Telugu Chodas

South Asia
1250 CE

DELHI

SULTANATE

(MAMLUKS)

AHOM

LOHA
RAS

QARLUGHIDS

MARYUL

GUGE

KUMAON

SOOMRAS

MAKRAN
SULTANATE

MONGOL
EMPIRE

VAGHELAS

CHUDASAMAS

PARAMARAS

CHANDELAS

GUHILAS

BUNDELAS

KHANGARS

JAISALMER

MARWAR

AMBER

AMARKOT

KARNATAS

CHEROS

NAGVANSIS

KAKATIYAS

CHODAS

EASTERN
GANGAS

YADAVAS

PANDYAS

CHOLAS

HOYSALAS

KADAMBAS

CHERAS

 

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South Asian polities, c. 1250 CE.^[1]

The Telugu Chodas or Telugu Cholas ruled parts of present-day Andhra Pradesh and Telangana between the 5th and the 13th centuries as samantas of Pallavas and later the Imperial Cholas.^[2][3] Various dynasties exist among them including Velanati, Pottapi, Konidena, Nannuru, Nellore, Kunduru etc. The earliest Choda dynasty in the Telugu area was that of Renati Chodas who ruled Renadu region from late 5th century to 7th century. Some of the Telugu Chodas including Renati Chodas claimed descent from the early Sangam Tamil king Karikala Chola.^[4] Telugu Chodas contributed much to the early development of Telugu language and are the first dynasty to use Telugu as their official language. The first and oldest Telugu inscription founded so far is Kalamalla inscription dating to 575 CE put up by Renati Chola king Erikal Mutturaju Dhanunjaya.^[5] Telugu Chodas are believed to have been migrated from Tamilakam to Andhra country due to invasion of Tamilakam by Kalabhras and increasing power of Pallavas in northern most part of Tamilakam. Kapu (caste) in Andhra is said to have originated from Telugu Cholas who themselves calim descendant from Karikala.

Velanati Chodas[edit]

Telugu Chodas of Velanadu (Velanati Chola) were one of the Telugu Choda families. Velanadu is located in the modern Guntur district. The chieftains who ruled over Velanadu came to be known as the Velanati Chodas. One of them, Rajendra Choda II had even assumed the title Durjayakulaprakara since Velanati Chodas claims descendant from Durjaya, a descendant of Karikala Chola . These Velanati chiefs were the subordinate allies of the Later Cholas of the south. They were entrusted with the responsibility of the governance of the Andhra region, which formed a part of the Chola kingdom in the between the tenth and early decades of the thirteenth century. Their capital was Dhanadapura (Dhannada) or Sanaduprolu, the modern Chandolu in the Guntur district initially then later they ruled from Vengi in West Godavari and Pithpuram in East Godavari Districts. Dhannada is also the site of the war between the Cholas and the Later Chalukyas when the Western Chalukya king Satyashraya invaded the Eastern Chalukyas, which was swiftly repulsed by the forces of Rajendra Chola I who helped the Eastern Chalukyas and the Velanadu Chodas with whom the Cholas had marital ties.^[6]

The Velanati Chiefs rose to prominence among the vassals of the Chalukyas of Vengi during the early days of Kulothunga Chola I and served as the Later viceroys faithfully as their trusted lieutenants and generals. Finding his dominion dwindling, due to the ascendancy of the Kalyani Chalukyas in the Vengi country, Kulothunga Chola lent support to his loyal chieftains of Velanadu to bring the situation under control and rule over Vengi as his vassals. Evidence is available to the effect that five chieftains of Velanadu ruled over the country after which it was overrun by the Kakatiyas and became a part of their kingdom.^[7]

Velanati Chodas:

• Gonka I (1076–1108 )
• Rajendra Choda I (1108–1132 )
• Gonka II (1132–1161 )
• Rajendra Choda II (1161–1181 )
• Gonka III (1181–1186 )
• Pruthviswara (1186–1207 )

Renati Chodas[edit]

The Telugu Chodas of Renadu (also called as Renati Cholas) ruled over Renadu region, the present day Kadapa district. In Malepadu plates (seventh century), Renati Chola king Punyakumara stated that they belong to the family of Sangam age Chola king Karikala Chola.^[8] They were independent sometimes but mostly they were forced to suzerainty of the Pallavas. They used the Telugu language in their inscriptions of the sixth and eighth centuries. Such inscriptions have found near Muddanur,^[9] and at Gandikota, Jammalamadugu and Proddatur. The earliest of this family was Nandivarman (500 AD) who claimed descent from the family of Karikala and the Kasyapa gotra. He had three sons Simhavishnu, Sundarananda and Dhanunjaya, all of whom were ruling different territories simultaneously.^[10] The family seems to have had its origin in Erikal in the Kadapa district.^[11] Dhanunjaya is described as Erikal-Mutturaju and as ruling Renadu.^[12] In the first half of the seventh century, we find Punyakumara, a descendant of Dhanunjaya, ruling over Renadu and Hiranyarashtra. He too bears the title Erikal-Mutturaju.^[13]

Renati Chodas:

Nandivarman

Simhavishnu, Sundarananda and Dhanunjaya

Mahendravikramavarma

Gunamudita and Punyakumara

Vikramaditya I

Saktikumara

Vikramaditya II

Uttamaditya and Satyaditya

Pottapi Chodas[edit]

Telugu Chodas of Pottapi are a branch of Renati Chodas and ruled the Cuddapah region after the fall of the latter. Pottapi lay on the northern fringe of Tondaimandalam and it embraced the bulk of Venkatagiri, Gudur, Chandragiri and Srikalahasti taluks of Tirupati district and Rajampet taluk of Annamayya district. The early history of the Pottapi Cholas is obscure, and the circumstances leading to their acquisition of Pottapi are not known. Consequent on their downfall at the hands of the major powers like the Rashtrakutas and the minor powers like the Vaidumbas, the Renati Cholas appear to have sunk into oblivion for a short period. It is likely that some members of Renati Chola family moved eastwards and finding an opportunity established themselves as the rulers of Pottapi-nadu. A Pottapi Chola king named Srikantha Chola was ruling Tondai Nadu according to Dalavaypuram copper plates of Pandya king Parantaka Viranarayana. In Madras Museum copper plates, this Srikantha claims descendant from Tamil king Karikala Chola through Sundarananda of Renati Chodas. The Anbil plates^[14] of Parantaka Chola II and Velanjeri plates^[15] of Parantaka Chola I mention the name Sri Kantha whose name preceedes that of Vijayalaya Chola, however, it's unknown if both individuals are the same and share any relations between.^[16] The term Pottapi Chola is associated as a title with many of the chiefs of this family as for example Madhurantaka Pottapi Chola Ghattiyarasa and Madhurantaka Pottapi Chola Vimaladitya. Pottapi Cholas use the Charana Saroruha prasasti in their inscriptions.

Pottapi Chodas:

Srikantha Chola

Dasavarma

Vankēya Chola

Balliya Chola Maharaja

Mudigonda Chola Maharaja

Bijjana

Mallideva I

Mallideva IV

Opili Siddhi II

Mahamandalesvara Ghattideva Maharaja alias Ghattiyarasa

Bettarasa

Siddharasa and Vimaladitya

Somesvara and Mallideva

Konidena Chodas[edit]

The Konidena Chodas were a branch of the Pottapi Chodas. They claimed descent from Dasavarma of Pottapi Chodas who was ruling Renadu country with Pottapi as capital. Their capital was Konidena (also called as Kotyadona) near Narasaraopeta in the Guntur district. They ruled over parts of Palanadu in 11th and 12th centuries. A branch of Pottapi Chodas moved northwards and started ruling with Konidena as capital. Early kings Kannara Choda and Kama Choda were independent. Tribhuvana Malla Choda, son of Kama Choda, was a chieftain to Gonka II of Velanati Chodas. Nanni Choda, son of Tribhuvana Malla Choda declared independence again, but was soon defeated and forced to be vassals again by Gonka II. After the fall of Velanadu Chodas, they were forced to suzerainty by Ganapatideva of Kakatiyas.

Konidena Chodas:

Balli Choda

Nanni Choda I

Pottapi Kamadeva

Kannara Choda

Kama Choda and Tribhuvana Malla Choda

Nanni Choda II

Kama Choda

Balli Choda

Nannuru Chodas[edit]

Nannuru Chodas were another branch of Telugu Chodas in the region of Pakanadu. The famous Telugu poet Kaviraja Sikhamani Nanne Choda belonged to this family. Not much is known of this clan and it is believed to have been a subordinate of Vikramaditya VI of Kalyani Chalukyas.

Nellore Chodas[edit]

Nellore Chodas are Telugu Chodas who ruled from the city of Nellore in Andhra Pradesh and claimed descent from Karikala Chola.

Nellore Chodas:

Bijjana

Manumasiddharasa I

Dayabhima and Nallasiddharasa

Errasiddha

Manumasiddharasa II

Tammusiddhi

Tikka Choda I or Thirukalatti

Allutikka, Manumasiddharasa III and Vijayagandagopala

Tikka Choda II

Manumagandagopala or Nallasiddharasa III

Rajagandagopala or Ranganatha

Viragandagopala

Kunduru Chodas[edit]

Eruva Bhima I, apparently the founder of the Kanduru or Kunduru dynasty, who hailed from Eruvanādu, was also known as  Panugallupuradhipa, Lord of Panugallu, present day Panugal or Panagal. Kanduru Cholas ruled parts of Mahabubnagar (Jadcharla and Acchampet taluks) and Nalgonda (Nalgonda, Suryapeta, Devarakonda, Miryalguda taluks) parts of Khammam and Krishna districts in the southern parts with Kanduru, Panugallu and Vardhamanpura as their capitals. These kings are described that they belonged to Karikala Chola family. The early two Choda members Eruva Bhima and his son Tonda I seem to have ruled Pānugallu-rājya as subordinates to the Western Chalukyas of Kalyani.

Kunduru Chodas:

Eruva Bhima Choda I

Tondaya I

Bhima Choda II

Tondaya II

Mallikarjuna Choda

Bhimarasa

Gokarna Choda I

Sridevi Tondaya

Udayaditya Choda II

Bhima Choda IV

Udayaditya Choda III

Gokarna Choda II

References[edit]

Sources[edit]

• Sastri, K.A. Nilakanta (1975). A history of south India : from prehistoric times to the fall of Vijayanagar (4 ed.). Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press. ISBN 9780195606867.
• Durga Prasad, History of the Andhras up to 1565 A. D., P. G. PUBLISHERS, GUNTUR (1988)
• K.R.Subramanian, Buddhist Remains in Andhra and The History of Andhra
• Etukuri Balarama murthi, Andhrula Samkshiptha Charithra
• Paula Richman, Questioning Ramayana: A South Asian Tradition