Kapayya was the true son of Telangana

Kapayya Naika was dynamic ruler who liberated Telangana in Andhra Province from Mohammedan rulers in 14 century.Telangana was ruled by Kakateeya dynasty and the last ruler was Prataparudra II. He valiantly resisted Muslim invasions from Delhi by Allauddin Khilji and from Mohammed bin Tughlaq ( Known as Juna Khan). The relentless campaigns by the Muslims weakened the hindu kingdom and finally Prataparudra was defeated in a battle at Warangal and was captured. He was imprisoned and was being taken to Delhi. However enroute King Pratapardra jumped into river Godavari ( Some say it was Narmada) and committed suicide to escape insult and dishonor. Warangal was kept under a muslim governor and renamed with Islamic name as Sultanpur and was made a central province. The Telugu chieftains of Telangana who were vassals of Prataparudra however raised a banner of revolt in due course. Prolaya nayaka was the leader of this revolt and after his death his nephew Kapayya nayaka became the leader and continued the fight from rekapalli. In a span of ten years he defeated governor Malik Maqbool at Warangal and drove away Muslims from Telangana. Kapayya was accepted as the successor to kakateeya dynasty and the 74 vassals accepted him as the ruler. Kapayya assumed titles as Andhradesadheesa and Andhra Surathrana and ruled with iron grip. Soon fissures developed among some of the chieftains and infact Kapayya delegated great autonomy to the vassals and this resulted in emerging of Velama rulers at Rachakonda under Singamanaika I. Reddy dynasty emerged at Addanki under prolaya vema Reddy. Velama kings joined Bahamni Sultans and reletlessly fought with Kapayya. In fact Kapayya helped Hassan Shah Bahmani in establishing his kingdom at Daulatabad ( Devagiri) by revolting against Tughlaq by sending 1500 cavalry. However soon Bahmani sultan failed to reciprocate the friendship and attacked Kapayyas provinces. Kappaya was killed in a battle at Bheemavaram near Warangal fighting Velam rulers. Kapayyas son Vinayaka deva was earlier killed by Bahmani sultan Mohammed Shah after a battle. With this, the rule of Nayaka dynasty ended at Warangal after 36 years of glorious rule. Kapayya was the true son of the soil and knew the danger of growing Mulsim rule. But the local rulers did not lend an helping hand and betrayed him. Velama kings at Rachakonda and Deverakonda were the betrayers who joined Muslims and fought with Kapayya and the Vijaynagar Kings. Although Velamas had a sway in Telangana for nearly 100 years, they lost the kingdom to Bahmani sultans and at last the velamas had to serve Vijaynagar kings as commanders in the army. They never could establish an independent kingdom later on. They either ruled small principalities or were commanders. Kapayya shines gloriously for his valiant efforts to drive out Muslims from Telangana while velama rulers have gone down the history of letting down the own country by joining Muslim rulers. The caste politics were also responsible for mutual hatred which is no way better even now in Andhra Pradesh politics. The kammas, kapus, velamas, reddys and other lower castes are relentlessly fighting each other even now and ruining the state.

Dr K Prabhakar Rao