Story as told by Kalvala Karunakar Rao

Mr.Rao has made a mail and appreciated about Yellapu charitha as great collection. On request I have given my phone numbers. Consequently, he made a call to me and provided wonderful information. It has crushed the traditional thinking that Yellapus have migrated from Bobbili to Nalgonda district only. His family history is as follows:

Kaluvala families resided in mothkur in Nalgonda district.

These people migrated from Bobbili to Albaka in Khammam district near Kothagudem on the bank of River Godavari. From there, they migrated to Warangal district and later to mothkur via thorrur. Earlier, it was thought that the migration took place to Nalgonda district from Bobbili. Now, It is clarified that it is not totally true. These families have relatives in Jaffargadh a famous fort village. Jaffargadh is little inside on the way to Thorrur from Warangal. Most of these people might have stayed in Jaffargarh before migrating to Mothkur.

The reason for the migration is that when it was estimated that Bobbili is on loosing end women and children was killed by their family members. About 100 children of kalvala families and their relatives were secretly got escaped to albaka through different routes to their maternal uncles house. It reveals that those people have maintained relations from that distance place. The matrimonial relations were also established from that distance place.

He also illustrated that these families had continued the tradition of Guru. The Guru of these families was a kannadiga. He followed the vaishnavite tradition. He uses to stay for one week when he arrives in the village. He use to do the Yagnam for the welfare of the people. He use to put the sauthrinam, a typical mark put with the burning iron rod.

Guru had agraharams allocated by the kings. Out of which Guru had given 600 Acres to the Kalvala Narahari Rao, Grandfather of Sri.Karunakar Rao, for the benevolent and serving nature. Astonishingly, he asked to give the land to the poor also. Guru replied that I will give them land but not as you expected for them. Finally, the poor also got the lands. Finally, the poor also got the lands. What a un-imaginable quantity of kindness for poor.

Another interesting fact is that Uncles of Mr.Rao is also using the Rayudu as suffix to the name. Actually, it is being used for the vassals of Kakatiyas.

Mr.Rao has also provided superb links, which includes the book written by micheal katten on Making Caste in Nineteenth-Century India: A History of Telling the Bobbili Katha &Velama Identity. I could produce the following points immediately as follows and comment here under:

There is special mention of Beri Komati sthreelu. In one part of the fort lived the Beri komatis.At the on set of the siege the men of this jati were out gathereing their merchandise, while the women were forced in to action. With the refrain “beri Vari Strilu”(Women of Beri People) author tells of their heroism:

The Beri women tied their hair in knots (tufts), and swung them behind their heads. They knotted the loose ends of their saris. Then they tied up stones, and the pestles available. And they proceeded to throw the entire collection of rocks on top of the 12,000 Frenchmen and the army gathered nearby. Then they struck the white men where they lay. They hit the heads of 200 soldiers. From the tops of elephants observes gathered and watched in sheer amazement.

It also revealed that there are telagas and velamas exist in the fort. The have killed their children and women to show the solidarity to king in the time distress.

Out of the two statements we can deduce one certain fact that Beri komatis has corrupted to Bairu shettis in Telangana area.These people later merged into telagas(Yellapus), duly migrating to Telangana area.The family name of Bairushetty exists in Yellapus in Karimnagar district. It is also existing in Warangal in Telagas.It is not easy to distinguish telagas and Yellapus in Warangal district.There is existence of Ranabheri(Anabheri) families and Bherishetti(Bhairushetty) families among Yellapus. Former are end users and latter are suppliers.

As told by the Yellapu elders that women use to wage the war equally with men. The above incident of fighting by women against the well disciplined army reveals the fierceness of women among the Yellapus/telagas. I remember that the old age persons, who are descendent of migrants along with my forefathers that Yellapus are also called telagas in Nalgonda district.

Thus, yellapus were very much part of Bobbili war.Their women also participated in the war, when other women and child are killed. Some children are got escaped and reached to Nalgonda district finally via albaka, Warangal and thorrur.It also supports the reason of very less number of families among the Yellapus.

Father of maternal Grand father sri.kamatam papaiah was a Hazari in the Bhonagiri fort. It clarifies that many Yellapus and Telagas in the warangal and Nalgonda district have got the status of Hazari or more. It is based on the decimal system. In this one leader of soldier leads the military in the multiples of 10 basing on the assignment of land given to them.However,many Hazaris have merged with telagas in Nalgonda district.

The estimated time of migration of kalavala families to Mothkur took place between 1840-50.The war of Bobbili took place in 1757.Hence, between these hundred years they may be at Warangal and Khammam districts. In this regard, it is to reiterate that Yellapu families have not migrated from one place to one place at once, as told by elders. The migration from Bobbili is also not an exemption.It is clear that some people left Bobbili during the war and some after the war.

The Benevolent Grand father of Mr.Rao,Sri.Narahari Rao has got migrated 20 families to Mothkur for living together, namely Devineni, Polineni,Gandham, Konatham, Gaddam, Duscherla, Adapa,etc.His Grand father was called as Rayudu by the villagers with respect.

Recently, i have visited the thimmapur near Aravapally in the district of Nalgonda. I astonishingly found known people of caste.But they are slowly merging with munnurukapu.The famous families of the village are kandula, daluvai.They have good relations with the families at mothkur.Some families have good quantity of land with them.These people also have good relations with the warangal families.

Some more information is yet to come. Please wait….

Stories told by Rapole Brothers

I spoke to sri.Rapole ramkishan rao and Sri.Rapole Ramranga rao, landlords by birth and lived in the near by villages of peddapally, namely vemnoor and mormoor respectively.I just wanted to gather the information, but they have given more information than required. hence, this chapter is named on above brothers. The information to speak to the elder brother to gather information is provided by sri.chinthapandu Harish, who taken pain all the way from London. So, I thank him also. It also clears the mis- conceptions of sri.Harish any way.As per them the stories are as follows:

Yellapus are certainly of warrior class. But they are mixed with the other castes locally. They married the girls of kapu and vyshya also.The ancestors of Sri.Kosnam Ramchender rao , F/o Kishan rao was a vassal of Kakatiyas. His kingdom was touching Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Adilabad and small parts of Warangal district.They ruled from the Mulangur forte.They have also constructed a temple by name Sundaragiri temple.The forte of polampally is belongs to the sisters of sri.Ramachender rao. Thus, this forte may be also belongs to his ancestors. Their vassal area extended to vainganga in Adilabad district.Thus, he may the important vassal in the kingdom of Kakatiyas. One other doubt it raised is whether these people stayed in these areas without migrating to other areas? This has to ascertained.If it is right, how did they merged again with other yellapus.

The migration pattern is also not with in short time. Families wise migration has taken place.They are thoroughly merged with local people.

They also told that other upper class people feared to have clash with Rapole families, as these people continue this for generations.

There is the statue of veera( Warrior) in elagandula fort. The veera is belongs to Salvadi family. He died before marriage. Hence, his statue is erected. But in my opinion, he would have done some thing great, otherwise for simple death nobody pray him. The veera puja is performed by only salvadi families, but not by all families. They also clarified that lakkakula families are ding the same as their daughter is given to them.Near the fort there is well called salvadi bavi.This reveals and clarifies that some philanthropic Yellapus have dug the wells for people. Similarly, there is one konaiah bavi was existing in buggaram , dug by Bonagiri families.

Yellapus are called differently in different areas. They are also called telaga in Nalgonda and Warangal, hazaris in Warangal.They are prominently known as yellapu in Adilabad district only.

One women of Rapole families has brought her four brothers along with her from else where in Rayalaseema. They carried all the gold with them. She has bought 100 acres of land for each brother in different villages namely vemnur, mormoor,padakanti and madaka all near peddapally and Ramagundam.It was also told that then carried gold was existing till recent times.The family tree of rapole families is existing.Some documents are available with the elder brother. She has mobilized the all other caste people by providing employment and matrimonial relations.What a wonderful technique of amalgamation, followed from ancient days of kings.Hence, some people inherited the lands, some have bought and only a few was gifted by nizam.

These people on tour use to prefer to take meals in the families of vyshyas and Brahmins but not in the families of reddis or velamas.

The common suffix of yellapus is Rayudu in ancient days.Recharla Rayudu is one of the warriors of Bobbili war.In Bobbili war,one padala papanna has participated in the war.He also adviced to gather information on the Kshatriyawada existing in Bobbili.It is also told to study the book on Gonaganna reddy to know the names of some yellapu warriors on the basis of surnames.To know more history, Karimnagar district history is very crucial.

They advised they way to collect the information. One other thing thing took place is that the limitations have expanded, when it brought to my notice that many people have merged at later stage and not at once migrated.I have to revise accordingly.Meanwhile I post this for the convenience of the readers and to add something. It is always to have something than nothing.