| Template:Wikify is deprecated. Please use a more specific cleanup template as listed in the documentation. |
Rajus are a small but prominent Hindu Kshatriya community in Andhra Pradesh, India. They descended from ancient Deccan Kingdoms. A book entiled Sri Andhra Kshatriya Ratnakaramu elaborates the traditional accounts of the Raju Community and was written by Varahalaraju Buddharaju.
Origin
Andhra Kshatriya Kingdoms
1. Traditional accounts speak of two sections. Surya Vamsa and Chandra Vamsa. Surya include Ikshwaku, Vemulavada Chalukya, Varnata (Karnatic), Kota Vamsa, and Perichedha. All Dhanunjaya Gothriks are from the Kota dynasty and all Vasistha Gothriks belong to the Perichedha dynasty. Chandra Vamsa include Western and Eastern Chalukyas.
2. During the reign of King Bimbisara of Magadha (around 500 BC.) Goutham Siddarth (Buddha) and Mahavir Jain were born and began spreading thier teachings. His son Ajatasatru, who with the instigation of Devadatta, imprisioned and killed his father in order to gain the throne. This act is believed to have caused some of his General and their soldiers to question his sovereignty and leave Magadha. Some eventually settled in the Deccan peninsula and founded their own kingdoms.
3. Founders of the Ikshvaku Kingdom are said to be immigrants from Kosala, Uttar Pradesh. There is an old Ikshvaku dynasty which is believed to be ancestors of Lord Rama there.
4. Another traditional account of Rajus mentions descending form the Vishnukundina dynasty with Madhava Varma as a common ancestory.
5. There are traditions which claim descent from Varnataka, Parchedi, and Kota Vamsa. Varnataka is likely to be Karnataka, the Chalukyas. Parchedi could be connected either to the Chedi of Madhya Pradesh/Nagpur area, or Parchure of Maharashtra. Kota Vamsa was an ancient family in Andhra.
6. Officially the Vizianagaram Dynasty of the Pusapatis was founded by a revenue collector from Krishna area who took the fiefdom during Qutb Shahi times in the 16th century. But closer examination indicates the community is far older than 16th century and related to the Kalinga/Gangas Dynasties of Orissa.
1.Ikshvaku
Originally they were feudatories of the Satavahanas and bore the title Mahatalavara. The Puranas mention them as the Sriparvatiyas (Foresters), Rulers of Sriparvata (Forests) and Andhrabhrityas (Servants of the Andhras). In the third century AD the Satavahanas were ousted by the Ikshvakus, who were themselves from the Deccan of the Krishna-Guntur region. From 180-624 AD., Ikshvakus, Bruhatsalayanas, Salankayanas, Vishnukundinas, Vakatakas, Pallavas, Ananda Gotrikas, Kalingas and others ruled over Andhra with their small kingdoms. Though seven kings are said to have ruled for 57 years in all, only a few are known by name from Inscriptions.
Vasithiputa Siri Chantamula, the founder of the line, performed the Asvamedha and Vajpayee sacrifices.
Virapurisadata (275 AD.) The reign of Vasithiputa’s son formed a glorious epoch in the history of Buddhism and in diplomatic relations. He took a queen from the Saka family of Ujjain and gave his daughter in marriage to a Chutu prince. Almost all the royal ladies were Buddhists. An aunt of Virapurisadata built a big Stupa at Nagarjunikonda. Her example was followed by other women of the royal family.
Ehuvula Chantamula, son of Virapurisadata the next member of the line, is who came after a short Abhira interregnum (275-280 AD.) and whose reign witnessed the completion of a Devi Vihara, a Stupa and two apsidal temples. We hear also of a Sihala Vihara, a convent founded for the accommodation of Sinhalese monks; and a Chaitya-ghara (Chaitya hall) was dedicated to the fraternities (Theriyas) of Tambapanni (Ceylon). Ceylonese Buddhism was thus in close touch with that of Andhra. The sculptures of Nagarjunakonda, which include large figures of Buddha, show decided traces of Greek influence and Mahayana tendencies. he Ikshvakus extended their kingdom to the Krishna and Godavari valleys. The capital was Vijayapuri, the current Nagarjunakonda. Though they followed Vedic ritualism they patronized Buddhism. The Brihatpalayanas and Pallavas toke over parts of their Kingdom.
2. Brihatpalayana
3rd century AD. Ruled Northern Andhra with Kodur in Krishna District as the Capital after the Ikshvakus. Jaya Varma is one of few Brihatpalayana rulers mentioned.
3. Ananda Gothrika
Ruled coastal Andhra with Kapotapuram as the capital from 335-425 AD.
4a. Vakataka
They were an Indian dynasty that originated in the central Deccan in the mid-3rd century AD. They ruled from the third century to fifth century AD in parts of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and to the Tungabhadra River. They are regarded as the most important follow-up dynasty of the Satavahanas and were contemporaries to the Guptas. In the 4th century the Vakatakas were allied by marriage to the Gupta dynasty. The Vakatakas are noted for having encouraged arts and Liturature.
Vindhyashakti: (250-270 AD) The Dynasty founder is believed to have come from the Vindhya Mountains and named himself after the Goddess of the mountains.
Rudrasena II: (380-385 AD.) Rudrasena II married Prabhavatigupta, the daughter of the Chandragupta II (375-415). Rudrasena II died after a very short reign in 385 AD, following which Prabhavatigupta (385-405 AD) ruled as a regent on behalf of her two sons Divakarsena and Damodarsena (Pravarsena II) for 20 years. During this twenty year period the Vakataka realm was practically a part of the Gupta empire. Many historians refer to this period as the Vakataka-Gupta age.
4b.Vatsagulma Branch
Members of this branch disputed Narendrasena's accession and towards the close of his reign he was deprived of his kingdom by his Vatsagulma cousins. They are descendents of the second line of Pravarasena's younger son Sarvasena, who formed the Vatsagulma branch in Basim, Akola Dist. by occuping the area between the Sahydri Range and the Godavari River.
From the begining the Vatsagulma branch of the dynasty aspired to spread its wings to the south and west. Even though Sarvasena's queen Ajjhitabhattarika was a Kadamba Princess, Sarvasena II interfered in the internal affairs of the Kadambas of Vanavasi and put his protege Simhavarman on the Kadamba throne and Sarvasena's son Devasena extended his kingdom right up to the Bidar region of Karnataka at the cost of Kadambas. He also tried to destabilize his Pravarapura cousins. Both branches ended their political career owing to the growing ambitions of their erstwhile vassals and foes from the south and west. They are known to have patronized some Buddhist caves at Ajanta.
5. Kalachuri of Chedi
In about the second quarter of the sixth century AD the Vakataka power was subdued by The Kalachuris. Kalachuris had their kingdom in southern Madhya Pradesh with their capital at Tripuri near Jablapur. They had conflicts with the rulers of Kannauj, Malwa, Chalukya and Rashtrakutas. They also faced the rulers of The Pala Dynasty and Kalinga.
Kokalla I was the founder of this dynasty. One of the most important rulers of this dynasty was Gangeyadeva who tried to make the Chedi the paramount power of Northern India. He was followed by his son Karandeva.
6. Salankayana
300-440 AD. Salankayanas and Vishnukundina were two of the many dynasties that succeeded the Ikshvaku. Both Salankayana and Vishnukundina were vassals under Pallava kings who ruled from southern Telugu and northern Tamil lands. They ruled over a part of the East Coast with Vengi as their capital. During their time the script for Telugu and Kannada began to clearly separating from that of the other South Indian and North Indian languages.
7. Vishnukundina
500-600 A.D By 514 AD. The Vakataka empire was reduced to areas of present day Telengana. The area north of the Godavari (Kalinga) became independent. The area south of the Krishna fell to the Pallavas from Kanchi. Vishnukundina is a Sanskritized name for Vinukonda. They ruled four central coastal districts between 420-611 AD. from Vinukonda, Vengi, Indrapura (Indrapalagutta in Ramannapet taluk of Nalgonda District), and Vijayawada. These kings had alliances with The Guptas.
Madhava Varma married a Vakataka Princess and after the fall of the Vakatakas in the beginning of the sixth century A.D. he occupied Vidarbha and took advantage of the opportunity and extended his dominion far a wide. Evidence of his conqest of Western Maharashtra is shown by his copper-plate grant discovered at Khanapur in the Satara district. He was regarded as a very powerful ruler and performed several Vedic sacrifices including eleven Ashvamedhas.
Madhava Varma is celebrated in folklore by Rajus who say they are descended from him. They had three important cities, near Eluru, Amaravathi and Puranisangam. There is an inscription in an old Buddhist monastery in southeast Hyderabad suburbs near Dislsukhnagar mentioning Govinda Varma, one of the Vishnukundinas. Keesara, Northeast of Hyderabad could have Vishnukundin connections as well. A fort traditionally connected to Rajus is Kaldindi in Krishna district, which was under the Vishnukundina sway for a long time.
Madhava Varma II: Madhava Varma 1’s grandson describes himself as the lord of Trikuta and Malaya.
During Visnukundina times the Telegu language began to make historical developments. Untill this time all the royal inscriptions used either Prakrit or Sanskrit. This was in spite of the fact there was a well developed local language in Telugu.
The Chola kings actually began the process. The Telugu Chola kings had eventually gained prominence and filled the vacuum left by the end of Pallava dynasty. They ruled from Renadu, which corresponds roughly to the modern day Kadapa, Eastern Chittoor, Southern Nellore and surrounding areas.
They broke with the prevailing fashion and introduced the tradition of writing Royal proclamations in the local language. The earliest available inscription containing Telugu sentences comes from these Chola kings and is dated to 573-576 AD. During the next fifty years, Telugu inscriptions appeared in the neighboring Anantapur and all the surrounding regions. Their act of patronizing Telugu over Sanskrit had caught on and other kings in the Telugu land had begun to follow their lead. The first available Telugu inscription in the coastal Andhra Pradesh comes from about 633 AD. Around the same time, the Chalukya kings of Telangana also started using Telugu for inscriptions.
8. Pallava
Over centuries, The Pallavas crossed over from western India and began gaining prominence in the Tamil country. Satavahana kings initially subdued them around the time of Christ. They then settled in the northern Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. This area is still referred to as Palnadu or Pallava Nadu and is the scene of one the central events in Telugu history (War of Palnadu, 1182 AD.). These Telugu Pallavas eventually set up small kingdoms. A branch of these Pallavas migrated to the Tamil country were they established one of the most cherished kingdoms in Tamil history. Their capitol was Kanchi; close to the border between Tamil and Telugu lands. Although they were responsible for the destruction of much of the composite Hindu-Buddhist-Jain legacy of Ikshvaku, in terms of education, art and architecture, they took on the Ikshvaku zeal for building and sculpture with their own style. The earliest available inscriptions with Tamil content were from the time of the rise of Pallava influence. By the time Pallavas moved to the Tamil country from Telugu lands, Sanskrit gained its prominence in South India and displaced Prakrit. The Pallavas took this newfound interest to Tamil Nadu and patronized Sanskrit poets like Bharavi and Dandin. At that time, Tamil (and Sanskrit in the Tamil land) used to be written in the "Pallava Grantham" script. Modern Tamil script eventually descended from it. A great number of south-east Asian languages including Thai and Malay had adapted variants of this Grantham script and Telugu script over the centuries.
9. Chalukya
Chalukyas were a royal dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between 550 and 750, and again between 973 and 1190. They were considered to be descendents of Satavahana families. They rose again to power after a gap of few centuries at about 500 A.D. They succeeded the Vishnukundina. The famous Raja Raja Narendra belonged to this dynasty. Their heartland was the area between town of Eluru and the Godavari delta. The aggressive Chalukyas of Badami under Pulakesin expanded into Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Andhra etc.
In the sixth century, Chalukyas began their ascent over Kannada country and eventually over Telugu lands. From many indications, it appears that the present day Rayalseema in Andhra Pradesh was the first home of Chalukyas. As early as 1st Century CE, they were mentioned as being the vassals and chieftains under the Satavahana rule. Their place of residence at that time was the Cuddapah area. They apparently migrated to the northern Karnataka area after suffering loses at the hands of Pallava kings. They eventually established one of the most brilliant and powerful empires of South Indian history. At their peak, they controlled the better part of western and southern India. They reentered the Telugu land via the present day Telangana. This region was their strong hold for over six centuries. Although they tended to favor Kannada in the beginning, it is in Telangana that they re-learned Telugu. When the dynasty had branched off into Western and Eastern kingdoms. The eastern branch(es) had completely become Telugu speaking. Both branches continued to patronize Telugu and Kannada. More than any single ruling clan, it is the Chalukyas who influenced the modern form of Telugu script and its affinity with modern Kannada script.
9a. Western Chalukya
Pulakesi I: He established the dynasty in 550 by taking Vatapi (Badami) under his control and making it his capital. His sons extended the frontiers of his empire over most of what is now the Indian state of Karnataka. Their monuments are found at Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal. In the east, he overthrew the Vishnukundinas and appointed his younger brother Vishnu Vardhana, the Viceroy of Vengi.
Kirtivarman I: Pulakesin 1’s son, who is described as the knight of destruction to the Nalas, the Mauryas of Konkan and the Kadambas of Vanavasi. When Kirtivarman I died, his son Pulakeshin II was a minor. So his younger brother Mangalesha succeeded him.
Mangalesha: He defeated Buddharaja, the Kalachuri king, who was ruling in North Maharashtra, Konkan, Gujarat and Malva and also Svamiraja of the Chalukya family, who was governing the Revati-dvipa (modern Reddy in the Ratnagiri district). The Aihole inscription describes this fight as follows: "In the temple in the form of the battle-field, Mangalesha married the lady in the form of the royal fortune of the Katachchhuris (i.e., the Kalachuris) dispelling the mass of darkness in the form of the enemy's elephants by means of hundreds of blazing torches which were the swords of his warriors." The description shows that Buddharaja was completely routed and fled away, leaving his whole treasure behind, which was captured by Mangalesha. Mangalesha’s reign ended in disaster and he lost his life in a civil war with his nephew Pulakeshin II.
Pulakesi II. The Grandson of Pulakesin 1 ascended the throne in 608. He is the most famous ruler of the Chalukya dynasty. He started out consolidating his kingdom by conducting minor campaigns against the Alupas, Gangas, Kalachuris, Cheras, Pandyas, and the Pallavas in Tamil Nadu. In 609 AD he appointed his brother Kubja Vishnu Vardhana (Who subsequently declared indepenence and found the Eastern Chalukya Empire) as the Viceroy of Vengi. Around the time of his civil war with his uncle Mangalesha, his kingdom was invaded from the north by the Rashtrakutas. Pulakeshin initially adopted conciliatory measures in dealing with them as they were powerful foes. The Rashtrakutas of Vidarbha, who were previously feudatories of the Kalachuris, transferred their allegiance to the Chalukyas of Badami and like the latter began to date their records in the Saka era.
Pulakesi II's most famous military success came in 615 AD. when he obtained a resounding victory over Harsha, the lord paramount of North India, who already had the title Uttarapatheshvara (Lord of the North). Thereafter, he assumed the title of Parameshvara (Emperor) Pulakesi II won the war and signed a treaty with Harsha Vardhana. The treaty marked the Narmada River as the border between the Chalukya Empire and that of Harsha Vardhana. With this conquest, Pulakesi's control extended completely over Southern India, including Maharashtra and parts of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. He defeated the rulers of several countries such as Aparantha (Konkan), Kosala (Chattisgad), Kalinga (Orissa), Pishtapura (Pithapuram) and Kanchi (Conjeeverum). He made the Cholas, the Keralas and the Pandyas his allies. However, the wars depleted the treasury enough that Pulakesi had to stop his expansionary campaigns. He received the title Dakshinapatheshvara (Lord of the South).
The capital of Pulakeshin II in the beginning of his reign was Badami in the Bijapur district. When his empire extended to the Narmada, he must have felt the need of a more central place for his capital. The Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang calls him the lord of Maharashtra, and wrote admiringly of Pulakesi II and his Empire. Pulakesi II went on to exchange ambassadors with the Shah of Persia (his reception of the Persian ambassador is depicted in one of the paintings in the Ajanta caves.
The clashes with the Pallava empire continued intermittently during his rule. Pulakesi II was finally defeated by the Pallava king Narasimha Varman in 642 when he conquered Vatapi and assumed the title of Vatapi-Konda (the conqueror of Vatapi). He died in battle after 36 years of rule.
Vikramaditya I (655-681 AD.) The Chalukya Empire was restored in 655 by Vikramaditya I, Pulakeshin II’s son. He won a decisive victory which is placed on a par with Pulakeshin II’s brilliant victory over Harsha and is mentioned as one of the most glorious achievements of the Western Chalukyas in many records of their political successors, the Rashtrakutas. Vikramaditya I then appointed Jayasimha to govern South Gujarat, ousting the Sendrakas who were previously ruling there. Jayasimha appointed his son Shryashraya Shiladitya to rule in Southern Gujarat as Yuvaraja.
Vikramaditya II (693-734 AD.) Clashes with the Pallava Empire continued until Vikramaditya II won a comprehensive victory against the Pallavas. During his reign, Gujarat was invaded by a formidable force of the Tajikas or Arabs. The Arabs had already defeated the Saindhavas, the Chavotakas, the Surashtras, the Mauryas and the Gurjaras and were attempting to penetrate into the Dakshinapatha (Deccan), but Avanijanashraya Pulakeshin inflicted a crushing defeat on them. The Chalukya Emperor then honored Avanijanashraya with several titles, one of which was Anivartaka-nivartyitri (the Repeller of the unrepellable).
Kirtivarman: The last of the Early Chalukyas, was defeated by Dantidurga (Rashtrakuta) some time before 750 AD. Kirtivarman continued to rule for a few years more, but he had lost the paramount position in the Deccan.
9b. Eastern Chalukya
The Eastern Chalukyas, also known as Vengi Chalukyas, ruled Andhra for four and half centuries from AD 624-1076 AD. The Kingdom of Vengi comprised at its greatest extent the whole area between the Mahendra Mountains in Kalinga and the Maneru River in Nellore; its Western boundary ran in general along the foot of the Eastern Ghats, though temporary extensions often brought areas of farther west under the rule of Vengi from time to time.
There were about 30 kings in this dynasty starting with the founder, Kubja Vishnuvardhana (624-642 AD) to the last king, Vijayaditya VII (1068-1076 AD.). Vishnuvardhana first ruled from Pishtapura, then from Vengi and finally from Rajamahendri (Rajahmundry). For some time the Rashtrakutas and the Chalukyas of Kalyani from the West and later the Cholas from the South interfered with them.
Narendra Mrigaraja Vijayaditya (805-846 AD.), Gunaga Vijayaditya (848-891 AD.), Chalukya Bhima I (892-922 AD.), Danarnava (971-973 AD.), Ammaraja II (945-970 AD.) and Raja Raja Narendra (1019-1060 AD.) were great patrons of Art, Architecture and Telugu Literature.
Vishnu Vardhana: Pulakesin's brother who was initially appointed viceroy of Vengi but he eventually became an independent dynasty. The Eastern Chalukya state was constantly in conflict with the Cholas but it eventually merged with the Cholas.
Note: Most of the old temples and other buildings in the Godavari area have an Eastern Chalukya origin. Most Rajus of the Godavari have an Eastern Chalukya connection as well. The Solankis. A small branch of Western Chalukyas who originated as one of 96 Maratha clans is a branch of the Chalukya clan of Kshatriyas whose oldest known area of residence may be in present day Karnataka. Several Rajputs were actually of Deccan plateau origin.
Raja Raja Narendra: The Cholas and the Chalukyas had been in constant warfare, spaced by periods of uneasy peace, due to differences in religion and ideologies. A sudden turning point in the relationship between the two kingdoms came when Kundavai, the only daughter of Raja Raja Chola 1, fell in love with the Chalukya King Vimaladitya and determined to marry him. Although Raja Raja Chola initially denounced the alliance, he relented and permitted the marriage. The marriage in turn provided some respite from the constant fighting between the two kingdoms. The union of Kundavai and Vimaladitya resulted in the birth of a son, Raja Narendra.
Raja Raja's son, Rajendra Chola, continued to keep the peace with the Chalukyas. His two sons were killed in battle so in order to keep the kingdom within the family he arrainged for the marraige of his only child Ammangadevi with his nephew Raja Narendra. Thus, when Ammangadevi's son Kulothunga Chola succeeded his grandfather Rajendra to the Chola throne in 1070 AD, he united the two warring kingdoms. The stability provided by the unification allowed him to focus his attention on expanding his large kingdom even further by annexing territories to the North and the West.
He is believed to have laid the foundation of the city of Rajamahendravaram (Rajahmundry), which is named after him. This is supported by Pedanna's statement in Kavyalankara Chudamanim "Rajamahendrapura sthatha Raja Raja Narendra". His period was famous for the advances in social and cultural acitvity. The city got its fame when on his request, his court poet Nannaya began to translate The Sanskrit Mahabharata into Andhra Mahabharata, which stood as a land mark in the development of Telugu literature.
Kulothunga Chola. He was the offspring of two rival dynasties, the Cholas of Thanjavur and the Chalukyas of Vengi. Kulothunga's military campaigns were mostly successful and the Empire expanded rapidly. It reaching as far as the River Godavari in the East to the Krishna River in the West. Unfortunately Kulothunga lost possession of Sri Lanka, which had earlier been annexed by his great grand father, Raja Raja Chola I.
Kulothunga was a reasonably successful monarch. His reign was tarnished mainly due to his fanaticism and his persecution of the Vaishnavites. The Vaishnavite saint, Ramanujam, was forced to flee Thanjavur after the Emperor murdered a few of his followers, descreted Vaishnavite temples and declared his intention to root out Vaishnavism amd Vaishnavites from the Empire. Although staunch Saivites in their personal lives, his great grand father and grand father managed to rule as secular Kings who permitted the growth of other religions in their Kingdom.
Kulothunga was succeeded by weak Kings, his son Raja Rajavengi 2nd and others were unable to govern a large and unwieldy Empire. The Chola Empire declined in the 13th century, and the Hoysala Empire rose in power. Later it became a part of Kakatiya Empire.
9c. Vemulavada Chalukya
Capital Bodhan. Around 750 AD. Dantidurga, the Rashtrakuta king, overthrew the Chalukya king Kirtivarman II, and inherited the fortunes of the Chalukyas of Badami. When the Rastrakutas took over by the middle of the eighth century The Chalukyan family had already branched out into smaller kingdoms. Chief among them were those of [[Vemulavada] (presently in Karimnagar district) and Vengi. Their rule extended over the present-day Karimnagar and Nizamabad districts. As subordinate rulers loyal to the Rashtrakutas, they ruled with semi-independent status for about two centuries (755-968 AD.). Vemulavada Chalukyas were important patrons of Jainism in the Andhra region. Arikesari I patronized the poets Pampa and Ranna who composed the Jain literature in Kannada. Certain historians believe that Pampa and Ranna rendered a few Jain works in Telugu which are not available today. Among the Eastern Chalukyas Vishnu Vardhana III made donations to the Nadumbi Jain Vasati at Bejawada. One peculiarity with this family is that it traced its descent from the Sun, while many other Chalukya families considered themselves as of lunar descent.
9d. Kalyani Chalukya
They played an important role in shaping the history of Karnataka during the eleventh and twelfth centuries A.D. They were the descendants of the famous Chalukyas of Badami and were able to emerge from the obscurity of two centuries when the Rashtrakuta power declined. In 973 CE when the downfall of Rashtrakutas was complete, their feudatory King Tailapa II of Chalukya lineage emerged and overthrew the last King Karka and recovered most of the Chalukya Empire. After Tailapa declared himself the sovereign king, he had hard time fighting the Cholas from south and Paramars in north, who both were eyeing The Rashtrakuta throne. Other feudatories also were trying to become independent. Tailapa was busy keeping enemies at bay and maintaining internal peace and order during his twenty four-year-old reign. To distinguish these Chalukyas from the earlier Chalukyas of Badami, they are associated with Kalyana or Kalyani in Bidar District which was their capital. The Chalukyas kept clashing intermittently with the Chola Empire in Tamil Nadu. Someshvara I, also known as Ahavamalla, defeated the Chola king Rajadhiraja Chola in 1052. Vikramaditya VI (ruled 1076-1126), also known as Vikramanka, was the next famous ruler of the dynasty.
The Kalyani Chalukyas Kings like Sathyashraya, Jaya Simha II patronized great Kannada poets. They gave encouragement to Sanskrit literature also. The Kashmiri poet Bilhana immortalized the name of his patron Vikramaditya VI through his Vikramankadeva Charitha. The buildings of later Chalukya style in Bellary, Dharwad and Hyderabad Karnataka areas constitute a link between the early Chalukyan and the Hoysala temples. None of them are stellate. The Kalyani style of architecture reaches its maturity and culmination in the 12th century. Kasi Vishveshvara at Lakkundi, Mallikarjuna at Kuruvatii and Mahadeva at Itagi are the finest examples produced by the later Chalukya architects. The Chalukya dynasty went into decline after Vikramankaditya's death. Kalachuris, Hoysalas and Sevunas who were all biding their time were just waiting for a weakling to become a successor to Chalukyan throne. In 1190 the Empire succumbed to the Hoysalas of Dvarasamudra and the Yadavas of Yadugiri but by then, The Chalukyan Empire had disintegrated enough for all aspirants to have independent kingdoms. In the history of Karnataka, the Chalukyan period is considered as golden age. Besides political expansion it represented efficient administration, social security, spread in education and other cultural activities increase in trade and commerce, growth in literature, art and architecture. It also brought in unique religio-social reformation of Basaveswara which gave birth to Veerashaivism.
Among the Chalukyas of Kalyani Vikramaditya VI also called Tribhuvanamalla (lord of three worlds), was considered greatest. His fifty-year rule (1076-1127) though politically active, did not affect internal peace and security. He defeated Paramars of North who were always at war with Chalukyas. He also defeated Hoysala Vishnuvardhana, who wanted to become independent. The Cholas were eternal competitors for supremacy, but both the reigning monarchs cautiously avoided war. The highest number of Kannada inscriptions discovered so far, are in Vikramaditya's name. He had taken a vow to give land in charity everyday (nityadana). Since the inscriptions are or were permanent records of land grant, Vikramaditya's grants run into thousands, charity being a daily affair. He had many queens, some of whom are named as administrators of towns, agraharas and provinces. Bilhana, the Kashmiri poet who was his protégé wrote Vikramankadevacharita, a kavya dealing with life, exploits and adventures of his patron king. Vijnaneshwara wrote his famous commentary Mitakshara on Yajnavalkya Smriti, during Vikramaditya’s reign.
The most enduring legacy of the Chalukya Dynasty is the architecture and art that they left. The rock cut temples of Badami and Aihole, and some of the celebrated paintings and sculptures of the Ellora and Ajanta caves are examples of the art that the Chalukya Empire patronized. They evolved a new style, which is known as the "Chalukyan architecture". It has been described as belonging to the vesara style, a combination of the South Indian or Dravida and the North Indian or Nagara Styles. In Karnataka history, Chalukyan period is considered as golden age. Besides political expansion it represented efficient administration, social security, spread in education and other cultural activities increase in trade and commerce, growth in literature, art and architecture. It also brought in unique religio-social reformation of Basaveswara which gave birth to Veerashaivism. List of Chalukya rulers.
10. Karnata (Varnata)
These are descendents of Veerabhallana, a Hoyasala king. Belur in Karnataka was their capital. The beautiful Chennakesava Temple was built by them one of the descendents, Ganga Raju lived in Jhalligadala near Dharwar, Hyderabad, Narasapur, Kalidindi and later ruled Mogalthurru. They were all Sun dynasty descendents.
11. Vijayanagar Empire
(1336–1646) Founded in 1336 in the wake of the rebellions against Tughlaq rule in the Deccan, the Hindu Vijayanagar Empire lasted for more than two centuries as the dominant power in South India. Its history and fortunes were shaped by the increasing militarization of peninsular politics after the Muslim invasions and the commercialization that made South India a major participant in the trade network linking Europe and East Asia. Urbanization and moneterization of the economy were the two other significant developments of the period that brought all under one rule. The Empire was divided for the purposes of administration into a number of provinces called Rajas. They were also known as Mandalams. A governor was appointed over each province by the central government at Vijayanagar. They enjoyed a good measure of local autonomy within their jurisdiction without interference from the central government as long as they discharged their obligation to it regularly. They held their own courts and maintained their own armies. There were also areas which were administered through feudal vassals who claimed to enjoy a semi-independent status. They had the same status and powers of Governors. These high officers were known by different names like Samantha, Nayaka, Dandanayaka, and Mandaleswara etc.
Vijayanagar was founded by Harihara and Bukka, two of five brothers (surname Sangama) who had served in the administrations of both Kakatiya and Kampili before those kingdoms were conquered by the armies of the Delhi sultanate in the 1320s. When Kampili fell in 1327, the two brothers are believed to have been captured and taken to Delhi, where they converted to Islam. They were returned to the Deccan as governors of Kampili for the sultanate with the hope that they would be able to deal with the many local revolts and invasions by neighboring Hindu kings. They followed a conciliatory policy toward the landholders of the area, many of whom had not accepted Muslim rule, and began a process of consolidation and expansion. Their first campaign was against the neighboring Hoysala king, Ballala III of Dorasamudra, but it stagnated. After the brothers reconverted to Hinduism under the influence of the sage Vidyaranya and proclaimed their independence from the Delhi sultanate. However, they were able to defeat Ballala and thereby secure their home base. Harihara I (reigned 1336–56) then established his new capital, Vijayanagar, in an easily defensible position south of the Tungabhadra River, where it came to symbolize the emerging medieval political culture of South India. The kingdom's expansion in the first century of its existence made it the first South Indian state to incorporate different linguistic and cultural regions under a single regime, albeit with sub regional and local chiefly powers exercising authority as its agents and subordinates.
The central government maintained a relatively small body of troops, but it assigned a value to the lands held by the provincial governors and determined the number of troops that were to be supplied from the revenues of each province. This administrative plan led to the development of the nayankara system, in which prominent commanders received land grants and privileged status as Nayakas (local lords or governors). The system, which has been characterized as a kind of military feudalism, worked well enough when the central authority was strong but provided territorial bases for the Nayakas to build semi-independent hereditary holdings in times of imperial weakness. The imperial rulers were aware of the power of the provinces and tried to counter it by appointing members of the royal family as governors of the militarily more important (but not necessarily more lucrative) provinces. On the whole, however, the device was not successful because succession rivalries, as in the Muslim kingdoms to the north, tended to produce filial disloyalty to the throne and even rebellion.
Under Vijayanagar rule, temples, which exhibited such singularly imperial features as huge enclosures and entrance gateways (gopuras), emerged as major political arenas. Monastic organizations (mathas) representing various religious traditions also became focal points of local authority, often closely linked with the Nayak chieftaincies. A fairly elaborate and specialized administrative infrastructure underlay these diverse local and regional religiopolitical forms.
Vijayanagar, the city, was the symbol of vast power and wealth. It was a royal ceremonial and administrative centre and the nexus of trade routes. Foreign travelers and visitors were impressed by the variety and quality of commodities that reached the city, by the architectural grandeur of the palace complex and temples, and by the ceremonial significance of the annual Mahanavami celebrations, at which the Nayakas and other chiefs assembled to pay tributes.
Vijayanagar was, to some extent, consciously represented by its sovereigns as the last bastion of Hinduism against the forces of Islam. As with similar Muslim religio-political claims, however, this one often appeared to be more rhetorical than real. The shifting patterns of alliances among Vijayanagar and the sultanates, the occasions on which a rival party of nobles or a claimant to the throne of Vijayanagar would enlist the aid of a Muslim sultan, and the employment of both Hindus and Muslims in the sultanates and Vijayanagar suggest that rivalries were more political than religious. The various progressive reforms of the Vijayanagar army suggest also that efforts were made to transform at least one aspect of the state in order to make it more competitive with its Muslim and other rivals.
Between 1650 and 1750 A.D. with collapse of the Vijayanagar Empire a few Andhra Kshatriyas migrated towards the south to Madurai region as Commanders and administrators. They named their settlement Rajapalayam.
12. Parichedhas (Orissa)
They include Pusapati descendents. The village Pooshpadu in Nandigama Taluq was built by Amala Raju. The village later came to be known as Pusapadu. Therefore, the Kshatriyas living there came to be known as Pusapati. The Vizayanagar (not Vijayanagar)rulers in the state belong to the Pusapati clan. The region between Cuttack and Vijayawada was known as Kalinga, and was controlled often by Oriya rulers, The Gangas and Gajapatis. The early Eastern Gangas ruled from Kalinganagara (Mukhalingam near Srikakulam Andhra Pradesh). They shifted their capital to Cuttack in the 12th century. The religious leader Ramanujacharya had a great influence on the Raja Choda Ganga Deva who built the temple at Puri. Till the advent of the Badami Chalukyas, they were almost a sovereign power. Narasimha Deva built the Sun Temple at Konark. The Gangas were succeeded by the Surya Vamsa Gajapati rulers. This period was marked by the influence of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and by the construction of Jagannatha temples across the length and breadth of the empire. After the decline of the Gajapatis, the kingdom began to disintegrate and was taken over by the Mughals, the Marathas and then the British. The Bhoi Gajapatis, on the height of their power in the 15 Th century AD, ruled over a kingdom, extending from the Gangas in the north to the Kaveri in the far south. But by the early 16th century, the Gajapatis lost great portions of their southern dominion to Vijayanagar and Golconda. There were several kingdoms, like the Vatsavaaya (maybe old matsya). Certainly some Rajus can be linked to the Orissa rule.
13. Pusapati
Pusapati Rachi Raju (ancestor of the family)
Pusapati Tama Bhupaludu (1620-1670)
Pusapati Peda Vijaya Rama Raju (1670-1756)
Pusapati Chinna Vijaya Rama Raju (1760-1794)
Gajapati Vijaya Rama (1826-1879)
Gajapati Ananda (1879-1897)
Gajapati Vijaya Rama (1883-1902)
Gajapati Alaka Narayana (1902-1937)
Bulusu Venkat Ramanayya Gajapati Raju
14 Peddapuram
Peddapuram is also part of current East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh. Peddapuram was ruled by Vatsavaaya dynasty which was a Kshatriya family. Similar to Pithapuram rulers, Vatsavaaya dynasty also supported Telugu literature and they themselves were poets and writers. Famous poets in the court of Vatsavaaya dynasty belonged to Enugu family.
15. Rajapalayam
The origin of Rajapalayam dates back to 1700 AD. It is located 85 km southwest of Madurai in the state of Tamil Nadu. It gets its name from the name of the community that is dominant here, Rajas or Rajus, a Telugu speaking community that had migrated from Andhra Pradesh centuries ago. The word 'palayam' is frequently used in many Tamil cities as a suffix and it translates roughly as a ' place of dwelling'. .
In the mid 1900s, the small town of Rajapalayam gradually evolved into a thriving business community due to the enterprising and hard working nature of its people. Commerce developed quickly in the region and particularly cotton based industries flourished. There are a number of spinning and cotton weaving mills. Today Rajapalayam is one of the most industrialized cities in Tamil Nadu and people of all communities and religions live and contribute to its growth. It's also known for the Rajapalayam dog breed.
Aftermath of The Fall of Vijayanagar
Vijayanagar was destroyed in Tallikota war of 1565 AD, when Muslim states (Golconda, Bijapur, Ahmednagar, and Bidar) came together against the empire. Vijanagar had consisted of several kingdoms and provinces. Governors and feudatory Kings called Nayaksruled the provinces under the direct control of central government. They would pay a tribute to the emperor. Various tributary kingdoms that were under Vijayanagar Empire came under the control of Sultans of Golconda and Bijapur. Golconda and Bijapur Sultans employed Velama, Kamma and Reddy as the rulers of various kingdoms and ordered them to pay tribute and collect revenue. This is how many of these Samsthanams or Zamindars came into existence.
The Golconda Empire came under the control of Mughal Dynasty in 1686 and became known as Deccan Suba. This rule of Mughal Dynasty didn’t last long. Nizamul Ul Mulk Asaf Jah, as the governor of the Deccan, controlled Andhra Pradesh and parts of Tamil Nadu and Orissa.
In the beginning the French had influence over Hyderabad. Salabat Jang, who came to power after his father, realized that the French were losing ground to British and realigned himself with them. In 1761, the East India Company helped Nizam Ali Khan to depose his brother Salabat Jang and occupy the Deccan Suba. The East India Company took regions of Andhra for lease from the Nizam. Later, by accords of 1768 and 1779 these Andhra regions came under complete control of East India Company and named Circars, while Telangana remained under the Nizam.
In 1802, the British government under a permanent revenue settlement agreement restored the ruling powers and rights of kings of Andhra. With the coming of the British and capitalism, the estates were rapidly broken up and boundaries became more or less fixed. The British got a scare in 1857, so they made a deal with these sections. The bigger brigands hung around as "princely states". The lesser ones became "Zamindars" or "Jagirdars". Some people with cash and influence were able to buy large temple estates and the title to go with it. This allowed locally prominent tax collectors became Rajas. In the Andhra context the name Raju is also a title. It is not necessarily related to the specific Kshatriya community. These Kingdoms/Zamindars were abolished after the formation of the Indian Union.
Community Achievments
In summary Rajus are Kshatriyas and are descended from the Ikshwaku, Brihatsalanya, Salankanya, Ananda Gortrika, Vishnukundina, Vakataka, Chalukya, Gajapathi, Vijayanagar, Kota Vamsa, Orissa Ganga, and indirectly the Chola and Pallava Dynasties.
Rajus make up about 0.5% of State population of Andhra Pradesh. They are mainly concentrated in the Godavari districts where they had been mainly landlords involved in agriculture and livestock cultivation. While a significant number continue along this line, many have turned to Education, Finance, Industry, Infotech, Medical, Health sciences, Pharmacuticals, Law, Engineering, and Entertainment fields. There have been prominent freedom fighter and Politicians from the community.
Raju Institutions
Nagarajuna Fertilizers[[1]]
Nagarjuna Oil Corp.[[2]]
Nagarjuna Power Corp.[[3]]
Nagarjuna Constructions[[4]]
Nagarjuna Cements [[5]]
SIRIS[[6]]
Biological E.[[7]]
Visualsoft [[8]]
Sathyam Computer Services [[9]]
Laila Group [[10]]
Ramco systems [[11]]
Ramco Cement
Gland Pharma [[12]]
Sai Life Sciences [[13]]
D.N.R college[[14]] in Bhimavaram
Kolanka High School near Yanam, Kakinada
Rangaraya Memorial Medical College
B.V. Raju Institute of Technology [[15]]
P.A.C.R Raju Polytechnical College [[16]]
Prominent Rajus
Sitarama Raju Alluri (Freedom Fighter)
A.V.S Raju (Chairman Nagarjuna Constructions)
Ramalinga Raju Bairaju (MD of Sathyam Computer Services)
V.R. Buddharaju (Former Chairman of Rassi Cements)
Dr. B. Somaraju MD. (Chairman Care Hospitals)
Vijay Kumar Datla (Chairman of Biological E.)
Colonel Satyanarayana Raju Datla (Freedom fighter/Politician)
S.R. Gangaraju (Founder SIRIS Group)
Dr. Gangaraju (Founder Laila Group)
V.K. Raju Kanumuri (Founder of Nagarjuna Fertilizers)
Bappiraju Kanumuri (Politician)
Dr. Ranga Raju Kanumuri (Chairman Sai Life Sciences)
Bangara Raju Manthena (Founder Deccan Cements Ltd.)
AshAnanda Gajapathi Raju Pusapadi (Politician)
Ashoke Gajapathi Raju Pusapadi (Politician)
Ramasubramaniam Raja Pusapadi (Chairman of Ramco Systems)
Venkatapathi Raju Sagi (Cricketeer)
Krishnam Raju Uppalapati (Actor/Politician)
Ram Gopal Varma (Director/Producer)
Gothrams
1. Vasistha
2. Dhananjaya
3. Kasyapa
4. Kaundinya
Surnames
A. Addala, Alluri, Adduri
B. Bhupathiraju, Bejawada, Bhethalam, Buddharaju, Brahmarouthu, Bairaju
C. Chamarti, Cherukuri, Chekuri, Chintalapati, Chiluvuri, Chodavarapu, Chodaraju
D. Dandu, Dasaraju, Dantuluri, Dattada, Durgumpudi, Datla, Dendukuri
E. Errguntala
G Gadiraju, Ganapathiraju, Godavarthi, Gangaraju, Gorinta, Gokaraju, Guduru, Gunturi, Gottumukkla
I. Inampudi, Indukuri
J. Jampana
K. Kalidindi, Kammila, Kanteti, Kakarlapudi, Kallepalli, Kankipati, Katari, Kanumuri, Keerthipati, Kolanuvada, Kosaraju, Konduru, Kondoori, Kothapalli, Kosuru, Kovvuru, Kucharlapati, Kunaparaju, Kunadharaju, Kusampudi
L. Lakkamraju
M. Mandapati, Manthapadi, Madhiraju, Muchur, Manthena, Mudunuri, Muthanuri, Mudundi, Muthundi, Muppala
N. Nadimpalli, Namboori, Nallaparaju, Namburi, Nandyala
P. Pakalapati, Patapati, Pandeti, Patsamatla, Pericherla, Penmetcha, Pinnamaraju, Pusapati, Potturi, Poranki
R. Rudraraju
S. Sagi, Saki, Saripalli, Sirangi, Samanthapudi, Sayyaparaju, Siruvuri, Srimandapati
T. Thirumalaraju, Thotakura
U. Uddaraju, Uppalapati
V. Vegesana, Vathsavai, Vetukuri, Vegiraju, Vemulamanda, Vuddaraju, Velagalady, Valivarthi
Y. Yesuraju