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One of the oldest of the living representatives of the aristocracy of Southern India bearing a good name for sagacity and nobility, is Sri Rajah Mritunjaya Nishanka Bahadur Garu, Zemindar of Sangam Valasa. He is a nobleman of varied attainments and great experience, and though well-stricken in years is to-day in the best of health and spirits, and still keeps up his studious habits. It is therefore with pleasure that we have assigned a place in this book to his biography.

The family from which the Raja Sahib has sprung, is a very ancient one, the progenitor of which was one Damodar of the lunar race, who lived in the vicinity of Nandapur, having arrived there from Northern India. By sheer dint of energy and valour he was able to obtain possession of lands near Nandapur and ultimately constituted himself king of that place. Whenever he went against his enemies, he stopped at a place called Sangrama Veerathi' (Sangrama, meaning battle, and Veerathi, residence); this in Telugu is known as Sangam Valasa. In his line of descent there was born a king named Prataparudra, who won various territories putting down the kings of those places, and who thereby improved his own estate. He acted with such valour as to deserve the name of Prataparudra. The next prominent member of the family was Ramachandra, who was a friend of the king of Nandapur, which was not far away from his place. At that time the king of Nandapur owing to disturbances caused to him by his enemies