Part 8 - Nagadeva Maharaja (A.D. 1273-1281)

Nagadeva Maharaja, a feudatory of the Kakatiyas was ruling in Nellore over the Nellore taluq and northern partsof the Nellore district. “He probably belonged to the Naga family” Nothing is known about his ancestory. Nagadeva’s records are widely distributed in the Nellore district. The earliest is from Iduru (Nellore taluq) dated A D. 1272. It mentions that Nagadeva Maharaja bearing many titles granted land in Angapalandanadu to Bhimanadeva of Vettuvanapattaividu. His next inscription is from Peddakonduru (Kavali taluq), dated A.D. 1273, and records grants made for the merit of Nagadevaraja and Rudradeva Maharaja: The record at Peramana (Atmakur taluq) dated A.D. 1274 mentions that while Maharaja was ruling, his subordinate granted land for the merit of Nagadeva Maharaja. Nagadeva’s last record is from Manikesvaram (Ongole taluq) registering his gifts for the merit of Rudradeva Maharaja.

His Political Relations

Nagadeva is mentioned as Nagadevan of Nellore and mahamandlesvara Nagadeva Maharajulu in his records He was a feudatory of Rudradeva of the Kakatiyas. The specification of the location of Tiruvambur in Nagadeva’s inscriptions speaks for the continuance of the chola influence at the time. The statements that in view of the wide distribution of his records probably he was a mere officer of the Kakatiyas than a local chief, and that he is probably identical with Nagaya Gama, general of Prataparudra, to whom Markandeyapurana was dedicated, cannot stand for Nagadeva, to whom Mahamandalesvara and maharaja and Nagayaganna means Ganna, son of Nagay a and not Nagaya himself. Probably Nagadeva rebelled against the Kahatiya authority and lost his life, for one of the titles of the Viryala family is (one) who cut of the head of Nagadeva. It may have been that some ancestor of the family killed Nagadeva.