of time.

With Vijayanagara coming into power the Telagas served under the new rulers and were Dispatched off to Protect the farflung 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 Dynasit. -- Source Penugonda Charitra..

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 Country the Godavari deltas and took to agriculture.And some of them went further South and settled down in the Tanjavur region and joined the Tanjavur Nayaks Army.

Telagas are known for their bravery and fearlessness aptly put by a famous Telrugu Saying describing the community "Teginche vade Telaga" which means "One who dares is a Telaga".Even now we can find swords,armours and weapons with some of the Telaga families in Rajamundry.All of these people are Vaishnavas and have Sri Venugopala Swami has their family deity.

Another Legendary Instance of Telaga Bravery was exhibited during the Bobbili War fought between the Velama Kingdom and the Vizianagaram kingdom led by Vijayaram raju. 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. Viajayaramaraju was laid to rest by a valiant Telaga Commander Miriyala Venkata Rao along with Papa Rayudu. -- Bobbili Charitra

[edit] Legend

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 fuedal landlords concentrated mainly in the coastal areas of Andhra.

[edit] Telaga Names

The Telagas are also called Naidu and they also have prefixes like Setty and Reddy in their names denoting their Profession

Popular Surnames

Some of the surnames are derived from the Weapons used by this warrior community Sunkara, Tupakula, Kathula

And Other Surnames are Village names and Names which came out of their Professions having suffixes like Setty and Reddy

Ayitham,Chikkam,Palacholla, Nimmakayala, Bonam, Dasari,Dodda,Vuragayala, Konidela, Allu, Kota, Kaikala,Kambala, vejju, Adabala, pappula, vangaveeti, Addagarla, Sunkara, Cheruku, Kondra, Kolla, Gandham, Chodisetty, Polisetty, Pilla, Turumulla,Tirumalasetti,Majji, Mande, Mucherla,Namburu, Padala, Yerrabolu, Alla,Konidena, Dwaram, Theegala, Thota,Tuta, Mallepudi, Koppana,Koppusetty, Ramisetty,Rangisetty,Nagisetty, Kamisetty, elisetti, mokka, Koppireddy, Kunche, Grandhi, Surabattula, Oosuri, Yadla, Vaddi, Ambati, Yenugula, muppidi, Yalavarthi, Tanneru, Gatti,Badiga,Akula,uppu,nallam, chintalapudi, villa, maddimsetty, tadi, rednam, ganji, bhimala, kotipalli, mutyala, katnam, akkireddy, vungarala, pinaka, kethinidi, kasireddy, nukala, arigela, yedida, akasam, saladi, ghanta, davuluri, desamsetty, chilaka, etc.,

[edit] References & Sources

Important information about Kapu origins can be obtained from Balijapuranam in the Chennai library.

  • Castes And Tribes of Southern India (Edgar Thruston)
  • Andhrula Sanghika Charitra (Suvarnam Pratapa Reddy)
  • Caste & Class Articulation of Andhra Pradesh[1]
  • Genetic Evidence on Caste Origins[2]
  • Caste politics in the North, West and South India before Mandal[3]
  • Social Changes among Balijas (By Vijaya Kumari and Sepuri Bhaskar)
  • Andhrula Sankshiptha Charitra (E. Balarama Murthi)
  • Religion in Vijaya nagara Empire (Konduri Sarojini Devi)
  • Balijakula Charithra(By Kante Narayana Desayi)
  • - History in telugu
  • - History in english
  • - All about kapu community
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