History of TelanganaBrief history of TelanganaTelangana region has been ruled by many great dynasties like Sathavahanas, Chalukyas, Kakatiyas,Mughals, Qutubshahis, asafjahis. Of which the Kakathiyas impressions on architecture are found more in thesedays too.Sathavahanas ruled over the Telangana for about 400 years from the 2nd century B.C. to beyond the 2nd centuryA.D. Sathavahanas were also called Salivahanas and Satakarnis. In the 3rd century B.C., Simukha, the founder of
the Sathavahana dynasty, unified the various Andhra principalities into one kingdom and became its ruler (271
B.C. — 248 B.C.).Satakarni II, the sixth ruler of the dynasty (184 B.C.) was an able ruler who extended his kingdom to the west. Heruled for a period of 56 years.Pulumavi I has brought renewed strength and glory to their kingdom. The only silver lining in this dynasty was theexcellent literary work, Gathasaptasati, of Hala, the 17th Satavahana king. Dharmapuri in Karimnagar was thecapital city for many years.Among Kakathiyas , Prataparudra, grandson of Rudramamba was great ruler who succeeded his grandmother inA.D.1295 and ruled till A.D.1323. He pushed the western border of his kingdom up to Raichur. He introducedmany administrative reforms. He divided the kingdom into 75 Nayakships, which was later adopted and developedby the Vijayanagara Rayas.During the reign of Bahamani sultan Mohd Shah III, one sultan Quli Qutub, who was born at Hamadan in Persia,came to Deccan and started his career as a bodyguard of Mohd Shah. With his ability and courage he rose fromone position to another till he became the Governor of Telangana, the eastren province of Bahmani kingdom.When the Bahamani sultanate became weak, Quli Qutub became independent and formed his QutubshahiDynasty in 1518. From then, he devoted most of his energies in extending his frontiers of his kingdom. He tookpossession of part of Berar in the north, Rajkonda, Deverkonda, Gahanpura, Kovilakonda and Panagal thusbrought much of Telugu speaking areas in to his possession. He defeated Sitapati of Bhogikala, and capturedBellamkonda, Indrakonda, Khammam, Warangal etc. in 1543 Jamsheed assassinated Quli Qutub.The Golkonda fort was built by Quliqutub. His son Jamsheed became the King who was succeeded by his brotherIbrahim in 1550 .During his reign, trade and commerce flourished enormously. Telangana, like Egypt, became theMart of the whole world. Merchants from Turkistan, Arabia and Persia used to frequent Telangana and found theirtrade attractive and prosperous. In his reign two tanks namely Ibrahim Pantam tank and Hussainsagar were built.He also built a bridge on river Musi, which is known as Puranapul. The Hindus of Telangana remember him for hispatronage of Telugu literature. Many Telugu poets like Addanki Gangadher Kavi, Panuganti Telanganarya,Kandukuri Rudra Kavi flourished in his court. He gained goodwill among his Hindu subjects. He died in 1580, andwas succeeded by his son Quli Qutub Shah.Qutubshah shifted his capital from Golkonda to Hyderabad on the river Musi. He built the Jamia mosque atCharminar. He died in 1611. He was succeeded by his nephew Mohd. Qutubshah as he had no sons. MohdQutub Shah joined the confederation of Deccani powers against Moughals to stop their advance towardsDeccan/South. He was a scholar and composed gazals, tarki, bunds and rubaya. He died in 1662, and wassucceeded by his son-in-law Sayyed Ahmed in 1667.At this time the Moughals annexed Ahmednagar and marched towards Golkonda. Sayyed Ahmed signed thetreaty, and accepted the suzerainity of Moughal emporer Shah Jahan and agreed to pay 8 lakhs of rupees astribute to Moughlals. With the connivance of mirjumla the Mughal Emperor Aurgangzeb sent his son Mohd.Sultan in 1656, who besiezed Golkonda and occupied Hyderabad. However on intervention of Darashekou andJahanara from Delhi, Aurangazeb was compelled to raise the seize on payment of one crore and to surrenderChinnoor. Later Mohd Sultan married the second daughter of Abdullah. Abdullah died in 1672 and his son-in-lawAbul Hassan succeeded him. He appointed Madanna as his Prime Minister and his brother Akkanna ascommander in chief. In 1687 Auragazeb again attacked Golkonda which successfully resisted -his advance. Butdue to treachery of Sardar Khan a high officer in the Army who opened the gate of Golkonda fort, captured the fortin 1687 and Abul Hassan was made captive. They looted the city in every street and market place where lakhsworth in cash, property, chinaware and costly carpets of aristocracy was available.The State of Hyderabad was founded by Mir Qamruddin Chin Qilich Khan. He was the son of Aurangzeb’sgeneral . Ghazi-ud-din Khan Feroz Jang, who traced his ancestry to Abu Bakr, the first Khalifa. In 1713, six yearsafter Aurangzeb’s death, emperor Farrukhsiyar made Mir Qamruddin Viceroy of the Deccan, with the title ofNizam-ul-Mulk Feroz Jang. Later, emperor Muhammad Shah conferred on him the title of Asaf Jah, by which titlethe dynasty is still known. By 1724, Mir Qamruddin had made himself virtually independent of Delhi, although heand his successors continued to profess a nominal allegiance to the Moghul emperor right up to 1858, when theBritish Crown assumed the governance of India.In 1799 the Nizam aided the East India Company in the war with Tippu Sultan and after the latter’s defeat anddeath, the British gave a part of his territories to the Nizam. The death of Nizam All Khan and the succession ofhis eldest surviving son, Sikander Jah, occured on 7 August 1803.Sikander Jah died on 21 May 1829, and was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, nasir-ud-Daula. By the Treatyof 1853, the province of Berar, along with certain districits in the Raichur Doab and on the wertern frontier ofHyderabad, were assigned for this purpose, their administration being taken over by British officers under thecontrol of the Resident at Hyderabad.By the Treaty of 1860, except for Berar, all the other districts assigned in 1853 were restored. Mir Mahbub AliKhan was a minor when he succeeded his father afzal-ud-Daula on 26 February 1869. The Hyderabadcontingent with the exception of the artillery which was disbanded, was delocalized and incorporated in the IndianArmy, with provision for the protection of the Nizam’s dominion.Nizam Mir Usman Ali Khan Bahadur is the seventh in the line. He succeeded to the gaddi on 29 August 1911. In1918 the title of “is Exalted Highness” was conferred on him as a hereditary distinction. Shortly thereafter, by anautograph letter from the King, he was granted the title of ‘Faithful Ally of the British Government.’Geographically, Hyderabad occupies a pivotal position in the heart of the country. In population, revenue andimportance it was the premier State in the country. The population was nearly sixteen million and the annualrevenue Rs. 26 crores. Its area was over 82,000 square miles. Hyderabad had its own coinage, paper currencyand stamps. Hyderabad was treated by the British no differently from other Indian States. The right of interventionin internal affairs was repeatedly asserted and exercised.Viceroy ascertained that the sovereignty of the British Crown was supreme in India. The Viceroy pointed out that itwas the right of the British Government to intervene in the internal affairs of Indian States, and that the Nizam didnot stand in a category separate from that of rulers of the other Indian states.In March 1946 the cabinet mission advised the princely states regarding the future of their merger after theformation of independent India, and separate Pakistan for Indian Muslims. This was further clarified in May 1946referring to the lapse of paramountency and formation of federation. The congress opposed the Independentstates outside the Federal Union, but the Muslim league was encouraging the states to remain Independent.Nizam of Hyderabad was under the influence of a fanatical body called Ittehadul Musulmin under Kasim Razvi,declared his intention to remain as independent state.Soon after the announcement of His Majesty’s Government’s plan of 3 June 1947, the Nizam issued a firmandeclaring his intention not to send representatives to the Constituent Assembly of either Pakistan or India, andmaking it clear that on 15 August he would be entitled to resume the status of an independent sovereign. It hadbeen his ambition to secure Dominion Status for his State, on the withdrawal of the British and treatment thenhenceforth as a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations. When he saw that clause 7 of the IndianIndependence Bill did not permit that grant of Dominion Status to an Indian State. The Nizam sent a delegation toDelhi on 11 July headed by the Nawab of Chhatari, President of the Executive Council, to meet Lord Mountbatten.Meanwhile Laik Ali was pressing that the Hyderabad issue should be taken to the United Nations Organization. On17 August, he wrote to Nehru that Hyderabad had decided to solicit the good offices of the United NationsOrganization in order that the dispute between Hyderabad and India might be resolved and a peaceful andenduring settlement arrived at.The Indian Government did not agree that Hyderabad had any right in international law to seek the intervention ofthe United Nations Organization or any other outside body for the settlement of the issue. And that as theGovernment of India regarded the Indo-Hyderabad dispute as a purely domestic one, they did not recognize theNizam’s claim to invoke the good offices of the United Nations in that connation.The below given are the detailed notes on the history of Ancient, medieval ,modern periodof the Telangana region and also the freedom struggle, Razakar Movement and Theseparate Telangana agitation.SATAVAHANASThe Satavahanas rose to a political power, after the fall of the Mauryan Empire. There were twenty-nine rulers ofthis dynasty according to Matsya Purana. Sathavahanas ruled over the Telangana for about 400 years from the2nd century BC. The Sathavahanas were also called Salivahanas and Satakarnis. The founder of theSathavahana dynasty, Simukha unified the various Andhra principalities into one kingdom and became its rulerfrom 271 BC to 248 BC. Dharanikota near Amaravati in Guntur district was the first capital of Simukha, but later heshifted his capital to Pratishtana (Paithan in Aurangabad district).The Satavahanas thus assumed significance as imperial rulers in succession to the Nandas, Mauryas, Sungasand Kanvas. The kings, who succeeded him, appear to have been driven, by the Sakas, out of Maharastra back totheir homeland in Andhra. Gautamiputra Satakarni, the 23rd ruler of this dynasty ascended the throne in AD 62. Itwas time, their kingdom made a sharp recovery of the lost territories from the western Kshatrapas. Recordsdescribe him as the restorer of the glory of the Satavahanas. His kingdom included the territories of Asika, Assaka,Mulaka, Anupa, Kukura, Aparanta, Vidarbha, Akara, Saurashtra and Avanti, and the mountainous regions ofVindhya, Pariyatra, Achavata, Kanhagiri, Siritana, Sahya, Malaya, Mahendra, Sata and Chakora, and extended asfar as seas on either side.The Gautamiputra’s kingdom covered not only the peninsular India, but also the southern parts of Gujarat,Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa. He died in AD 86, and his successors witnessed the dismemberment oftheir empire. Pulumavi II succeeded Gautamiputra and ruled for about 28 years. Yajnasri Satakarni succeededand he came into conflict with the Saka Satrap, Rudradamana, and suffered defeat, and consequently, lost all hiswestern possessions. He continued to rule till AD 157 over a truncated dominion. His ship-marked coins suggestextensive maritime trade during his days. His passed away, marked the end of rule of the Satavahanas by 2ndcentury AD.It appeared that Dharmapuri in Karimnagar district was used as capital. The Deccan, during this period was anemporium of inland and maritime trade. The region between the rivers of Godavari and Krishna was full of portsand throbbing with activity. There was plentiful of currency to facilitate trade and the Telugus entered upon aperiod of great industrial, commercial and maritime activity.Buddhism flourished throughout the period and the rulers were also devoted to Vedic ritualism. They constructedseveral Buddhist Stupas, Viharas and Chaityas. Satavahanas were able rulers and loved literacy and architecture.The 17th ruler of this dynasty, Hala was a great poet and his “Gathasaptasati” in Prakrit was well received by all.Gunadhya, the minister of Hala was the author of “Brihatkadha”.The decline and fall of the Satavahana Empire left the Andhra country in a political chaos. Local rulers as well asinvaders tried to carve out small kingdoms for themselves and to establish many dynasties. During the period fromAD 180 to AD 624 Ikshvakus, Vishnukundins, Vakatakas, Pallavas, Anandagotras, Kalingas and others ruled overthe Andhra area with their small kingdoms. Such instability continued to prevail until the rise of the EasternChalukyas.CHALUKYASPulakesin II, the renowned ruler of Chalukyas conquered Vengi (near Eluru) in AD 624 and made his brotherKubja Vishnuvardhana (AD 624-641) as its ruler. His dynasty known as the Eastern Chalukyas ruled for nearlyfour centuries. Contemporaries to the Eastern Chalukyas were the Eastern Gangas in the northeast and thePallavas in the south. A Chalukya family ruled Vemulavada (Karimnagar district). Their rule extended over thepresent day Karimnagar and Nizamabad districts. As subordinate rulers loyal to the Rashtrakutas, they ruled withsemi-independent status for about two centuries (AD 755-968). The Cholas attained the status of a major powerin south India under the leadership of Rajaraja I (AD 985-1016).Two rebel princes of the Eastern Chalukya family sought refuge in Rajaraja I court. The Rajaraja I utilized theclaim of one of these princes, Saktivarma, as a pretext for intervening in the affairs of Vengi. He was successful incrowning Saktivarma on the throne of Vengi. From that time, the Eastern Chalukyas played a role subservient tothe Cholas. The Telugu country witnessed battles between the Cholas and the Chalukyas of Kalyani whosupported a rival claimant to the throne of the Vengi each time. An Eastern Chalukya Prince, Rajendra, occupiedthe Chola throne in AD 1070. Nevertheless, Vijayaditya VII, a cousin of Rajaraja, continued to rule over Vengi tillhis death in AD 1076. Then the Eastern Chalukya dynasty came to an end.Though the Eastern Chalukyas originally of Kannada stock, they patronized Telugu and gave importance to it. Thegreat epic Mahabharata was translated partly by Eastern Chalukya king, Rajaraja court poet, Nannaya in the 11thcentury. At the time of Chalukya conquest there were three religions: Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism. Buddhismwas on the wane and the resurgent Hinduism transformed the Buddhist Aramas into pilgrim centers. Hinduismenjoyed the status of a national religion throughout the kingdom. Temples were built which played an importantrole in the religious life of the people. In the period of seven centuries (AD 624-AD 1323), Telangana history hadseen significant sea-change and it brought in all spheres of the human activity; social, religious, linguistic andliterary. Kakatiyas came to power during the later half of this period and extended their rule over the entire Teluguland with the exception of a small land in the northeast.KAKATIYASKakatiyas were emerged in the 12th century and they were the first feudatories of the Western Chalukyas ofKalyana. They ruled over a small territory near Warangal. A ruler of this dynasty, Prola II, ruled from AD 1110 to1158 extended his rule to the south and declared his independence.His successor Rudra (AD 1158-1195) pushed the kingdom to the north to the Godavari delta. He built a fort atWarangal to serve as a second capital. He faced the invasions of the Yadavas of Devagiri. The next rulerMahadeva extended the kingdom to the coastal area. Ganapati succeeded him in AD 1199. He was the greatest ofthe Kakatiyas and the first one after the Satavahanas to bring the entire Telugu area under one rule. He ended therule of the Velanati Cholas in AD 1210. He forced the Telugu Cholas of Vikramasimhapura to accept his suzerainty.Ganapati Deva had no sons, so his daughter Rudramba succeeded him in AD 1262. Some generals rebelled,under her rule. She suppressed the internal rebellions and external invasions with the help of loyal subordinates.The Cholas and the Yadavas suffered set backs at her hands and they did not think of troubling her for the rest ofher rule.Prataparudra succeeded his grandmother Rudramamba in A.D.1295 and ruled till AD 1323. He extended thewestern border up to Raichur. He introduced many administrative reforms and he divided the kingdom into 75Nayakships. In his time the territory had the first experience of a Muslim invasion. The Delhi Sultan Ala-ud-dinKhilji sent an army to plunder the kingdom in AD 1303. The Prataparudra defeated them at Upparapalli inKarimnagar district. When an army under Malik Kafur invaded Warangal, Prataparudra yielded and agreed to paya large tribute AD 1310.When Ala-ud-din Khilji died in AD 1318, Prataparudra withheld the tribute. It provoked another invasion from theMuslims. Ghiaz-ud-din Tughlaq sent a large army under Ulugh Khan to conquer the Telugu country then calledTilling in AD 1321.He laid siege to Warangal, but owing to internal distensions he called off the siege, and then he came back with amuch bigger army in a short period. Prataparudra fought bravely. For lack of supplies, he surrendered to theenemy, who sent him to Delhi as a prisoner, and he died on the way. Thus ended the Kakatiya rule, opening thegates of the Telugu land to anarchy and confusion yielding place to an alien ruler.The Kakatiya period was rightly called the brightest period of the Telugu history. The entire Telugu speaking areawas under the kings who spoke Telugu and the kings encouraged Telugu. They established order throughout thestrife torn land and they built forts. They played a dominant role in the defense of the realm.Anumakonda and Gandikota among the giridurgas, Kandur and Narayanavanam among the vanadurgas, Divi andKolanu among the jaladurgas, and Warangal and Dharanikota among the sthaladurgas were reckoned as themost famous strongholds in the Kakatiya period.Though Saivism continued to be the religion of the masses,intellectuals favored revival of Vedic rituals.They sought to reconcile the Vaishnavites and the Saivites through the worship of Harihara. Arts and literaturefound patrons in the Kakatiyas and their feudatories. Tikkana Somayaji, who adorned the court of the Telugu Cholaruler Manumasiddhi II, wrote the last 15 cantos of the Mahabharata. Sanskrit received encouragement at thehands of the Kakatiyas Prataparudra was a writer and he encouraged other literature.Kakatiya art preserved the balance between architecture and sculpture. The Kakatiya temples, dedicated mostlyto Siva, reveal in their construction a happy blending of the styles of North India and South India, which influencedthe political life of the Deccan.The most important of these temples are Palampeta, Hanamkonda The temple at Palampeta, described as thebrightest gem in the galaxy of Medieval Deccan temple architecture. It was constructed by Recherla Rudra, ageneral of Kakatiya Ganapati, in AD 1213. The figures in the temple are of a heterogeneous character comprisinggods, goddesses, warriors, acrobats, musicians, and mithuna pairs in abnormal attitudes and dancing girls.The Thousand-Pillar Temple at Hanamkonda, built by the Kakatiya king Rudra in AD 1162, is similar in style andworkmanship to the Ramappa temple. This temple dedicated to Siva, Vishnu and Surya, is star-shaped. TheNandi pavilion, in which a huge granite bull still stands at the beautiful entrances to the shrine. The pierced slabsused for screens and windows, and the elegant open work by which the bracket-shafts are attached to the pillarsare the other most interesting features of this temple.It was believed that the temple in the Warangal fort was built by Ganapati and it was constructed making use oflarge slabs. The floor of the shrine is beautifully polished and shines like a mirror. An interesting feature of thistemple is the four gateways called Kirti Stambhas, which face the four cardinal points of the compass.After the fall of Kakatiyas, uncertainty prevailed over the region. Several small kingdoms came into existence.Musunuri Nayakas occupied Warangal from Muslims and ruled between AD 1325-1368.BAHAMANISFor the first time in Telangana history, it came under the yoke of an alien ruler, the Muslims, after the disastrousfall of Warangal in AD 1323. Alla-ud-din Hasan Gangu established an independent Muslim State, the Bahmanikingdom in south India by revolting against the Delhi Sultanate in AD 1347. Alla-ud-din Hasan Gangu waged warsto annex the two neighboring Hindu kingdoms, Warangal, under the Musunuri Nayakas, and Vijayanagar, whichwas under the Rayas. He occupied the area up to the river Tungabhadra in AD 1358. He then shifted his capitalfrom Daulatabad to Gulbarga. The Bahmani rule was plagued with factions by the end of the 15th century andthere came into existence the five Shahi kingdoms, the Nizamshahis of Ahmadnagar, the Adilshahis of Bijapur, theImadshahis of Berar, the Qutbshahis of Golconda and the Baridshahis of Bidar. The rule of the Bahmani dynastycame to an end in A.D 1527. It was the Qutbshahi dynasty that played a significant role in the history ofTelangana. Harihara II carried on a campaign to control over the territory against the Reddis and wrested Addankiand Srisailam areas from the Reddis. This led to clashes with the Velamas of Rachakonda in Telangana. TheRachakonda sought help from Bahmanis and this constrained Harihara II from proceeding further into Telangana.The Devaraya I (AD 1406-1422) emerged victorious and ascended the throne only to wage wars against theBahmanis, the Velamas of Telangana and the Reddis of Kondavidu after the death of Harihara II.QUTUB SHAHISThe Qutub Shahi dynasty ruled for two hundred years from the early part of the 16th century to the end of the 17thcentury. Sultan Quli Qutub Shah, the founder of the dynasty, served the Bahmanis and he was appointed governorof Telangana in AD 1496. He declared independence after the death of his patron king, Mahmud Shah in AD 1518.During his 50 years rule, the Sultan Quli extended his kingdom up to Machilipatnam. His third son Jamsheedmurdered him and succeeded him. Jamsheed reigned for seven years till AD 1550 but remained maligned.His youngest brother, Ibrahim, who was thirteen at the time of his father’s assassination, fled to Vijayanagar andtook refuge there. He learned the art of administration. Ibrahim returned to Golconda and ascended the throneAfter Jamsheed’s death in AD 1550.Ibrahim Qutub Shah was the real architect of the Golconda kingdom. He ruled the kingdom for about 30 yearsfrom AD 1550 to AD 1580. He organised the central and provincial governments and brought them into closecontact. He also introduced an efficient intelligence service. Ibrahim dug lakes and tanks and laid out towns andgardens. He also encouraged local language Telugu and patronized Telugu scholars and poets like, Telaganaryaand Gangadhara.Ibrahim’s son, Muhammad Quli was a great writer and a builder. The next period of forty years led by Ibrahim’sson and grandson was an era of peace and prosperity. The city of Hyderabad was laid in AD 1591 withmagnificent buildings, straight roads and other civic amenities. He invited many Persians to settle down inHyderabad and Machilipatnam. He was a scholar and a poet, composed a large number of poems in the Deccanilanguage.His nephew and son-in-law Sultan Muhammad in AD 1612 succeeded Muhammad Quli. Sultan Muhammad washighly religious and a model of virtue and piety. He followed his uncle in promoting learning and architecture. Thegreat mosque known as Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad was designed and its foundation laid by him. SultanMuhammad’s premature death in AD 1626 was a sad prelude to the decline and fall of Golconda.His minor son, Abdullah Qutub Shah, who was indolent, succeeded him. The fall of Ahmadnagar in AD 1633 to theMoghuls exposed Golconda. Abdullah Qutub Shah acknowledged the suzerainty of the Moghuls and signed atreaty in AD 1636.He was reduced to vassalage and interfered in day-to-day administration and encouraged fissiparous tendencies.Abdullah Qutub Shah died in AD 1672 and was succeeded by his third son-in-law, Abul Hassan Qutub Shah,popularly known as Tana Shah. He had a broader vision and administrative experience of a high order. Hehandled the domestic and foreign affairs deftly and put forth all his efforts against the Moghul tide.The Moghul Empire launched his campaign against both the Marathas and the Deccan Sultanates in AD 1682.His original plan was to attack on the Marathas, but later on, he suspended the plan and directed his forcesagainst Bijapur and Golconda in AD 1685. Bijapur fell in after two months’ siege, but Golconda held out for a longtime. It came to an end owing to the treachery of an Afghan general, Abdullah Khan, who opened the gate in thedead of night and facilitated the capture of the fort.The fall of Golconda in AD.1687 had far reaching consequences. So long the king Abul Hassan and his Minister,Madanna, kept their constant vigil on the English merchants.MOGHULSThe Moghul emperor, Aurangazeb, invaded Golconda in AD 1687. The Golconda became part of the DeccanSubha and a Nazim was appointed as an agent of the Moghul emperor. The Nazims ruled for period of 35 years.The last one was Mubariz Khan.The period between AD 1687 and A D 1724 saw several changes. Aurangazeb died in AD 1707. Theadministrative machinery of the Moghul imperial regime began to crumble and the central authority manned bysuccessive feeble rulers gradually lost control over the provinces. The state of affairs in Deccan was worse, sinceit was situated far away from the capital. This enabled two foreign mercantile companies to consolidatethemselves as political powers capable of subsequently playing decisive roles in shaping the destiny of the nation.They were the East India Company of England and the Compagnie de Inde Orientale of France. These tradingcompanies had their headquarters at Madras and Pondicherry respectively and both had trade centers atMachilipatnam.ASAF JAHISMir Kamaruddin founded ASAF JAHIS dynasty. He was one of the Ministers of the Mughal emperor MuhammadShah and the latter conferred on him the title of Asaf Jah. He negotiated a peace treaty with Nadirshah, theIranian invader. Mir Kamaruddin got disgusted with the intrigues that prevailed in Delhi. He assumed the title ofNizam-ul-Mulk, conducted himself as an independent prince of Deccan, where he was a Subedar earlier. The AsafJahis rule over Golconda started with Auranganbad as its Capital.The Nizams of Asafjahi dynasty who ruled the Deccan:(1) Mir Kamaruddin (Nizam-ul-Mulk – Asaf JahI) (AD 1724-1748)(2) Nasir Jung (AD 1748-1751)(3) Muzaffar Jung (AD 1750-1751)(4) Salabat Jung (AD 1751-1761)(5) Nizam Ali Khan – Asaf Jah II (AD 1762-1803)(6) Nizam III Sikandar Jah (AD 1803-1829)(7) Nizam IV — Nasir-ud-Daula (AD 1829-1857)(8) Nizam V — Afzal-ud-Daula (AD 1857-1869)(9) Nizam VI — Mir Mahaboob Ali Khan (AD.1869-1911)(10) Nizam VII — Mir Osman Ali Khan (AD.1911-1948 September).The Hyderabad was founded in AD 1590 and built by Muhammad Quli, the fifth king of the Qutbshahi dynasty. Therule of the Nizams lasted not only from AD 1724 to 1948 but also concerned a large territory with diverse languagegroups. The State of Hyderabad extended from Narmada to Trichinapally and from Machilipatnam to Bijapur underAsaf Jah I. During the period of Afzal-ud-Daula (AD 1857-1869), it was estimated to be 95,337 sq.miles, whichwas more than 450 miles each way. After Nizam I, Asaf Jah, died in AD 1748, there was tussle for power amonghis son, Nasar Jung, and his grandson Muzaffar Jung. The British supported Nasar Jung whereas Muzaffar Junggot support from the French. These two heirs were subsequently killed by Nawabs of Kurnool and Cuddapah inAD 1750 and AD 1751 respectively. The third son of Nizam I, Salabat Jung became the ruler as Nizam.Hostilities remained in India between the French and the English in AD 1758 on the outbreak of seven-year war inEurope in AD 1756. As a result, the French lost their power in India and consequently the French also lost theirinfluence at Hyderabad. Nizam Ali Khan (Nizam II) dislodged Salabat Jung and proclaimed himself as Nizam in AD1762. The Nizam II moved the capital of the Deccan from Aurangabad to Hyderabad in 1763. Nizam’s sovereigntyhad declined considerably in the later part of 18th century and he was compelled to sign six treaties with British.The British agreed to furnish Nizam Ali Khan with a force when required and pay Rs. 9 lakhs when troops are notrequired, in return for the Northern Circars in AD 1766. He signed another treaty conferring the Northern Circars tothe British and the payment by the British was reduced to Rs.7 lakhs in AD 1768. He also signed another treaty, inwhich he surrendered the Guntur circar in AD 1788. The Nizam had conspired with Hyder Ali of Mysore and thePeshwa of the Marathas to drive away the British. The British learned about his designs and they marched againstthe Nizam, who had to sue for peace agreeing to the presence of British army, artillery and cavalry at Hyderabad.The Nizam was compelled to disassociate himself from Hyder Ali through another treaty. He signed another treatywith the British altering the earlier treaties to increase the strength of the English army in Hyderabad in AD 1800.The Nizam had to cede to the company an area comprising the districts of Rayalaseema and Bellary, in lieu of thecost of maintenance of the force. The Nizam lost not only the territory but also reputation and power.The Telugu land was divided into major divisions: one that came to be popularly called Telangana under the feudalrule of the Nizam, accounting approximately one-third of the entire land and the other, broadly designated asAndhra, in British India. The English cantonment, raised on the other side of Hussain Sagar, was named afterNizam III – Sikandar Jah (AD 1803-1829) as Secunderabad. The Afzal Gunj Bridge or the Nayapul, over the riverMusi was constructed and established a General Hospital under the rule (AD 1857-1869) of Nizam V, Afzal-ud-Daula.The modern era of the development of the twin cities began soon after the last flood on the river Musi in AD 1908.The flood had shattered the lives of many people living in Hyderabad. Mr. M.Vishweshwarayya, the great engineerof Mysore, was specially appointed as adviser to the Nizam’s Government to suggest measures for flood controland improvement of the city. Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar were constructed as result of his suggestion in AD1917. These two dams not only controlled the floods, but also supplied drinking water to the city. Anotherimportant step taken for the development of the city was the formation of the City Improvement Board in AD 1912,which paid greater attention to the construction of roads, markets, housing sites and shopping centers in the city.The Nizam VII, Osman Ali Khan, moved to Kingkothi, the northern suburb of the city in AD 1914, which helped inthe development of its surroundings. Several public utility services were commissioned in AD 1922, which includeelectricity (AD 1923), rail connection to Bangalore (AD1928), and bus service (AD 1932). The bus routes radiatedfrom the capital to all the district headquarters in AD 1936. The Madras-Karachi Air Service was linked withHyderabad with Hakimpet as landing facility in AD 1935. Under the rule of Nizam VII, many building wereconstructed. They include Legislative Assembly, Hyderabad and Secunderabad railway stations, the High Court,City College, the Asafia Library, the Unani Hospital, and the Osmania University. The Nizam VII, The Osman AliKhan, can be called as the maker of modern Hyderabad. The buildings constructed during his reign areimpressive and represent a rich variety of architecture. Examples are the magnificent Osmania University, thesprawling Osmania General Hospital in the Mughal style, the lofty High Court in Indo-Saracenic style, the statelywell-proportioned Legislative Assembly building in Saracenic-Rajasthani style. The Falaknuma, built by NawabViquar-ul-Umra, a Paigha Noble in AD.1892 has become a landmark like Charminar.FREEEDOM STRUGGLE IN TELANGANAThe role of the Telangana in the Freedom Struggle was significant and they had always been in the forefront alongwith the rest of the country. The first rebellion for Independence in 1857 did not affect the state of affairs in thesouth, though ripples were felt in the State of Hyderabad.But British suppressed the rebellions led by Rohilla andArab soldiers and the Gonds in the Adilabad district under the leadership of Ramji Gond in 1860. There wereoccasional rebellions of the peasants here and there, brought out by their dissatisfaction to the forefront.Agriculture became the mainstay of the people, as the cottage industries dwindled due to the deliberate policy ofthe Government to encourage British industries at the expense of the indigenous ones. The construction of damsacross the Godavari and the Krishna in 1852 and 1855 respectively resulted in increasing agricultural production.The emergence of the strong, educated, and confident but dissatisfied middle class seeking equality with thewhite ruler was seen in the beginning of the twentieth century.In 1920, when Mahatma Gandhi started non-co-operation movement, it had an immediate response in Telangana.Many lawyers gave up their lucrative practice and many students gave up their studies. In November 1921, theCongress gave permission to the Provincial Committee to start Civil Disobedience, if the conditions laid down byMahatma Gandhi were fulfilled.The next episode was the Forest Satyagraha of the ryots. The peasants had to pay heavy tax for permission tograze their cattle in forests. When the crops failed, they decided to send their cattle into the forests. They took thecattle forcibly, confined them in cattle-pounds and refused to free them unless the fee was paid. There was a clashbetween the cattle owners and the armed police. Gandhiji called off the Non Co-operation Movement due to someuntoward incidents.In 1930, Mahatma Gandhi started his salt-campaign. Telangana region became the venue of memorable deeds ofmany a young man and woman. The thirties saw the emergence of leftist organizations, which gave a fillip to theprogressive trends. The arrest of the leaders in 1942 provoked the masses. The message of the NationalCongress inspired the people, and they brought the functioning of the Government to a stand still for a few days.Many young students and workers faced the bullets cheerfully.RAZAKAR MOVEMENTThe Nizam was very anxious to become independent and it had been Nizam’s ambition to secure DominionStatus for his State. He tried to achieve this ambitious desire with the help of Khasim Razvi of the IttehadulMuslimeen and its storm troopers, the Razakars.The Hindus of the Hyderabad State accounted for 93 per cent of its population. They launched the “Join India”movement with the cooperation of a few patriotic Muslims for the integration of the State with the rest of thecountry. The State Congress leaders, led by Swami Ramanand Tirtha, whole-heartedly supported the movement.The Nizam banned the State Congress. Its leaders are forced to conduct their activities from places likeVijayawada and Bombay. The Communists on their part organized village defense squads to protect people fromthe attacks of the Nizam Police and Razakars.The negotiations between the Nizam’s Dominions and the Indian Union proved abortive. The Nizam Governmentdid not agree to the accession to the Indian Union. The activities of the Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen and theRazakars within the Dominions were posing a serious threat to peace and harmony. The growing violence by theRazakars seriously jeopardized law and order.The Government of India tried to persuade the Nizam to sign the Instrument of accession with India. After tortuousnegotiations, the Nizam finally entered into a “Stand Still Agreement” on November 29, 1947, with India for oneyear to maintain status quo.This agreement provided the Nizam to gain time to procure military hardware from different parts of the world andsmuggle them into Hyderabad. In the meanwhile the Nizam sent a delegation to the United Nations organization torefer the Hyderabad case to the Security Council.With the growing violence by the Razakars and the Nizam’s attempts to get himself independent, the Governmentof India decided to curb these tendencies by launching a `Police Action’ against the Nizam. The Indian Army, ledby Major-General J.N.Chaudhuri entered the State from five directions and the military action was a brilliantsuccess. On 18th September 1948, Nizam’s forces surrendered to the Indian army and Mir Laik Ali, the PrimeMinister of the Nizam, and Khasim Razvi were arrested. On September 23, the Nizam withdrew his complaint inthe Security Council. The merger of Hyderabad Dominions into the Indian Union was announced. Major-GeneralJ.N.Chaudhuri took over as Military Governor of Hyderabad and stayed in that position till the end of 1949. InJanuary 1950, M.K.Vellodi, a Senior Civil Servant was made the Chief Minister of the State and the Nizam wasdesignated “Raj Pramukh”. After the 1952 General Elections, the first popular ministry headed by B.Rama KrishnaRao took charge of the State.THE TELANGANA AGITATIONThe Telangana agitation started in the first week of January 1969 in Khammam when students demanded theimplementation of the Telangana safeguards enumerated in the Gentlemen’s Agreement. It soon spread todifferent parts of Telangana. The students got divided into two groups: one demanding the implementation ofsafeguards and the other demanding a separate Telangana state.Non-Gazetted Officers threatened direct action on January 11, 1969, if their demands were not met. At theoutbreak of the agitation, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh called for an All-Party Meeting and announced thatthere was a perfect unanimity among the leaders to ‘achieve full integration of Andhra Pradesh State.Two issues were discussed and agreed upon:1) The appointment of a senior civil service officer to decide the question of Telangana surpluses2) Relieving of all domicile persons from Telangana posts and providing jobs for them in the Andhraregion.Following the All-Party Accord of January 1969, the State Government issued orders for the transfer of nondomicilepublic employees from Telangana. The Government order on these transfers was the Public EmploymentAct of 1957. The rules were challenged by Andhra employees in the Andhra Pradesh High Court. The High Courtstruck down the Public Employment Act and the Rules. The Government appealed to the division bench of theHigh Court.A few other Andhra employees led by A.V.S. Narasimha Rao filed a separate writ petition in the Supreme Court onFebruary 4, 1969, challenging the validity of the Government Order and also the Public Employment Act of 1957and the Rules. The Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court gave its judgement on March 28 quashing theGovernment Order.As a follow-up measure of the All-Party accord, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh arranged for the accountingof Telangana surplus funds. Kumar Lalith, Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General, assessed the surplus funds asRs.34.10 crores.The Telangana agitation continued in the meantime. In the beginning it was leaderless. Madan Mohan, a lawyer,formed a forum known as the Telangana Praja Samithi (TPS) in February 1969. Chenna Reddy was sympatheticto these leaders. Violence increased. Firing was often employed to disperse violent crowds. The TPS organizedconventions in many towns across Telangana and soon got strengthened. Chenna Reddy came out openly insupport of a separate Telangana and K.V. Ranga Reddy gave his blessings to the movement. Law and ordercontinued to deteriorate.The Prime Minister Indira Gandhi discussed the problem with leaders of the Opposition in Parliament on April9,1969. Except for the Swatantra Party all others did not support a separate state. The Prime Minister IndiraGandhi rejected the demand for the ouster of Kasu Brahmananda Reddy from the leadership of the AndhraPradesh Congress.The Prime Minister announced an Eight-Point Formula on April 11,1969 to ensure the development of Telangana.In consonance with this formula, the Centre appointed two committees:1. Committee of Jurists under former Justice K.N. Wanchoo to suggest measures to provideconstitutional safeguards for the Telangana people in the matter of public employment2. Committee under Justice Bhargava to assess the revenue surpluses of Telangana.In spite of these measures the agitation mounted and grew in intensity. Bandhs, hartals and processions werevery frequent. Demand for a separate state became the central theme of the agitation.The Prime Minister visited Hyderabad on June 4, 1969. She met leaders of different groups and political parties.Subsequently, then Union Home Minister, Y. B. Chavan, also visited Hyderabad to have discussions. Consensusreached on two things:(1) The dismissal of Brahmananda Reddy’s ministry.(2) Proclamation of Presidential rule in Andhra Pradesh.Realizing that the agitation was very strongly motivated, particularly about the dismissal of his government,Brahmananda Reddy tendered his resignation on June 27. The Congress leadership sent Congress PresidentNijalingappa and a senior member Kamaraj Nadar, to seek the verdict of the State Legislature Party. TheCongress Legislature Party affirmed its support to Kasu Brahmananda Reddy and suggested that he shouldcontinue until normalcy was restored and a peaceful changeover should be opted, giving the leadership tosomeone from Telangana.The Telangana leaders felt that agitation politics alone would not be sufficient to dethrone Brahmananda Reddy.This realization made the TPS enter into the electoral politics. It won a by-election in June 1970, defeating theCongress (R). By this time, the Congress had already split at the national level and the TPS supported theleadership of Indira Gandhi. Brahmananda Reddy also supported her.In the December of 1970, Indira Gandhi dissolved the Lok Sabha and announced a mid-term poll. The TPSeventually contested all the 14 seats to Parliament from Telangana and won 10 out of them. In spite of heroverwhelming majority in the Lok Sabha, Indira Gandhi did not give any leverage to the TPS which opted for acompromise in September 1971 and merged with the Congress (R). The deal involved:1. Continuation of Mulki Rules;2. Separate budget and accounts for Telangana3. Separate Pradesh Congress Committee for Telangana4.Resignation of Brahmananda Reddy in favor of a Chief Minister from Telangana.The Telangana agitation did not achieve its important goal of a separate state, but secured assurance ofsafeguards for the region. Its achievement was quite significant. It wrested for the first time the Chief Ministershipfrom the politically dominant Andhras. However, the new Chief Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao (former EducationMinister in the State Cabinet) was an integrationist and politically a light weight in the Reddy dominated Telanganapolitics. Ten portfolios in his ministry went to Telangana, three of them belonging to the erstwhile TPS.KCR T Movement, Hunger strike, Congress Cabinet decisions, T-Bill in Indian Parliament , FORMATION of State
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