Rajanna Sircilla · Sirishala · Vemulawada Chalukyas & the Manair Valley
Name Origin & History: Rajanna Sircilla District was carved out of the erstwhile Karimnagar District and was formed on 11 October 2016. It is surrounded by Karimnagar, Kamareddy and Siddipet districts. The district headquarters is Sircilla town.
The name Sircilla is derived from Sirishala, meaning “centre of wealth.” Sircilla is located on the banks of the Maneru River and is popularly known as Textile Town due to its large number of power looms, textile processing and dyeing units. The district is also known by the name Rajanna, associated with the deity Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy of Vemulawada.
Earliest Recorded History — Vemulawada Chalukyas (c. 750–973 CE)
The earliest firmly recorded history of the region now forming Rajanna Sircilla District centres on Vemulawada, which served as the capital of the Vemulawada Chalukyas from c. AD 750 to AD 973. Rock-cut inscriptions found in and around the Vemulawada temple proclaim the historical importance of this place as the dynasty’s capital.
The Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy Temple at Vemulawada is one of the ancient and famous Shaivite temples of Telangana, popularly known as ‘Dakshina Kasi’ (Southern Banaras). A Dargah within the precincts of the temple stands as a testimony to religious tolerance. The Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple at Nampally Gutta near Vemulawada is another noted holy shrine.
The Vemulawada Chalukyas were a feudatory dynasty associated with the Rashtrakutas. Their rule left a lasting cultural and religious imprint on the region, and the temple town of Vemulawada remained a major centre of Shaivism.
Arikesari II (r. c. 930–955 CE) was a ruler of the Vemulawada Chalukya dynasty. A Rashtrakuta vassal, he played an important role in dethroning the Rashtrakuta emperor Govinda IV and enthroning Amoghavarsha III as the new emperor.
Tradition associates Vemulawada with the famous Telugu poet Bheemakavi, but there is more definite proof of the famous Kannada poet Pampa living here as the court poet of Arikesari II. Pampa dedicated his “Kannada Bharatha” (also known as Vikramarjuna Vijaya) to his royal patron Arikesari II.
The Kudumunja Ramappa Ramalingeswara temple at Maneru (Gambhiravpet mandal) is associated with the rule of Arikesari II of the Chalukya dynasty, with Vemulawada as the centre. The temple is believed to date to the 9th century CE and continued in historical importance into the Kakatiya period. Stone carvings of Dwarapalaka, Vinayaka and Nandi, along with 9th-century script on stone, have been found at the site.
Kakatiya Period & Later Medieval History
One of three hoards of Kakatiya coins studied by Parabrahma Sastry was found at Suddala, Sircilla Taluk, containing 52 coins. These coins are associated with the Kakatiya period and provide numismatic evidence for the region’s integration into the Kakatiya political and economic sphere.
Kakatiya-period coins have also been found at Narasapur, Siricilla, Tarigoppala and Warangal, bearing legends such as ‘Daya Gaja Kesari’ and ‘Raya Gajakesari’.
According to temple inscriptions, the Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy temple at Gambhiraopet mandal was built around 1314 AD during the Kakatiya dynasty. The temple features a square-shaped sanctum and grand mandapams supported by 16 to 18 intricately carved stone pillars. Its sacred Nanda Deepam has been burning uninterrupted for around 700 years and has been inducted into the Telugu Book of Records.
Singa Samudram Cheruvu, located in Ghambiraopet mandal about 23 km from Sircilla, was originally built during the Kakatiya period. It stands out as one of the most unique tanks in Telangana and reflects the Kakatiya tradition of irrigation and water management.
Textile-producing towns such as Sircilla, Gadwala, Kothapeta, Narayanpet, Narayanpur and Pochampalli prospered under the patronage of Qutb Shahi and Asaf Jahi vassal rulers. Most of the town weavers were engaged in textile production, establishing a craft tradition that continues in the modern period.
Early Modern & Colonial Period Records
Telugu inscriptions dating back to 1517 CE were unearthed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) at Narasimhulagutta, Anantagiri, in Rajanna Sircilla district. The inscription, written in Sanskrit but inscribed in Telugu, begins with a greeting to Lord Raghunatha and includes praise for Lakhaya, a minister of the Srivatsa-gotra, and his sons Krishnama, Ramakrishna and Krishna. It states that Krishna, son of Mallamamba and Lakhaya, built a Vishnu temple on Anantagiri hill.
Two temples at Sircilla are recorded as protected monuments, dated to the 15th–17th century CE, and were protected during the rule of the Nizams. These structures form part of the district’s architectural heritage from the late medieval and early modern periods.
Modern History & District Formation
Following Operation Polo in September 1948, Hyderabad State was integrated into the Indian Union. Under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, the Telugu-speaking Telangana region, including the Sircilla area, became part of the newly formed State of Andhra Pradesh.
The demand for a separate Telangana state became a major political movement in 1969 and re-emerged strongly during the later statehood movement of the 2000s and early 2010s. The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 created Telangana as a separate state on 2 June 2014.
On 11 October 2016, the Government of Telangana reorganized its districts. Three new districts — Jagtial, Peddapalli and Rajanna Sircilla — were carved out of the erstwhile Karimnagar District. Rajanna Sircilla District was formally inaugurated at Sircilla town.
The district has one revenue division (Sircilla) and 13 mandals. Subsequently, Vemulawada was notified as a second revenue division with six mandals — Vemulawada, Vemulawada rural, Chandurthi, Konaraopet, Boinpalli and Rudrangi. The district headquarters is at Rajanna Sircilla town.
Sircilla is popularly known as Textile Town due to the presence of a large number of power looms, textile processing and dyeing units. It is the biggest textile hub in Telangana with over 40,000 power looms. The Mid Manair Dam, with its scenic beauty, is a place worth visiting. The Manair River, a tributary of the Godavari, passes through the district and provides irrigation and drinking water supply benefits.
Key Heritage Sites & Records
Legacy – A Layered Manair Valley Region
The recorded history of the area now forming Rajanna Sircilla District begins with the Vemulawada Chalukyas, who ruled from c. AD 750 to AD 973 with Vemulawada as their capital. Rock-cut inscriptions around the Sri Raja Rajeshwaraswamy temple proclaim this historical importance. The dynasty’s most celebrated ruler, Arikesari II, was the patron of the Kannada poet Pampa.
In the Kakatiya period, the region is attested through the Suddala coin hoard, the 1314 AD Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy temple at Gambhiraopet, and the Singa Samudram Cheruvu tank. Later, under the Qutb Shahis and Asaf Jahis, Sircilla developed as a textile-producing town.
An inscription of 1517 CE at Anantagiri records the construction of a Vishnu temple, and protected monuments from the 15th–17th centuries survive at Sircilla. The modern district emerged from the 2016 reorganization of Karimnagar District, with Rajanna Sircilla as its headquarters.
Today, the district is known for its textile industry, the Mid Manair Dam, and the enduring religious and cultural legacy of Vemulawada.
- Earliest Recorded History: The Vemulawada Chalukyas ruled from c. AD 750 to AD 973 with Vemulawada as their capital. Rock-cut inscriptions around the Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy temple are the earliest specific inscriptional evidence from the region.
- Arikesari II & Pampa: The Vemulawada Chalukya ruler Arikesari II (c. 930–955 CE) was the patron of the Kannada poet Pampa, who dedicated the “Kannada Bharatha” to him.
- Kakatiya Period: The Suddala coin hoard, the 1314 AD Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy temple at Gambhiraopet, and the Singa Samudram Cheruvu tank attest to Kakatiya-era presence.
- Later Medieval & Early Modern: Sircilla prospered as a textile town under the Qutb Shahis and Asaf Jahis. A 1517 CE inscription at Anantagiri records the construction of a Vishnu temple.
- District Formation: Rajanna Sircilla District was formed on 11 October 2016, carved out of the erstwhile Karimnagar District.
- Administration: The district has 13 mandals, with Sircilla and Vemulawada as revenue divisions.
- Name Origin: Sircilla derives from Sirishala (“centre of wealth”). The Rajanna name comes from the deity Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy of Vemulawada.
- Modern Economy: Sircilla is a major textile hub with over 40,000 power looms, and the Mid Manair Dam provides irrigation and drinking water.
- Government of Telangana, Rajanna Sircilla District History: District formation, Vemulawada Chalukyas, rock-cut inscriptions, Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy temple, and Arikesari II–Pampa tradition.
- Government of Telangana, Rajanna Sircilla District Profile: Sirishala name derivation, Maneru River, textile town character, revenue divisions and mandals.
- Telangana Tourism: Vemulawada and Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy temple heritage.
- Archaeological Survey of India: 1517 CE Telugu inscription at Narasimhulagutta, Anantagiri; Times of India report, 10 April 2025.
- Shodhganga: Kakatiya coin hoards at Suddala, Sircilla Taluk.
- Deccan Chronicle: Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy temple, Gambhiraopet, and its 700-year Nanda Deepam.
- Telangana State PSC Preparation Material: Vemulawada Chalukyas, Pampa, Singa Samudram Cheruvu, and district profile.
- Telangana Open School: Textile towns under Qutb Shahi and Asaf Jahi patronage.
- The Hindu: Inauguration of Rajanna Sircilla District, 11 October 2016.