History of Adilabad District

The wider northern Deccan has a long archaeological and historical record extending from prehistoric and early historic settlements through the emergence of regional kingdoms. The modern boundaries of Adilabad district should not be projected directly onto ancient political territories, whose boundaries changed considerably over time.

Archaeological remains and historical references from northern Telangana and adjoining Maharashtra help place the Adilabad region within the broader political and cultural history of the Deccan.

Asmaka (Assaka) was one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas mentioned in early Indian traditions. Its capital is traditionally identified as Potana / Potali, commonly associated with modern Bodhan.

The wider northern Telangana and Deccan region was associated with early polities such as Asmaka. The precise extent of Asmaka territory within present-day Adilabad is uncertain and should not be treated as identical to the modern district.

Founded by Chandragupta Maurya, the Mauryan Empire became one of the largest political powers of ancient India. Under Ashoka, Buddhism received extensive royal patronage and Mauryan influence extended into the Deccan.

The northern Deccan, including areas associated with present-day northern Telangana, came within the wider sphere affected by Mauryan expansion. Direct Mauryan administration over every part of modern Adilabad, however, cannot be assumed from the broader regional history.

The Satavahanas, traditionally associated with Simuka as an early founder, became one of the major powers of the Deccan. Their political and cultural influence extended across large parts of present-day Telangana, Maharashtra and adjoining regions.

The wider northern Telangana region formed part of the Satavahana political and cultural sphere at different stages. The precise extent of direct Satavahana administration within present-day Adilabad is less certain.

Founded by Vindhyashakti, the Vakatakas became an important power in the northern Deccan. Their Vatsagulma branch was centred at Vatsagulma, identified with modern Washim in Maharashtra.

Vakataka political influence extended through parts of the northern Deccan adjoining present-day Telangana, including areas historically connected with the Adilabad region.

Founded by Pulakeshin I, the Badami Chalukyas became a major Deccan power. Pulakeshin II greatly expanded Chalukyan political influence during the 7th century.

The wider Telangana and northern Deccan region came within the political sphere of the Badami Chalukyas during their expansion. Chalukyan rule forms part of the early-medieval historical background of the Adilabad region.

Founded by Dantidurga, the Rashtrakutas succeeded the Badami Chalukyas as one of the dominant powers of the Deccan. Their principal imperial centre became Manyakheta.

Their extensive political sphere included large parts of the Deccan and influenced the northern Telangana region associated with present-day Adilabad.

Founded by Tailapa II, the Western Chalukyas restored Chalukyan power in the Deccan after the decline of the Rashtrakutas. Their important capitals included Manyakheta and Kalyani (modern Basavakalyan).

The northern Telangana region formed part of the wider Western Chalukya political sphere. Inscriptions from the region provide evidence of feudatories, territorial divisions, villages and religious endowments during this period.

Mahamandalesvara Rajaditya governed the areas identified in the inscriptional record as Kosavala-1½ lakh and Sabbi-71,000 from his capital at Lemulavada. These historical territorial divisions included areas associated with the northern Telangana region.

The inscriptional evidence illustrates the network of regional feudatories functioning within the Western Chalukya political system.

Ruled from Vemulawada. An inscription dated 1106 CE records the gift of a flower garden for offerings to the god Harikesavara by Prince Somesvara with the approval of Ballaharasa (Vikramaditya VI).

The record also mentions the agrahara Lembavadi in Venisale-seventy in Sabbi-thousand, illustrating the administrative and religious organization of the period.

Paramara Jagaddeva is known from inscriptional evidence associated with the northern Deccan. The Jainad Inscription identifies him as a son of Udayaditya and the paternal nephew of the celebrated Paramara ruler Bhoja.

The inscription records Jagaddeva's military achievements, including campaigns involving the Andhra kingdom, Chakradurga, Dwarasamudra and Gurjara warriors, as well as a victory over King Karna.

• Campaign against the Andhra kingdom.
• Victory associated with the ruler of Chakradurga.
• Conflict with the forces of the ruler of Dwarasamudra.
• Victory over Gurjara warriors near Mount Arbuda (Abu).
• Victory over King Karna.

These military descriptions occur within an inscriptional context and therefore represent the achievements claimed for Jagaddeva in the record. They provide important evidence for the political networks operating across the Deccan during this period.

8 November 1128 CE – Kamagiri: A separate inscription introduces Mahamandalesvara Jagaddeva with feudatory titles and mentions Guriyada grama in Salaghampranaka within his vishaya.

Sources: Jainad Inscription; Kamagiri Inscription (1128 CE)

A later Paramara-associated feudatory known from the Bhasia inscription in the historical Adilabad area. The record is in Sanskrit and Nagari script and is associated with a religious dharmakarya undertaken by his subordinate [Na]gama-ravuta.

The inscription provides evidence of Paramara-linked political and religious activity in the region. It should be understood as inscriptional evidence concerning a particular feudatory rather than proof of continuous Paramara administration over the entire modern Adilabad district.

Source: Archaeological Survey of India, Annual Report on Indian Epigraphy for 1958–59, Bhasia Inscription, Adilabad District

The Kakatiyas became one of the major powers of the eastern Deccan. Their important political centres included Anumakonda (Hanumakonda) and later Orugallu / Ekasilanagara (Warangal).

The Kakatiyas expanded their authority across large parts of present-day Telangana and adjoining regions. Areas associated with present-day Adilabad formed part of the wider Kakatiya political sphere at different stages.

Kakatiya administration, temple patronage, irrigation and regional political networks left a lasting legacy across Telangana.

Gond rulers associated with Sirpur and Chanda exercised authority over parts of the forested northern Deccan over several centuries. Sirpur is now in Kumram Bheem Asifabad district, Telangana, while Chanda is the historic name of present-day Chandrapur, Maharashtra.

Gond political traditions became particularly important in the forested tracts of northern Telangana and adjoining Maharashtra. Gond society maintained distinctive clan institutions, religious traditions, oral histories and relationships with forest and agricultural resources.

Kol Bhill (also recorded in variant forms such as Kol Bheel or Kolkhil) appears in Gond genealogical traditions concerning the early rulers. Such genealogical traditions vary between sources, and individual names and chronologies should therefore be understood in their historical and traditional context.

The Gond kingdoms interacted with and existed alongside several larger political powers, including the Kakatiyas, Musunuris, Recherla Padmanayakas, Bahmanis, Golkonda rulers, Mughals and Asaf Jahis.

Source: Gond historical and genealogical traditions and regional historical records

Founded by Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah, the Bahmani Sultanate became a major power in the Deccan. Its principal capitals were Gulbarga and later Bidar.

The political changes associated with the Bahmani Sultanate and its successor states affected the wider northern Telangana and adjoining Deccan region.

Founded by Yusuf Adil Shah, the Adil Shahi dynasty ruled from Bijapur. It was one of the major successor states that emerged from the Bahmani political order.

The Adilabad District Administration attributes the name Adilabad to Ali Adil Shah. This attribution should be distinguished from Yusuf Adil Shah, who founded the Adil Shahi dynasty.

Persian, Deccani Urdu, Marathi, Kannada and Telugu were among the languages used across the wider Deccan political and cultural environment during this period.

With the Mughal conquest of Golconda in 1687, the wider region came under Mughal authority. Aurangzeb incorporated the Deccan territories into the Mughal imperial system.

The period formed a transition between the Mughal administration of the Deccan and the emergence of the Asaf Jahi political order in Hyderabad.

The Asaf Jahi dynasty established its independent political authority in Hyderabad in 1724 under Asaf Jah I. The historical Adilabad region became part of Hyderabad State.

During the Nizam period, administrative institutions, roads, irrigation works and other infrastructure developed across northern Telangana and adjoining regions. Structures such as the Soan Bridge and the Sadarmat irrigation project are associated with the region's later historical development.

The Subsidiary Alliance of 1798 placed Hyderabad State under British protection while retaining the Nizam's internal administration.

Originally, the region was not a full-fledged district but a sub-district named Sirpur-Tandur, created in 1872 with Edlabad (Adilabad), Rajura, and Sirpur as its constituent talukas.

In 1905, the status of the Sirpur-Tandur sub-district was raised to that of an independent district with headquarters at Adilabad.

This marked the formal establishment of Adilabad as a separate district in the administrative history of the region.

Source: Adilabad District Administration

Following Operation Polo in September 1948, Hyderabad State was integrated into the Indian Union. Adilabad remained part of Hyderabad State until the reorganization of Indian states in 1956.

Following the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, Adilabad became part of the newly formed State of Andhra Pradesh.

Komaram Bheem was a Gond leader associated with the forested areas of northern Telangana who resisted aspects of the Nizam-era administrative system. His struggle is particularly associated with claims concerning land, forest resources and the rights of tribal communities.

Bheem subsequently became an important symbol of Adivasi resistance in Telangana. His legacy is commemorated through memorials, institutions and annual observances in the region.

Anthropologist Christoph von Fürer-Haimendorf conducted extensive research among the Gonds of the former Hyderabad State and documented aspects of Gond society, economy, customs and administration.

The demand for a separate Telangana state became a major political movement in 1969 and again during the prolonged statehood movement of the 2000s and early 2010s.

In 2014, Telangana was formed as India's 29th state. The new state came into existence on 2 June 2014 under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.

Adilabad became part of the newly formed state of Telangana.

In 2016, the former Adilabad district was reorganized into 4 districts: Adilabad, Nirmal, Mancherial, and Kumram Bheem Asifabad.

This reorganization substantially reduced the geographical extent of the present Adilabad district and created separate administrative identities for areas that had previously formed part of the larger district.

Source: Government of Telangana district reorganization records