Part 24 - Nala Kama (A.D. 1147)

Nalakama succeeded his father in A.D. 1147 and not in A.D. 1170 as has been suggested by a previous writer. The chronicle says that Dodda was bothered about his son to succession, resigned his premiership in favour of his son Brahmanayadu, who killed both Dodda and Alugu and enthroned Nalakama. The circumstances that led Brahma and Nalakama to commit double murder are not known. Nalakama’s inscription dated A.D. 1165 mentions his titles and mentions him as Mailaladevikamaraju. He is also known as Anugukamaraju and of Aihaya (Haihaya) vamsa. His rule lasted for 15 years as seen from records, and for many more years according to tradition and the civil war in Palnad was fought in his reign.

Events Leading to the war

Nalagama and Brahma drifted apart in the policy and so Nayakaralu alias Nagamma became the premier of the King and Brahma nayudu became minister of Pedamallideva and his brothers. Brahma influenced Nalagama to assign a small territory for his step brothers. Pedamallideva and others. Nayakuralu was against it. So Brahma left Gurizala with the princes and inhabitants of ninety villages and settled down at Macherla on the banks of the Chandrabhaga i.e. Chandravanka Pedamallideva became the ruler and married the only daughter of Rayamurari Sovideva (A.D. 1167—1177) of the Kalachuris of Kalyani. Thus this branch of the Haihayas in palnnd, allied itsay with the Kalachaun Haihayas of Kalyani as their predecessors with the Chalukyas of Kalyani.

The formation of a rival kingdom within the kingdom of Palnad roused the opposition of Nalakama and Nayakuralu. The minister sent men to plunder Macherla, who suffered a defeat in the hands of pedamallideva’s forces led by Kannamadas.

Brahmanayudu proceeded to Gurizala for a purpose when Nayakuralu poisoned him with no effect, and then by a conspiracy she forced him to become a party for a cock fight, according to the terms of which wager, the vanquished must spend seven years in exile. Brahmanayudu lost the larger, left Macherla, crossed the Krishna and settled at Mandadi, which is 20 miles from Gurizala. Thus Brahma and Pedamallideva were outside the precincts of Nalakama’s kingdom.

Once again Nayakaralu sent robbers to plunder Mandadi and drive off their cattle. Pedamallideva did not oppose the enemy. In the interests of safety in futur,e Brahma left Mandadi with Pedamalli and others, crossed the Krishna, proceeded towards Tripurantakam, built Medapi near Markapur and settled there. This locality was under the Bikshavrittis of Snsailam at the time. After the period of exile and another six months were over, Brahma sent Aiaraju alias Rachmalla, son of Kommaraja, grandson of Virasoma, and son-in-law of Nalagama as ambassador to Gurizala to demand for Macherla kingdom with six months tax due to them. But as prearranged Aleraja was killed in a Brahmin’s house, on his way back. On this point of murder that finally Brahma and Malhdeva declared war on Nalakama, and proceeded towards Gurizala was their armies.

The Date of the Battle

The chronicle of Palnadu enumerates the names of many chiefs who participated in the battle, the identity of some of whom in south Indian History enable us to arrive at the date of the battle approximately. On Malhdeva’s side were Komma, father of Alaraju, Attararajulu, kings of solar race, and several subordinate chiefs whose family names are enumerated in Virachantrs. Nalakama is said to have sent letters to many kings asking them to come and join him in the war with their armies to which most of them responded. Among them were Velanantichoda II, Bhima II of Dharanikota, ruler of Solanki, Uragasena—probably a Naga chieftain, Erukukama, the ruler of the seven mades, kings of Ponnalla, Prodole, Katakadhipati i.e. Balodeva Purushottaman ruler of Orissa, Kalavaraya, Telugu princes of Devadri, king Pedabaha, Bhimasena, the Chola prince Suryakumara, Jayadeva, Jayasinga, ruler of Chandrdavi, Viraballana i.e. Hoysala Virabellala II (A.D. 1173—1220), Aravasinga, rulers of Kahnata and Balgala and Sagi Potaraja of Gudimetta, Komma was the son of Sovideva (A.D. 1167—76) of the Kalachuryas, Prataparudra is Rudra I of the Kakatiyas. Besides these, Kotaketa II,son of Bhima II Gonka III, son of Choda II participated in the battle at Karempudi and Rudradeva invaded Vengi in A.D. 1186. A chatu verse gives the date of the battle as s 1308 which is wrong. The battle must have been fought about A.D. 1178 to 1185 as most of the kings mentioned above, lived at that time, or a little earlier from A.D. 1176 to 1182.

Events of the Battle

Nalakama’s armies were commanded by his brother Narasimha and Pedamalh’s by Balachandra, son of Brahma. The battle lasted for three days. Viracharitra describes the battle in its successive stages most graphically and the hero was Balachandra. On Balachandra’s death the command of Mallideva’s armies was assumed by Kalacuri Komma on the third day and he too was slain. The detailed fashion in which the narrative is treated is realistic but its late origin and dearth of contemporary mscriptional evidence lessen its value as a historical document. According to the Viracharitra, Brahma and his partisans were victorious Nayakularalu fled and Brahma enthroned Nalagama once again. But tradition records that Nalakama was victorious, Brahma was forced to make peace with him and left Palnad on a religious mission.Results

The civil war in Palnad and the Karampudi battle resulted in the immediate destruction of the wealth of the country in men and money. The Haihaya kingdom in Palnad ended thus though the heroes of war are immortalised in the minds of the masses, in literature and architecture of the country and were deified in course of time This war, hastened the fall of the Velanandu kingdom and other minor powers in Vengi and brought in its train the invasion of Rudradeva in A.D. 1186