History of the Andhras

Sources of History of Andhras till 1565 A.D.

'History as a subject of study is more or less completely at the mercy of its sources'. It is a fact that we have no ancient or medieval literature created in Andhra which can be classified as truly historical. So it is but natural one has to depend heavily on 'Primary source material of incidental nature, created not for the purpose of communicating the history of contemporary times chronologically set forth, but to record events and impressions for political, legal and religious purposes like the epigraphs of medieval times, the quasi-historical literary works and so forth'.

Just like ancient Indian history, the history of the Andhras is still in the formative stage. Though the available source material is vast, it is incomplete and at the same time diverse in nature and variety. In the last 70 years, yeomen service was rendered by eminent scholars and organisations in recovering the records of the past with sustained effort and in reconstructing the history of the Andhras with judicious nature. Of course, the work is still going on.

The source material for the writing of ancient and medieval Andhra history can conveniently be classified under (i) archaeology including epigraphs and numismatics apart from monuments and other ancient relics, (ii) literature, native as well as foreign, and (iii) foreign notices.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOURCES :

Among the available archaeological source materials, epigraphs or inscriptions are more copious for the ancient end medieval Andhra history. With Asokart edicts, our authentic history begins. This royal sage's rock edicts in Brahmi script at Erragudi, Rajulamandagiri, Amaravati and Kottam in Andhra reveal the extension of the Mauryan authority and its administrative system over the Andhra area. Bhattiprolu relic casket inscriptions datable to 200 B.C. reveal the fact that Buddhism spread far and wide in our province in that remote age. The Prakrit inscriptions in the Kanheri, Karle and Nasik caves, Naganika's Nanaghat record, Balasri's Nasik inscription and Kharavela's Guntupalli records help us a lot for the Satavahana history.

Among the post-Satavahana dynasties of Andhradesa, the Ikshvakus of Vijayapuri occupy an important place. Their Nagarjunakonda, Jaggayyapeta, Amaravati and Ramireddipalle Ayaka stone pillar inscriptions constitute the sole source of information for the political, religious and social conditions of the times. The Kondamudi copper plate grant gives information about the Brihatphalayanas. Most of the inscriptions of the early Pallavas, Anandagotras, Salankayanas, Vishnukundins, Matharas, Eastern Gangas and the Eastern Chalukyas are only copper plate grants. These records gave importance to the Sanskrit language. The Brahmi script underwent transformation and the Telugu script emerged. The Telugu language also found a place in the inscriptions. From the time of the Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi, the number of stone inscriptions increased. Inspite of some drawbacks on the part of all these inscriptions, these are the records which form the most authentic sources for the rulers, their dynastic succession, their chronology, extent of their respective kingdoms and the economic, social and cultural conditions more or less till 11th century A.D. The inscriptions in Brahmi and Vengi characters of the Hindu and the Buddhist Andhras who migrated to the South-East Asian regions from the Kalinga and Andhra coasts indicate that they established only our cultural traditions there. For the medieval period of Andhra history, one can conveniently depend upon the inscriptions of the Chalukya-Cholas, Kakatiyas, Musunuris, Reddis and Vijayanagara rulers and their chieftains.

Though not to the extent of epigraphs, numismatics also helps us for our history reconstruction. Coins made of several metals like gold, silver, copper or other baser metals of different periods are available. Of the available coins of almost ail the Satavahana rulers, the number of potin (coins of a mixed character) and lead coins is more. These coins bearing the figures of an elephant, a horse, a camel etc. indicate the probable means of conveyance commonly used in that period. The ship-mast coins of Yajnasri Satakarni reveal the brisk maritime trade of the Satavahana period. From the gold coins of the Roman emperors unearthed in some parts of Andhra datable to the Satavahana-lkshvaku period, it may be concluded that the Romans carried on commerce with Andhra and paid gold dinars. Similarly some gold coins of the Eastern Chalukyan rulers Chalukya Chandra Saktivarma I and Rajaraja Narendra were discovered in Burma. The coins of the Kakatiyas were in Nandi-Nagari script while the Vijayanagara were in Nagari characters. Coins of different metals in different denominations issued in different periods help us only to some extent in knowing about the rulers, about the extent of the kingdom, and about the religious sentiments of the age.

The archaeological finds of the past include stone tools, pottery, bricks, megaliths, Buddhist structural remains, Jain relics, constructions of temples, forts and palaces, sculptures and paints. A careful study of these finds throws a flood of light on the religious beliefs, the social life and the artistic excellence attained by the Andhras in the past. They reveal the evolutionary process of the Telugu culture.

LITERARY SOURCES :

The literary sources for ancient and medieval Andhra history may be divided into indigenous and foreign. Early references to the Andhras were found in indigenous literature which includes sriti and smriti works like the Aitareya Brahmana, the Epics, the Puranas, the early Buddhist and Jain works. Gunadhya's Brhatkatha, Hala's Gathasaptasati and Vatsyayana's Kamasutras reflected the social and cultural life of the Satavahana period. Mention was made to the details of the Rashtrakuta-Eastern Chalukya conflicts in poet Pampa's Gadeyuddha and Vikramarjuna Vijaya, both Kannada Kavyas, Historical data relating to the Kakatiya, Reddi and Vijayanagara times was obtained from the Sanskrit and Telugu literary works dedicated by poets and scholars to their royal and princely patrons. Purely literary works and quasi-historical kavyas like Prataparudra Yasobhushanam, Siddheswara Chantramu,
Somadevarajiyamu, Saluvabhyudayamu, Rayavachakamu, Rangarajacharitra and others, after being purged of all exaggerations, provided some solid historical information relating to the deeds of the kings, princes and potentates. The Kalajnanas and Vamsavalis also rendered help in the reconstruction of history.

Apart from these works, some glorified popular ballads like the 'Siege of Bobbili' and ballads relating to Sarvaya Papadu and others threw light on the courage, heroism and reckless valour of the local heroes of different Andhra regions. Another interesting source of historical information relates to the 'Kaifiyats', These were local revenue records maintained by village karnams during the medieval and later periods relating to details of the village lands, their nature, ownership, and payable tax etc. Changes in the political set up, revenue assessment and life of the village were faithfully recorded in these village annals which are of great value now as sources of historical information. Colonel Colin Mackenzie and subsequently C.P. Brown, the two Britishers, rendered yeomen service in getting these records collected and copied. These local chronicles provided valuable historical material especially from the age of the Vijayanagara Rayas to the British period.

In the Indian Muslim historical writings of the medieval period, only passing references to the events in Andhra were made. For example. Allauddin Khilji's invasions of Andnra were referred as part of his southern conquests in Amir Khusru's Persian works especially in his Tarikh-i-Alai. Isami gave an authentic description in his 'Fatuh-us-salatin' in verse, of the circumstances under which the Andhras revolted against Mahammad Bin Tughlak's authority and established independent kingdoms. Similarly Barani, Nizamuddin and Shams-i-Siraz Afif in their chronicles shed some side light on Andhra developments of the period. Among the Nizam Shahi and Adil Shahi dynastic historical accounts, Mohammed Khasim H. Ferishta's Tarik-i-Ferista, though not devoid of narrow sectarian loyalty and rabidly violent animosity towards the Hindus, deserves mention for its references to his patrons Ahmadnagar and Bijapur sultans with the Vijayanagare and other Andhra rulers.

The earliest reference to the Andhradesa in foreign literature was found in the account of Magasthanes, the Greek ambassador in Maurya Chandragupta's court. Of the Greeco- Roman writings of the early centuries of Christian era, Pliny and Ptolemys' accounts and the ananymous author's the periplus of the Erythrean Sea' shed light on the ports, trade routes, markets and various items of trade, of Andhra during those times.

Among the two Chinese travellers who visited India in the 5th and 7th centuries A.D., Fahien, though did not visit the south, referred in his account to Andhra Parvata Vihara about which he heard. The other Chinese traveller Hieun Tsang came to the South and toured the coastal Andhra as well in the first half of the 7th century A.D. He left us a vivid account of the religious customs and ways of the life of the people. In 1293 A.D., Marcopolo, an Italian traveller, visited Andhra and wrote an excellent account of what all he saw in Kakatiya
kingdom.

Ibn Batuta a Moroccan Muslim traveller (14th century A.D.), Abdur Razzak, the Persian ambassador, Nicolo-De-Conti, the Italian traveller, Nikitin, the Russian merchant (all in the 15th century A.D.), Barbossa, Paes and Nuniz—all Portuguese (16th century) and Barradas, Rubino and other foreigners (17th century) provided much useful information, in their travel accounts, reports and correspondence, about the conditions prevailing here and their experiences.