BATTLE OF BOBBILI

BATTLE OF BOBBILI

Dr K Prabhakar Rao

The battle of Bobbili fought on 23 January 1757 was an historical local event that took place just 260 years ago in the present state of Andhra Pradesh.. It has assumed very great importance in the AP history although politically it did not make much dent. The valor and sacrifices of Bobbili Stalwarts who fought till the last man against enemies have inspired people of AP very greatly. The event has been glorified as ballad, stories, drama and of course as movies. Bobbili was once a principality ( Samsthan) in the coastal district of Vijaynagaram in Andhra Pradesh ruled by Rao Gopala krishna Ranga Rayudu a Velam scion. He was very Brave and noble too. Earlier these districts were called circar districts. In 18 th century during the rule of Salabat Jung ( the defacto Nizam of Hyderabad) these areas were under the rule of Raja Poosapati Vijyaramarja Gajapathi who ruled from Vijayanagarm and he was a vassal of the Nizam.. He was also called Manne Sultan owing to the vast areas on which he wielded power and rule. He was a man of letters and patronized arts , literature and poetry.

Hyderabad state was under the rule of Asifjahi dynasty founded by Qamruddin Chin Khiljkhan, Deecan subedar of Mughal emperor and he was titled Nizamul mulk ASAF Kha Nizam I. He died in 1748 after an eventful long rule. There was a tussle for power among his son, Nasar Jung, and grandson Muzaffar Jung who was the son of his daughter.. The English supported Nasar Jung whereas Muzaffar Jung got support from the French. These two heirs were subsequently killed by Nawabs of Kurnool and Cuddapah, one after another, in A.D.1750 and AD.1751 respectively. The third son of Nizam I, Salabat Jung became the ruler under the support of the French in 1751. . Salbat jung though ruled for 10 years is not entitled to the title of Nizam of Hyderabad .General Bussey was the most important French personality in those times and wielded great power with Salabatjung. As a gratitude towards the military help, Salabat Jung gave powers to General Bussey to collect taxes from the coastal circar districts. It was the time when East India Company and the French were struggling for superiority in India and were fully involved in the local feuds of regional rulers particularly in southern India.
The coastal areas of present AP state were under the rule of Nizam as stated earlier. Bobbili a small kingdom was ruled by the Velama scion Rao Gopala Krishna Ranga Rao ( Rayudu) ably supported by his younger brother Vengala Rao and brother in law General Tandra Papayya and warriors like Dhrama Rayudu and Narsa naika. Initially the relations between Bobbili and Vijayanagaram were cordial. Many reasons are quoted for the rise of passions between the two kingdoms. Bobbi;I rulers were Velama bycaste while the Gajapthi rulers of Vijayanaram were Kshatriya by caste. Ranga Raya the ruler of Bobbili was great nationalist and did not like the overlordship of foreigners. He never liked the idea of paying Taxes to a French Commander. It is also opined that there were some disputes owing to differences in the question of sharing waters by them. It is also learnt that some French soldiers were killed while they were passing through territory of Bobbbili on an occasion although real killers could not be identified.

With arrival of General Bussey into the provinces the political equations were disturbed. Pressure was built up on Bobbili to pay taxes along with accumulated arrears. The defiant attitude of ruers of Bobili was also hurting the ego of Raja of Vijaynagaram who was a ruler of the largest province in the region. He made plans to crush Bobbili. He connived with General Bussey for conducting military conquest of Bobbili.Efforts made by Bobbili for peace failed. Raja of Vijaynagaram was also aided by Hyderjung the Commander of Nizam in the province. At this point, Bobbili fort was being defended by mere 250 soldiers while the Vijaynagaram forces were of 10,000 strength such as infantry and cavalry apart from French forces aided by forces of Hyderjung. French artillery was also brought to attack the fort. The valiant General of Bobbili, Tandra Papayya was away to Rajam with some forces to keep a watch and check on the invading troops of enemy. However, the troops of General Busssey along with forces of Vijayanagaram and Hyderjung invaded Bobbili through another route surprising the defenders. The Bobbili warriors defended the fort with great valor. The Mud fort was soon blasted off by the French artillery and the walls were breached and the enemy invaded the fort. The defenders fought hand to hand very bravely to the last man. Each and every warrior including commanders Vengal rao, Dharma rayudu, Narsa Naika fell fighting. The ruler of Bobbili, Raja Gopala Krishna Ranaga Rao ( Rayudu ) too fell on the battle field fighting the enemy and became a martyr. Thus all the warriors fell. The queen Mallamma and the ladies of the palace committed suicide as they preferred death to dishonor at the hands of enemy. However a young son of the ruler of Bobbili was earlier sent away from the fort fearing the calamity and reportedly he fell into hands of the enemy. He was not harmed and was taken care of General Bussey. Bobbili became a devastated area with hundred of dead martyrs and women lying every where. There was no single soul left. It was a gruesome scene.

Tandra Papayya , the General of Bobbili was unaware of these happenings and when he arrived. he was horrified at the scene. He was speechless and furious. He took an vow that he would kill the traitor the ruler of Vijayanagaram . General Papayya along with some of his followers sneaked into the tent of the Vijayaramaraju in dead of night and assassinated him. He was soon surrounded by the soldiers of Bussey . Papayya preferred death to surrender and committed suicide by stabbing himself with a dagger and became a Martyr.Thus he avenged the destruction of Bobbili. Bussey was aghast at these developments and he soon ensured that the Bobbili kindom was restored to the young surviving son of late Ranga Rayudu the ruler of Bobbili.In course of time the fort was rebuilt and the dynasty continued to rule Bobbili till India gained freedom and all princes acceded to the Indian union. How many of us would really stand upright in case of crisis to uphold honor of the nation and our much cherished dharma? The answer would be surely negative/. A sorry state indeed.

The present generation leaders shamefully buckled under terrorist attack by Jihadis in Bombay on 26/11 and are still showing their darkened faces to the world as apostles of peace hiding behind incompetence, fear, lack of spirit to defend national honor, timidity and impotence for action. But men of Bobbili were made of different material. Ranga raya of Bobbili knew his hopeless position against a much superior enemy in strength and equipment. He sued for peace and understanding with honor realizing the effects of war on his state and its people. He was a peace lover. However the jealousy, passions and action of treason by Vijayaramraja had upper hand.He wanted to swallow Bobbili at any cost. Thus Bobbili heroes had no option except to defend their state to the last men. Death was glorious than shame and dishonor. King Ranga Raya, Tandra Ppayya, Mallamma, Vengal Rao ( Brother of Ranga Raya) and many warriors have faded into golden pages of history of India while Vijayaramraja faded into dark pages of history as a treacherous villain. All his scholarly qualities are of no use and are darkened by his actions. Such traitors are required to be eliminated in the way Papayya did.

Sadly we are still holding to Afzal Guru the villain of attack on Indian parliament and are buying time to free him ultimately. Same is the case with Kasab the lone survivor of 26/11. What answer we can give to future generations about our incompetence and betrayal of national honor and cause? What answer we can give for our shameful defeat at the hands of Chinese in 1962? The architects of Chinese defeat have disappeared without being punished in a befitting manner. How shall we defend our apathy towards terrorists who dared to attack our precious temples at Akshar dham and Raghunath Mandir etc. The history in future would hold head in shame at our incompetence. We boast of victory in 1965 against Pakistan, But remember they celebrate 1965 war as victory parade day. They claim it was a victory. Lal Bahadur shastris death remains a mystery. Did the poor guy die of shock after betraying India s cause at Thashkent or was it a suicide by swallowing overdoze of sleeping pills? Who will answer this? But remember even after 260 years of Bobbili war, we are proudly saying about Bobbili heroes. What a glory! They found glory in death than in shameful compromise and surrender. We are doing exactly opposite to what Rangaraya and his men did. Shame indeed. What we need is Ranga Raya and his men and surely not men like Vijayaramaraja and sadly most of the people who are ruling the nation appear to be followers of Vijaya rama Raja full of deceipt