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DECEMBER, 1908.) ANCIENT HISTORY OF THE NELLORE DISTRICT.
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the Kakatiya dominions during the time of Ganapati is not known, there is no doubt, that he penetrated as far south as Conjeeveram, where an inscription of his is found dated in A. D. 1249.8 And it becaine the interest of the dominant Pandyas to drive him back. That the Pandyas did gain at least some temporary advantage over the Kakatiyas is proved by a mutilated Tamil inscription of Sundara-Pandya in the Ranganayaka temple at Nellore (N. 61): We bave at present no means of ascertaining how long the Pâyrlys king remained in Nellore and how he was driven back.10 But the Kakatiya dominions seem to have extended as far south as the Kavali taluk during the reign of Ganapati's successor Rudråmba, called in inscriptions Rudradeva-Mabárója (KV. 48). One of the
Kakatiya feudatories named Ambadeva-Maharaja of the Kâyastha Kakatiya Fondatories
family claims to have established at Vikramasimhapura (i... Nellore ) A curtain Manmaganlagôj hla, 11 who had been deprived of his dominions. It may therefore be supposed that the Kakatiya dominioas (or, at least their influence) extended at the time over the greater portion of the Nellore District, though not in the extreme south of it.13 Rudrâmbâ's successor, Pratâparudra, seems to have been a powerful king. Daring his time, too, the Kakatiyas were ruling a considerable portion of Nellore and an expedition was despatsbed against Conjeeveram. His general, Muppidi-Nayaks, or Muppidindrs, who is also mentioned in several Nellore inscriptions (A. 56, KR. 84, N. 80, and 0. 87 ), captured Conjeeveram in or before A. D. 1316-17.15 A somewhat mutilated record of Prataparudra is found at Jambuk@svaram, near Trichinopoly. The circumstances that led to the invasion against the Tamil country are not known. An adventurous Kerala king, named Ravivarman, appears to have taken advantage of the confusion that prevailed in Southern India consequent oa the Muhammadan invasion in A. D. 1310. He conquered the Paglya king and advanced as far north as Conjeeveram in A. D. 1313.17 It may be that Prataparuira's invasion against the Tamil country was in support of some Telugu-Ohôda chief against the Kerala adventurer. Prataparudru's latest sure date is [Saka Samvat 1246], the cyclic year Ruch rödgarin (0.10 ) corresponding to A, D. 1323-34. He probably died in A. D. 1325.18 What became of his dominions after his death is not known 10 An inscription at Upparapalle in the Cuddapah District refers to a son of Pratâparudra named Juttaya.20 Sir Walter Elliot mentions Virabhadra as Prata parudra's successor, 21 while Mr. Sewell says that his son " Krishna succeeded him, but with a much reluced kingdom." The absence of inscriptions of either Kșisbņa or Virabhadra is significant, and may be taken to show that the Kakatiya dominions were in a state of disorder, like the rest of Southern India, in consequence of the Muhammadan invasions.
(To be continued.)
Ibid., Vol. XXI, p. 902, and No. 558 of Professor Kjelhora's List of Inscription of Southern India pablished in the Epigraphia Indica, Vol. VII.
Inscriptions of Jatávarman Sundara. Plodya I. and of Jatavarman Sundara-Pipdya II. (A.D. 1276 to at least 1 290) have also been found at Nandalur in the Cuddapah District; see my Annual Report on Epigraphy for 1907-8, Part II, paragraphs 44 and 47.
1. Perhaps the Chola and Kakatiya fondatories combined together in this attempt to drive out the intruding Pandya.
11 In the sequel, more will be said about this chief. 11 Seo my Annual Report on Epigraphy for 1905-08, Part II. pars. 4. 13 The extreme south of the Nollore District was probably subject to the Telaga-Chodas of Nellore.
14 In the Nollore District bis inscriptious have been found in the Ongole ( 0.49, 0. 53, O. 58, O. 68, O. 87, 0.96, 0. 129, and O. 149), Kandukar (KR. 1. KR. 23, KL. 4, KR. 54, KR. 55, and KR. 84), Atmakur (A. 55), Nellore (N. 80 ) and Kávali tAluks (KV. 33 ) and the Darsi (D.10, D. 12, D. 26, D.85, and D. 70) and Podili divisions (P.6). '15 Ep. Ind., Vol. VII. p. 128.
1 Ante, Vol. XXI, p. 200. 11 Rp. lvl., Vol. VIII, p. 8. Insoriptions of this king have been found so far at Conjoeveram (ibid, Vol. IV, p. 145), Srirangam (ibid., p. 148), and Tiruvadi ( South Aroot).
# Sir Walter Elliot's Coins of Southern India, p. 54.
11 The editors of the Nellore volume assign KR. 28, CP.21, and CP, 22 to the Kikatly. But these inscriptions seom to beloag to the Gajapatis of Orissa.
* See my Anal Report on Epigraphy for 1995-06, Part II, para, 37. 11 Coint of Southern India, p. 84. Prataparudra's son is here said to have retired to Kondavida.
13 Lists of Antiquities, Vol. II, p. 174. The Mohammadan writers speak of Vinayakadéra, alias NÅgadeva, as the son of Pratparadra.
