The Evolution of Nalgonda

Nalgonda (Nilagiri): Dynastic & Administrative Record

1. Asmaka Mahajanapada (c. 700 – 300 BCE)

Nilagiri–Raigir Region

Status: Peripheral tribal chiefdoms allied to Asmaka polity.

Administrative Change: Transition from clan-based settlements to fortified village nuclei. Early territorial symbols and megalithic habitations at Raigir (Rājagiri) and Phanigiri suggest proto-urban activity, marking the eastern frontier of Asmaka.

Epigraphic Note: Later regional inscriptions (Satavahana and Ikshvaku layers) recall Asmaka-name memory and link it culturally to early Nilagiri–Raigir tribal polities.

Asmaka Eastern Frontier

2. Mauryan Empire (c. 300 – 232 BCE)

Dakshinapatha → Nilagiri-Raigiri Vishaya

Status: Nilagiri-Raigiri Vishaya within Dakshinapatha province under Suvarnagiri control.

Administration: Suvarnagiri provincial capital → Mahamatras govern local vishayas/janapadas.

Administrative Change: Dakshinapatha standardization establishes Nilagiri-Raigiri as key frontier Vishaya. Dharmamahamatras enforce Ashoka dhamma.

Region: Telangana Deccan – Mauryan Dakshinapatha eastern Vishaya → Satavahana Setagiri-Rashtra evolution.

Nilagiri Vishaya

3. Satavahana Dynasty (c. 232 BCE – 208 CE)

Setagiri-Rashtra Ahara (Nilagiri-Phanigiri)

Status: Provincial core under Setagiri-Rashtra (Nilagiri-Phanigiri tract) as key Ahara zone.

Rulers: Satavahana emperors (Satakarni I → Gautamiputra Satakarni).

Local Rulers: Mahamatras + Nigama guild chiefs governed Setagiri-Rashtra. Phanigiri Buddhist sangha held local authority.

Administrative Change: Structured Nigama guilds and fortified settlements at Phanigiri, Yelleswaram. Raigir megaliths show Asmaka continuity.

Region: Telangana Deccan plateau – Nilagiri tract bridging Mauryan Dakshinapatha to Ikshvaku Uttara-Vishaya.

Setagiri Ahara

4. Ikshvaku Dynasty (c. 208 – 320 CE)

Vijayapuri → Uttara-Vishaya

Status: Northern frontier zone under Vijayapuri imperial authority.

Rulers: Santamula I → Virapurushadatta (peak expansion).

Local Rulers: Kumara princes + Maha-Vihara sangha chiefs governed Uttara-Vishaya through Buddhist temple networks.

Administrative Change: Ikshvaku expansion establishes Buddhist governance model and Krishna River customs control.

Region: Nalgonda tract – Uttara-Vishaya → Pallava Mundarastra evolution.

Uttara-Vishaya

5. Early Pallava Dynasty (c. 320 – 340 CE)

Mundarastra

Status: Northern frontier expansion zone under Pallava hegemony.

Administration: Governed through Brahmadeya land grants to Brahmins and temples.

Administrative Change: Mundarastra established as Telugu frontier tract. Hirahadagali plates record early land grant system (c. 330 CE).

Region: Pallava Mundarastra → Vakataka Purvima Vishaya evolution.

Mundarastra

6. Vakataka Dynasty: Vatsagulma (c. 340 – 380 CE)

Purvima Vishaya

Status: Peripheral Purvima Vishaya under Vatsagulma suzerainty.

Rulers: Sarvasena → Rudrasena I (Vatsagulma emperors).

Local Rulers: Vishayapatis (district governors) + local Mahattaras governed Purvima Vishaya.

Administration: Bhukti-Vishaya governance (Sanskrit: भुक्ति-विषय).

Administrative Change: Standardized provincial system → Vishnukundina precursor.

Region: Purvima Vishaya → Indrapalanagara evolution.

Purvima Vishaya

7. Vishnukundina Dynasty (c. 380 – 611 CE)

Indrapalanagara Capital

Status: Imperial core around Indrapalanagara (Tummalagudem region).

Rulers: Madhavavarman I → Vikramendravarman II (capital peak).

Local Rulers: Vishayapatis + Ghatika assembly chiefs governed capital territory.

Administration: Capital territory governed through Ghatika assemblies and royal officials.

Administrative Change: Madhavavarman I establishes Indrapalanagara (c. 530 CE). Temple-based governance emerges.

Region: Vishnukundina capital → Badami Vengi Frontier buffer zone.

Indrapalanagara

8. Badami Chalukya Dynasty (611 – 753 CE)

Vengi Frontier

Status: Frontier buffer zone between Badami core and Vengi Chalukya territory.

Administration: Governed by Vishayapatis (district officers) under military oversight from Vatapi.

Administrative Change: Pulakesin II conquers Telangana (611 CE), establishes military buffer zone linking Vengi Mandala to Badami heartland.

Region: Nalgonda uplands – Badami military frontier → Rashtrakuta Kanduru-700 evolution.

Vengi Buffer

9. Rashtrakuta Dynasty (753 – 973 CE)

Manavur Rashtra → Kanduru-700

Status: Feudal sub-division within Manavur Rashtra under Kanduri Choda chiefs.

Administration: Kanduru-700 (700 villages) governed by early Kanduri Choda families under Rashtrakuta provincial control.

Administrative Change: Temple banking system emerges. Kanduru-700 consolidates as revenue unit

Region: Nalgonda tract – Manavur Rashtra → Kanduru-700 → Kandur Nadu.

Kanduru-700

10. Kalyani Chalukya Dynasty (973 – 1155 CE)

Aruvela-6000 → Kanduru-1100

Status: Nalgonda within Kandur Nadu (1,100 villages) under Aruvela-6000 province.

Rulers: Kanduri Choda (Eruva Bhima I → Bhima Choda II) from Panugallu base.

Local Rulers: Kandur Choda chiefs → Cheraku subordinates (Kata I kills Kongonda Dhavala, receives Cheraku-12).

Administrative Change: Vikramaditya VI formalizes Kandur Nadu fief (1076 CE) from Aruvela-6000.

Region: Nalgonda heartland – Aruvela → Kandur → Nilagiri.

Kandur Nadu Core

11. Kakatiya Dynasty (1155 – 1323 CE)

Nilagiri-Sime

Status: Strategic frontier feudatory under Nayankara system.

Rulers: Rudradeva → Ganapatideva → Rudrama Devi (Kakatiya emperors).

Local Rulers: Cheraku Chiefs replaced Kandur Chodas: Kata I (killed Choda rival) → Kata II (c.1155 CE Kakatiya alliance) → Bolla II/Bollayya Reddy → Cheraku Mallikarjuna Nayaka.

Administration: Granted as autonomous Sime (Cheraku-70 + Jammuluru/Nilagiri c.1155 CE) directly under Warangal suzerainty.

Administrative Change: Kata II (c.1155 CE) betrays Chodas, allies Rudradeva; formalizes Nayankara grants. Nilagiri fort becomes key Deccan outpost.

Region: Telangana uplands – buffer between Kakatiya heartland and Recherla Devarakonda base.

Cheraku Nilagiri

12. Recherla Nayaks (1325 – 1475 CE)

Devarakonda-Sime

Status: Independent Nayak kingdom controlling Nalgonda heartland.

Rulers: Dāma Nayaka I → Anapota Nayaka → Singama Nayaka II (Rachakonda) | Vedagiri → Peda Anapota Nayaka (Devarakonda).

Local Rulers: Cheraku Chiefs successors inheriting Nilagiri → Recherla Nayaks establish Devarakonda sovereignty.

Administration: Dual capitals Devarakonda + Rachakonda forts as sovereign Sime. Vatapi + Nadu system with hereditary Poligars + Deshmukhs.

Administrative Change: Post-Kakatiya unification of Cheraku territories into coherent Devarakonda-Sime kingdom.

Region: Nalgonda uplands + Telangana tracts – peak post-Kakatiya autonomy before Bahmani conquest 1475.

Devarakonda Kingdom

13. Qutb Shahi Dynasty (1518 – 1687 CE)

Sarkar Nalgonda (Direct Golconda Rule)

Status: Independent revenue Sarkar under Deshmukhs, bypassing Taraf system.

Administration: Direct to Golconda via Deshmukh lords controlling Parganas (Nalgonda, Bhongir, Devarakonda, Miryalaguda). Nilagiri fort as headquarters.

Administrative Change: Nilagiri → Nalgonda rename. Ibrahim Qutb Shah elevated it from fragmented forts to unified Sarkar status.

Region: Telangana plateau core – standalone Sarkar (no parent Taraf), bridging Golconda to Deccan frontiers.

Direct Sarkar

14. Mughal Empire (1687 – 1724 CE)

Subah Hyderabad → Sarkar Nalgonda

Status: Revenue Sarkar within Hyderabad Subah. Nalgonda functioned as Sarkar Nalgonda under Mughal revenue administration.

Administration: Organized as a Sarkar (district unit) under the Subah Hyderabad, governed by a Faujdar (military governor) and Amil (revenue collector).

Administrative Change: Implementation of the Zabti land survey and measurement system to standardize revenue assessment across the Deccan territories.

Region: Telangana plateau district under direct Mughal revenue control, transitioning from Qutb Shahi Nayak system to imperial Zabti administration.

Sarkar Nalgonda

15. Asaf Jahi Period (1724 – 1948 CE)

Sarkar Nalgonda / Warangal Taraf / Zilla Nalgonda

Status: Feudal district → Subordinate Taraf → Modern revenue Zilla.

Administrative Evolution: 1724-1866: Decentralized Sarkar Nalgonda under Jagirdari fragmentation.
1867-1904: Abolished and merged into Warangal Taraf during Salar Jung centralization.
1905-1948: Reconstituted as Zilla Nalgonda with First Talukdar system.

Region: Core Telangana plateau district, transitioning from feudal fiefdoms to British-pattern revenue administration.

Nalgonda Zilla

16. Modern Telangana (1948 – Present)

Nalgonda District

Status: Democratic District.

The Change: 2016 trifurcation into Nalgonda, Suryapet, and Yadadri Bhuvanagiri.

Nalgonda District

Unabridged Sources

1. B.N. Sastry: "Kanduri Chodula Charitra".
2. Imperial Gazetteer: "Hyderabad State (1909)".
3. P.V.P. Sastry: "The Vishnukundis".