Chagi

The Chagis also known as the Sagis or Tyagis who were Suryavanshi Kshatriyas & also were the rulers of Natavadi (Nellore District) and Vijyavativishayas (Krishna District) with capitals at Gudimetta (Prakasam District), Vijayananda, and Vinukonda (Guntur District), at different times for nearly three centuries and a half with interregnums in the middle. The Chagi dynasty owed nominal allegiance to the Cholas, the Kakatiyas and the Gajapatis. The rulers were warriors and administrators and de facto independent rulers. Their kingdom was fairly large and made significant political achievements compared to other dynasties in Vengi at the time. They had their own coinage and contracted diplomatic alliances of marriage with the Kakatiyas and the Kondupadumatis, Haihayas of Palnadu and the Telugu Cholas.^[1] The Kakatiya King Ganapati Deva's sister Melambika was married to the second son of Chagi Buddaraju, who was ruling Natavadi region.^[2][3]

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Origin

• According to Ramavilas by Telugu Lakshmana Kavi, the Chagi’s ancestry is as follows:

Brahma was born from the navel lotus of Vishnu and from him was born Mariachi. Marichi’s son was Kashyapa and his son was Bhaskara. Bhaskara’s son was Vaivasvata, whose son was Manu and Manus’s son was Ikshavaku. In Ikshavakavamsa as born Kakutsa, Raghu and Dasaratha. Dasaratha’s son was Rama of Suryavamsa, through them, Sagivamsa arose and became famous with great warriors and saints like Nagarjuna.

• Chagi Venkana was believed to be the first of the Chagis. He was of the solar race and was the lord of the west (Paschimadhisvara) and protector of the earth.
• Other branches of the Chagi dynasty are the Vatsavayi, Pericchedi and Telugu Chola (Choda) according to the inscriptions.
• An inscription left in a temple in the Krishna district around 1260 AD gives the genealogy of the Sagis and states the family is of the Bahujakula (Kshatriya). Bahuja means arm or shoulder in Sanskrit and kula means clan. In Hindu mythology, the four castes formed from the body of lord Brahma with the Kshatriyas arising from his arms and chest.^[4]

History

Rulers

1. Muppa 1 (1118 A.D.) was the first historical member of the Chagi dynasty. He was also known as Arya. Muppa served Rajendra Choda (Kulottunga 1 1070-1118 A.D.) loyally and successfully in his wars and was rewarded with royal insignias and some tracts to govern, which formed the nucleus of the Chagi kingdom.
2. Dora 1 (1118-11160 A.D.) had the title Tyagi as one inscription mentions Tyagi Dora, son of king Arya (Muppa 1). Dora was a powerful king. His coins known as Tyagigadyas are heard of as early as 1126 AD.
3. Pota 1 (1161-1190 A.D.) His daughter Prolama Devi was married of to the Natavadis. He was an ally of the Palnadu Haihayas, participated in the civil war and battle at Karempudi (1178-1186) on the side of the elder line Nalakama. One version of Palnati Vira Charitra mentions that Sagi Potamaraju, minister Satya, Gundamadeva, and Gobburaju and others came with a vast infantry, (288,000) to join Nalakama in the war. Sagipota is king Pota 1.
4. Dora 2 (1190-1199 A.D.) extended the bounds of his kingdom, transferred his capital to Vijayawada. Dora bore the epithets, Natavati Vishayadhisvara and Tyagiraja. Dora is mentioned simply as king Tyagi in Pota’s record of AD 1199.
5. Pota 2 (1199-1230 A.D.) also known as Narashimha Vardhana Tyagipota.
6. Ganapaya and Dora 3 (1230-1257 A.D.)
7. Manma Pota and Manma Ganpaya (1257-1268 A.D.)
   1. According to Ramavilasa, dedicated to Vatsavayi Goparaju, Sagi Macha was the youngest brother of Manma Pota and Manma Ganpaya. Macha’s son was Erra Pota who in turn had two sons, Telugu Raju and Rama Raju. Telugu Raju and Rama Raju were in the service of Pratapa Rudra of the Kakaitya dynasty. Ramavilasa says that Rama Raju conquered many kings in the battlefield and was presented with many elephants, kamkana, rubies and dancing women by them. As Rama Raju made Vatsavaya his capital, the name Vatsavaya came to be attached to Sagivamsa. Rama Raju’s descendant, Vatsavai Pedda Pathrudu founded the town of Peddapuram. Vatsavai Chaturbhuja Thimma Jagapathi Bahadur, who ruled from 1555-1607 AD, built the fort of Peddapuram. After his demise, his son Raya Jagapathi followed by his children Timma Jagapathi and Balabhadra Jagapathi ruled Peddapuram. From 1791 to 1804 the estate was ruled by Sri Vatsavai Raya Jagapathi. During British rule, Sri Raya Jagapathi was chosen to take over the estate in 1804. After Sri Raya Jagapathi’s death, the three wives Lakshmi Narasa Amma, Buchi Seetha Amma and Buchi Bangara Amma, ruled the estate in succession. Raya Jaggapathi's widow Buchi Seetha Amma, ruled from 1828-1835. With no heir, the estate was briefly ruled by Sri Surya Narayan Jagapathi Bahadhur until 1847, when it was taken over completely by the British East India Company.
      1. A Prince of this dynasty separated and started ruling an independent kingdom named Kottam.
8. No heirs were born so the empire went to Manma Chagiraju (1268-1292 A.D.)
9. Rudrayachagi (1292-1305 A.D.) also known as Rudraya Tyagi
10. From 1305 to 1477, the empire fell into control of the Kakatiyas in 1477 we hear of Chagi rulers in Vinukonda

Vinukonda

1. Chagis of Vinukonda supplanted the Reddy dynasty.
2. Annamanayaka
3. Pedaganna
4. Gada
5. Sagi Gannama was a governor (Maha-mandaleswara) under the rule of Vira Pratapa Gajapati Purushottama Deva of the Gajapati Dynasty (AD 1462-1496) of Orissa. He built a hill fort in his capital of Vinukonda. In 1447 A.D. Sagi Ganamma built the Temple of Lakshmi Narasimha at Vinukonda. Sagi Ganamma also built Raghunatha Swamy temple in 1447 A.D.^[5] Sagi Gannama bore the titles Karavalabhairaya, Puliyamarkoluganda and Gandabherunda.
6. Sagi Kommanayaka

Other

• A record from ongole dated ad 1087-1088 gives the genealogy of a family of Telugu Cholas beginning with Chagi Venkana of Suryavamsa.
• A Chagi Manmapota the lord of Brihat Kanchpura (Penuganchiprolu) is heard of from the inscription dated 1257 A.D.
• Vatsavai Pratapa Ayyappa Deva Maharaju was mentioned in 1443 AD.

Descendants

These modern day zamindari families trace their ancestry to Chagi Potaraju. The family name changed over time from Chagi to Sagi.^[6] They attained the title of Jagapati in the 16th century.^[7]

Raja-Sagi (This branch of the house of Sagi got its name from Raja Sagi Rama Chandra Raju for his deeds during the battle of Padmanabham)

1. "Raja Sagi" Family who were Mokasadars and Zamindars of Pandrangi & Kurapalli Villages of Pandrangi Gram Panchayat, Padmanabham Mandal of Visakhapatnam District.
2. "Raja Sagi" Family(Cousins who had migrated from Pandrangi Village and settled in their Kotauratla Estate) who were Mokasadars and Zamindars of Thangedu Village in Kotauratla Mandal of Visakhapatnam District.

Sagi

1. Velchur Kodur
2. Vemalapudi
3. Kondakarla
4. Kottur
5. Rajala
6. Rayavaram
7. Sarvasiddhi

Vatsavai

1. Peddapuram - "Sri Raja Vatsavai" Family
2. Tuni - "Sri Raja Vatsavai" Family
3. Godicharla

See also

• Kshatriya
• Rajus
• Raju Zamindaris
• Kota Vamsa
• Paricchedi
• Vishnukundina
• Eastern Chalukya
• Kakatiya
• Vijayanagar Empire

References