Part 14 - The Yadavas of Yerragaddapadu

Katamaraju, also of Yadava Kshakriya lineage was the ruler of Yerragaddapadu. His relationaship to the Yadavas of Alavulapadu—Valluraja and his sons is not known. None of his predecesrors are heard of. Katamaraju is said to have ruled for thirtytwo years. Accepting that Pratapa in the Gundlapalem record is a mistake for Kakatiya Ganapati, Katamaraja’s identity with Kantamaraju of Boswell’s account may be accepted.

His Political Relations

Tradition and literature bear out that Katamaraja of Yerragaddapadu refused to pay grazing tax to Manmasiddhi III alias Nallasiddha III on the ground that he lost some calves in the fields of Manmasiddhi. Manmasiddhi would not let the beasts go and sent his armies under the lead of Ranatikkana alias Khadga Tikkana, the son of an elder uncle of Tikkana Somayaji. The royal forces were routed by Katamaraju and his forces. General Tikkana returned home, was insulted by his mother and wife for his cowardice, went back and was killed by the enemy. This battlte bewteen the Yadavas and the Telugu cholas took place a Somasila on the Penna, as general Tikka cites both as witnesses for his fight.

This battle evidently took place in Ganapati’s reign and not in Prataparudra’s as Manmasiddhi, contemporary of Ganapati, figures as the king in the battle. The battle is placed in A.D. 1263 and Manmasiddha along with Tikka is said to have lost his life in it. Even accepting the date of the battle as A.D 1263 Manmasiddha did not lose life in that year, as his records attest his rule till A.D. 1267. Mackenzie Mss say that Katamaraju was the ruler of Amaravati and Yerragaddapadu and that the site of the battle was located in the vicinity of Amaravati. But it is more probable that the battle was fought at Yerragaddapadu. The Kalamarajukatha or Yerragaddapati poltata is the story of Katamaraju or battle of Yerragaddapadu was the theme of many popular ballads and one of Srinatha’s works in the 14th century A.D “The struggle narrated might be compared to that between the Dutch Boers and Capfres in the interior of Africa.” Probably the battles between Valluraja of Alajvulapadu and Nallasiddhi, and Katamaraja of Yerragaddapadu and General Tikka were parts of the war between the Yadavas and the Telugu cholas of Nellore. So in fighting the Telugu cholas, Vallupaju and Katamaraju acted in union and won the enemy.

The statement that Katamarayaka was a Padmanayaka, lord of Palnad and the identification, of Ranatikkana with Padmanayadu, the elder brother ot Brahmanayadu (A.D 1182) are not justifiable on chronological grounds. No sons and successors of Katmaraju are heard of.