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Telugu Historyతెలుగు చరిత్ర

Tatikonda

Village among hillocks in the old Warangal district, with two ruined forts, one on the hill and one at its foot. Local tradition ascribes them to the rebel Sarvaya Papadu (Pap Rai) of the early eighteenth century. The census of 1961 recorded his legend here: his last stand of nine months, his betrayal, and the well of his concubine Yerukala Nanchari.

According to the census of 1961, Tatikonda lies among low hills about 24 miles from Warangal and 8 miles from the Ghanpur railway station. The census counted 3,735 people in the village. It records two forts, one on the hillock and one at its foot.1 They are said to have been built by Sarvaya Papadu, a Goundla (toddy-tapper).1 See Sarvaya Papadu and the Mughals in the Telugu country.

The legend at Tatikonda

The census gives several versions of the story told in the village. In them Papadu grew up at Tatikonda, built forts here and at Shahpur, and was believed to have joined the two by a tunnel. After raiding Warangal he was besieged at Tatikonda for nine months by generals sent by Bahadur Shah. He was betrayed by his own men and killed. A well on the hill is named after his concubine, Yerukala Nanchari.12 A temple on the hill, without an image, is said to have been built in his time.12

The census also notes two temples of Rama, a Siva temple and a shrine of Posamma in the village.2 It records a nine-day festival of Rama in Chaitra.2

The chronicle

The Mughal historian Khafi Khan wrote an account of “the freebooter Pap Rai”, printed by Elliot and Dowson.3 He says that after the sack of Warangal in AH 1120 (1708; AH is the Islamic way of counting years) the rebel built another fort near “Tarikanda”.3 It was four kos (a measure of distance) from his first stronghold at Shahpur.3 After a siege of nine months there his men deserted, and he fled, to be betrayed and executed.3

The census tradition names Tatikonda as the place of this last siege.23 The sources do not themselves equate Tarikanda with Tatikonda.23

Footnotes

  1. A. Chandra Sekhar (ed.), Census of India 1961, Vol. II, Part VII-B (18): Fairs and Festivals, Warangal District (1964), p. 18, entry “Thatikonda” (PDF p. 41) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  2. Chandra Sekhar (ed.), Census of India 1961, Vol. II, Part VII-B (18): Fairs and Festivals, Warangal District (1964), p. 19, entry “Thatikonda” (PDF p. 42) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  3. Khafi Khan, Muntakhabu-l Lubab, in H. M. Elliot and John Dowson (eds.), The History of India as Told by Its Own Historians, Vol. VII (1877), p. 412 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

People

Sarvaya Papadu (Pap Rai)

c. 1708 CE

Telangana rebel of the early eighteenth century, a toddy-drawer by caste, whom the Mughal historian Khafi Khan calls Pap Rai. From forts at Shahpur in the Bhongir country and at a second stronghold, he plundered the roads and killed Mughal officers. In 1708 he sacked Warangal. He was betrayed, captured and executed, and his head was sent to the emperor's court. Telangana tradition remembers him as Sarvaya Papadu, a Goundla hero who robbed the rich, fed the poor and held Golconda for three hours.

References

Sources (2)
  1. A. Chandra Sekhar (Census of India), Census of India 1961, Vol. II: Andhra Pradesh, Part VII-B (18): Fairs and Festivals, Warangal District (opens in a new tab), Superintendent of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, 1964, pp. 18–19. Public domain in India; paraphrased. [Public domain in India]
  2. H. M. Elliot and John Dowson (eds.), The History of India as Told by Its Own Historians: The Muhammadan Period, Vol. VII (opens in a new tab), Trübner and Co., London, 1877, pp. 412. Khafi Khan. [Public domain]

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