Wanaparthy Samsthanam

Wanaparthy Samsthanam traces its history back to 14th century after  the Kakatiya kingdom declined. The successive Turkic Muslim dynasties, who invaded and settled in Deccan, found it ideal for Samsthanam to prevail. It was surrounded by three other Samsthanam.

Wanaparthy was one of the 14 major Zamindari segments in Telangana in Post-Independent India.

For administrative purposes the Samsthan was divided into two taluqs namely "sugar" and "Kesampet" under to Tahsildars.

1512 AD - 1540 AD : Raja VEERA KRISHNA REDDY

The Wanaparthy Samsthanam was founded under the stewardship of Veera Venkata Krishna Reddy. He had ably served the cause of literature and workers. Reddy set up infrastructure for printing the workings of local poets and writers. The Wanaparthy rulers had the rare distinction of honouring the eminent poet Tirupati Venkata Kavulu.

1540 AD - 1566 AD : Raja VENKAT REDDY

1566 - 1592 AD : Raja RAMA KRISHNA REDDY

1592 - 1625 AD : Raja PEDDA VENKAT REDDY

1625 - 1648 AD : Raja INUNIDI VENKAT REDDY

1648 - 1676 AD : Raja GOPAL RAO

1676 - 1691 AD : Raja BAHIRI GOPAL RAO

1691 - 1719 AD : Raja VENKAT REDDY

1719 - 1746 AD : Raja BAHIRI GOPAL RAO

1746 - 1763 AD : Raja SAWAI VENKAT REDDY

1763 - : Raja BAHIRI GOPAL RAO

1781 - 1807 AD : Rani B. Janamma

1807 - 1822 AD : Raja RAMKRISHNA RAO I

He established Suguru as the Capital of his province to rule 124 Villages. The first Rama Krishna Rao established the Wanaparthy as Capital of Province in the place of Suguru in 1817A.D.

1822 AD - 1866 AD : Raja Rameshwar Rao I

The First Maharaja Rameshwara Rao ruled this Province from old castle i.e., Patha Kota of Wanaparthy.

on 17th March 1843, the title of "Balwant" was conferred on the Raja as a mark of honour by Nizam Sikander Jah.

To build a armed force, Raja imported Siddis from Somalia and Abyssinia and organized them into 2 regiments African Bodyguard and Wanaparthy Lancers.

On account of skirmishes and conflicts between Rajas forces and Nizams the British residency intervened and arranged a treaty by which the Raja presented his regiments to Nizam and was appointed as inspector general of Nizams forces and Nizam accepted Rajas autonomy.

The Hyderabadi battalion of the Bison Division was formed on Nov. 5, 1853. The Nizam had appointed the Raja as inspector of his army and after the Raja's death in 1866, the battalion was absorbed into the Nizam's Army and became its nucleus.

1866 AD - 1892 AD : Rani Shankaramma   (1840 - 1912)

She was the founder of the seven Oceans in this Province namely 1) Shankara Samudram, Kanayapally, 2) Krishna Samudram, Ranipet, 3) Ganapa Samudram, Ghanapur, 4) Ranga Samudram, Sri Rangapur, 5)Mahabhoopala Samudram, Pebbair, 6) Venugopala Samudram, Sankireddypally and 7) Jatapala Samudram Veltoor.

Meanwhile, Ram Sagar Bangalow the present polytechnic palace was built in 1885 A.D. and then the administration was shifted to this Bangalow from the old castle i.e., Patha kota.

1866 - 1922 AD : Raja Rameshwar Rao II

After Rani Shankaramma’s demise the second Raja Rameshwar Rao came to the throne and ruled the Wanaparthy Province. He had two sons namely Krishna Deva Rao, Ram Deva Rao and a daughter.

1922 - 1944 AD : Raja Krishna Deva Rao
As his successor, Krishna Dev, was a minor, his estate was managed as a Ward of the Court. Krishna Dev himself died before attaining majority and the crown passed on to his son Rameshwar Rao III. 

Krishna Deva Rao was the successor of second Raja Rameshwar Rao and he ruled Wanaparthy Province for a short period and died in 1924 at the age of 21 years.

1944 - 1998 AD : Janumpally Rameshwar Rao III

After Krishna Deva Rao’s demise, Sri J. Raja Rameshwar Rao became Prince of the Province. He was a voracious reader, a poet, a good administrator and a man of prudence. During 1940’s Telangana armed struggle against the Nizam’s RulesSri Raja Rameshwar Rao struggled lot Rule for the deliverance of his province from Nizam’s control. It is said that Nizam tried to kill Raja Rameshwar Rao, but he went underground.

Thereafter India abolished all regal titles

He was born on 23 February 1923 in Madras to Raja Krishnadeva Rao and Rani Sarala Devi.

He studied at Nizam College, Hyderabad, Madras University and Bombay University.

1944 : He was granted full administrative powers in 1944.

1950 - 1957 : Joined the Foreign Service and served in various capacities till 1957, including a posting as First Secretary, India's Commission in Nairobi.

1957 –1977 : Member of Parliament from Mahabhubnagar Constituency Member of the United Nations Conciliation Commission on the Congo 1960/1961; Chairman of Orient Longman 1964/1968

He died at the age of 75 years in Hyderabad on 15 September 1998. He is survived by wife Shanta, one son and three daughters. 

The Saralasagar project was initiated and built by the Wanaparthy ruler Raja Rameshwara Rao III and named after his mother Sarala. It was completed in 1959 and inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru.

Raja Rameshwara Rao III sent his engineer friend P.S. Ramakrishna Raju to California to study the automatic siphon technology. Raju learnt the technology, and returned home and helped build the Saralasagar dam and other projects like the ones at Kinneresani, Pochampad and Nagulapet.

The foundation stone was laid on September 15, 1949, by the then military Governor of Hyderabad, General J.N. Chowdary. The contractor for the project till 1956 was Sripathi Rao. Work on the earth dam had already been initiated, according to assistant engineer Mamilla Buganna, who travels everyday by train from Mahbubnagar to Madanapur to come to Kothapeta, where this beautiful dam exists.

Located in Kothakota of Wanaparthy district (part of erstwhile Mahbubnagar district), it is just 6 km from the small and bustling town, filled with small shops. The Saralasagar project is a rain-fed dam and would fill up with water during the monsoon. The water used to flow through siphons into a tiered system, which would eventually flow into the canals and the fields. The Saralasagar itself had a catchment area a 771 acres.

Simply put, water from Saralasagar used to be lifted across the dam without being pumped, irrigating 4,182 acres. The total storage capacity of Saralasagar is estimated to be 0.5 tmc, which makes it a minor irrigation project, despite its historical and scientific importance.

Among his grandchildren are the actress Aditi Rao Hydari (his daughter's daughter), and Kiran Rao (his son's daughter) who is the wife of actor Aamir Khan.






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