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314 maternal aunt's husband. In 1815 it was attached for arrears and was purchased by Godé Súrya Náráyana Rao (see p. 219)for Rs. 40,500. The constant irrigation disputes between the ryots of Ráyavaram and those of the lapsed hunds of Sarvasiddhi rendered this gentleman's position extremely unpleasant, and in 1844 he resold the property to Government, who still own it, for Rs. 30,000. Sarvasiddhi: Lies 5½ miles south-south-west of Yellamanchili and now contains only 1,015 people. It was, however, the head-quarters of the taluk up to 1861, and in days gone by was apparently of considerable importance, tradition declaring that it was one of the seats of the Golla kings (see p. 28) who ruled in these parts. Bricks of the large kind used in ancient buildings are constantly dug up in its fields.

The place was the chief village of another of the hundas just referred to which were formed in 1802. Like Ráyavaram,this was purchased in that year by the Rája and sold in 1810 to S. Rámachandra Rázu. His son fell into arrears, and in 1831 the property was bought in by Government at auction. It has since remained Government land.

Uppalam (or Pedda Uppalam): Nine miles south-west of Yellamanchili, population 2,649. Planted in the ground near the Mála quarter here is a most curious stone, roughly cylindrical,about 3 feet in diameter and 6 feet high. It does not appear to be a piece of rock in situ, but the villagers on one occasion failed to reach the bottom of it though they dug with energy throughout a whole day. It is called 'Bhimas club', and there is a local tale to account for it. Near here, says this story, lived once upon a time a demon named Bakásura, who had to be propitiated by a daily meal of human flesh. One day it fell to the lot of a youth who was the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, to furnish the monster's breakfast. Bhíma the Terrible chanced to hear of this and volunteered to go instead. He was late, and the demon angrily demanded the reason and called fora twig wherewith to clean his teeth. Bhíma in reply pulled up a palmyra tree and tossed it over to him, whereon the amazed monster took to his heels. Bhíma pursued him, flung his club at him (this stuck in the ground where it still rests) and at last ran him to ground in the cave still to be seen in the ' Quoin rock 'at Pólavaram (a hamlet of Uppalam) which juts out into the sea and is washed by the waves. Dragging him out by the nose, Bhíma there slew him.

Pólavaram contains a salt-factory (see p. 183) and was once a port. This latter was closed in 1863 as its trade was insignificant. 314