Part 11 - Other Chagis

A Chagi Manmapota the lord of Brihat Kancbipura (i.e. Penu ganchi prolu) is heard of from an inscription dated A.D. 1257. A record from ongole dated A.D. 1087-88 gives the genealogy of a family of Telugu Cholas beginning with Chagi Venkana of suryavamsa. This Venkana does not find a place in Chagi Pedigree. This Chagi prince must have lived in the middle of the 10th century A.D.

A family with the surname Vipparla was in the service of the Chagis of Gudimetta. Its members are known fr jm three inscription. Peddamallanayaka’s son was Dora prolenayaka of Mannakula. Prola’s son was Mallinayaka or Malnayaka who was in the service of Dora. As the family name of the chagis was Vipparla, it is likely that Vipparla family is related to them. Meckenzie Mss give a long list of the titles of the Vipparla family which do not seem to refer to the Chagi kings or their later descendants. They perhaps are of some other family with the surname Vipparla.

An undated epigraph at Penuganehiprolu, mentions Dora son of Bbimaraja ruling over the Natavadi country and granting lands of the Munna, Probably this Dora was a brother of Manna, Chagiraju of A.D. 1268 whose father was also Bhimaraju If so Dora must have ruled in conjunction with Manmachagi about A.D. 1268. About A.D. 1215 a Velananti Sagi Dorayaraju is heard of from an epigraph at Yenamala-kuduru. The prefix Velanandu is significant propably indicating some victory of Doraya over Velanadu Prithvisvara and annexation of some tracts to the Chagi kingdom. The identity of this Dora, whose data falls in the reign of Pota II and Ganapaya (1199—1230 A.D.) is not known. Gannaya Sagi Baicha of Vipparlakula is said to have possessed valour, captured Vellanki, took, Rama its ruler captive and killed him.This prince’s relationship to other chagis is not known Another Ganna is identical with Ganna of Vinukonda Baicha may have lived about A.D. 1477,

An inscription at Kanchel a, dated A.D. 1185 mentino mahamandalesvara Sagiraja. This sagiraja’s subordinate Mallmayaka figures in another regard at Rompicherla, with date lost as a subordinate of Dora. As Sagiraja’s date falls in the reign of Pota 1(1161-1190 A.D.), he must have been a prince of the royal family. If not identical with Pota I. Dora may be the same as king Dora I (A.D. lllS-TldO) or Dora lit (A.D. 1190-1199).

An inscription from Yenikapadu, with date lost mentions mahdmandaleSvara Chagi Dorayaraja. Probably he is identical with Dorayaraja of the Kancherla epighaph, If so, Dora figuring in all these inscriptions is probably Dora II, father o f Pota II, and Dora of Chintapalle inscription, Perhaps Dora III. son of Pota II Dorabhupa, son of Pota II figuring as king in a Gudimetta inscription, with no date is identical with Dora II. The record from Muppalla, with date lost mentions a servant of the Chagi family.

Like the second Kolanu dynasty Indulury family, a family of the Sagis of Vipparla gotra was in the service of the Kaka-tiyas from the time of Ganapati- Like the Kolanus, the Sagis distinguished themselves in the wars of the Kakatiyas. A few records of the Kakatiyas and Markandeyapurnama by Marana and Muslim histories give us the history of the Sagis, whose relationship to the main branch at Gudimetta is uot known.

The earliest member known so far is general Malla born in the fourth caste. He is described as valiant and charitable. His son was Nagadeva or Nagabhupati who lives towards the close of the reign of Ganapati and beginning of Rudrama’s. As feudatory of the Kakatiyas, he ruled Pakanadu. His sons by Mallamambika, daughter of Mechayanayaka. a talavari of Ganapati, were Gannamanayadu, Ellayanayadu and Mecbaya-nayadu. Of them, Ganna was the minister and general of Prataparudra. A distinguished warrior and administrator entitled Nitiyugandhara Nagayaganna was bestowed with regal insignic by Prataparudra. Some of his epithets, show that his services in protecting the kingdom and the capital, Katakaagainst the Muslim invaders were of all in importance. But during the last Muslim invasion on warangal, it is said, that along with Prataparudra, he too was taken prisoner and forced to take to Islam. Taking the name Mallik Makbul, he served Muhammad Tughlak, as governor of Multan by about A.D. 1334. When he was posted to the rulership of Telingana. After suffering a defeat in the hands of kapayanayaka, he was appointed to the viceroyalty of Gujarat. He served Firozshah as premier and was given the title khanikaban. He seems to have died about A.D. 1372.

Of Baicharaju and Devarinayaninga.ru, the two sons of Ganna, the former was a warrior of great merit. From a few '©hatu verses about him, some of his achievements are known. Some of his titles were, managovindarava, rayarahuttaminda, pullyamarkoluganda, gandabherunda, ballasuratrana etc. He -won a victory over a Muslim chiefiain-Gunamalkala secured the title gandabherunda from the rulers of Bellanki by vanquishing them in the battle. A chatu verse says that Gannaya Sagi Baicha with valour took prisoner Madaya of Vellanki and protected Rama, probably also of Vellanki. Probably the Rama is same as Settipalle Raghava. by subduing whom, Eaicha took the title Ballasuratrana. He too seems to have accepted Islam with his father and served Firozshah. Devarinayani was the viceroy of Prataparudra in Palnad. Ellayanayaka and Mechayanayaka, brothers of Ganna, were generals under Prataparudra as seen from Markandeyapurana.

Sagi Macha, younger brother of Manmapota of the main branch and his descendants, do not find mention in Chagi records but only in Ramavilasa dedicated to vatsavayi Goparaju. Macha’s son was Erapota who in his turn had two sons—Teluguraja and Ramaraja Teluguraja and Ramaraja were in the service of Prataparudra respectively. Ramavilasa says that Ramaraja conquered many kings in the battlefield and was presented with mast elephants, kamkana, rubies and dancing women by them. As Ramaraja made Vatsavaya his capital, the name Vatsavaya came to be attached to Sagivamsa.