The History of Telangana: From Stardust to Statehood
Telangana, India's 29th state, was formed on June 2, 2014, but its story is as ancient as the land itself. Located on the central Deccan Plateau, its narrative is not merely one of dynasties and politics, but a profound saga that begins with the very formation of the subcontinent.
Known in ancient Puranic texts as part of Jambudvipa and Bharat Khande, this land derives its identity from Trilinga Desha — the land of three sacred Shiva lingas at Kaleshwaram, Srisailam, and Bhimeswaram. Nourished by the great Godavari and Krishna rivers and endowed with vast natural wealth — including 20% of India's coal deposits — Telangana has been a cradle of civilization for millennia.
Its history has unfolded from a succession of great capitals, from the ancient seats of Bodhan (Potali), Kotilingala, and Vemulawada, to the medieval power of Warangal (Orugallu), and its present-day capital, Hyderabad.
Timeline overview
Epoch: Holocene (End of Last Ice Age) – 9,700 BCE
We are currently in the Quaternary Ice Age, but entered a warmer climate in 9,700 BCE.
Part VI - Information Age – 1947 CE (Invention of the transistor by John Bardeen and Walter Brattain at Bell Labs)
We are currently in the Quaternary Ice Age, but entered a warmer climate in 9,700 BCE.
Part VI - Information Age – 1947 CE (Invention of the transistor by John Bardeen and Walter Brattain at Bell Labs)
Part V – Historic Age: Dynasties and Civilizations of Telangana
The Historic Age of Telangana chronicles the rise and evolution of civilizations in the region, tracing a journey from ancient tribal settlements and Mahajanapadas to powerful dynasties, medieval kingdoms, and the early modern Asaf Jahi state. Over the centuries, Telangana’s strategic location in the Deccan Plateau made it a crossroads of trade, culture, and political power. The region’s rulers left behind a rich legacy of temples, forts, inscriptions, irrigation works, and urban centers that continue to shape its identity today.
c. 700 BCE – 300 BCE
The Asmaka Mahajanapada was one of the sixteen great realms of ancient India and
represents the earliest phase of organized polity in the Telangana region. Flourishing in the fertile
Godavari valley, it bridged the transition from tribal settlements to larger imperial formations that would
later dominate the Deccan.
c. 300 BCE – 232 BCE
After the decline of Asmaka, Telangana was absorbed into the Mauryan Empire, one of India’s first great
subcontinental states. Under Bindusara and Ashoka, the region saw centralized administration, organized
taxation, and the spread of Buddhism and Jainism, laying the foundations for later Deccan polities.
c. 232 BCE – 208 CE
The Satavahanas, also known as the Satakarnis or Salivahanas, emerged from present-day Telangana after the
Mauryan decline and became one of the earliest major southern dynasties. They controlled key trade routes,
patronized Buddhist stupas like Amaravati, and supported guild-based industries, leaving a durable economic
and cultural imprint on the Deccan.
c. 208 CE – 320 CE
The Ikshvakus rose in the eastern Deccan after the Satavahanas, making Vijayapuri a major
center of administration, religion, and art. They fostered religious pluralism and built
monasteries, stupas, and temples that turned the Krishna valley into a key cultural hub
and prepared the ground for later Deccan dynasties.
c. 208 CE – c. 280 CE
The Abhiras emerged after the Satavahanas, initially as powerful commanders under the
Western Satraps before establishing their own rule. They ensured administrative and
cultural continuity in the Deccan, supporting Hindu institutions and preserving Satavahana
traditions during a politically fragmented era.
c. 208 CE – 310 CE
The Mahisha Saka Chutus ruled a Saka kingdom that bridged northern and southern Deccan
after the Satavahana fall. Their coinage and religious patronage show a syncretic culture,
blending Buddhist support with local Hindu traditions while maintaining political stability
across key trade and agrarian zones.
c. 310 CE – 340 CE (Telangana presence)
The Pallavas briefly extended their power into Telangana before rising as a dominant
force in Tamil and Deccan regions. Their lasting contribution lies in pioneering
Dravidian temple architecture and shaping religious and artistic currents that
later influenced Deccan polities connected to Telangana.
c. 340 CE – 483 CE
Through their Vatsagulma branch, the Vakatakas influenced northern Telangana largely
through feudatories rather than direct rule. They are remembered for generous land
grants and cultural patronage, especially the Ajanta Caves, which mark a transition
from Satavahana to early Chalukyan artistic styles.
c. 380 CE – 611 CE
The Vishnukundins were the first to politically unify most of modern Telangana with
Coastal Andhra under one power. Their golden age under Madhav Varma II saw territorial
expansion, promotion of Sanskrit and Telugu, and support for both Hindu and Buddhist
institutions across the eastern Deccan.
611 CE – 753 CE (Telangana rule)
After defeating the Vishnukundins in 611 CE, the Badami Chalukyas integrated Telangana
into a large Deccan empire stretching from the Narmada to the Kaveri. Their rule
strengthened political unity, fostered Sanskrit and Kannada literature, and introduced
early Chalukyan temple architecture that influenced later regional styles.
753 CE – 973 CE
The Rashtrakutas overthrew the Badami Chalukyas and built a powerful Deccan empire
that incorporated Telangana into an extensive imperial network. Their patronage of
Kannada and Sanskrit literature and grand architecture, including the Kailasa temple
at Ellora, set the stage for later Chalukya and Kakatiya dominance in the region.
753 CE – 973 CE
As Rashtrakuta feudatories, the Vemulawada Chalukyas anchored regional power in
Telangana with their capital at the famous Sri Raja Rajeshwara temple town. They
promoted Shaiva and Jain traditions, patronized literature and temples, and formed
an important link between earlier Chalukyas and the later Kakatiya ascendancy.
973 CE – c. 1163 CE
The Kalyani Chalukyas restored Chalukya power in the Deccan after the Rashtrakutas,
ruling large parts of Telangana and Andhra. Their era is notable for rich temple
architecture, legal and administrative developments, and the political context in
which the Kakatiyas emerged as independent rulers.
c. 800 CE / 1151 CE – 1323 CE
The Kakatiyas unified most Telugu‑speaking regions under a powerful native rule and
are remembered as the brightest era of Telugu history. They built iconic structures
like Warangal Fort and Ramappa Temple, developed vast irrigation tank networks, promoted
Telugu as an administrative language, and resisted repeated invasions from the Delhi
Sultanate.
1323 CE – c. 1336 CE (provincial rule)
After conquering Warangal in 1323 CE, the Tughlaqs briefly ruled Telangana through
harsh taxation and new administrative structures. Widespread discontent led Telugu
warrior houses, especially the Musunuri and Recherla chiefs, to expel them by 1336 CE,
ending direct Delhi rule and restoring indigenous control.
1325 CE – 1368 CE
The Musunuri Nayaks led the first major native resistance after Kakatiya collapse,
rallying former vassals from the Bhadrachalam forests and recapturing Warangal in
1336 CE. They defended Hindu traditions and Telugu administration against northern
incursions until their defeat by the Recherla chiefs in 1368 CE.
1360 CE – c. 1475 CE
Former Kakatiya generals, the Recherlas first allied with the Musunuri chiefs against
Delhi before establishing independent rule from Rachakonda and Devarakonda. They
maintained order during a fragmented era and served as a bridge between Kakatiya
institutions and the later Bahmani, Vijayanagara, and Gajapati influences in Telangana.
c. 1310 – 1751 AD
The Sirpur-Chanda Gond Dynasty was a remarkable tribal kingdom that flourished for over four centuries across
central India, especially in parts of present-day Telangana and Maharashtra. Founded by Kol Bhill, who united
scattered Gond tribes into a single polity, the dynasty developed fortified towns, thriving agriculture, and rich
cultural traditions among the Koitur/Koya (“people of the green mountains”) who spoke Gondi in several regional
variants.
Gond rulers established well-organized state mechanisms with revenue collection, irrigation systems, and a network
of forts, temples, and towns that functioned as administrative and religious centers. They skillfully managed
relations with neighboring powers—from the Kakatiyas and Musunuri and Recherla Nayaks to the Bahmani Sultans,
Golconda, Mughals, and Marathas—preserving Gond autonomy for centuries and leaving a lasting legacy of urban
planning, infrastructure, and tribal self-rule in northern Telangana and Chandrapur.
Vijayanagara Empire
c. 1360 CE – 1551 CE (in Telangana)
The Vijayanagara Empire acted as a major political and cultural bulwark against the northern Sultanates. Their presence in Telangana was marked by frequent conflicts and strategic alliances with local Nayakas (like the Recharla Padmanayakas). Under Krishnadeva Raya, the empire regained significant territories in Telangana, leaving a lasting legacy through the construction of temples, large-scale irrigation tanks, and the patronage of Telugu literature, often referred to as the "Golden Age" of Telugu culture.
1350 CE – 1518 CE
The Bahmani Sultanate was the first long‑lasting independent Muslim kingdom of the
Deccan and controlled much of Telangana through provincial governors. It institutionalized
Indo‑Islamic administration, promoted Persianate culture and architecture, and its
eventual breakup produced the Deccan sultanates, including Golconda in Telangana.
1518 CE – 1687 CE
Emerging from Bahmani decline, the Qutb Shahis built a prosperous, culturally
cosmopolitan kingdom centered on Golconda and the new city of Hyderabad. They
patronized Telugu literature and Deccani arts, controlled famed diamond mines, and
left an enduring architectural legacy in Golconda Fort, Charminar, and the royal tombs.
1687 CE – 1724 CE
The Mughal conquest of Golconda in 1687 ended independent Qutb Shahi rule and turned
Telangana into a Mughal province governed from the Deccan. Political instability,
Maratha raids, and local resistance weakened imperial control, paving the way for
the rise of an effectively autonomous Asaf Jahi state.
1709 CE – 1710 CE
In 1709, exploiting political unrest in Delhi, Papanna captured Golconda Fort, the historic
seat of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, and ruled much of Telangana from this stronghold. For about
seven months, a leader from the Bahujan community held sovereignty over a region long dominated
by imperial and feudal elites, making this episode a unique moment in Deccan history.
His brief rule at Golconda was marked by strongly egalitarian and reformist policies. He
elevated Bahujans and other marginalized groups into positions of authority, encouraged more
equal land relations between zamindars and common landlords, and promoted religious and social
harmony through a mixed Hindu–Muslim army and court. This short‑lived regime became a symbol
of social revolution in Telangana, representing the assertion of common people against
centuries of entrenched feudal dominance.
1724 CE – 1948 CE
The Asaf Jahi Nizams transformed Hyderabad into a major princely state that survived
through the Mughal collapse and the British Raj. Their rule shaped the urban,
administrative, and cultural landscape of Telangana until Hyderabad’s integration
into the Indian Union in 1948, just decades before the formation of the modern
state of Telangana.
Part VI – Information Age (1947 CE – Present)
Global: Invention of transistor (Bardeen & Brattain, Bell Labs). Digital revolution, global communication networks. India & Telangana: 1947 CE: Indian independence. Telangana region evolves socially, culturally, and technologically. Modern cities (Hyderabad) emerge as knowledge and IT hubs.
17 Sep 1948 – 31 Oct 1956
After Operation Polo (13–17 September 1948), Hyderabad State was integrated into the Indian Union, ending Asaf Jahi
sovereignty and bringing the former princely state under military administration for more than a year. Civilian rule
followed with the Nizam as constitutional Rajpramukh, first under an appointed chief minister and later under an
elected government led by Dr. Burgula Ramakrishna Rao.
Andhra Pradesh State, India
1 Nov 1956 – 1 Jun 2014
Despite the SRC’s reservations about an immediate merger, Telangana and Andhra were combined on 1 November 1956 to
form Andhra Pradesh, uniting Telugu‑speaking regions under one state. Over subsequent decades, perceived violations
of safeguards, regional inequalities, and cultural‑political grievances fuelled recurring Telangana movements that
eventually led to the state’s bifurcation. [attached_file:1]
On 9 December 2009, the Union government announced the process of creating Telangana, and after intense debate the
Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill was cleared: passed in the Lok Sabha on 18 February 2014 and in the Rajya Sabha
on 20 February 2014. The Act provided that Hyderabad would serve as the capital of Telangana while also acting as
the temporary capital of the residuary Andhra Pradesh for up to ten years.
From 2 Jun 2014
Telangana was created on 2 June 2014 after one of South India’s longest mass movements for statehood, officially
becoming India’s 29th state with Hyderabad as its capital. K. Chandrashekar Rao, leader of the Telangana Rashtra
Samithi, took oath as the first Chief Minister, symbolising the political culmination of decades of regional
assertion over identity, resources, and self‑rule.
In December 2023, Anumula Revanth Reddy of the Indian National Congress became the second Chief Minister, marking
the first change of regime in the young state. Telangana’s Information‑Age trajectory is defined by Hyderabad’s
role as an IT and knowledge hub, alongside ongoing efforts to balance rapid urban growth with rural development and
social justice.
From ancient Mahajanapadas and imperial Mauryas to the Kakatiyas, Qutb Shahis and the Nizams, Telangana’s history is a continuous negotiation of power, culture, and identity. Understanding these layers helps explain how the modern state, formed in 2014, carries forward legacies that stretch back thousands of years.
References
The History of India – John McLeod
Historical sketches of ancient Dekhan – K. V. Subrahmanya Aiyer
A history of the Deccan – J. D. B. Gribble
Social and Cultural Life in Medieval Andhra
http://www.telangana.gov.in/about/history
https://magadhmahilacollege.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Sources-of-Indian-History.pdf
(Additional references from academic sources and websites)