Part 3 - Pota I (A.D. 1161-1190)

Pota was the eldest son and successor of Dora. He is described as a warrior, a Rajasimha, and protector of his kingdom and compared to Kumara and Pradyumna. His two records are dated A.D. 1161 and 1191 respectively. Pota issued Tyagigadyas referred to in a record of A.D. 1171.

His political relations

The Chagi kingdom included Vijayavativishaya in this period. Pota must have owed allegiance to the Cholas. His Velanandu choda contemporaries were Choda II (A.D. 1163—1180) Gonka III (A.D. 1181—1185) and Prithvisvara (A.D. 1186—1210). Pota was on terms of alliance with Choda II which is attested by the mention of Tyagigadyas in Velanandu records. He had friendly relations with the Natavadis as his daughter Prolamadevi was married to Natavadi Durgaraja.

Pota, an ally of the Palnad Haihayas, participated in the civil war and battle at Karempudi (A.D. 1178—1186) on the side of the elder line Nalakama. One version of Palnativiracharitra mentions that Sagi Potamaraju, minister Satya, Gundamadeva, and Gobburaju and others with vast infantry (288,000) arrived to join Nalakama in the war. Sagipota is king Pota I. He must have met Choda II and Gonka III, Kota Bhima II and Keta II, Natavadi Durga and the Kakatiya armies as allies. Pota I survive the Karempudi battle which is evident from the fact that his inscriptions range up to A.D. 1190.

Tradition has that Pota captured the horse of Vemulavoda Bhima and died because of the latter’s curse. The same verse mentioning the curse is attributed as referring to Letavarapu Pota by Turaga Rama Kavi and by some writers to Relluai Tirumalayya. Consequently much credit cannot be ascribed to this verse regarding Pota’s death.