- PALNADU is a region on the south of Krishna river which passes through Nalgonda.The main centers in Palnadu are Macherla, Karempudi, and Gurazala.This region has a prominent place in medieval history as the great battle of Palnadu fought here in 1182 CE.This was called as ANDHRA KURUKSHETRA WAR by some historians.
This region was initially ruled by Chola kings.Anugu Raju from Hahiya clan from MP came to Andhra Desa to mitigate his sins.There was a rumor that his black clothes turned white after having a bath in the sea near Motupalli.The Chola king married his daughter Mylamma to him and he already had two wives.He gave Palnadu as dowry to him.
Anugu raju was childless for a long time.He made his minister Dodda Naidu’s son Baada Raju as his successor.Later Nalagama raju born to Anugu raju’s elder wife and Malideva raju born to Mylamma.
After the death of Anugu Raju and Dodda Naidu, there was a clash between Nalagama raju and Malideva Raju for the throne.Dodda Naidu was succeeded by BRAHMA NAIDU.Brahma Naidu resolved by making Nalagama Raju as king and Malideva raju as Prince.
Kurukshetra War
Brahma Naidu was a great fighter and scholar and an able administrator.There was another widow lady known as NAYAKURALU NAGAMMA impressed King Malideva Raju and joined in his court.She was cunning, intelligent and a great strategist.She was follower of Veera shivism and lower castes are treated horribly by them.
Brahma Naidu, on the other hand, started Veera shivism as a counter to Veera shivism.He welcomed lower castes and abolished the caste system.He introduced “Chappa kudu” (common meals for all castes).This outraged the higher caste people.And Nagamma had control over the king and they even tried to arrest his brother Malideva Raju who was Prince.
Brahma Naidu persuaded the king to divide the kingdom into two parts and build a fort at Macherla.Brahma Naidu and Mailadeva Raju moved to Macherla.
Nagamma invited Brahma Naidu and malideva Raju to a festival and engaged them in a cockfight.Nagamma won by applying poison to the knife of her cock.However, Brahma Naidu lost, as per the commitment he and Malideva Raju agreed to spend 7 years in exile.
After exile period Alaraju, brother in law of Malideva Raju was sent to Nalagama Raju to give their part of Kingdom(Macherla).There he was poisoned to death by Nagamma.His dead body was sent to camps of Brahma Naidu.Alia Raju’s wife Peramma suicided her self in the pyre of his husband(SATI).There was a rise of tempers in their camps and the Palnadu war broke out.
Kakaityas, Kota Vamsa, Hoyasalas supported a Nagamma and Nalagama Raju.Kalyani Chalukyas supported Brahma Naidu and Malideva.There was a huge loss of lives on both sides.The coalition of Brahma Naidu has won the war.But Malideva died in the battle.The son of Brahma Naidu Balachandrudu who fought valorously in war also died along with his wife.
And Brahma Naidu fed up with these deaths and he left throne to Nalagama Raju and went into the caves of Guttikonda and never returned.Even today it was a mystery in Guttikonda caves.No one knows where that caves lead.
This Kurukshetra war had a great resemblance to Mahabharatha war according to some historians.This civil war weakened Palnadu kingdom thereby fell into the hands of Kakatiyas.It is our duty to know and spread the greatness of Palnadu and to preserve their heroics.
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