Page:A Manual of the Nellore District in the Presidency of Madras.pdf/738

NELLORE MANUAL. 715 Dachama Nayndu, the great-grandson of Chevi Reddi, we return to legendary account of battles and inevitable victories, followed by triumphal ceremonies so savage and horrible that for the credit of the family it may be hoped that these accounts are as mythical as their chronology is vague. The Pandye Rajahs of Madura had at this period got possession of Kanchi (Conjeveram), and it was only by the strong arm of Yerra Dachama Nayudu that they were forcibly ousted.

Singama Nayudu, the eldest son and successor of this warrior, fell by treachery while besieging a small hill fort at Jallipalli held by Rajahs of the Chalukya race, and the family name and fame passed to his third brother Yachama Nayudu, who proved his bravery against the Mahomedans. Eventually, however, the eldest son of Singama Nayudu Anapotha Nayudu revenged his father's death by defeating, with a force of only 90,000 men and 700 elephants, the united army of the Kamma caste amounting to 560,000 men! In this wonderful engage- ment, which has entirely escaped the notice of the historian, the sword of Anapotha Nayudu dealt death to the round number of 101 rajahs. The family biographer is so convinced of the occurrence of this wonder- ful battle that he actually gives the date 1283 of the Salivahana era or 1300 A.D. Anapoths Nayudu and his brother Mada Nayudu divided their territorial possessions, the former retaining Ratchakonda and the latter taking Devarakonda. Mada Nayudu seems to have been always at war either with the Mahomedans or with the Reddi chiefs, his chief success recorded being the defeat of Anapotha Reddi near Danulakote.

Annama Nayudu, the eighth in descent and grandson of Anapotha Nayudu, is recorded to have conquered over Sambada Somedu of the junar race, and to have fallen himself in the siege of Gudikota by the hand of one Pallepalle Bakkarazu. His brother Chinna Singama Nayudu sent out his brother-in-law Jupalli Kondama Nayudu with some forces to avenge his death, Bakkarazu threw himself into the fort of Pudichattikonda, which was besieged and taken. He was at Jength compelled to surrender, and as the first instance of mercy shown to a captive of war, the Venkataghiri chronicle records that Singama Nayudu spared his life.

Of Timma Nayudu, another grandson of Anapotha Nayudu, it is related that he waged successful warfare with the chiefs of Gurazala in the Palnad,

The whole country seems to have been overrun with a multitude of petty chiefs perpetually at war with each other, and scattered and divided as the Mahomedans found them, it is not strange that in the end they established their power over the whole country. In the annals of the heroic deeds of the house of Venkataghiri we find different members of this family distinguishing themselves in all parts of Telin- �