# A Family History of Venkatagiri Rajas/23rd Generation

Twenty-third Generation.
Rajah Sree Sarwagna Kumara Yachama Naidu Bahadur.
Born 1690 A.D., installed 1695 A.D., died 1748 A.D.
Rajah Bangaru Yachama Naidu. = Akkamma. (22) I Rajah Sarwagna Kumara Yachama Brother Kumara Nayana, Naidu. (23) son by Nalinakshamma J (died yo ung) . Rajah Bangaru Yachama Naidu. Pedda Yachama Naidu.
Raja V. Sarwagna Kumara Yachama Naidu Bahadur (23rd Generation).
self turned greater attention to his residence at Venkatagiri by staying there for longer periods, the tragic end of his life finally compelled the change of capital from south to north.
The two sons and the Brahmin boy who were sent out with Polu were safely handed over as required. They were next sent to Jupalli Rama Naidu, son of Gopala Naidu, the ruling chief of Sathgoda at the time, for protection, and were there safe without falling into the hands of the enemy. Attempts were also being made to take the boys to the Mogul Emperor to inform him of the treachery of the Nawab. Then the Nawab would be properly punished for his crime and the condition of the boys bettered. In the meantime Aurangzib too having had some vague representation of the behaviour of his Deputy in the Deccan, ​thought of sending a fit person to investigate and report the truth. Zulphur Khan learnt the real state of affairs, near and afar, and was much afraid that in the event of the truth reaching the ears of the already-enraged Emperor in detail, his position might be seriously endangered. So he hit on a plan. He tried to throw the blame of the murder on someone else and to stop the heirs from going to Delhi by granting them jaghirs round Venkatagiri which had been in the possession of their forefathers and which was also remote from Arcot, for the Nawab much feared to have such popular princes by his side at North Mallur and could not allow it even for a time lest any spirit of revenge should endanger Arcot. So he sent envoys to the court of the guardian of the princes and succeeded in effecting a compromise. He then wrote to Aurangzib to say, "On account of envy and ever-increasing malignity, Rajah Bangaru Yachama Naidu was treacherously murdered, by Surap ​Singh the defender of Jinji. The heirs left behind are young. So I propose that in the interests of their safety the boys be placed at Venkatagiri and a jaghir granted to them of the neighbouring taluks and some more, for Venkatagiri has a strong hill-fort and has been in the possession of their ancestors." The Emperor readily consented and sent through the Nawab a Sannad Julu Sen 37, bearing the seal and signature of the State Dewan Moorthafur Saheb. The Sannad gave the princes a free jaghir of fourteen taluks mentioned below with a total income of 101,364,625 dams or Rs. 25,32,615-10-0. The taluks are—
The four taluks of Sarwapalli, Nellore, Rapur and Venkatagiri in Sarwapalli Sarcar.
The six taluks of Kalahasti, Satyaneru, Chenur, Gudur, Thirupati and Sagutur in Chandragiri Sarcar.
The three taluks of Vishnukanchi, Karangudi and Mosaravaka in Kanchi Sarcar. ​ The one taluk of Poonamallee in Thirupachur Sarcar.
The Sannad conferred on them besides the hereditary titles of Shash Hazari Mansab and Shash Hazari Sawari Mansab. This was soon communicated to the guardian of the boys, who were then taken to Venkatagiri and the elder brother was duly anointed and installed Rajah of Venkatagiri in 1695 A.D. as a boy of six years.
Kumara Nayana. — Soon after, the Nawab himself promised the younger brother, Kumara Nayana in his Julu Sen 43 Sannad bearing the seal of his minister Muhammad Shaffi Khan, a free grant or jaghir of nine taluks, viz., Dupadu, Udayagiri, Addanki, Podili, Darsi, Karempudi, Pellur, Arikatla and Kotcherlakota in the North of Nellore district, yielding an annual rental of 16,725,000 dams or in Rs. 4,18,125, if he could defeat the unruly heads of these taluks, who had declared themselves independent of ​the central authority at Arcot, and annex these taluks. Kumara Nayana started at once right gladly, easily defeated the Jaghirdars and extended sway over these taluks with his seat of government at Kurchedu.
The public life of Kumara Nayana at Kurchedu needs some mention. The three places of Pellur, Darsi and Kotcherlakota were well fortified and the strongholds of Pellur and Kurchedu were by far the best. In all these places, large palaces with spacious halls and big gateways were arranged. In Kurchedu itself his capital, a temple was built and idols set up in it, in the likeness of his parents and sisters who died at North Mallur. The daily worship in these temples continues to this day.
Then came the unexpected end of his earthly existence. Before his death he sent for his elder brother and handed over his taluks to him as he had no sons to succeed. Thus these taluks also passed to the Venkatagiri Estate. ​ General. — Rajah Sarwagna Kumara Yachama Naidu Bahadur was restored to the Estate of Venkatagiri in his sixth year and he lived to an age of 59. In his private life he felt very much attached to his brother who not only contributed to the extent of his Estate, but rendered invaluable assistance in the battlefield by defeating all their enemies. He married four wives Butchamma and Akkamma of the Damara family, and Ammakkamma and Bangaramma of the Jupalli household, and had two sons noted above. He was not only a good warrior and an able statesman, but was also very fond of learning and ranks first among the Rajahs that charitably devoted several villages as agraharams in the name of God and Religion.
Military. — First among the military expeditions must be mentioned, the several instances of assistance rendered to the Nawab of Arcot, Dhawlat Khan Bahadur in his wars in the Carnatic. ​ In (Hizri 1112) 1702 A.D., he helped Dhawlat Khan in his campaign against the Rai of Vellore. In (Hizri 1124) 1714 A.D., when the Nawab was engaged in a war against Mysore, he again sought for the Rajah's help. Lastly in (Hizri 1126) 1716 A.D., the Rajah marched with a large army to the help of the Nawab when the latter was engaged in a deadly fight with Jayan Singh of Jinji. These are recorded in the history of Syed Thulla Khan known as Syed Namah.
Next comes the event of Makaraju Varu. Once the Makaraju rulers of Karvedu proudly adopted the use of white Nishan, which was granted to the first member of this line by Ganapathi Rai, the Emperor of Vijayanagar as a mark of special distinction, and which honour had since belonged to the members of this line as a monopoly. So when the Rajah heard this, he made preparations to fight, and Makaraju overcome with fear came to ​terms and concluded peace by thenceforward colouring his Nishan.
On another occasion the Rajah had been absent in the Nizam's dominions at the request of the Nizam, having left the management in the hands of the eldest son. The younger son then quarrelled with his brother and retiring to the taluks in the north advised the people there to withhold paying rent to his brother. The elder at once wrote to his father who hastened to Kurchedu and chastised his son for the unbecoming behaviour. Then the enemies of the Rajah, who were the cause of sowing such seeds of disaffection between the brothers next came to the father to try their skill in that direction, but the father soon understood their real motives and thought to punish them, when they escaped and rose in open revolt. A fight ensued in which they were completely routed and the Rajah was much praised for his timely courage and tact.
Sati-Temple at Akkampet.
Sanskrit an Ashtakam and a Churnika both in praise of Goddess Gnanaprasunamba of Sreekalahasti.
Religious. — Next come his religious activities. In Kayyur of Venkatagiri taluk, he built a village Akkampet, styled so in memory of his beloved mother with a big tank and a temple near by, and in this temple are set up as at Kurchedu, the images of his mothers and sisters and worshipped to this date.
He next built a nice temple in the premises of his palace at Venkatagiri, in which Kali is daily worshipped. It is said that the Rajah's poetic talents were in no small measure due to his pious worship of Kali and Her Divine Blessings. ​ Last but not the least, the long list of thirty-three agraharams which were granted on different occasions, the following being a summary : — twelve agraharams from Venkatagiri taluk, nine from Sagutur, four from Polur, three from Pellur, four from Darsi and one belonging to Podili.
End. — While organising the administration of his Kotcherlakota taluk, the Rajah suddenly fell ill, and when he was arranging to return to Venkatagiri, he unexpectedly breathed the last in 1748 A.D.
The eldest son at Venkatagiri having heard through messengers news of his father's ill-ness was then hastily proceeding to the north, when he learnt the sorrowful tidings on his way. He therefore hastened all the quicker and joined his brother in concluding the funeral rites. Thus ended the life of Rajah Sarwagna Kumara Yachama Naidu Bahadur in his fifty-ninth year and after fifty-four years of long and fruitful rule.