Telugu Historyతెలుగు చరిత్ర

Singama Nayaka III

Singama Nayaka III was a Recherla Velama king of Rachakonda in the fifteenth century, called Sarvajna ('the all-knowing') in the family chronicles. Epigraphia Telanganica lists him as 'Sarvaga Rao' from 1430 to 1475 and makes him a son of Anapota II. The census survey of 1964 says he allied with Devarakonda, Vijayanagara and the Gajapatis and took Warangal, but was driven by the Bahmani sultan to Bellamkonda, where he died. Telugu tradition links a Sarvajna Singa with the poets Srinatha and Potana, but the sources do not agree which Singa that was.

Singama Nayaka III was one of the last Recherla Velama kings of Rachakonda, in the fifteenth century.12 The family chronicles call him Sarvajna, “the all-knowing”.32 Little is known of him for certain. No inscription of his reign is cited in the sources read for this page, and his story rests on family histories and later surveys.124

Family and dates

Epigraphia Telanganica (2023) counts three kings named Singa in the family.5 It makes Singa II the son of Anapota I, and Singa III the son of Anapota II.5 See Anapota Nayaka and Singabhupala. Its list of rulers names him “Singama Nayaka III or Sarvaga Rao” and gives him the years 1430 to 1475.1

Other writers give other years. A. S. Ramanatha Ayyar, writing in 1940, followed the Velugoti family chronicle, which knows three chiefs named Singa.3 In his summary, Singa III came to power in 1425 and bore the title Sarvajna.3 The census survey of the Nalgonda district (1964) gives Singamanayaka III the years 1425 to 1455.2

Wars with the Bahmanis

The census survey describes his reign.2 In its account, Anapota II and Kumara Madhava had already broken with the Bahmani sultans and joined Vijayanagara.2 Singama III allied with Lingama Nayaka of Devarakonda, with the kings of Vijayanagara and with Kapilesvara Gajapati of Orissa, and took Warangal.2

But the Bahmani sultan Ahmad Shah stopped his advance.2 Singama fled to the fort of Bellamkonda and died there.2 With him, the survey says, the Recherla line of Rachakonda came to an end.2

The Persian histories do not name the kings of Rachakonda in these years.6 The Burhan-i Ma’asir, as translated by J. S. King, says that after Ahmad Shah took Warangal, “the Rayas of Devarkonda and Rajkonda” sent envoys with presents and agreed to pay tribute.6

The poets: Srinatha and Potana

Telugu tradition gathers famous poets around a king called Sarvajna Singa. J. Ramayya noted a stray verse attributed to Srinatha.7 In it the poet says that he visited the court of “Ravu Sarvajna-Singamanidu of the Velama family”.7 S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar printed other verses said to have been composed when Srinatha visited “the Velama ruler Sarvagna Singa Bhupala”.8

The Telugu Bhoginidandakamu is also tied to this name. H. H. Wilson’s catalogue of 1828 calls it a poem on “the love of Sarvajna Singama or Sinha bhupa a prince of the Velmavar tribe and a damsel named Bhogini”.9 It names the author as Potu Raja, “translator of the Bhagavat”, that is Bammera Potana.9 P. Chenchiah and M. Bhujanga Rao (1928) wrote that Potana was persecuted because he would not dedicate his Bhagavata to Sarvajna Singama Bhupala.10 Elsewhere they call the king “Rao Singhama”.11

The Velugoti chronicle of 1910 gives the title Sarvajna and Potana’s poem to a later Singa, of the tenth generation.124 It makes him a contemporary of the Vijayanagara king Praudha Devaraya.124

Where the sources disagree

  • Which Singa was Sarvajna. The Velugoti chronicle, as Ramanatha Ayyar summarised it, gives the title to Singa III.3 The census survey says that both Singama II and Singama III took it.2 Epigraphia Telanganica calls the third Singa “Sarvaga Rao” in its list, but elsewhere calls Singa II “Sarvajna”.113 See Singabhupala.
  • Potana’s patron. The census survey says that Singama II honoured Potana.2 The 1910 chronicle makes the patron the later Singa.4
  • His years. Epigraphia Telanganica gives 1430 to 1475.1 The census survey gives 1425 to 1455.2 Ramanatha Ayyar has Singa III come to power in 1425.3

Footnotes

  1. Gajjala Vasanta Lakshmi (ed.), Epigraphia Telanganica, vol. 4 (2023), p. 11, list of rulers. Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  2. A. Chandra Sekhar (ed.), Census of India 1961, Vol. II, Part VII-B (20): Fairs and Festivals, Nalgonda District (1964), Section I (Nalgonda taluk), entry “Rajkonda” (PDF p. 23) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12 ↩13

  3. A. S. Ramanatha Ayyar, “Conjeeveram Inscription of Brahma-tantra-svatantra-Jiyar: Saka 1282”, Epigraphia Indica XXV (1939–40), p. 323 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  4. Sadasiva Sastri, Velugotivari Vamsacaritramu (1910), introduction, pp. 64–65 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Telugu; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  5. Gajjala Vasanta Lakshmi (ed.), Epigraphia Telanganica, vol. 4 (2023), p. 31. Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2

  6. J. S. King, The History of the Bahmani Dynasty, founded on the Burhan-i Ma’asir (1900), p. 52 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2

  7. J. Ramayya, Three Inscriptions of the Reddis of Kondavidu, Epigraphia Indica XI (1911–12), p. 316 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2

  8. S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Sources of Vijayanagar History (1919), p. 61 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  9. H. H. Wilson, The Mackenzie Collection, Vol. I (1828), p. 321 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2

  10. P. Chenchiah and Raja M. Bhujanga Rao, A History of Telugu Literature (1928), p. 25 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  11. Chenchiah and Bhujanga Rao, A History of Telugu Literature (1928), p. 64 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  12. Vellala Sadasiva Sastri, Velugotivari Vamsacaritramu (1910), introduction, pp. 60–61 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Telugu; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2

  13. Gajjala Vasanta Lakshmi (ed.), Epigraphia Telanganica, vol. 4 (2023), p. 65. Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩

Dynasties

Recherla Velamas

c. 1336–1475 CE

A family of Telugu warrior chiefs of the Recherla line and the Velama (Padmanayaka) community who rose after the fall of the Kakatiyas. Singama Nayaka's sons Anapota and Mada overthrew the Musunuri chief Kapaya Nayaka about 1368. They ruled Telangana from the hill forts of Rachakonda and Devarakonda for about a century, between the Bahmanis, the Reddis, Vijayanagara and the Gajapatis of Orissa. The king Singabhupala wrote the Sanskrit Rasarnavasudhakara, and tradition links the poets Srinatha and Potana with their court.

References

Sources (9)
  1. Gajjala Vasanta Lakshmi (ed.); Gautam Pingle (gen. ed.), Epigraphia Telanganica, Vol. 4: Post-Kakatiya Telangana, Dr MCR Human Resource Development Institute, Government of Telangana, 2023, pp. 11, 31, 65. Cite-only; paraphrased. [All rights reserved (cited, not reproduced)]
  2. A. Chandra Sekhar (Census of India), Census of India 1961, Vol. II: Andhra Pradesh, Part VII-B (20): Fairs and Festivals, Nalgonda District (opens in a new tab), Superintendent of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, 1964, Section I, 'Rajkonda'. Paraphrased. [Public domain in India]
  3. N. P. Chakravarti (ed.), Epigraphia Indica, Vol. XXV (1939–40) (opens in a new tab), Manager of Publications, Delhi, 1940, pp. 323. A. S. Ramanatha Ayyar. Paraphrased. [Public domain in India]
  4. Vellala Sadasiva Sastri, Velugotivari Vamsacaritramu leka Venkatagirirajula Vamsacaritramu (వెలుగోటివారి వంశచరిత్రము) (opens in a new tab), Madras (Chennapuri), 1910, introduction 60–65. Telugu; paraphrased. [Public domain]
  5. Sten Konow (ed.), Epigraphia Indica, Vol. XI (1911–12) (opens in a new tab), Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing, Calcutta (scan of the ASI 1981 facsimile reprint), 1912, pp. 316. J. Ramayya, Three inscriptions of the Reddis of Kondavidu (No. 33). [Public domain]
  6. S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Sources of Vijayanagar History (opens in a new tab), University of Madras, 1919, pp. 61. [Public domain]
  7. H. H. Wilson, The Mackenzie Collection: A Descriptive Catalogue of the Oriental Manuscripts of the South of India, Vol. I (opens in a new tab), Asiatic Press, Calcutta, 1828, pp. 321. [Public domain]
  8. P. Chenchiah and Raja M. Bhujanga Rao, A History of Telugu Literature (The Heritage of India Series) (opens in a new tab), Association Press (Y.M.C.A.), Calcutta / Oxford University Press, London, 1928, pp. 25, 64. [Public domain]
  9. J. S. King, The History of the Bahmani Dynasty, founded on the Burhan-i Ma'asir (opens in a new tab), Luzac and Co., London, 1900, pp. 52. [Public domain]

Spotted an error on this page? Tell us

Last updated: