Damarla Chennappa Nayakudu
Encyclopedia
Damarla Chennappa Nayakudu was a Telugu Nayaka
of Srikalahasti
and Vandavasi
belonging to the Velama
community who served as a general under Sriranga Deva Raya
of the Aravidu Dynasty
. The historical city of Chennai
is believed to have been named after him.
forces of Ibrahim Qutb Shah in several battles,notably in 1576 when Penukonda
was captured by Ali Adil Shah and in 1579 when he captured the Golkonda Commander Murari Rao.
and began to massacre the locals. However he was defeated after a brief fight with the Raya's army. Qutb Shah later took the fort of Vinukonda
. Sriranga defeated the Sultan's forces with the assistance of his generals Chennappa and Kasturiranga. During this fight, Chennappa lost his life. He was succeeded by Kasturiranga. His son Damarla Venkatadri Nayakudu later named Chennai
as Chennapattnam in his honor.
Nayaks of Kalahasti
The Nayaks of Kalahasti were rulers of Kalahasti and Vandavasi principalities. They belonged to the Velama caste. Members of the group include Chennappa Naicker and his son Venkatapathy. These Nayaks served as loyalists to the Aravidu Dynasty of Vijayanagara Empire.-Damarla Chennappa Nayaka...
of Srikalahasti
Srikalahasti
Srikalahasti , is a holy town and a municipality near Tirupati in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located on the banks of the river Swarnamukhi. It is also informally and wrongly referred to as Kalahasti...
and Vandavasi
Vandavasi
Vandavasi or Wandiwash is a city and a municipality in Tiruvanamalai district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.Vandavasi was the scene of a decisive battle in the 18th-century war between France and the United Kingdom for the control of South Asia. The Battle of Wandiwash was a watershed in...
belonging to the Velama
Velama
Velama or the Velama Doralu is a social group found mainly in Andhra Pradesh. Velamas are classed as "Upper Shudras". The history of Velama's is as old as Telugu bravery. Military exploits of Velamas form an important part of Telugu tradition, history and folklore...
community who served as a general under Sriranga Deva Raya
Sriranga Deva Raya
Sriranga I was the king of Vijayanagara empire. He carried the restoration of the Vijayanagara empire, but his reign was marred with repeated attacks and loss of territories from his Muslim neighbours....
of the Aravidu Dynasty
Aravidu dynasty
The Aravidu Dynasty was the fourth and last Hindu dynasty which ruled Vijayanagara Empire in South India. Its founder was Tirumala, whose brother Rama Raya had been the masterful regent of the last ruler of the previous dynasty...
. The historical city of Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
is believed to have been named after him.
Service under Sriranga Deva Raya
Chennappa served under Sriranga Deva Raya assisting him against the GolkondaGolkonda
Golkonda or Golla konda a ruined city of south-central India and capital of ancient Kingdom of Golkonda , is situated 11 km west of Hyderabad.The most important builder of Golkonda was a Hindu Kakatiya King...
forces of Ibrahim Qutb Shah in several battles,notably in 1576 when Penukonda
Penukonda
Penukonda or Penu Konda is a small town in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is 70 km away from Anantapur town.-Geography:Penukonda is located at...
was captured by Ali Adil Shah and in 1579 when he captured the Golkonda Commander Murari Rao.
Death
In 1580, Ibrahim Qutb Shah invaded Kondavidu. Later he took the Udayagiri FortUdayagiri, Nellore district
Udayagiri is a Mandal in the Nellore district of the state of Andhra Pradesh in India.-Geography:Udayagiri is located at . It has an average elevation of 230 meters .-History:...
and began to massacre the locals. However he was defeated after a brief fight with the Raya's army. Qutb Shah later took the fort of Vinukonda
Vinukonda
Vinukonda is a town in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, India. It had a population of 52,830 at the time of the 2001 Census. Local mythology holds a hill nearby as the place where Rama was informed of his wife Sita's abduction. The name therefore literally translates to "Hearing Hill". It is also...
. Sriranga defeated the Sultan's forces with the assistance of his generals Chennappa and Kasturiranga. During this fight, Chennappa lost his life. He was succeeded by Kasturiranga. His son Damarla Venkatadri Nayakudu later named Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
as Chennapattnam in his honor.
Further reading
- Rao, Velcheru Narayana, and David Shulman, Sanjay Subrahmanyam. Symbols of substance : court and state in Nayaka period Tamilnadu (Delhi ; Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1998) ; xix, 349 p., [16] p. of plates : ill., maps ; 22 cm. ; Oxford India paperbacks ; Includes bibliographical references and index ; ISBN 0-19-564399-2.
- Sathianathaier, R. History of the Nayaks of Madura [microform] by R. Sathyanatha Aiyar ; edited for the University, with introduction and notes by S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar ([Madras] : Oxford University Press, 1924) ; see also ([London] : H. Milford, Oxford university press, 1924) ; xvi, 403 p. ; 21 cm. ; SAMP early 20th-century Indian books project item 10819.
- K.A. Nilakanta Sastry, History of South India, From Prehistoric times to fall of Vijayanagar, 1955, OUP, (Reprinted 2002) ISBN 0-19-560686-8.