Karempudi

Karempudi
Town
Karempudi Location in Andhra Pradesh, India
Coordinates: 16°26′00″N 79°43′00″E / 16.4333°N 79.7167°E / 16.4333; 79.7167Coordinates: 16°26′00″N 79°43′00″E / 16.4333°N 79.7167°E / 16.4333; 79.7167
Country	India
State	Andhra Pradesh
District	Guntur
Mandal	Karempudi
Population (2015)
• Total	30,000
Languages
• Official	Telugu
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN	522614
Telephone code	+91–8649
Lok Sabha constituency	Narasaraopet
Andhra Pradesh Legislature constituency	Macherla

Karempudi is a town and a mandal located on the banks of river Naguleru in Guntur district in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. It occupies an important place in Telugu history as the place where the famous Battle of Palnadu (Palnati Yuddam) took place in 12th century AD. The war of Palnadu in the 12th century is marked in legend and literature as 'Andhra Kurukshetra War'. A whole generation of the warriors of Andhra perished in the war.^[1][2]

Etymology

Karempudi is derived from the "karyam"pudi. karyam have lot of meanings it also means "Yuddam" (war), here Palnati yuddam held so this place called Karyamapudi after that with time it changed to karempudi.

History

The battle of Palnadu (Palnati Yudham) was immortalized in Telugu literature by the poet Srinatha in his 'Palnati Vira Charita'. The only other scholarly book on the subject was written by Gene Roghair titled "Epic of Palnadu: Study and Translation of Palnati Virula Katha, a Telugu Oral Tradition from Andhra Pradesh". It was a battle between two factions of the Kalachuris (Haihaya).^[3]

Nalagama Vira Raju was the son of Alugu Bhupathi Raju of the Palanati Kalachuris. His step brother was Malideva Raju, who was married to a princess of the Kalyani branch of Kalachuris. Recherla Dodda Naidu and Palanati Brahmanaidu of Velama caste were vassals of the Velanti Chodas (Vassals of the Chola-Chalukyas and responsible for the administration of their Andhra territories) of Durjaya clan and tried to usher in a new era in which caste distinctions would be abolished. Nalagama was against this and tried to check their progress. He was supported by Nagamma, a Reddy female statesperson who became his chief adviser. The differences in ideology led to Brahma Naidu leaving with his supporters, including Nalagama's half brother Malideva and set up an independent court in Macherla.

Mutual suspicion and rivalry reached a high pitch between the two courts and Nagamma, under the pretext of Malideva's defeat in a cock-fight, exiled them for seven years from Palnadu. After the exile was over Brahma Naidu sent Alaraja, the son of Kalachuri Kommaraja of Kalyani, and the brother-in-law of Malideva to claim Malideva's share. The demand was turned down and Alaraja was poisoned to death under the orders of Nagamma in Cherlagudipadu. The enraged Kalyani Kalachuris and Brahma Naidu declared war on Gurazala. The battle was fought in Karempudi on the banks of the river Naguleru. The Kakatiya dynasty, Kota Vamsa, Paricchedis and Hoysalas supported Nalagama and the Vengi Kalachuris. The Velanati Chodas and Malideva were supported by the Kalyani Kalachuris.

The faction led by Palanati Brahmanaidu and Malideva was victorious. But Malideva died in the battle, so Brahma Naidu reinstated Nalagama. The civil war shook the Velanadu kingdom to its foundation. A whole generation of the warriors of Andhra perished in the war. The tragedy hastened the end of the Chalukyan rule in Vengi. It exposed their weaknesses and allowed the Hoysalas, Kalachuris, Eastern Gangas and the Kakatiyas to eventually overrun them.

A temple is built at the battle ground on the banks of Naguleru called "Palnati Veerula Gudi" to commemorate all the warriors with all the weapons the warriors used in the war. Only once a year mostly in the months of November or December the temple is opened for 5 days and prayers are offered. Fo rthis five days are celebrated in karempudi and in all adjacent villages as "Tirunalla or Jatara".

See also

• Villages in Karempudi mandal

References