Nagarkurnool District History

Nagarkurnool district is a district in the southern region of the Indian state of Telangana.The town of Nagarkurnool is the district headquarters. It was part of the Mahbubnagar district prior to re-organisation of districts in the state. The district shares boundaries with Nalgonda, Rangareddy, Mahabubnagar, Wanaparthy districts and with the state boundary of Andhra Pradesh with Nandyal, Palnadu and Prakasam Districts.

Naragrkurnool in olden times used to be part of Vardhamaanapuram current Nandi Vaddeman.


c.550 AD - 753 AD : Badami Chalukyas (543 AD - 753 AD) Pulakeshin I defeated Vakataka Dynasty in c.550 AD. Pulakeshin II defeated Durjaya Dynasty in 611 AD and defeated Vishnukundins in 611 / 624 AD.

655 AD - 680 AD : Vikramaditya I
Vikramaditya I was the third son and followed his father, Pulakesi II on to the Chalukya throne. He restored order in the fractured kingdom and made the Pallavas retreat from the capital Vatapi.

13th April, 660 AD : mudalapadu (Iparumkal), Kollapur
Sanskrit. Registered the grant of the village Iparumkal situated in Vamguravati Vishaya by Vikramaditya I while he was camping at the village Marrura. The grant was made in favour of one Sudarsanacharya towards guru dakshina on the occasion of the king's Sivamandaladiksha on the full moon day of the Vaisakha month.

The village Marrura is identified with Chinnamarur and Peddamarur on the bank of river Krishna in the Kollapur taluka of Nagarkurnool district. 

The Vanguruvati vishaya is identified with village Vanguru of Wanaparti district. Iparumkal village is identified with Vippanagandla which is twelve miles from Marrura.

It is interesting to note that this inscription refers to the rituals of Sivamandaladiksha that were prevalent in those days. Vikramaditya I seems to have been the first ruler of the Badami line of Western Chalukya kings to patronise Saivism

672 AD : Kollapur, Nagarkurnool District.
Telugu, Kannada (Script) and Sanskrit (Language)

The portion containing the date of the grant is not clear. That reads as “satta-tsasa, vijaya-rajya-samvatsare”, (the victories regional year of the king) which contains no definite figure regarding the king`s regnal year. If the given regnal year (sattatsasa) is taken as sapta- dasa the date of the present grant is to be taken as his 17th regnal year. The Accession of Vikramaditya-I being in 654-55 A.D., the year of the record would be 672 A.D. It was issued on the full moon day of the month of Kartika. The grant begins with the well known eulogy or prasasti of the Badami Chalukyas.

It traces the genealogy from the king`s great grandfather Polikesi i.e, Pulakesin I and mentions Kirtivarman I and Pulakesin II as grandfather and father respectively. It is said that the Chalukyas belonged to Manavyasa gotra and were the descendents of Harti and were nourished by the seven months, i.e., Sapta-matrikas. They are said to have attained prosperity by the favour and protection of Karthikeya and acquired Varaha-lanchana by the divine favour and grace of Lord Narayana. They made all kings surrender to them. The inscription further describes that the king Pulakesin I purified himself by Avabhritha-snana at the end of the Asvamedha sacrifice and he was an ornament to the family of the Chalukyas. A reference is made to Sri Kirtivarman, Prithvi-Vallabha Maharaja, the grandfather of Vikramaditya I. It is said that his fame reached to the territories of the hostile kings of Vanavasi and other countries that have been subjugated by his prowess. Then follows a reference to Satyasraya Sri-Prithvi Vallabha Maharaja Paramesvara i.e. Pulakesin II, who is described to have acquired the second name of Paramesvara by defeating Sri Harshavardhana who was the lord of the Uttarapatha or the North.

Then the present grantor king Vikramaditya I is said to have defeated the agnates who were hostile, on the battlefield in all the quarters. He revived the lost fortunes of his family and became the unopposed lord (of the earth). Again, having mounted the divine horse named ‘Chitrakantha’ he single-handedly defeated all the relatives and acquired the position of Paramesvara i.e. the supremacy over the kings.

The grant was made at the request of Prithvipati Raja in the (Seventeenth) victorious year of his reign. The king is said to have given it to Madurendu (?) the grandson of Swami and son of Somesaraman of Bharadvaja-gotra, land measuring 108 nivartanas according to the original royal standard in Kottatta on the northern bank of the river Krishna Venna. The grant concludes with the usual benedictory and imprecatory verses.

Geographical name Kottatta-sima mentioned in the record is not traceable at present, as the place of that name now exists on the northern bank of the Krishna river.

973 AD - 1163 AD ( 973 AD - 1200 AD)
Founder : Tailapa II


1033 AD - 1042 AD : Kanduru Anemarasa 
Reign of  Jayasimha II (1015 - 1042 AD) also known as Jagadhekamalla I

1042 AD - 1048 AD : Bijjarasa
mahamandalesvara Bhuvanaikamalla Bijjarasa (or Bibbarasa)
Reign of Someswara I (1042 - 1068 AD)

1048 AD - 1049 AD: Srimat Sankarasar
19th April, A.D. 1048 AD : Kurumiddi, Kalwakurthy
This inscription is in the field of Sarpanch. Records the gift of the agrahara of Kurumiddi, along with its entire revenue, by Maneverggade Kuchimayya, at the confluence of the rivers Godavari and Maneru, for the merit of his parents, while Sankarasar was exercising his authority. The record was written by Pathale karanam and Sandhi Vigrahi Bijjayya. The latter part states that a certain Mane verggade Kuchimayya also made a gift.

25th August 1048 AD : Malleswaram, Kollapur Taluk.
Introduces a new subordinate chief named Sankarasar who was a crest jewel of the Chaluky family, who bears a string of epithets such as Bhupakandarpa, vairi kula kala sarpam, sangram viram, Raja marthandam, Kshatra pavitram, Ganda trinetram, Udara narayanam and Chakra kuta dharavar sa pura dahana, etc. which are almost similar to those met with in the inscriptions of Bijjarasa and Kanduru Anemarasar. The record further states that the above chief, on the auspicious occasion of pavitra arohana, made a gift of land 13 marttars in the village of Kulakuliya in Vaddemana-500, to the pontiff Chidisvara pandita of Agastheswara. The record was composed by Bijjaya who performed pattala karena and sandhvigrahi.

1049 AD AD: Sankaragandarasa of Rashtrakuta
1049 AD : Ramajipalli : The Kannada inscription, engraved on a pillar set up in front of the Anjaneyasvam temple in the village, belongs to the Kalyana chalukya king, Trailokyamalladeva. Being dated saka 971 A.D. 1049 ,it describes the eulogy of his chief Sankaragandarasa, who while camping at Kondur, made a grant of twelve mattars of land for the worship and food offerings to the deity Mahesvaradeva of Kondur for the purpose of giving alms and feeding the ascetics and Brahmanas on the occasion of kanya-samkranti.

1050 AD - 1056 AD : Kumara Vijayaditya
26th October, 1051 AD : Malleswaram, Kollapur
This inscription is on a stone slab in the Agastheswarara temple. Records the grant of land in the village Anmanpalli, situated in Ettapi-70, of Vaddavana-500 in Kanduru Nadu by Chandala devi, wife of mahamandalesvara of Kumara Vijayaditya, chief of Trailokyamalla, to the God Agastyesvara after washing the feet of Chidisvara pandita.

Kumara or Vishnuvardhana Vijayaditya . He was exercising his authority in some parts of Western Chalukyan Kingdom from 1050 to 1080 A. D

1056 AD - 1060 AD : Irugana Choda Maharaja
1056 AD : After this, Chidda-Chola appears as a feudatory of Somesvara II in a record of 1073-74 A.D. representing him as governing the four divisions called Kanne-300, Pedekal-300, Naruvadi-500 and Ayaje-300. It has been already observed that our inscription refers to him as governing the four divisions of which only Kanne-nadu is mentioned. The remaining three divisions were, therefore, Pedekal 800, Naruvadi-500 and Ayaje-300. It may be pointed out in this connection, that one Irugan chola of the same family appears as a feudatory of Somesvara I in the records of 1056-57 A.D. probably as governing the same four divisions while a certain Bijna-chola maharaja figures as governing the said divisions as a feudatory of Vikramaditya VI in 1078 A.D. 

1060 AD : Nagarkurnool : This inscription is on a stone lying in the RDO’s bungalow. Incomplete. Mentions only the prasasti and cyclic year. Begins with the usual prasasti of the Kanduri Chodas and mentions the name of the king Irugana Choda maharaja.

Western Gangas  (Rakkasaganga)
24th December, 1064 AD : Nagarkurnool 
Begins with the Western Ganga prasasti and introduces Chalukya prince Ganga Permanadi Vikramadityadeva and Trailokyamalla Nolamba Permanadi Jayasimghadeva. These (two) Princes, while advancing for the victorious battle with the Cholas, were camping at the nelavidu Manchala, with their permission and at the instance of Choudhara Revadihara Bhadiesvara certain chief...... is said to have made through the (above) two princes a gift of the village Pullimjelu to certain Bhimarasi Pandita for maintaining a chatra at Srisailam.

The exact relationship of the Nolamba Pallavas with the Telugu Cholas is not known but as allies of the Kalyani family they appear to have had cordial relationship and hence should have got the title, most probably, as their subordinate.

Ganga Permanadi ruling over Karnata, and is dated Saka 944 cyclic year Dunnati corresponding to 1022 A. D. Rakkasaganga the last of the great Ganga’s ruled then from 985 A. D. to 1022 A. D. With the establishment of Chola domination, the Ganga’s lost their kingdom and sought shelter under the rising Chalukyas and Hoysalas. The Ganga nobility attained to positions of honour under them and contributed their talent and resources to a subversion of Chola ascendency in Mysore and laying the foundations of the Hoysala Empire

1104 AD  - 1128 AD : Kumara Tailapa the younger son of Vikramaditya VI was in possession of kandurnadu-1100 and Sindvadi-1000 with its capital at Tumbalam near Adoni 

14th August, 1121 AD : Nekhonda, Warangal District.
This inscription refers to the reign of the Western Chalukya king Tribhuvanamalla Vikramaditya VI from Jayantipura. It is dated the Chalukya Vikrama year 46, Plava, Shravana amavasya, Sunday. This date regularly corresponds to A.D. 1121, August 14.

In the course of the prasasti it recounts the achievements of Mahamandalesvara Kumara Tailapadeva, the king's son by Chandaladevi, and states that he was ruling the territory from his capital Kolur in the company of his queen Lakahmadevi and sons Permadideva and Bikkideva.

It registers gift of the Village Budupura situated in Kandur-Seventy, included in the tract of Kanduur-Thousand for worship and offerings of the god Ramesvara of Nekkondi and for feeding the ascetics and servants of the religious establishment, by the prince.1122 AD : Bothpur, Mahaboobnagar District.
This inscription is dated C.V.E. (46), Plava, Sravana amavasya, Sunday. Records the achievements of Kumara Tailapa Son of Chandaladevi. He was ruling from his nelavidu at Koluru with his queen Lakshmadevi, sons Permadi Deva and Bikkadeva. It also registers the gifts of the village Badambudu situated in Kanduru 70, a nurumbada to the God Ramesvara of Nekkonda for the worship and offerings to the god and for the repairs of the temple and for feeding the ascetics residing there by Kumara Tailapa. The titles of the prince namely Vengisa vana dava dahana and Chola Kula kumudini martandi mentioned in the previous records occur in this inscription also.

Kumara Tawapadeva
Kumara Tailapa is son of Chandaladevi.
mahamandalesvara kumara Tawapadeva, son of Chandaladevi, in the reign of Tribhuvanamalla. Kumara Tailapa

Kodur Chodas
1104 AD - 1107 AD : Bhimachoda III 
Choda chief , Nalla Bhimadeva - Choda , who is described as mahamandalesvara , Kodurpuravaresvara and as one who belongs to Surya - vamsa , Kasyapa - gotra and Karikala - anvaya .

1105 AD : we have a record set by Kanduri Bhima Choda in the Chalukya Vikrama year 29, A.D. 1105 at Ramalingala gudem, near Nalgonda.

Amarabad : This inscription is on the pillar in the Siva temple. Dated C.V.E. 30, Durmati, Ashadha su. 8. Saturday. Records the gift of oil, rukas etc., for the perpetual lamps etc., to Ramesvaradeva by Dhennamma devi, chief queen of Kanduri Nalla Bhimadeva Choda Maharaja.

1107 AD - 1121 AD : Somanatha Deva Choda Maharaja 
1108 AD : Umamaheswaram
This inscription is on a pillar in the mantapa of the Ramesvara temple. Dated C.V.E. 32 Sarvari, Chaitra ba. 10, Saturday. Records the gift of certain vrttis to the deities Kedaresvara and Kesavadeva by Mahamandalesvara Kanduri Somanatha Deva Choda Maharaja.

26th March, 1120 AD Uppununthala This inscription is on a pillar in the mandapa of Siva temple. Records mahamandalesvara kanduri Somanadhadeva Chada maharaju made a grant of land measures 12 khas, of velivolamu (dry land), and niru polamu, 3 mas, (wet land) situated behind the tank Prolenayaka, to God Kedaresvara. He also donated 2 mas, behind Basanicheruvu and Karrakuli penta sunkamu (market tax) towards nanda dipa.

Udimilla, Achchampet Taluk
This inscription is on the right-side pillar in the mukha-mandapa of the Ramesvara temple. Records the gift of 3 marutars of land to the god Kedaresvara and 2 marutars of land to the god Kesavadeva by the king mahamandalesvara Kanduri Somanathadeva-choda- maharaju. The gift lands are stated to have been situated in different places. Also records the gift of a perpetual lamp to the same god.

1173 AD : Marandi Bhimaraju
30th October, A.D. 1173 : Nagpur, Nagarkurnool Taluk.
This inscription is on Peddireddi Gutta near the village tank outside the village. It records the grant of Velivolamu by Margndi Bhimadevaraju, while excavating tank with the agreement of Vendula Saudara Bramma nayudu, Mallenayakundu and Gudipalli Maliya Gominayudu, The witnesses for this were Apparaju, lord of Mudumahuru Devaparaju, chief of Ganinavula, Maleya Bachinayaka of Talupunuru and Malaya Chavundanayaka of Rembelli. This grant was engraved and signed by Karanam Muppofu, with the approval of both.


1176 AD - 1235 AD : Bhimachoda IV

1235 AD : Udayaditya Choda son of Somanathadeva
9th September A.D. 1235 : Edampalli, Devarakonda Taluk.
This inscription is on a stone in the field outside the village. The inscription registers the gift of his part (palu) of the village Nalladamapalli for the amgaramga bhogas and offerings to the god Mahesvara by Mahamandalesvara Kanduri Udayaditya Choda Maharaja of Kasyapa gotra, Karikalanvaya and solar race, the lord of Kodurupura for the merit of his father Somanathadeva.

1253 AD - 1321 AD : Cheraku Chiefs Amarabad Branch
Immadi Visvanatha (son of Bolla II) and his descendents made Amarabad as their capital. The Amarabad family must have governed the area around Achampet and Alampur taluqs touching the present Kurnool district.

1253 AD - 1265 AD : Immadi Visvanatha son of Cheraku Bollayya or Bolla II
1253 AD : Indreshan
This inscription was dated S. 1175, Pramadi, Vaisakha su. 5, Friday. A long description of the Charaku family of Kakatiya subordinates along with that of Kakatiya Rudra and Ganapati deva was given. Immadi Visvanatha son of Cheraku Ballaya, a faithful Dandanayaka of Ganapatideva consecrated three Shiva Lingas Bollesvara, Mallesvara and Ganapesvara and built temples and endowed them with gifts. He also constructed tanks and wells and arranged for water shelters. His other gifts to Srigiri Mallikarjuna and Bramesvara of the Paschima Dvara are also mentioned.

2nd May, A.D. 1264 : Amarabad, Nagarkurnool Taluk.
This inscription is on a stone slab in front of the Siva temple in the village. It records a gift of land of 1 ma, behind the canal of Kothkunta by Cheraku Immadi Deva, who installed Sri Siddha mahalakshmi devi, for the health, longevity and prosperity of Cheraku Immadi Visvanadhadeva. (The grant has a long list of land gifts). The grant was entrusted to Annajiyya, son of Narajiyya to maintain the daily rituals such as naivedya etc. The record also mentions another gift made to Lakshmi devi, to the merit of Dandemaraju Peddi Bollya Reddi. This gift comprises wet land in Burugupalli Gundala Kalva, 5 Edumu in Tigalappalli, 10 Pandumu in Chikurenu Balla, and 5 Endumu outside. It should be shared at the rate of 2/3 to Annajiyya and 1/3 to Sikale who will enjoy it.

1265 AD - 1271 AD : Immadi Devaya II (son of Immadi Visvanatha)
Immadi Devaya appears in the inscriptions of his two sons from the Kalvakolanu region, a part of Kandurunadu.

1271 AD - 1305 AD : Cheraku Immadi Bolla IV or Immadi Jetti Bollaye reddi (son of Immadi Devaya II) 
26th December, A.D. 1271 : Irvin, Kalwakurthy
Reign of : Rudradeva and Immadi Bolla Reddi.
This inscription is on a pillar in the midst of the village. This inscription records a gift of land to God Indresvara by mahasamanta Vavilala Rudraya reddi for the merit of his sister Rudrasani. This inscription refers to the fact that there were matrimonial alliances between Cheraku and Vavilala families.

5th April A.D. 1280 : Umamaheswaram, Achchampet Taluk.
This inscription is on a broken piece of stone lying in the temple of lower Umamaheswaram. This inscription is that of a certain Karanamu Ramayya stated to be Rajya Bhandaru of Kakatiya kingdom. His wives Mallasani and Gangasani were referred to along with his sons and other persons. Some of these names were interesting such as Pocaya, Annaya, Acidi, Sitalapu Gundaya, Odde Somanatha, Ganadasi Decaya, Kota Viraya, Bhamdaru Virayya, Erakajiyya etc. Incidentally Immadi Jetti Bollayya referred to in another inscription also figures in this record as having made a grant.

3rd January A.D. 1305 : Rangareddigudem.
This inscription is on a stone set up outside the village. States that, while Mahamandalesvara Rudradeva maharaja of the Kakatiya family was ruling the kingdom of the world; Mahapradhana Bacharavuta and Malavanvaya Mummadideva maharaja of the lineage of Karikala and of the Kasyapa gotra made a gift of land for the anga and ranga bhogas to the god Svayambhu Somanathadeva of Medavura for the increase of the duration of the life, health and prosperity of Mahasamanta Cheraku Immadi Bollaya Reddi.

1305 AD - 1321 AD : Cheraku Prolaya Reddi son of mahasamanta Cheraku Jagaddala Immadi Devaya
3rd September, A.D. 1321 : Kalvakolanu, Kollapur Taluk
This inscription is on a slab in front of the Chennakeshwara temple. Records a gift of money collected at a visamu, i.e. a sixteenth for every mada on articles sold and on salaries at Kalavakolanu for worship and offerings to god Prasanna-Vallabhadeva by Prolaya-Reddi, son of mahasamanta Cheraku Jagaddala Immadi Devaya, for his own merit.

Recherla Nayaks
1361 AD - 1398 AD : Madhava Nayaka brother of Anavota Nayaka
Ruled from Madhava puram to the south of Devarakonda, while Anavotha nayaka was ruling from Rachakonda.
1376 AD : Umamaheswaram, Amarabad
The genealogy of the Recharla chiefs is given in this inscription. Vennaya, Dachaya, Singa and his two sons Madhava Nayaka and Anavota Nayaka are mentioned. Madhava's minister Peddanna had a son Potaraju. Madhava has built the mantapa to Mahesvara. There is a chakra bandha at the end. It is interesting to note that Potaraja had a son called Gaurana the famous Telugu and Sanskrit poet the author of Harischandra charitra and Navanatha charitra and the sanskrit Lakshana Dipika. The author of this inscription was Mayibhattopadhyaya, who had the title, pada-vakya-pramanajna.

31st May A.D. 1398 : Umamaheswaram, Achempet 
This inscription is on a pillar in the mandapa of Umamaheshwara temple. Records the establishment of Parvati by Sadananda, a follower of the school of Bharathi. Purushottama, Hanuma and Ranga were the sons of Devineni Narasamamba. Among them the first was the devotee of Sadananda and established Nandishwara, Kesava and Parvati. The date is given in two places but varies. In one place it is given in words as Viyan-netr-aga-indu which works out as saka 1320 and in another place as Viyan-ang-endu which will be saka 1520. Narasimha wrote the inscription by grace of the sage Sadanandamuni.

Vedagiri Nayaka I

Madhava Nayaka II

Vedagiri Nayaka II

1427 AD : Lingama Nayaka
30th July, A.D. 1427 : Sarikonda, Kalwakurthy 
This inscription is inscribed on a pillar of the tank bund of Gauramma Cheruvu. The inscription begins with an invocation of Lord Vishnu and his achievements in his Varahavatara. It also pays salutations of Lord Siva, Kumara, and the Goddess Sarasvati.

1536 AD : Chintakunta Padmanabha
11th September A.D. 1536 : Kommarapalli [Rayalagandi], Nagarkurnool.
This inscription is on the compound wall of the Chennakesava temple near Rayalagandi. Records a series of grants made by Sri Rangayya, established Sri Ramanujacharya`s Sri Vaishnavism. The grants were made at Rayalagandi falling in Pratapagiri seema over which was exercising his authority. The record states that Sri Rangayya built a temple and compound walls to the god Sri Chennakesava of Rayalagandi made a series of grants towards the daily rituals for the god Chennakesava and the merit his elder brother
Dharmayya and set a village Dharmavaram and excavated a tank by name Dharma samudram. The record furnishes a list of grants made and mentions agricultural terms like putti, Adde, Inamu, Gutta, Arake, Kunche, Mane, Mulavisa, Gone, yaganti, mada, nune gamugu. He built the temple Lord Hanuman in Gandi and installed the Lord. It also mentions the endowments made towards daily maintenance.

Part of  Jataprolu Kollapur Samsthana during the reign of Nizam.

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