My nephew kalian has asked the following 3 doubts after going through the entire history written and published in the name and style of yellapu charitha blog.
a. Can we build and follow history by family names?
b. Yellapi, Yellapu and vellapu
c. History of B.C. certificate
The answer for the question (c) is given differently.The answer to the 2 other questions are as follows:
a. Can we build and follow history by family names?
When there are no other sources of information about any caste or kingdom, the only alternative left is analyzing the family names and gotras. In the instant case of yellapu charitha, I have verified the oral history told by our family elders.
I will mention two cases. One our ancestors lived in Delhi surroundings. It is known to many people. One family name Jangeti is the name of the village in the district of meerut near delhi, where our families would have lived in that area and its surroundings. But at a later stage other families loose their family name and assigned with new family name. Thus, oral history is substantiated by analysis of family name.
Secondly, we worked under the kakathiyas. Our family elders greatly tell that we are obediently served them, even while others were opposing the undue preference given to the velamas. The question raised by kalyan is how you know that our people worked under kakathiyas. It is simple that we have derived that information from our family elders. We shall not doubt that. But, it is substantiated by the analysis of family names that bethi, Jampala, akireddy are certainly related to kakathiyas and its region. (Refer to analysis of surnames how they are related)
Yellapi, Yellapu and vellapu
I feel that yellapi is a singular form. If any body asks to an individual who are you? Natural answer would be yallapi. If the question is relating to a Group natural it is in plural form, which is yellapulu or yellapilu. Certainly there is an inconvenience in the word yellapilu. Naturally, in telugu language it has transformed into yellapu, which is also close to their ancient name of vellapu. The emanation of word of yellapi may be a recent one (300 years old) may be due to the odiyan influence in the north coastal area on telugu language.
Most of the out side people feel that Yellapis are backward and they are belongs to north coastal area. Where as Yellapus are belongs to Telangana area and they are well off.I clarify that the present day Yellapis, who are still leading nomadic life are having large structure. They would have lost their employment after the downfall of Bobbili. As they continued in the British rule, there was no requirement of soldiers. Hence, they were in extreme poverty.
In contra the Yellapus in Telangana area are rich and dominating at least in karimnagar district. I differ on that point also. They were extremely in distress condition. They practiced other professions such as agriculture, hunting,etc., when they lost their employment. They have become rich only after accessing the lands assigned by the Nizam, that too a few sections.only a few people become rich after working under some fuedal lords. Even in the karimnagar district, many people were poor till the present times.
Hence, I conclude that there is no difference between yellapi and yellapu as thought by others. Both are of tribal origin. The distance and poverty has separated them. We require some more information of the people of north coastal area to analyze. But somebody should help me to do that.
The word of vellapu was the ancient term of Yellapus. Till they leave the Warangal they are known by the term.Even during the vijayanagara period, they are know by that name only.
