1

CHAPTER - I

INTRODUCTION

Ganapatideva maharaja was the greatest of the

Kakatiya dynasty who rose to prominence in the confused

political condition of Andhra during the eleventh and

^.twelth centuries. The history of Andhra during this

t' period was characterised by the fearful conflicts between

the Ri^trakutas and the Vengl Calukyas and later between

the Calukyas of Kalyana and the Colas of Tanjore for

hegemonic control over the rich and prosperous east coast.

The two imperial powers converted Andhra into a virtual

battle ground. Telihgana region passed under the rule|tti§__

Western Calukyas where as the coastal Andhra was controlled

by the CSlukya-Golas. The numerous subordinate ruling

families that had sprung up in Andhrade^a conveniently

shifted their loyalty to the victorious imperial power.

Taking advantage of such troublous political

situation the Kakatlyas, who had originally entered

Andhradesa as the generals of the Rastrakutas, built up

their political base in the Anumakonda - Warangal region.

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Under the rule of Rudradeva in A.D. 1158 the Kakatiyas

became an independent power. Around the same time, as
the Galukya-Cola emperor Kulottunga III became too weak
to control his subordinates and to check the rise of the
Pandya£s in the far south, the Velariati Codas became
powerful in the coastal Andhra. Of the other independent
kingdoms which sprang up with nominal allegience to the
major powersjbije- Colas and the Galukyas, the Telugu Coda
kingdom of Nellore was the most important. The Telugu
:

Codas became a powerful family and extended their authority

as far south as Kahchi.

in the wake,. of the decline of the Calukyas of

Kalyana in the Deccan, the Seunas of Devagiri and the
Hoyasalas of Dvarasemudra gained in power and importance.
Under these conditions the rise of the Kakatiyas as an
ha,ve,
independent power and their efforts to ^control over entire
Andhrades'a were matter of great political significance.

Ganapatideva,the third independent king in the

dynasty had a long regnal period of 63 years (A.D. 1199-1262)
and It witnessed the political unification of Andhra which
led to alround econoic development and remarkable cultural
achievements.

In his empire Ganapatideva organised the administrative

machinery on the mandalika system, retaining the conquered
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rulers as his subordinates so that they could serve as

the bulPwork of his authority. In the light of earlier

radical s'aivite and Vaisnavite movements which threatened

■ \

the traditional social order^_Ganapatideva followed a

liberal religious policy of compromise. He extended

patronage to Mattamayura sect of i^aivism which attempted

at the reestablishment of supremacy of vedic system.

However, the economic development of the land and the

activities of radical religious sects helped the ^udras

to rise in social status and gain political importance.

This also necessitated reorganisation of administration

basing on the authority of local riayakas who just emerged

powerful.

By this time much was added to different branches

of Telugu literature by eminent poets like Mallikarjuna

Pandita, Tikkana and Ketana. The political unity, the

economic prosperity and growth of Telugu literature created

and promoted national consciousness among the Andhras which

found its echos in the literary compositions of this

period.

Although general history of the Kakatiya dynasty

, . JChg&afiLUjx. ficholan* itka. _
was studied by^M. Ramarao (The Kakatiyas of Warangal,

Hyderabad, Kakatiya Sanchika (Telugu) Rajamundry-1935).

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N. Venkataramsnaiah and M. Somasekhara Sauna ('The Kakatiyas

of Warangal*, The Early Histoiy'of the Deccan* Vol.II,
ed. G. Yazdani, Oxford, I960) and P.V. Parabrahma Sastry
(The Kakatiyas of Warangal, Hyderabad, 1978), there is no
full scale study of Ganapatideva's regnal period. Here an
attempt has been made towards a full length study of
Kaicati Ganapatideva and his times.

SOURCES
I

The nature of archaeological and literary sources

is discussed below.

Epigraphy: Lithic records are greater in number than

copper plate records. The inscriptions discovered in the
erstwhile Nizam’s dominions were edited by P. Srinivasacar
(1940-58) and M. Somasekhara Sauna (1973). Telihgana
^asanamulu was published in two volumes by Lakshmanaraya
Paridodhana Mandali. These were edited by M. Raroarao (1935)
and G. Ramakrishna Sauna (i960). After the foimation of
Andhra Pradesh the Department of Archaelogy and Museums,
has published Select Inscriptions of Andhra Pradesh,
edited by P.V. Parabrahma Sastry (1965). The Kannada
Inscriptions were edited by P.B. Desai. (1958). Survey
and publication of epigraphs in Andhra Pradesh were undertaken
by the Epigraphy branch of Andhra Pradesh Government,
Department of Archeology and Museums. To date the records
from Warangal and Karimnagar Districts were published* In
the journal entitled Epigraphia Andhrica* several
inscriptions were published. Sasana Saraputi (1973) and
Kanduru Godula Sasanemulu (1984) were published by
B.S. Sastry.

The Inscriptions In the Ravalasima and coastal

Andhra were published in South Indian Inscriptions Volumes
Nos. IV* V, VI, IX-I, X, XV and XXIII. The texts of the
Inscriptions of the Kakatiyasi their subordinates and
contemporary dynasties are of immense help to study the
history of the period* The Inscriptions of Nellore District
in three volumes by Butterworth and Venugopala Ghetty _
Tel<J-ctU Cocla
were also utilised for the study of the Kakatiya-relations.
•c

literatures The literary works of the Kakatiya period

and post-Kakatiya periods are utilised in the present
study. The Siddhesvara Caritra by Kase Sarvappa gives the
traditional history of the Kikatiyas. This work is dated
to the 17th century. Sarvappa has drawn the subject matter
from Prataoa Caritra written by Ekamranatha. The nature of
this work^>rimarily to glorify the Kakatiya rulers and
their times. The Siddhesvara Caritra contains distortions
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of facts, Inaccuracies and glorifications# The conflicts

between the t^e^Yadavas and the Kakatiyas were written

with imagination and wishful thinking by Sarvappa. In

each conflict Kakatiyas were described as victors who

collected large amount of tribute and entered into

matrimonial alliances. Contrary to this, the conflicts

between the Kakatiyas were never decisive# The inaccurate

account of Sarvappa is best illustrated by the mention of

Ganapatideva *s invasion of Devagiri and the Yadava king .

giving his daughter Budramadevi to the King Ganapatideva

in marriage* There are several such instances of Inaccuracies.

Hence the Siddhesvara Caritra has to be utilised with great

caution#

The great Telugu poet Tikkana Somayaji was a

contemporary of Ganapatideva and was the court poet of

i

Manumasiddhi III, the Telugu Coda King of Nellore. Tikkana's

Nirvacanottara Ramavana contains references to the Kakatiya-

i

Telugu Coda alliances and Vaidumba- Telugu Coda conflicts.

The Virataparva of his Andhra Mahabharatam throws an

interesting light on the administration of the contemporary

kingdoms.

— cs

Mancana's Keyurabahu Caritra refers to the

achievements of the Telugu Codas.

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Though a work of I7th century* Vailabhabhvudavam

composed by Kod end a ram a k avi, portrays Ganapatideva's

campaigns over Kaling'a.

The social* economic and Religious conditions of

the period are reflected in the works of the sfaiva poets

of the period* Palkuriki Somanatha is the most celebrated

of the £aiva poet and his best known works are Sri

Panditaradhva Caritra and Basavapurinam* These works

i * i

provide us with the glimpses of religious conflicts between

the Jains and ^aivites, the attitude of the latter towards

the brahmanas and brahmanism, life and works of the daiva

devotees and also about dridailam as a centre piligrimage.

Besides the above works the ^ivatatvasaram by Mallikarjuna

Pandita provides the religious tenents and attitudes of

Aradhya Saivism*

The Palanativira Caritra whose authorship has been

i ___
attributed to poet Srinatha of 15th century* contains a

mine of information on the social, economic and cultural

conditions of Andhradesa of the times. This book has been

extensively used in preparing respective chapters.

Vallabharayars Kridabhi
I'.....
racism is a work of later
T-— -........ -

part of 14th century A.D. It provides a graphic description

of Warangal fort and gives us an insight into the social

and religious life in the Kakatiya capital.

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The Kakatiya age is noted for the production of

niti works in Telugu. Ketana (A.D. 12X0*1300) rendered
Vilninesvaram into Telugu. The original work Vijnanesvaram
was a commentary on Ya.inavalkva smriti composed by
Vijnanesvara, a court poet of the western Galukya Emperor
Vikramaditya VI (A.D. 1076-1126). It is a treatise on
contemporary law and judiciary and in the Telugu rendering,
Ketana had adopted the customs and. usages prevalent in
Andhra society. Hence it is an important work for a study
— i
of the 13th century society in Andhradesa*

Baddena (13th century poet), a Telugu Coda prince

composed Nitlsaramuktavail, a work on Telugu polity. It
/

discusses the king, his ministry, forts, defence, anarchy,

evils of unloyal servants, war ethics etc.

Several works on Niti were rendered into Telugu

but they are now only available in compendiums in fragments.
They are the Kamahdakam. Pancatahtram (authors of these
two works are not known), Andhra Bhoja’s Nitibhusanam.
Vidyabhusanam. J>ivadevayya*s Purusarrihasaram. and
................... 't'"'1 •"" 1 1 """

Lakkabhattu * s Mud ram atyarnAll these works were produced

between eleventh and fourteenth centuries,

Sakaianiti Sammatamu. composed by Madiki Sihgana is

a work of the 15th century. This work is of immense value
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as it is a compendium of all the above mentioned literary

.works. This work treates in detail the king, ministry,
officials, aimy, forts, income and expenditure, war etc.
Here and there the work throws interesting light on
economic and social conditions of the age. The Travels
of Marcojfolo provide? an interesting information regarding
the socio-economic and political aspects of the contemporary
period.

Following the Introduction, a survey of the Kakatiya

history from the beginning to the accession of Ganapatideva
is done in the second, chapter.

The Third Chapter sums up the conditions of

Andhradesla on the eve of Ganapatideva *s accession.
i

Ganapatideva*s conquests and the consolidation of

the kingdom are dealt witlT^n f.\__ Chapter IV.

The role of the mandalikas in the Kakatiya

kingdom ; 1 dealt within \ Chapter V.

The administrative set up is dealt with in Chapter VI.

The reorganisation of territorial divisions, the nature of
amcL
Central bereaucracy^local administration are discussed
with special reference to the Telugu Works on polity such as
Nltisara. Mitlsaramuktavail. Kainandakam. Mudfamitvem etc.
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In Chapter VII aspects of economy are discussed

in detail . The nature of. taxation and the weights and
measures are also dealt with.

Chapter VIII deals with religious trends during

the rule of Ganapatideva.

Aspects of social structure, social mobility,

growth of Teiugu literature and fine arts are dealt
with in Chapter IX.

In Chapter X, the conclusions of the above study

are presented *