4

THEKAKATIYAS OF WARANGAL
(A.D. 1000-1323)

The Kakatiyas are one of the major dynasties that ruled over
Andhra To begin with, they were the feudatorics of the Eastern
Chalukyas but later shifted their allegiance to the Western
Chalukyas of Kalyani. Taking advantage of the disturbed
political condition of the Deccan in the eleventh century, the
Kakatiyas established their power at Warangal by about A.D. 1000.
Gradually, they brought under their sway the prescnt Andhra
Pradesh, parts of Orissa and Tamil Nadu. Their rule cnded in A).
1323. The three hundred and twenty-three year rule of the
Kakatiyas can be divided into two periods. The first period
extended from A.D. 1000 to 1157. During this period they
established and consolidated their position in the Eastern
Telangana region. The second period A.D.1158 to 1323 saw their
rise and downfall. The outstanding rulers of the period
Ganapatideva (1198-1262), Rudramba (1262-1289) included
and
Prataparudra (1289-1323).
The Kakatiyas were out-and-out an
sprung from the fourth caste. They liberatedindigenous
Andhra
power
from the
rule of the non-Telugus especially from
centuries they shaped Andhra history and Karnataka. For three
fostered the Telugu language and literature. civilisation and
Origin
The origin of the Kakatiyas has been highly
debated. Several
theories are put forward. According to some the
named after Kakati, the family deity of the dynasty Wis
rulcrs,
goddess of Warangal. But the Kakativa records make and a local
of this goddess. But the no mentin
Telugu work Kridabhiramamu mentions
The Kakatiyas of Warangal 59

that theimages of two goddesscs Kakati and Ekavira werc sct up

in the fort of Warangal.
Kakati was believed to be one form of Durga. This view is not
accepted by some scholars on the ground that the early rulers of
he dynasty were Jainas by religious persuasion. Acording to
them Kakati was originally a Jaina deity. It was given Durga
concept when Beta Il was initiated inte Saivism by Rameswara
Pandita of Kalamukhasect.
Others contended that the terms Kakatiya was derived from
atown named Kakati. But there is no town or village by that name
in Andhra. Some scholars identify Kakati with Kasiker, a village
inthe Bastar district of Madhya Pradesh; while some others link
the name to Kakat, avillage near Belgaum in Karnataka.
the family
The Bayyaram epigraph states that the founder ofdescendants
Venna resided at aplace called Kakati. Hence the the
styled themselvcs as the lords of the Kakati. From Kakati
family moved to different places as the exigencies oftheservice as
commanders under Rashtrakutas demanded. As family
originaily hailed from Kakati, it became the surname of the family
as is common among the Telugus.
EARLY CHIEFS

Venna
According to Bayyaram epigraph, the founder of the family was
Venna whÍ belonged to Durjaya family. Nothing is known about
chieftain, since some other
Durjaya. Perhaps he was a powerful Durjaya. Venna claims to
petty chiefs also trace their origin to carly years of the
have hailed from Kakati. He lived during theGunda lI and Gunda
ninth century) He was followed by Gundal
of the Rashtrakutas.
II. They functioned as the commanders ruler Krishna !
the Rashtrakuta
Gunda Iilwas a con temporary ofcampaign.
and assisted him in his Vengi He was killed at the
battle of Niravadyapura (Nidadavolu) by Irimarti Ganda,
The evernt took
younger son of Chalukya Bhima (1.3.892-921).
place sometime between A.D. 890 and 900.
Erra
feudatory by the
Gunda Ill'sson Erra was raised to the status of a
Kashtrakutas who conferred on him the Koravi region (Madhira
district)and Manukota (Mahaboobabad) area
ta of Khammam by the
of
Warangal district. The region was conquered
60 History and Culture of Andhra Pradesh
Rashtrakuta king Krishna Il from the Eastern
Chalukya
Ea was succeeded by Beta. Very little is known about him Bhima.
Gunda IV
Beta was succecded by hisson Gunda IV (Pindi
also known as Gunda). He
Kakastya Gundya. He became the chief of Koravi was
about A.D. 950. At that time Civil war broke out in the Venoi
kingdom of the Eastem Chalukyas. Ammaraja l1, the younger son
of Chalukya Bhima Il,
ascended
claims of Danarnava, his elder the throne overlooking the
stepbrother Danarnava sought the
help of Rashtrakuta king Krishna
Krishna Ill ordered his feudatoryIIlGunda
to scecure the throne of Vengi
and drive out Ammaraja II from Vengi. 1V to help Danarnava
With the hclp of
IV Danarnava was able to
seize the Vengi throne anJGunda
Ammaraja II to flee to Kalinga. Danarnava iss1ucdthe force
edict in A.D.956 acknowledging the help Mangallu
received
While these developments took place in from Gunda IV.
situation in Westem Deccan became more Vengi, the political
overthrew the Rashtrakutas and established the complex. Tailapa II
Western Chalukyas of Kalyani. In Vengi hegemony of the
A.D. 973 by JataChoda Bhima a Telugu Danarnava was killed in
Kurmool district and a brother-in-lawCholaof
chief of Pedakallu in
advantage of the political confusion both Ammaraja II.
in the east andTaking
Gunda IV west,
proclaimed his
independence.
Death of Gunda IV
When Gunda IV declared his
Koravi,namely, Mudigonda independence, the original rulers of
Chalukyas opposed him and sought
the assistance of Tailapa I. The
oust Gunda IV. In the battle thatKalyani ruler sent Viriyala Erra to
This event took place in about A.D.followed Gunda IV was killed.
dated A.D. 995 is found at 990. Tailapa ll>'s epigraph
AnInteresting Development Jammikunta.
Gunda lV had a young son named Bcta. He
Garuda Beta to distinguish from his was also referred a5
Mudigonda Chalukyan opponent Batiu Beta of tne
family. With
Garuda became orphan and the the dcath ofabout Gundato IVbe
Kakatiya was
obliterated. At this moment an interesting development took
place. Viriyala Erra's wife
Beta and prevailed upon herKamavasani tookusea liking
husband to for Gar with
his influcnce
the Western
Chalukyas to secure the ficf of Anumakonda Visaya
 Warangal
The Kakatiyas of 61
for Garuda Beta. Thusthe Kakatiya family secured afresh lease of
lifeeduetothe good offices ot Kamavasani. Some scholars believe
that Kamavasani was a sister of Gunda IV, ie., aunt of Garuda
Beta. Beta I agreed to acknowlcdge the suzerainty of the Western
Chalukyas. This event took place in about .D. 1000. Here it may
besstaatedthat Garuda Beta is referred as Beta l, even though there
wasanother person by name Beta in the family.He was the son of
Erra, the person who was raised tothe status of afeudatory of
Koraviby the Rashtrakutas. However, very little is known of this
Beta. Hence Garuda Beta was referred as Beta 1. He was the first
personinthe Kakatiya family to rule from Anumakonda.
Beta I(A.D.1000-1052)
Bota I rulcd AnumakondaVisaya as the feudatory of the Western
Chalukyas. Anumakonda Visaya included parts of present
Warangal district and Sanigaram region of Karimnagar district.
There is only one rcord of Beta's region--the has Sanigaram
inscription of A.D. 1051. From this it is certain that he lived up
to that time. Before the discovery of this inscription scholars One
believed that Beta Iruled during the years A.D. 1000 to 1030.forces
of his generals was Racharla Brahma. Heinstanceled the Kakatiya
against Kanchi, the Chola capital at the of the Kakatiya
1043-1068).
Suzerain, Chalukya Someawara I Trailokyamalla (A.D.
Prola I(A.D. 1052-1076)
in 1052. His first
Beta I was succeeded by his son Prola I
assisted his
inscription dated A.D.1053was found at Sanigaram. It campaigns
Suzerain Someswara l Trailokyamalla in his various
of Konkanamandala.
against the Nagas of Chakrakota,Silaharas Someswara I made
Pleased with the services of Prola I,
Kakatiyas. He
permanent the grant of Anumakondavisaya to the also use the
and
allOwed Prola Ito issue independent coinage added to his
I
varaha' emblem of the Western Chalukyas. Prola and
fief the neighbouring areas like Vemulawada, Gunasagaram Elephant like
Kadparti. Prola I bore the title Arigaja kesari(Lion to
irrigationalfacilities by constructing
ies). I'rola Idevcloped Kesamudram, named after histitle, is
many tanks. One such taank
still in existence.
Beta I1(A.D. 1076-1108) ruled from1076 to
Prola I was succeeded by hisson Betall who 1090have
1108.Stone ins <iptions of his reign dated A».1079 and
Collegefor Woma
yderabac6
 lHistory and Culture of Andhra Pradesh
62
Kazipct. At the timc of his
en found at Hanumakonda and Chalukyan kingdom. On the
acession civilwar broke out in the Someswara l|(1068-1076)
dcath of Someswara 1, his eliest son challenged by his
ascended the throne, but his position was assistance from the
you ger brother Vikramaditya who soOught
Jilterent vassals of the kingdon. Beta II supported Vikramaditva
1076.
who succeded in ascending the throneof Kalyani in a.D.
Vikramaditya VI (1076-1127) rewarded Beta I1 by conferring on
Tribhuvanamalla. Further he
him two titles: Vikramachakri and
allowed Beta Il to occupy Sabbimandalam (Karimnagar) and
Mudigonda (Khanmmam) the ncighbouring regions of
Anumakonda Visaya. Beta lI had an ablc gencral and ministcr
named Vaija. It was mainly due to his diplomatic skillthat Beta
was able to secure Sabbimandalam. The rcgion which contained
Sanigararm was in the hands of the Kakatiyas till A.D. 1053. But t
subscquently they lost control over it. It was only in A.D. 1107,
Beta Il was allowed to occupy Sabbimandalam, as statcd above.
Vikramaditya VI originally gifted the region to Jaggadeva, the
Paramara chief. Jaggadeva disappointcd at the loss of
Sabbimandalam, attackcd Anumakonda. He was assisted by
Medaraja and his brother Gundaraja, the Polavasa (Jagityala C
region of Karimnagar district) chiefs. The attack was repulsed by P
Prola,the son of Beta.
Beta !l was a great devotce of Siva. He was initiated into
Saivism by Rameswara Pandita of Srisailam, the chief of
Kalamukha sect. Beta II built at Anumakonda a Siva temple
named after his own name. Asuburb named Sivapuri was built at
theoutskirts of Anumakonda in honour of RameswaraP'andita.
Durga (A.D. 1108-1116) C
Durga, the eldest son of Beta II ascended the throne in 1108 and T
ruled for a short period of six yeárs only. From the Kazipet t
inscription we learn that he made grants to his preccptor
Rameswara Pandita. Durga took part in the administraion of the E
kingdom while he was the crown prince. He assumed the titles
Tribhuvanamalla and Chalamartiganda in A.D. 1098, i.c., dunng S
f
reign of his father Beta Il. The exact connotation of the title
Velanati
Chalamartiganda is not known. The title was assumed by
Chola rulers also. Further details Sregarding Durga's reign: are not
S

known. His rule came to an end abruptly and his brother Prola A
h
ascended the throne.
 The Kakatiyas of Warangal 63
Prola II (A.D. 1116-1157)
Prola 1J, the younger son of Beta ll
ascended the thronc in A.D.
116superscding the claims ofhis nephew(the son of Durga). He,
however, granted asylum to him. Prola lIwas an important king
of the carly Kakatiyas. His exploits are described at length in
Anumakonda inscription of his son Rudradeva. As noted earlier, the
during the reign of his father, Beta I, Prola defeated Jaggadeva,
the Paramara chief and his allics Medaraja and
Polavasa chicfs, when they attacked Anumakonda Gundaraja,
in 1107 theto
show their displcasure for thc loss of Sabbimandalam.
In the carly years of his reign Prola Il owcd allegiance to
Vikramaditya VI, the Chalukyan emperor of Kalyani. After his
death disturbances broke out in the western Chalukyan empire.
Vikramaditya's cldest son Somcswara III (1127-1138) ascended
the throne of Kalyani. His position was challenged by his younger
brother Tailapa, the governor of Kanduru province. Tailapa was
supported by many Chalukyan feudatories in Telangana like
Medaraja, the chief of Polavasa and his brother Gundaraja of
Mantrakuta (modern Manthena, near Nuzvid jn Krishna district).
Prola Il supported Someswara III and invaded Kanduru and
captured Tailapa. The rebel prince Tailapa, was sent to Kalyani as
prisoner. Prola II visited the shrine of Mallikarjuna at Srisailam to
offer prayers for his suc ess in capturing Tailapa.
After his return from Srisailam, Prola Il proceeded to
Manthena, defeated Gundaraja and put him to death.
Gundaraja's brother Medaraja the chief of Polavasa fled from his
fief. Prola Il defeated other Telangana feudatories in Panagallu
and Miriyalagudem (Nalgonda district) who revolted against the
Chalukyan rule. Thus Prola Il by putting down the revolts
consolidated the authority of the western Chalukyas in
Telangana. Prola II remained loyal to Jagadekamalla II (1138-51),
the successor of Someswara lII.
Estimate
Dy his steadfeast loyalty to his chief at Kalyani, Prola II
Strengthencd the position of his dynasty and laid the foundation
for its subsequent greatness. He married Muppamamba, the
Sister of Durgaraja, the Natavadi chief. He had five sons,
Rudradeva, Mahadeva, Harihara, Ganapati and Durgaraja.
at the
According to aninscription at Draksarama, Prola II died1157.
hands of Chodayaraja, the chicf of the Kota familyin A.D.
 64 History and Culture of AndhraPradech
IMPERIAL KAKATIYAS
"Rudradeva i(A.D. 1158-1195)
Prola Il was succecded by his cldest son Rudradeva also knowe
as Prataparudra I in A.D.1158. He ruled for thirty-seven ycars. He
was the first king of the dynasty to overthrow the subordinalo
position of the Kakatiyas as the feudatories of the Westere
Chalukyas of Kalyani and assert independence. He inauguratod
Kakatiya imperialism which led to the expulsion of the non.
Telugu rulers from Andhra and its political unifhcation. When
Rudradeva came to power the political situation in westorn
Chalukyan cmpire was critical.
Jagadekamalla (1138-51) was overthrown by his brother
Tailapa Ill, who however failed to bring the entire empire under
his control. Sometime before 1162 Tailapa attacked
but failed to defcat him and withdrew from theRudradeva.
Kakatiya
kingdom. It is stated that Tailapa "died of dysentry caused by the
fcar of Rudra, the son of Prola."Tailapa Il's positionwithin his
empire was not strong as in some areas Jagadekamalla was able
to hold his sway. The situation was further
Kalachuri Bijala, the grandson (daughter son)complicated when
of Vikramaditya
VI, overthrew Tailapa Ill and occupicd the throne of Kalyani.
Rudradeva felt that he could not be feudatory to any one of these
three contestants and decided to declare his
Bijala wanted to reassert the position independence.
of the Western
Chalukyas in Telangana. So he contacted the Polavasa (Jagatyala)
Chief Medaraja and both agreed to undermine the
Rudradeva at Anumàkonda. Bijala sent an army position under the
ot
comnand of his son Kumara Maitangi to Telangana.
Maitangi reached Patancheru, Medaraja of Polavasa metWhen
with his army and preparations were made to him
Anurnakonda. To face this dual thrcat Rudradeva assembledattack
army at Akanuru. hS
The forces of Medaraja were joined by the army of
Dommaraja, the chief of Naganuru. But their combined forceS
were defeated by Rudradeva who then proceeded towards
Polavasa. Rudradeva sent a communication to Medaraja that
would call off the campaign providedthe latter gave his daughter
in marriage to the former. Further Medaraja will be allowed
continue as the chief of Polavasa provided he acknowledged the
suzerainty of Rudradeva. Medaraja rejected the terms and
The Kakatiyas of Warangal 65

decided to give a fight but could not face the onslaught of the
Kakatiya army. He crossed the Godavari river and escaped into
the Jungles beyond.
Thus entire Sabbimandalam came under the control of
Rudradeva. The architect of this victory was Vellaki
Cangadharam, the minister and a general of Rudradeva.
Gangadharam was made the chief of Sabbimandalam with
headquarters at Naganuru. The town of Polavasa lost its
importance and disappeared in course of time.
Bijala who stationed his army at Patancheru felt that
discretion was the better part of valour and began to withdraw
his arny from that place. Rudradeva pushed him up to his capital
Kalyanakataka, but did not lay siege to it. He was content to
incorporate into Kakatiya empire only the Telugu territories
extending up to the present-day Zaheerabad.
The significance of the above victories of Rudradeva cannot
be over estimated. As Dr. P.V. Parabrahma Sastri rightly pointed
out,the Kannada rule in Andhra from the 7th century A.D. came to
an end. The first independent Andhra kingdom after the
evolution of the Telugu language was established.
Conquest of Kanduru (Nalgonda)
Having consolidated his position in Northern and Western
Telangana, Rudradeva turned his attention towards Kanduru
(Nalgonda) and Palamuru (Mahaboobnagar district). The chief of
Kanduru, Bhima Choda, declared his independence when Bijala
asserted his claims to the western Chalukyan kingdom.
Rudradeva felt that the existence of an indcpendent principality
in the neighbourhood of Anumakonda was a threat to Kakatiya
sOvereignty. So he decided to annex Kanduru. The Kakatiya army
was led by Cheraku Ketana, Cheraku Marana and Viriyala
Surana. On hearing the news of the advance of the Kakatiya army
Bhima Choda abandoned his capital Vardhamanapura and fled.
Udaya Choda, the chief of Panagallu, made peace with
Kudradeva by giving his daughter Padmavati in marriage to him.
Kudradeva allowed his father in law to rule over the entire
anduru region as his vassal. To commemorate this victory
Kudradeva constructed at Panagallu abig irrigation tank and
named it Rudrasamudram. Having brought Nalgonda under his
control, Rudradeva crossed the Krishna river in the south ana
anhexed Srisailam, Tripurantakam and other places in
Rayalaseema.
 History and Culture of Andhra
66

Coastal Andhra
Pradesh
When Rudradeva brought the entire Telangana and parts of
Kunool district undcr his sway and declared hiss
independence,
the Karnataka kingdonm was split intotwo--the Hoysala and the
Sevana (Yadava). The political condition of Coastal Andhra
in astate of turmoil. After the Eastern Chalukya dynasty camewast
an end in A.D.1075 with the death of Vijayaditya VII,
the
region remained under the nominal control of Veng
Chalukya-C hol
who governed the arca through their local feudatories. a
Amongt
these feudatories the Chodas of Velanadu who controled
s
present districts of Guntur and Krishna with their capital a
Chandavolu are the powerful. The other feudatories included th
Kotas of Amaravati, Haihaiyas of Palnadu, Telugu Cholas of
Nellore and Eastern Gangas of Kalinga.
The Velanadu chief, Kulottunga Rajendra Chola II, was a
powerful king. He tried to dominate the other feudatories and
occupied Konascema overthrowing the local Haihaiya chicfs
Some of chiefs of coastal Andhra sought the
assistance of
Rudradevato curb the growing power of the Velanadu
Rudradeva responded to the invitation and hclped KetaCholas.
lI, the
son of Dodda Bhima to become the chicfof
attacked Kondapadumatis of Nadendla, who Dharanikota. Next he
Velaradu Chodas and occupied their kingdom.were the allies of
Intervention in Palnadu War
Rudradeva intervened in Palnadu war (1176-1182) on behalf ot
Nalagama and sent a force to assist Nayakuralu. As aresult of the
war the position of the Velanadu Chodas
became weak.
Capitalising
Velanadu.
on the situation Rudradeva annexed many
regionsin
An inscription of Rudradeva's wife Annaladevi is found at
Draksrama (East Godavari district), It was datcd A.D.l168.upbutto
this docs not mean that the Kakatiya empire extended
Godavari. Rudradeva's coastal conquests confined to tew
in the present Guntur and ace
Krishna districts only.
Death of Rudradeva
While Rudradeva was expanding his cmpire in Coastal Andhra,
the Yadava king Jaitrapala or Jaitugi (1191-1210) invaded the
Kakatiya dominions in 1195. Rudradeva dicd while
opposinar
invaders. Since he had no issuc he was succecded by his younge
brother Mahadeva.
The Kakatiyas of Warangal 67
Estimate
Dudradeva was a multifaccted personality--a warrior statcsman
and a patron of art and literaturc. Through his skill in arms he
as able to repulse the attacks of Bijala, Jaitugi and
suppressed
the numerous fcudatories in Tclangana and Guntur. He was a
statesman of high order and correctly analysed the political
cituation of the time. He succccded in raising the status of the
Kakatiya kingdom from that of a feudatory to the Western
Chalukyas to a powerful independent empire.
Rudradeva was a great patron of art and literaturc. He
c¡nstructed the majestic Rudreswara temple (thousand pillarcd)
temple at Anumakonda. His trusted minister Vellaki
Gangadharam built the Prasanna Kesava temple at
Anumakonda.
Rudradeva shifted the capital from Anumakonda to
Warangal. He strengthened the capital by constructing a grcat
fort. He beautificd thecapital by adding new extensions to it. One
such cxtension was known as Panukantivada. It was specially
built for the people of Nalgonda who have settled down in the
capital.
Rudradeva was the author of the Sanskrit work Nitisara and
extendcd patronage to Saivite scholarslike PalakurkiSomanatha.
Mahadeva (1195-1198)
Mahadeva, who succecded his brother Rudradeva,ruled only for
three years. He died while besieging the Yadava capital of
Devagiri.
Ganapatideva (1199-1262) He
Ganapatideva was the greatest of the Kakatiya rulers. besieged
accompanied his father Mahadeva when the latter
carlicr, Mahadeva was
Devagiri, the Yadava capital. As notedGanapatideva
and was taken
killed outside the walls of Devagiri
news of the death of Mahadeva and
Prisoner by the Yadavas. The
great chaos in the Kakatiya
the arrest of Ganapatideva created Kakatiyas
Many feudatories of the rose in revolt and
Kingdom. loyal general of the
tried to assert their independence, but the
put down these revolts and looked
Kakatiyas, Racharla Rudra,
after the kingdom. Ganapatideva was released in 1202 and
allowed to return to his kingdom.
68 History and Culture of Andhrai
In the cuurse of his long reign cxtending over Pradesh
Ganapatideva brought a great part of sixty
contemporary years,
Pradesh under his control. Andhta
Annexation of Velanadu
Though a part of Velanadu came under the
control of the
Kakatbiyas during the reign of Rudradeva, other chiefs
like the Kotas, Kondapadumatis asserted their of the are
following the death of Mahadeva. In the
Diviscemaindependence
mouth of the Krishna river, Pinachodi of the region at the
Ayya famiof
proclaimed his independence with the the connivance
Prithviswara, the Velanadu chicf. So in 1202
his general Chamunda to
conquer Ganapatideva
the area. The genera sent
conquered the Divi island and the adjoining arca and
the treasury.Pinachodi made pcace with the Kakatiyas plunder
by givine
his daughters Naramamba and
Ganapatideva. The Velanadu chief Perarmamba in marriageb
Prithviswara, who withdrey
towards the Godavari region,attacked
years 1206-1208, but he died fighting. the Kakatiyas during the
assisted by Tikkabhupala of Nellore. The Kakatiya ruler wa
Conquest of Nellore
After annexing Velanadu into his kingdom, Ganapatideva turne
his attention towards Nellore whose rulers, the Telugu Chodas
functioned as the vassals of the Chodas. The ruler of Nellore
Manumasiddi I, was overthrown by his younger brother
Nallasiddi with the help of the Cholas.
Tikkabhupala, as seen earlier, assisted Manumasiddi's son
against Prithviswara the Velanadu chief. Ganapatideva in his wà
As a reward for hs
services, Ganapatideva installed Tikkabhupala as the
Nellore expelling Nallasiddi. In this ruler
won aspectacular victory by defeatingconnëction the Kakatiya
the combined
Cholas, Sevanas and Karnatas. Tikkabhupala cededforces
to theo
Kakatiyas, the western part of his kingdom
compris1ng
present Cuddapah district. Ganapatidevaappointed his Kayasti
general, Gangaya Sahini, as the governor of the
Tikkabhupala died in A.D. 1248. His son region.
Manumasiddi
ascended the throne but his position was
Vijayaganda challenge
Hoysalas. From Cuddapah the governor Gangaya Chol
Gopala who was supported by the as ws
Sahini
expelled. Thus the position of the Kakatiyas i Southern Andhri
The Kakatiyas of Warangal 69
was endangered. At this critical juncture Manumasiddi IIsent his
rourt poet Tikkana Somayaji to Warangal to secure the heip of
Canapatideva. At Warangal Tikkana completed the translation of
the fifteen parvas (cantos) of the Mahabharata into Teiugu, left
unfinished by Nannaya. He, however, did not translate the
unfinished portion of the Aranya parva. It was subsequently
translated by Yerrapragada in the fourteenth century. Tikkana's
mission was a success. Ganapatideva led an army against the
Cholas and Hoysalas and conquered Kanchi. Manumasiddi II
sreinstated as the ruler of Nellore. Ganapatideva roconquered
Cuddapah, Anantapur and Chintamani in Kolar district.
Wars against Kalinga
After annexing Velanadu and Vengi regions, the Kakatiyas
invaded the Kalinga kingdom under the control of the Eastern
Gangas. Their forces marched as far as Aska, near Berhampur in
the Ganjam district of Orissa. However, the hold of the Kakatiyas
over Kalinga did not last long. The Eastern Ganga King, Ananga
Bhima (1211-38) regained the territory up to Draksarama in the
East-Godavari district.

Wars with the Pandyas

The last years of Ganapatideva were not happy. In the south, the
Pandyas carne to power. Jatavama Sundara Pandya I(1251-68)
After
extended the Pandya power over most of south India. the
occupying Kanchi, he proceeded to Nellore and defeated
II at
combined armies of Kakatiyas and Manumasiddi
Muthukuru and performed Virabhisekha ceremony.Soon This was the
after he
last war and the first defeat of Ganapatideva. Rudramba.
relinquished power in favour of his eldest daughter
some others
According to some writers he died in 1262, but
contend that he lived for six more years.
Estimate
Ganapatideva was the greatest ruler of the Kakatiya dynasty. He
general who lost
Was a multifaced personality. He was a great
the endof his career. He
Only one war andthat. too, towards
of his engagemMents
extended the empire in alldirections. In spiteadministration.
the As a
n numerous wars he did not neglect in the village
matter of fact he introduced many innovations
accountants (Kurrams)
administration. Till his time the village As they used to
helonged tothe Viswa Brahmins (goldsmith)caste.
70 History and Culture of Andhra
interfere in religious and political disputes Pradesh
removed them and appointed brahmins in their
Ganapat
brahmins so appointed came to be known as Niyogi place. The
recently the Niyogi brahmins functioned as karnams in
ideva
brahmins.
Til
the Andhra villages, cspecially in the coastal region. most of
Another praiseworthy aspect of
administration was the attention bestowed on
of irrigation and commerce. The great the
irigational
Ganapatideva's
development
tanksandlikehie
Ramappa, Parakala,Ghanapuram built by Ganapatideva
successors are still in existence.
Motupalli Abhaya Sasanam
Ganapatideva also paid great attention to the
trade and commerce. development of
In this
mention his promulgation of "abhaya connection, it is important to
Motupalli. Motupalli was an important sasana" at the port of
ancient and medieval periods. Many port of Andhra in the
this port. After the fall of foreign
the Velanadu vessels used to visit
confusion in the
mid-coastal region of
rulers, there was
of the Andhra.toTaking advantage
confusion, the local chieftains started
customs and other taxes from the collect vexatiou
merchants. As a result, the port fellforcign ships and local
languished.
issued After into
the "Abhayasubjugating atthe Velanadu area,
disuse and trade
to all ships and Sasanam" Motupalli
abolished many vexatious guarantceing
Ganapatideva
security
soon,the port regained its former glory. customs duties. Very
Ganapatideva
daughter had no but only two
was Rudrambason and daughters. The elder
Rudramba was actively associated thein theyounger Ganapamba.
kingdom from as early as A.D. 1240. administration of the
Generals of Ganapatideva
Ganapatideva,
feudatories, triedwhinotletoenlisting the Support of the different
the alienate any of the important castes like
Reddis, Kammas, Velamas,
different castes
known commander, including
ctc. His
commanders hailed fronm
was a brahmins. Racherla Rudra, the wel
Reddi. He was mainly responsiblefor
safeguarding the
remained a prisonerinterests of
of the the Kakatiyas when Ganapatideva
corpsKakat
wasirajaya Stapanacharya. Jayapa, the
Yadavas. He was therefore given the

a Kayasta. Kamma. Gangaya Sahini, the chief of tthe cavalry

the chief of the clephant
Was
 Kakatiyas of Warangal 71

Ganapatideva had the foresight to enlist the support of the

loudatories through matrimonial alliances. He gave his eldest
daughter Rudramba in marriage to Veerabhadra, son of
Indusekhara, the Vengi Chalukyan ruler of Nidadavolu.
Similarly Ganapamba, the second daughter was married to
Retaraja, the ruler of Dharnikota. His sister Melamba was
married to Rudraraja, the feudatory of Madhira. Ganapatideva
married Naramamba and Peramamba, daughters of Pinachoda of
Diviseema.Jayapa, the son of Pinachoda was made governor of
Velanadu. Later he became the chief of the elephant corps.
Rudramba (A.D. 1262-1289)
Rudramha was the first and the only woman to rule over Andhra.
She ascended the throne in A.D. 1262 and ruled for twenty-seven
vears tillher death in a battlefield. Her father Ganapatideva who
Tuled for 63 years groomed his daughter to the onerous task of
governing the farflung empire by associa ting her in the
administration of the kingdom since A.D.1240. Thus when
Rudrambaascended the throne she was fully conversant with the
intricacies of administration.
Some feudatories and officials felt it infradig to serve a
woman and rose in revolt against her. But the generals of the
army who were accustomed to receive orders from Rudramba
during the reign of her father Ganapatideva rallied round her and
frustrated the designs of the rebels. Those who supported
R1udramba included Janniga, Prasaditya, Malyala Ganda and
Kasuara Nayaka.
Yadaa.1nvasion
Ihe Yadavas of Devagiri were the sworn enemies of Kakatiyas.
The Yadava king Mahadeva (1261-71)was incensed when one of
his rivals to the throne Prince Samrapani was given shelter by the
Kakatiyas and appointcd as governor of Panagal. Mahadeva took
advantage of the discomfiture of the Kakatiyas following the
defeat of Ganapatideva at Muthukuru during his war with the
P'andyas and invaded the Kakatiya territory andcaptured initial
some
elephants and musical instruments. Flushed with the
cess Mahadeva laid sicge to the fort of Warangal. A severe
battle took place for two weeks. Rudramba mounted a horse and
took the command of the Kakatiya forces and assisted by Sinda
Bedadakota
Bhairava drove out the Yadava forces as far as
 ture of Andhra Pradesh
History and Culture

72 to surrender Bedadakota which

was forced secure the release of
(Bidar). Mahadeva Kakatiya kingdom. To
to the
was annexedsoldiers as prisoners of war, Mahadeva paid a
taken ofthe Yadava gold
the Yadava the Kakatiyas. The discovery Krishna
hugeransom to taluk of district
Rachapalem in the Kaikalur over M
coins at fact. To commemorate the
testifies this
victory Mahadeva,
kesari-a title held by her father
title Rajagaja
Rudramba took the offered thanks to Swayambhudeva-the
Ganapatideva. She constructing a ranga mantapa to
presiding deity of the family-by
Warangal fort.
the temple in the
Attack on Vengi Kakatiya controlover Venoi
During the reign of Rudramba the
ruler of Orissa
weakened. In 1274 Bhanudeva I, the Gajapati invaded Vengi.
Vaddadi,
along with Arjunadeva, the chieftain of Kakatiyaforces under the
To repulse the attack, Rudrambasent The
command of two brothers, Pathi Nayaka and Proli Nayaka. of
outcome of the conflict is not clear. But an inscription
Bhanudeva is found at Draksarama. So it can be presumed that
the Kakatiya forces failed to repulse the attack of Bhanudeva. The
localfeudatories began to defy the authority of Warangal.
Affairs in the South
In the south the Kakatiya authority was greatly impaired after the
defeat of Ganapatideva at the hands of the Pandyas in the batte
of Muthukuru. Over Nellore and Kanchi the control of the
Kakatiyas was nominal.
Revolt of Amba Deva
The Cuddapah region was ruled by the Kakatiyas through ther
feudatories-the Kayasta. In 1268 Tripurari Ibacame the chieftain
of Cuddapah and he was loyal to the Warangal ruler. Tripuran
was succeeded by his brother Amba Deva in 1282 A.D. Amba
Deva was an ambitious ruler and a capable general. He hatched
plans to declare his independence and occupy the surrounding
areas governed by other Kakatiya feudatories. So he established
friendly relations with the Yadavas amd Pandyas, the SWorn
enemies of the Kakatiyas. As afirst step of his plan, Amba Deva
dislodged Ganapatithe loyal Kakatiya feudatory in Nellore and
Nelo in
reinstated Manuma Ganda Gopala. The Kakatiya authority
Nellore was completely eliminated. Amba Deva next proceeded
against Gurindala (Gurajala) and removed Sripat1 Ganapati a
 The Kakatiyas of Warangal 73

loval Kakatiya chief. Gurajala was annexed to the kingdom of

Amba Deva.
Defeat of Rudramba
To put an end the defiance of Amba Deva and re-establish the
Kakatiya authority in Cuddapah, the aged queen decided to lead
ar expedition to the South in A.D. 1289. Mallikarjuna Nayaka
ACompanied her. The expedition ended in a disaster. Both the
queen and the loyal general lost their lives. It is not certain where
exactly the battle against Amba Deva trok place. But in the long
edict issued by Amba Deva at Tripurantakam in A.D. 1290 he
boasted that he defeated all Andhra kings in the battle (Sarva
Andhra mahipathin ranamukey jeta yaso labdavan).!
That the queen and her general lost their lives in the
expedition is confirmed in a recently discovered inscription at
Chandupatla (Nalgonda district).
Thus ended on a tragicnote the reign of the beloved queen of
Andhra. Rudrambahad no son but only three daughters, rnamely,
Mummudamma, Rudramma and Ruyyamma. The elder was
The second
given in marriage to Mahadeva, a Kakatiya prince.third
was married to YellanaDeva, a Yadava prince. The was the
Rudramba
wife of Induluri Annaya, a noble and minister.
daughter.
adopted as her son, Prataparudra, the son of her eldest
The adoption took place during the rule of Ganapati Deva.
Feudatories of Rudramba
included
Rudramba was served by many loyal feudatories. They
Viriyala Suri, the hereditary feudatory of Kotagiri, a frontier out
region of Amarabad
post in the Nizamabad district. The forest family. Panagal was
bordering Kurnool was held by the Cheruku The generals
governed by the Yadava prince Samrapani.Somayajula Pedi
included Induluri Annaya, Induluri Rudraya,
Rudraya and Mallikarjuna Nayaka. helped Rudramba at the
Recharla Prasaditya, a Velama chief, Hence she gave many
time of her accession to the throne.
positions of importance t¡ the Velamas.
Prataparudra (A.D. 1289-1323)
November 1289 after the
Irataparudra ascended the throne in
some of his inscriptions
death of his grandmother Rudramba. In
1. P.V. Parabrahma Sastri, Kakatiya Charitra, p. 47.
 74 History and Cultwre of Andhra Pradesh
also knowe
Prataparudrawas referred as Kumara Rudra. He was
asVeera Rudra.
Defeat of Amba Deva
immediate problem of Prataparudra was to suppress the
The re-establish Kakatiya authority in south
revolt of Amba Deva and
south-west Andhra. Since Amba Deva was goaded,to defy
and Pandya and Sevuna rulers
the Kakatiya authority by the
in such a way as to
Prataparudraformulated his military strategythese
from two powers
deny Amba Deva from getting help and planned his
Prataparudra assembled various Nayakas hands of the Commander
attack. The overall command was in the
in chief, Somayajula Rudra Peddi. He decided on athree-pronged
attack on Amba Deva. One column was to march direct and
the second column
attack Amba Deva at Tripurantakam, while column proceeded
third
was to proceed towards Nellore. The The first column led by
south-west against the Sevuna Kingdom. A.D.1291. Amba
Induluri Annaya captured Tripurantakam in (Cuddapah). The
Deva fled from Tripurantakam to Mulki Nadu at the same
second column led by Adidam Malla reached Nellore
time (1291) and killed Manuma Ganda Gopala.
The third column led by Gona Gannayya, son of Gona
Buddha Reddiand Gona Vittala proceeded towards the Sevuna
kingdom and occupied Adoni, Tumbalam and alsolaid siege to
Raichur. The forts at Mamuva and Haluva were captured.
Thus the entire Raichur doab came under the Kakatiya control.
ThusPrataparudra succeeded in re-establishing the Kakatiya
authority in South and South-west Andhra.
Reorganisation of Administration
Prataparudra began his reign with a series of reforms in the
administration. During the reign ofGanapatideva, the governor
of the different regions of the empire known as Nayakas were
appointed from membersof different castes. This was known as
the Nayankara' system. Prataparudra re-organised this system
appointing only Padmanayakas to these offices. He dismissed
Nayakas belonging to other castes as he suspected their loyalty
after the revolt of Amba Deva--the Kayasta. His reforming
activities ended in 1303 when the empire had to face the first
shock of a Muslim invasion from the north.
 The Kakatiyas of Warangal 75

Muslim InvasionsFirst Invasion 1303, Second 1309

eom 1303 to 1323 the Muslim rulers of Delhi invaded Kakatiya
kingdom five times and finally annihilated it.
Allauddin ascended the throne of Delhi in 1296 son after his
victory over the Yadava kingdom of Devagiri. He undertook this
unauthorised invasion when he was the governor of Kara and
Allahabad. Soon after his victory, he murdered his father-in-law
Sultan Jalal-ud-din Khilji and proclaimed himself theSultan. The
case with which he defeated Devagiri prompted Alauddin to
undertake another invasion to the south in A.D.1303. The Muslim
army was however, defeated by the Kakatiya forces at
Upparapalli in Karimnagar district. Allauddin sent an expedition
to the south in 1307 under the command of Malik Kafur. It was
directed against Devagiri. In 1309 the second attack on the
Kakatiya empire was undertaken. Malik Kafur began his attack
on the fort of Warangal on 19 January 1310. The Kakatiya armyit
withstood the attack for two months and finally on 19 March
surrendered and accepted the terms dictated by Malik Kafur.
Prataparudra agreed to surrender his wealth and pay annual
tributes to the Sultan of Delhi.
Revolts in Rayalaseema Madurai
In 1311 Allauddin attacked the Pandyan kingdom of
and soughtthe help of the Kakatiya ruler. Prataparudra agrecd as
challenged by the
his authority in Nellore and Gandikota wasrespectively. Gonka
local feudatories Ranganatha and Mallideva and he was
Reddi, the Kakatiya gencral, defeated Mallideva
appointed as the Governor of Gandikota.
The attack on Nellore was spearheadedand by Muppidi Nayaka.
occupied Nellore.
His son Peda Rudra defeated Ranganatha
in Nellore. Muppidi
Ihe Kakatiya authority was re-established
Nayaka was appointed as its governor.
Conquest of Kanchi
Kafur returned to Delhi.
Alter Allauddin's death in 1316, Malik Hoysala ruler Ballala
laking advantage of his absence the Kakatiyas sent Peda Rudra
Occupicd Kanchi. To reconguer it the
re-conquering
against Ballala.Though Peda Rudra succecded in
hanchi by expeiling the Hoysala ruler, he faced a new danger.
attempted to get back the city of Kanchi and laid
eandyas himself took the command
siege to it. Thereupon Prataparudra
assistance of his general Peda Rudra. Kanchi
went to the
 76 History and Cultwwe ofAndhra
again came under the control of the Kakatiyas. Vira Pandya WasPradesh
defeated and Sundara Pandya occupied Madurai with the help of
the Kakatiya forces.
Colonisation of Kurnool Forest Areas in Nellore a,
Prataparudra after re-establishing his authority
Cuddapah regions he visited thefound famous Saivite temples
Srisailam and Tripurantakam. He thearea covergd wi
thick forests. So he undertook the work of land reclarnation
Large tracts of land were cleared of forests and new villages were
Telanganaan
built which were colonised by the people from constituted into a
coastal regions. Srisailam region was Kommaraju a local
Nayankara and assigned to Videmu
subordinate.
Third Muslim Invasion (1318)
and Daid
Prataparudra kept his agreement with Malik Kafur Allauddin
annual tribute to the Delhi Sultan regularly. In 1316
died and there was confusion regarding the succession to the
throne. Taking advantage of thesituation Prataparudrawithheld
his tribute to the Delhi Sultan. In 1318 Qutb-ud-din Mubarak
emerged successful in the struggle for the throne of Delhi. He sent
an expedition to Warangal under Khusrau Khan to demand the
payment of annualtribute due to the DelhiSultan. Prataparudra,
who was at that time engaged in a war with the Kampili ruler,
Kumararaja, thought it prudent to make terms with the Delhi
Sultan and paid him the arrears of tribute.
Fourth and Fifth Invasions (1321)
In 1320 the Tughlaks replaced the Khiljs at Delhiand Ghiasuddin
became the Sultan of Delhi. The new Delhi Sultan changed his
Deccan policy from one of levying tribute to that of territorial
Conquest. Meanwhile, Prataparudra again stoppedpaying tribute
to the Delhi Sultan and re-occupied Badarkot and other places
ceded by himto Khusrau, the Khilji govermor. In 1321, the Delhi
Sultan sent a large force under the command of his son Diug
Khan against Warangal. The attack on Warangal was repuls
and the Delhi forces suffered heavy losses. Therefore they
withdrew to Delhi, but mounted another attack on
within four months. This attack proved to be a success. Waranga
Death of Prataparudra
Prataparudra and his family were taken prisoners and sent to
Delhi. On the way to Delhi, Prataparudracommitted suicide
The Kakatiyas of Warangal 77

Abebanks of the river Narmada. Thisincident is mentioned in the

copper plate inscription of Prolaya Nayaka dated 1330. The
Kakatiya dynasty thus came to an end.
After the conquest of Warangal, Ulugh Khan procceded to
the other areas from Nellore to Rajahmundry and by September
n1324 he completed the conquest of the Kakatiya empire.The
fall of Warangal and the Kakatiya empire were so sudden and
unexpected that it left the people bewildered. The Muslim rule
that followed proved to be very cruel and oppressive. So within a
in
short time the feudatories of the Kakatiyas took a lead
organising a movement for liberating the country from the
Muslim tyranny.
Administration
The Kakatiya empire at the height of its glory included the
of Tamil Nadu, Bastar region of
present Andhra Pradesh, Kanchi Maharastra and Karnataka.
Madhya Pradcsh and a few places in through local feudatories
administered
The vast empire was
known as Nayakas.
Decentralised Monarchy far-flung arcas of the empire
in order to control the
The Kakatiyas decentralise the administration.
cffectively fclt it necessary to
introducing what was known as Nayankara
This they did by
system.
Nayankara System
Rudramba ascended the throne in A.D. 1262, the Kakatiya
When
unwicldy to be governcd effectively frcm
cmpire had become therefore introduced what was known as
Warangal. Rudramba system the feudatories and the
Nayankara system. Under this to
were loyal to the emperor were allowed the
local chiefs who without undue
interference from
territories
govern their
drawn from the different castcs like the
Centre. The Nayakas were etc. In Telangana the Nayakas hailed
Velamas, Reddis,Kammas, families like Cheruku, Malyala, Viriyala,
trom the well-known members
In coastal region the
Komaravelli, Recharla, etc. Nayakas. ln
were chosen as
Muppidimacha, Devini familiesTripurari and Amba Deva were
Rayalasecma, the Kayastas like after the death of Rudramba
important
the leading Nayakas. However, Amba Deva, an Henceforth
Kayasta
revolt of the
followingIwasthe made Prataparudra.
in the system by
change
78 History and Culture of Andhra
only Velamassbelonging tothe Padmanayaka setion
Pradesk
were chosen
as Nayakas.
Territorial Divisions: Nadu
The empire, for the purpose of administrataive convenience, was
ivided into territorial units called Nadus. Theimportant Nadu;
were Anumakonda Nadu, Sabbi Nadu, Kamma Nadu, Palli
Nadu, Vegi Nadu, Vela Nadu, Visuru Nadu, Paka Nadu, et
Sthalams
Nadus were sub-divided into a number of sthalams. Each sthal
consisted of 20, 18 or l6 villages. The important officials of
sthalam were Sthala karanam, Sthala tirpari and Sthala sunkari
.Karanam was the accountant. Tirpari decided the amount of tax
to be paid to the government. Actualcollection of taxes was the
duty of sunkari. Land tax was levied according to the fertility of
the soil.

Jrigation
The main source of the revenue was land-tax. Hence the Kakatiya
rulers gave utmost importance to irigation. They made ita point
that each village had at least one tank. Huge tanks were
constructed at different places like Pakala, Ramappa, Bayyaram,
Kesamudram, Kundavaram, Ghanapuram, Lakhnavaram, ett
These tanks are in existence even today. Besides tanks, canals and
welis were also constructed. As a result Kakatiya empire became
self-sufficient in foodgrains.
Irade and Commerce
After land tax, the main source of revenue was commercial taxes
Taxes were levied on goods sold at village fairs conducted on a
certain day in the week. The amount of tax was decided by th
local association known as Samayam. They played important rot
in village administration.
The Kakatiya rulers encouraged trade and commerce. To
foster trade commercial complexes known on Penta were built
near big villages where big weekly fairs were held. In course of
time the Pentas carme to be known as Peta or Commercial street.
Godowns and shops were built by the government and givenand
merchants on hire. Ta fostet trade, roads were Constructed and
goods were moved on the highways by bullocks, horses
donkeys.
The Kakatiys of Warangal 79
Maritime Trade
Kakatiya rulers encouragcd maritime trade. Merchants from
China, Myanmar (Burma),Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Rome and other
altics of Italy visited the famous Kakatiya ports
like, Motupalli,
Machilipatnam, Krishnapatnam topurchase thefamous
textiles, diamonds, spices, carpets, etc. In exchange theyAndhra
sold,
horses, silk, glass, etc. Tax
known as Revu Sunkam was levied on
the imports and exports.
Motualli Abhayasasanam
Ganapatideva issued a proclamation at Motupalli, khown as
'Abhaya sasanam', guaranteeing the forcign merchants that they
willnot be harassed by the local officials.
The Testimony of Marco Polo
The Venctian traveller Marco Polo visited Motupalli about
A.D. 1293 and recorded his impressions about the wcalth of the
kingdom and the cfficiency of its administration.
Coinage
The Kakattya issued coins in metals like, gold, silver, copper and
lead.
Gadyanam or Mada
The gold coins were known as Gadyanam or Mada. The silver
coins were known as Rukalu. Ten Rukalu were equivalent to one
Mada. Copper and lead was used for sInall coinage like Podduga
Paduka and Visam which were respectively half, one-fourth and
one-tenth of Ruka. Each coin carried the legend Rajagajakesari or
Rajyagajakesariand the varaha emblem.
The Contribution of the Kakatiyas to Andhra Culture and
Civilisation
and
The contribution of the Kakatiyas to Andhra culture
Civilisation is immense. During their rule of over thrce hundred
years they shaped and influenced Andhra history and culture by
efending the Deccan fromn the repeated invasions of the
Muslims.
Literature
Kakatiyas, the Telugu language and its
During the time of the
terature began to develop. The earliest extant work in Telugu is
Mahabharatamu. The work was undertaken
Nannaya's Andhra Rajaraja
during the reign of the Eastern Chalukyan king
80 History and Culture of Andhra
Narendra (1019-61). Nannaya could not complete the Pradesh
Tikkana, the court poet of Manumasiddi ll of Nellore, comnlwotk
the translation of the fifteen cantos (parvas) of compl
Telugu at Warangal. He wentthere to persuade Mahabkarata to
e te d
into
Ganapatoutidevaof
help his patron Manumasiddi who had been driven
kingdom by his kinsmen. The other work of Tikkana w
Nirvachanottara Ramayanana. The popular work Bhaska
Ramayanamu which is attributed to Mantri Bhaskara belonged
this period. Gona BuddhaReddi, a feudatory of Rudradeva, Wat
the first to translate the Ramayana into Telugu by about A.D. 1251
The work is known as Ranganatha Ramayana. Marana, a disciple
of Tikkana wrote Markendeya Puranamu. The immensely popular
works Ssmati Satakam is attributed to Baddena, a Telugu Chod
king of the Kakatiya period. His other work is Niti Sastra
Muktavali. Palkurki Somanatha was the author of the two Saivie
rorks Panditaradhya Charitra and Basava Puranamu. The other
important Telugu works belonging to the Kakatiya periad
include Nannechoda's Kumara Sambhavam, Ketanas' Dasakumarn
Charitra, Manchana's Keyurabahu Charitra.
Sanskrit Works
The Kakatiya rulers extended patronage to Sanskrit also.
Satkalyamalla wrote Udatta Raghava Kavyam and Niroshtya
Ramayana in Sanskrit. Jayapa Senani was the author of Nriya
Ratnavali, Gita Ratnavali and Vadya Ratnavali. Rudradeva, the first
of the Imperial Kakatiyas, was the author of the Sanskrit work
called Nitisara. Yayati Charitramu, a Sanskrit drama, is attributed
to Prataparudra.
Art
The Kakatiyas were great builders of temples. Among the famous
temples built by them were the Rudreswara temple ofof
Anumakonda and Svayambhunatha temple in the fort
Warangal. The Ramappa temple and the Pillalamarri temple are
the greatest works of art. The four majestic gateways inthefort of
Warangal testify to the genius of the Andhra artists of Warangal.
The Kakatiya capital Warangal was known as the Andhra
Mahanagara. No other city in Andhra had such a distinction.
Irrigation Works
The Kakatiya period witnessed great development in. agriculture.
This was made possible s the Kakatiya rulers bestowed great
 The Kakatiyas of Warangal 81

attention in building numerous irrigation works, like lakes, tanks,

wells, etc. Among the famous irigational works constructed by
them were the Ramappa and Parkhal lakes. Prataparudradeva
ordered reclamaation of vast jungle tracts in Rayalaseema,
especially in Kurnool district.
Religion
When the Kakatiyas established their rule in the 11th century A.D.
Jainism oCcupied a dominant position in Andhra. Saivism came
second, but within two centuries, Jainism had almost completely
disappeared out of Andhra and Saivism was the dominant
religion. Three persons, namely, Sripati, SivalankaforManchana and
Malikarjuna Panditaradhya were responsible making the
Siva cult popular in Andhra. In Karnataka, Virasaivism became
very virulent
and led to many religious clashes and bloodshed.
also.
This had its repercussions in Andhra the Saivites and Jains.
There were many clashes between temple
Many of the Jain temples including the famous Padmashi The
at Anumakonda were converted into Saivite shrines.
Saivites. But it must be
Kakatiyas after Prola IIbecame staunch
became religious fanatics.
said to their credit that they never religious animosities
They,in fact, tried to keep in check, the
between the Jains and the Saivites.
a word the Kakatiya rule gave Andhra Desa and the
In
Telugu language an individualityy of their own.