Mummuridanda ⚔️
The “36 Beedu of Mummari” — a medieval merchant guild in Telangana (12th c.)
Based on the inscriptions, the Mummuridanda (also referred to as the 36 Beedu of Mummari or Mummuri-dandas of the 36 Bidus) was a prominent medieval merchant guild active in the Telangana region during the 12th century [709, 711, Vol-I]. They typically operated as part of a collective mercantile hierarchy alongside other powerful corporations like the Aiyyavolu 500 and the Ubhaya-Nanadesi [709, 295, Vol-I].
📜 Inscriptions documenting the Mummuridanda
📍 Kadamburu Gateway Inscription (A.D. 1181)
Location: Appanapalli (Kadumuru), Nagarkurnool Taluk (formerly Mahabubnagar District) [709, Vol-I]
Reign of: Kalachuri king Ahuvamalla [709, Vol-I]
Date: July 18, A.D. 1181 [709, Vol-I]
Details: This record describes a collaborative civic project. It states that the elders of the Aiyyavolu 500, the 36 Beedu of Mummari, and the Ubhaya-Nanadesis of the Kannada Navaka 1000 assembled together to construct a ceremonial gateway (torana) at Kadamburu [709, Vol-I].
📍 Alampur Merchant Assembly (Mahanadu) Inscription (A.D. 1182)
Location: Alampur (Dakshina-Varanasi), Jogulamba Gadwal District [711, 295, Vol-I]
Reign of: Kalachuri king Ahavamalla (Ahuvamalla) [711, Vol-I]
Date: January 11, A.D. 1182 [711, 295, Vol-I]
Guild Involvement: Representatives of the Mummuri-dandas of the 36 Bidus, the Ayyavale-500 swamis, the Nanadesis, and the Kannada-4000 participated in this assembly [711, 712, Vol-I].
The Grant: Acting as a unified fiscal body, the guilds granted the income from tolls on various market transactions for the maintenance of a perpetual lamp and daily offerings in the temple of Gavaresvara [711, 295, Vol-I].
🏛️ The representatives represented major trade centers such as Tumbula, Gobburu, and Madduru [712, 713, Vol-I].
🏅 Significance of the Mummuridanda
- ✔ Portrayed as a high-status component of the "Samasta Samayas" (all assemblies) of the region [711, Vol-I].
- ✔ Involved in constructing public infrastructure like gateways (torana).
- ✔ Managed large-scale religious endowments, indicating significant administrative and financial authority in the trade networks of the Krishna and Tungabhadra river basins [709, 711, 713, Vol-I].
- ✔ Collaborated closely with Aiyyavolu 500 and Ubhaya-Nanadesi in joint civic projects.
📝 Note on Personal Names: The sources also mention prominent individuals with the title Mummadi (e.g., Mummadi Brammi-setti in A.D. 1299 [1071, Vol-II] and Jagadala Mummadi [719, Vol-II]). While "Mummadi" can denote personal rank or a name, the term Mummuridanda specifically refers to the organized guild associated with the "36 Beedu" or "36 Bidus" [709, 711, Vol-I].
🗺️ Geographic reach
The Mummuridanda operated in the Tungabhadra and Krishna river basins (modern Mahabubnagar, Nagarkurnool, and Jogulamba Gadwal districts), sharing the same commercial sphere as the Aiyyavolu 500 and Ubhaya-Nanadesi.
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