My Grandfather's School in Nungambakkam - New Book Cover

 

 

Genealogical and Socio-Historical Analysis of Shri Neela Megha Shyamala Naidu of Srivilliputtur (c. 1875–1930)

 

This expert report provides a detailed reconstruction of the ancestral profile, social standing, and geographical context of Shri Neela Megha Shyamala Naidu (NMS Naidu), a patriarch of the Telugu-speaking Balija Naidu community rooted in Srivilliputtur, Madras Presidency, around the turn of the 20th century. The analysis focuses on establishing his lineage structure, inferring the likely occupational background of his parents based on nomenclature and devotional patterns, and specifying the probable location of the family residence near the ancient Andal Temple.

 

I. Confirmation and Establishment of the Primary Lineage

I.A. Documentary Confirmation of NMS Naidu and Rukmini Devi

 

Shri Neela Megha Shyamala Naidu is confirmed as the paternal great-grandfather of the primary family chronicler, a distinction that places his birth tentatively between 1875 and 1879 in Srivilliputtur, then part of British India’s Madras Presidency. His spouse was Rukmini Devi (also referred to as Rukmini Naidu), who was also a native of Srivilliputtur.

Their cultural identity is definitively established as belonging to the Telugu-speaking Balija Naidu community, specifically noted as Gajula Balija Naidu, a community historically known for trade and located widely across the cities and mofussil towns of the Madras Presidency, extending from Srivilliputtur in the deep South to Srikakulam in the North. The family’s deep roots in South India were characterized by an intense devotion to the regional deity, Goddess Andal, enshrined in the iconic Srivilliputtur Temple.

The essential timeline anchor for NMS Naidu’s early adulthood and subsequent marriage is the birth of his eldest son, Shri Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam Naidu (SRB), who was born on 9 July 1899. This date confirms NMS Naidu was married and established in Srivilliputtur by the late 1890s, placing his formative years within the dynamic political and economic period of the 1870s and 1880s.

 

I.B. Mapping the Descendants and the Madras Connection

 

The lineage produced by NMS Naidu and Rukmini Devi included three confirmed children who survived and migrated professionally outside the ancestral home: Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam (SRB, male), Balamma (female), and Shanmughavalli (female).

The career trajectory of the son, SRB, provides context for the family’s socioeconomic status. Born in 1899, SRB served briefly in the army before transferring to the colonial government’s Railway Protection Force (RPF), which necessitated multiple transfers but ultimately resulted in the family establishing permanent roots in Chennai (Madras), particularly near the Nungambakkam area.

 

The Strategic Consolidation of Status through Marriage Alliances

 

The marriages arranged for the two daughters, Balamma and Shanmughavalli, illustrate a crucial strategy employed by established regional elites to consolidate influence and secure status in the rapidly modernizing colonial capital of Madras. Both daughters entered into a marital alliance with the same extended house, known by the Intiperu (House Name) Adumala (possibly pronounced Yedumala). Balamma married Vakalabharanam Naidu, a resident and native of Madras, who later fathered Adumala Chinna Krishna Naidu (ACK Naidu), a Head Typist at the Railway Office in Madras. Shanmughavalli married Vakalabharanam Naidu’s cousin, Alagiri Singhari Naidu, and settled in Triplicane, Chennai.

The fact that the house of NMS Naidu (a regional center of power in Srivilliputtur) successfully secured two inter-generational, reciprocal alliances with a prominent, established urban family like Adumala (centered in Madras, a hub of professional government employment) demonstrates NMS Naidu's powerful social standing and wealth. Such an arrangement ensures that the traditional status and cultural capital of the regional homeland (Srivilliputtur) were financially and professionally linked to the rising opportunities and networks available in the colonial capital (Madras). This level of strategic maneuvering confirms that NMS Naidu’s family must have been considered socially and economically equivalent, or even superior, to the allied Adumala house to facilitate this crucial double marriage.

 

Table 1 provides the foundational structural data, clearly outlining the Srivilliputtur origins and the subsequent professional migration of the next generation to Madras.

II. The Historical Context of Srivilliputtur and the Balija Naidus (c. 1850–1930)

II.A. Srivilliputtur as a Regional Nexus and Naidu Stronghold

 

Srivilliputtur holds profound historical and religious importance as a Divya Desam (one of the 108 sacred temples of Vishnu) and the birthplace of the revered poet-saint Andal. By the late 19th century, the town served as a significant administrative and cultural nexus in the southern Madras Presidency. Demographic records confirm that by 1901, the region's inhabitants were characterized by strong geographical stability, with over 900 per 1,000 persons enumerated in the district being born there, confirming Srivilliputtur as a deeply rooted community center.

The town was a known stronghold for the Naidu community. Historical records from the mid-20th century indicate that a considerable number of the Balija community were concentrated in the Srivilliputtur and Sattur taluks of the Ramanathapuram District, reaffirming its status as a vital local power base for the community.

 

II.B. Differentiating the Balija Naidu Elite

 

The Balija Naidu community was historically highly stratified, spanning immense socio-economic diversity within the Madras Presidency. This included the historical royalty—the Nayak kings and their generals and governors of Madura, Tanjore, and Vijayanagar—as well as the second major group of traders (often referred to as Gajula Balija or Oppanakkaran).

In Srivilliputtur during the period 1850 to 1920s, the most powerful and prominent Naidu families were often the large Zamindars, such as the Pemmasani of the Kurivikulam Estate and the Ravella of the Illavarasanandanal Estate. While NMS Naidu's family clearly held elite status (evidenced by their nomenclature and marriage alliances), the source documentation identifies them specifically as Gajula Balija Naidu. The absence of a specific Zamindari title associated with NMS Naidu suggests that the family's wealth and influence stemmed from high-volume mercantile trade, high-ranking administrative positions, or powerful temple roles (mirasidari), rather than from being one of the major land-locked agrarian Zamindari estates. This distinction suggests a professional background that provided greater capital mobility and urban connectivity, directly explaining why the subsequent generation (SRB) was so quickly able to leverage their family’s financial status to enter professional colonial service in Madras.

 

II.C. The Centrality of Vaishnavite Devotion and the Panduranga Context

 

The family’s religious life centered on the local tradition, worshipping Andal and Ranganatha (the deity of Srirangam, near the ancestral town of SRB's wife). However, a specific and unique devotional detail—the family’s devotion to the deity Panduranga (Vittala)—offers a substantial clue regarding their ancestral migratory or mercantile history.

Panduranga worship is culturally associated with the Maratha and Karnataka regions, centered prominently at Pandharpur. The widespread inclusion of this deity in household worship in deep South India is historically connected to the extensive trade routes and southward migrations maintained by communities that moved from the Vijayanagara heartland, where many Balija Naidus originated. The presence of Panduranga devotion in Srivilliputtur strongly implies that NMS Naidu's ancestral line, even if settled in the South for generations, retained a critical cultural or commercial connection to the Deccan plateau and the northern trade network. This subtle cultural differentiator often marks families whose wealth was derived from expansive trade rather than purely local agrarian or administrative roots, providing an alternative, powerful source of status that explains their affluence and high standing in Srivilliputtur society.

 

III. Inferred Ancestral Profile and Search for Neela Megha Shyamala Naidu’s Parents

 

The most critical missing piece of data is the name of NMS Naidu's father and mother. Due to the high probability of the father being the head of the household during the 1899 birth of SRB, a detailed examination of NMS Naidu’s nomenclature and inferred status is necessary to narrow the archival search.

 

III.A. The Significance of Naming: Neela Megha Shyamala and Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam

 

The name Neela Megha Shyamala (meaning the "Blue Cloud, the Dark One," an epithet for Vishnu) is a highly devout, poetic Vaishnavite name, underscoring the family's deep piety. More significant is the son's name, Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam. Ranga refers to Ranganatha, the primary deity of Srirangam and Srivilliputtur. The component Bhashyam refers to a scholarly commentary, a learned treatise, or a dissertation.

The inclusion of Bhashyam suggests that the unnamed father of NMS Naidu (the ancestral patriarch sought in the query) may have held a formal title indicating his function as a Vaishnavite scholar, intellectual authority, or a high-ranking temple administrator (Achar Purusha). This function would tie the family directly to the spiritual and administrative structure of the Andal Temple, reinforcing the historical role of Naidu chieftains as Dharmakartas or wealthy temple patrons in Srivilliputtur.

This dedication to scholarship and piety aligns the family with prominent contemporaries, such as Salem Pagadala Narasimhalu Naidu (born 1854), who was also named Balakrishna at birth, mirroring the high-status tradition of devotional names, and who utilized his wealth derived from industrial ventures to publish devotional travelogues and establish institutions. The use of names incorporating scholastic or devotional titles suggests a lineage that was not only wealthy but also intellectually prominent within the Vaishnavite religious establishment.

 

III.B. Locating the Ancestral Paternal House Name (Intiperu)

 

While NMS Naidu’s daughters married into the Adumala Intiperu , NMS Naidu’s own house name is not specified in the primary documents. Identifying this paternal Intiperu is the single most important genealogical key for tracing his parents. Given the high status derived from temple connections and professional attainment, NMS Naidu’s ancestral house name would have been recognized regionally.

For future archival work, the search must be focused on prominent Srivilliputtur-based Gajula Balija Intiperus (surnames) known for their wealth and strong Vaishnavite affiliation during the late 19th century. Examples of common Balija Intiperus include Pagadala, Pakanati, Nemilli, and Ralla, among others. Researching the collateral family history of the Adumala house in Madras might also provide a crucial entry point, as their documents relating to the double marriage may contain the full ancestral lineage (including the Intiperu) of both Rukmini Devi’s and NMS Naidu's parents.

 

The analysis of the family's specific characteristics allows for a targeted assessment of their likely standing in the region:

 

IV. The Srivilliputtur Residence and Locational Analysis

IV.A. Defining "Near the Ancient Temple"

 

The request specifically seeks information about the family house in Srivilliputtur, located "near the ancient temple to Andal" [User Query]. In traditional South Indian temple towns, particularly one as sacred as Srivilliputtur, location is a direct indicator of status and function.

For an elite family exhibiting strong, dedicated Vaishnavite devotion and probable administrative ties (as suggested by the Bhashyam name and the historical role of Naidus as temple Dharmakartas ), a house "near the temple" invariably signifies a highly privileged location. This generally means the residence was situated within the Mada Veedhis (the four streets immediately surrounding the main temple complex, traditionally reserved for high-caste spiritual and administrative elites) or on one of the primary commercial streets leading directly to the immense Rajagopuram. This proximity would have been essential for daily temple access and administrative duties, strongly supporting the hypothesis that NMS Naidu’s father derived his status, at least in part, from direct involvement with the Srivilliputtur Devasthanam.

 

IV.B. Architectural and Ownership Clues

 

Given the family’s wealth, high community status, and deep regional roots established before 1879, the ancestral residence would have been a substantial, multi-generational structure. Such homes in the Mada Veedhis were typically traditional thotti or courtyard houses, designed to accommodate large extended families and reflect their social standing.

While NMS Naidu’s children subsequently migrated to Madras for professional reasons, the documented maintenance of their roots in Srivilliputtur and their family’s devotional intensity imply that the ancestral property was not simply sold off. This suggests that the house was retained either for ceremonial purposes, managed by a branch of the extended family, or held as a tangible symbol of their lineage's historical and emotional connection to the core spiritual identity of Srivilliputtur. The continued value placed on this property, even after the professional diaspora of the younger generation, speaks to its significance as a legal and emotional asset to the entire lineage.

 

V. Conclusion, Summary, and Recommendations for Archival Research

V.A. Synthesis of the Lineage Profile

 

Shri Neela Megha Shyamala Naidu (b. c. 1875-1879) of Srivilliputtur was the head of a highly successful, influential family belonging to the Gajula Balija Naidu community. He represented a transitional generation of regional elites who utilized traditional wealth—likely derived from a combination of high-status mercantile trade (indicated by the Panduranga devotion) and high-level temple administration (indicated by the Bhashyam nomenclature)—to ensure the success of his descendants in the emerging colonial service economy. His success is codified by the powerful, reciprocal marriage alliance with the Adumala family of Madras, which secured the professional future of his children in the capital. The family’s ancestral house was almost certainly situated in the elite Mada Veedhis surrounding the Andal Temple, affirming their connection to the religious establishment.

The critical genealogical gap remains the positive identification of NMS Naidu's parents. The absence of this specific detail in the family history necessitates targeted archival retrieval based on the highly detailed contextual profile established herein.

 

V.B. Targeted Recommendations for Future Archival Traceability

 

The investigation recommends a focused, three-pronged strategy to bridge the genealogical gap and locate the name of NMS Naidu's father, who would have been the family patriarch between 1870 and 1900.

 

Recommendation 1: Revenue and Demographic Records

 

The most direct and highest-probability path to identifying the father's name is through colonial demographic records. Research efforts must concentrate on the official Census of India, Madras Presidency, specifically for the Srivilliputtur taluk, focusing on the 1901 and 1911 enumerations. The goal is to locate a head-of-household Naidu family residing in the temple area, whose household roster includes a son (NMS Naidu, aged approximately 22 to 26 in 1901) and a grandson (Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam Naidu, born 1899). This record, if located, would definitively yield the father's name, as he would be listed as the head of the household during that period.

 

Recommendation 2: Temple Trust Documentation

 

Given the strong devotional focus on the Andal Temple and the inference drawn from the Bhashyam name, records of the Srivilliputtur Devasthanam (temple trust) or the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR & CE) Department for the period 1870–1910 should be consulted. The research should search for documents related to Dharmakartas (trustees), wealthy Mirasidars (hereditary administrators), or individuals bearing Vaishnavite scholarly titles like Bhashyam who were affluent donors or administrators during this time. Confirming an administrative role for the grandfather would provide both his name and a functional explanation for the family’s prominence.

 

Recommendation 3: Collateral Family Records Search

 

A collateral genealogical search should be conducted by investigating the ancestral House Name (Intiperu) associated with the allied Adumala family in Madras. Marriage registration documents or family papers relating to the double marriage of Balamma and Shanmughavalli (occurring after 1899) may contain the explicit, full ancestral lineage of both Rukmini Devi and Neela Megha Shyamala Naidu, providing the missing names of their parents and potentially NMS Naidu's specific Intiperu.

Table 3: Recommendations for Archival Traceability

Works cited

 

1. My father's family - alipiri, the beginning, http://alipiri.blogspot.com/2013/02/my-fathers-family.html

2. Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam's family [my paternal grandfather] - Alipiri, http://alipiri.blogspot.com/2013/02/shyamala-ranga-bhashyams-family-my.html

3. February 2013 - alipiri, the beginning, http://alipiri.blogspot.com/2013/02/

4. Pramila Naidu, my paternal aunt with Jairam Naidu and his mother, Shanmughavalli, and their daughters. Possibly 1955 - alipiri, the beginning, http://alipiri.blogspot.com/2017/02/pramila-naidu-my-paternal-aunt-with.html

5. MADRAS., http://piketty.pse.ens.fr/files/ideologie/data/CensusIndia/CensusIndia1911/1911%20-%20Madras%20-%20Vol%20I.pdf

6. Census of India, 1901. Vol. XV B: Madras. Part III: Provincial Tables - DSpace@GIPE, https://dspace.gipe.ac.in/xmlui/handle/10973/18833

7. Full text of "Tamil Nadu District Gazetteers: Ramanathapuram" - Internet Archive, https://archive.org/stream/dli.csl.3390/3390_djvu.txt

8. Naidu Genealogy, Naidu Family History - Geni, https://www.geni.com/surnames/naidu

9. Naidus of Srivilliputhur area during 1850 to 1925 - some notes - alipiri, the beginning, http://alipiri.blogspot.com/2013/02/naidus-of-srivilliputhur-area-during.html

10. Salem Pagadala Narasimhalu Naidu - 12 April 1854 - 22 January 1922 - leading Balija Naidus during pre-1890 in South Tamil Nadu - alipiri, the beginning, http://alipiri.blogspot.com/2014/05/salem-pagadala-narasimhalu-naidu-12.html

11. May 2014 - alipiri, the beginning, http://alipiri.blogspot.com/2014/05/

12. Census of India 1901 : Madras, imperial tables, volume XV-A, part II - Resource Repository, https://resourcerepository.azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/items/17f5f1d0-da7e-483e-aa11-cb83e8e8b314/full

 

 

Research Report – Not for publication

Documented for personal reasons, to be disseminated within family only for memory

If you want to read, remember and appreciate – you are certainly family

 

Bharat Bhushan

8 October 2025

 

Smt. Laxmamma (Laxmibai) with Shri Chinnaswamy Naidu - My paternal grandmother's twin sister

 Finally, through providence and a FB meet-up with an unconnected cousin, I was able to receive a precious photograph of my maternal grandmother, Rambai (Kodai alias Kodamma)'s twin sister - ie - Laxmamma (Laxmibai) with Shri Chinnaswamy Naidu. 

Shri Chinnaswamy Naidu with Laxmibai (Laxmamma). Mother of Sarojini, Shanta, Vasanta, Lalita and Sucharita. It is said that Laxmamma looked almost exactly like her mother, Chinna Thayamma

My mother, Indumati, at Stella Maris College, Madras - 21 March 1961

a precious photograph from the archives - from 21 March 1961 - of my mother, Indumati Muniswamy Naidu - before her marriage and change of name to Sharada Bhushan - as a member of the Faculty at Stella Maris College, Chennai - a junior lecturer for Telugu language (if I remember correctly). She is in the front row, third from right, in what was her favorite saree, a faint brown silk saree with a dark mustard border. This saree stayed with her for many many years and she did not hand it over to her daughter, Sarala Krishnamoorthy or daughter-in-law, Dr. Thulasi Bharat.

She had just completed her studies a couple of years earlier at Presidency College, with Dr. Lalitha Peters, her classmate, and joined Stella Maris as faculty. She hated getting married and journeying to Mumbai, but agreed only after being promised that she could study further, and could continue to work as a Teacher of Telugu language, which she did until her retirement.

My mother at Presidency College, Madras 1950-1953

an absolutely rare treasure of a photograph, received suddenly from someone who was shown the photograph quite accidentally. The BA Telugu (Hons) class of 1950-1953 at Presidency College, Madras, affiliated to the University of Madras. My mother, Indumati (later Mrs. Sharada Bhushan) is 2nd lady from right in the middle row, with Smt. Adilakshmi (mother of Santishree Dhulipudi) 2nd from right in the middle row, and with Smt. Lalitha Peters (4th from left in the middle row), who was former Professor of Telugu and Rector at Queen Marys College, Madras, for many years, with their classmates and faculty.

An absolute gem of a photograph, so crystal clear, and so perfectly preserved. My gratitude, with tons of millions of thanks to those unknown who preserved this photograph for so many years somewhere, someplace, somehow. I have immediately shared the photo with my mother's two sisters and am looking forward to hear from them if they recognise any of the others. The person in the front row, 3rd from left, is Prof. G. Narayana Reddy, who was later HoD Telugu at Sri Venkateswara University for many years and later became Vice Chancellor of that University. He presented me with the Roget’s Thesaurus and my sister received the book – ‘Word Power Made Easy’ – on receiving the news that he had become Vice Chancellor. He was with our family at Bombay on that day and was very happy.

My mother, Indumati, in this photo, if taken in 1953, would have been 23 years old and I am so moved by this photograph.

My mother, Indumati (Mrs. Sharada Bhushan) later went to work for a short while in the Telugu Department at Stella Maris College, Madras before shifting to Bombay and joining the AES High School and Junior College. She retired as the Principal of the institution.

Smt. Adilakshmi later went to Petersburg University in the then Soviet Union and set up the Telugu department and also authored a book on learning Telugu for Russians. She is respected by the faculty there and her students and their students consider her with tremendous adoration.

Smt. Lalitha Peters went to Queen Marys College, Madras as faculty for Telugu language and also became the Rector of the college. She later conspired with my mother in 1985 in identifying a doppelganger to them to be wed to me. Her student, Thulasi, is now a permanent reminder of their friendship to me, after we got married in 1986.

Dr. G. Narayana Reddy retired as Vice Chancellor, Sri Venkateshwara University, Tirupati.

Sitting – front row – from left to right – 1. Maremalla Nageswararao, 3. Prof. G. Narayana Reddy, 4. Prof. Ayyappan Pillai (Principal and Professor of English), 5. Prof. B. L. N. Rao (?) (HoD, Telugu Department), 6. Mr. Sarma, 7. Prof. P. S. R. Apparao.
Standing – middle row – from left to right – q. Mr. Vakkallanka Lakshmipatirao, 2. Shri Veturi Anandamurthy, 3. Smt. Alamelu, 4. Prof. Lalita Peters, 5. Smt. Vimala, 6. Smt. Indumati (Mrs. Sharada Bhushan), 7. Smt. Adilakshmi, 8. Mr. Dhara Ramanatha Sastry

My maternal grand-uncle with my maternal aunt, Shyamala and a cousin.

My maternal grand-uncle with my maternal aunt, Shyamala Naidu, and a cousin. Possibly late 50s or 1960. Maybe in Villivakkam or Nungambakkam, Madras

with my sister, Uma / Sarala at Villivakkam in the late sixties

With my sister, Uma / Sarala (now Sarala Krishnamoorthy, r/o Perth, Australia, and mother of Venkat Krishnamoorthy and Vegini Krishnamoorthy) in the late sixties at Villivakkam, Madras

My mother, her two sisters, her maternal aunt and cousins - sometime in the late 50s or 1960

My mother, Indumati (Sharada Bhushan) her two sisters, Saraswathy and Shyamala, her maternal aunt, Rajani, and cousins - sometime in the late 50s or 1960

My maternal grandmother, her eldest son, Kuchela, her sister and nieces - Meera and Bhavani

My maternal grandmother, Hymavathi Naidu, her eldest son, Kuchela Naidu, her sister, and nieces - Meera and Bhavani - possibly at Villivakkam, Chennai (then Madras) - in the late seventies.

Pramila Naidu, my paternal aunt with Jairam Naidu and his mother, Shanmughavalli, and their daughters. Possibly 1955

Elders, from left - Mrs. Pramila Jairam Naidu, my paternal aunt, Smt. Shanmughavalli Alagiri Singhari Naidu (sister of my paternal grandfather, Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam Naidu and mother-in-law to Pramila Jairam Naidu) and Mr. Jairam Naidu

The children - Shashikala (b. 1950) with Jairam Naidu, Sheela with Smt. Shanmughavalli Alagiri Singhari Naidu, and Bujji with Pramila Jairam Naidu.

The photograph was taken at Triplicane, sometime in 1955.

M. Gopinath Naidu - my maternal uncle

My maternal uncle - M. Gopinath Naidu - sometime in 1965, I think, on the roof of the Sri Raja Rajeswari Primary and High School at 4, Ramanaicken Street, Nungambakkam, Chennai. The school had been founded by my maternal grandfather, M. Muniswamy Naidu, and was ably run and managed by my maternal uncles, M. Kuchela Naidu, M. Gopinath Naidu and M. Bhaskar Naidu and my maternal aunts, Saraswathy and Shyamala. Later, his daughters-in-law also helped - Bharati and Girija (both sisters).

In this photograph, he was busy trying to get cricket commentary on his new transistor.

Unknown - from my mother's family photographs of 1955 to 1965

Could not identify her, but I do remember my mother telling me once that she was an important relative, within a gajula balija naidu family from Chennai (/Madras) or nearabouts. Please inform if you are able to identify her. You could email me at bharatbhushan@yahoo.com

Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam - my paternal grandfather - sometime in the 1930s

An old archival photograph of my paternal grandfather, Shri Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam Naidu, seated, in a smashing stylish pale cream suit, with a sola hat, splendid oxford leather shoe, with horizontal striped socks, a good fountain pen, cream colored thin cotton hankie. This was probably the day of retirement of his Boss, in the Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway Regiment which was one of the provincial Indian Railway Armed Regiments. My paternal grandfather took over from his boss, sometime in 1935-1940. 

The Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway Regiment were an auxiliary regiment under the Bombay command. They comprised staff of the Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway. They had an armed regiment, dressed in Khakhi, HQ Mumbai, called "B, B & CIR Vol Rifle Corps". My paternal grandfather later got dequartered in then Bombay, and thus, decided to settled down in the city, after being positioned in the regular administrative services of the Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway.

Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam - sometime in 1930 to 1940

An old archival photograph of my paternal grandfather, Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam Naidu, seated, 3rd from right, in a smashing stylish pale cream suit, with a sola hat. This was probably the day of retirement of his Boss, in the Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway Regiment which was one of the provincial Indian Railway Armed Regiments. His boss is seated in the centre, and my paternal grandfather took over from him, sometime in 1935-1940, near or possibly in Ratlam or Vijayawada.

The Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway Regiment were an auxiliary regiment under the Bombay command of the British India army. They comprised staff ofthe Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway. They had an armed regiment dressed in Khakhi, HQ in Mumbai, called "B, B & Cir Vol. Rifle Corps"

Ancient temples of Srivilliputhur, Tamil Nadu - the southern homeland and history of Balija Naidus during 1350 to 1900

Srivilliputhur is a municipal town in Tamil Nadu, very near Kanya Kumari, to give one an idea of what would be a southern homeland of the Balija Naidus. They came with the Telugu empires from the regions south of Vijayawada, from Kanigiri, Udayagiri, Guntur, Venkatagiri and Nayudupeta, as Nayakas, the warrior chieftains of the armies, and as Baligas or Balijas, the merchants, and as custodians of small temples that were set up to provide solace to the various clans who established themselves in the southern stronghold.

Today, the town is in the Virudhunagar district, and has a compact population of nearly a hundred thousand people.

The town of Srivilliputhur has always been a mofussil settlement, even about a thousand years ago and more. The Hindu School is a famous establishment and has been around for more than 200 years ago. My grandfather, Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam spoke about being a student in this school during 1905 to 1910 or thereabouts, and did say that his father, Neela Meghala Shyamala Naidu had also perhaps been a student of this very school.

Shri Andal temple at Srivilliputhur

[from - http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/home-of-the-saint-poetess/article5003204.ece - copyright with the original owner]

The temple of Andal and the great Thiruppavai, are known from the town of Srivilliputhur. The temple is a landmark of the settlement, and has always been, and I assume that the mofussil nature of the settlement must have come about the temple. The 11-tiers of the temple's main tower, 192 feet high, is dedicated to Vatapatrasayee, the Lord of Srivilliputhur. Built by Periya Alwar, on the money that he had won in gold from the debates held at the Court of Vallabhadeva, the Pandya King. His daughter was Andal, who swore her devotion to the Lord and was married to HIM. Thus, Periya Alwar, the man who constructed the temple, is known as the father-in-law of the Lord.

Shri Andal temple at Srivilliputhur

[from - http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/home-of-the-saint-poetess/article5003204.ece - copyright with the original owner]

The nearby towns of Madurai, Sattur, Thirunelveli, Shenkottai, Tenkasi and Sivakasi became urban settlements, much later, with the exception of Madurai, which also developed as a temple settlement, likewise with Srivilliputhur. Malli, the ancient Queen of southern Tamil Nadu ruled the lands of this region. Her two sons, Villi and Kandan, had gone hunting in the nearby forests. Kandan was killed by a tiger. Realising that his brother was missing during the hunt, Villi went out in search of him. After long hours, he decided to rest at a spot and fell asleep. A divine voice informed him of the fate of his brother, and he decided to establish a settlement at that very location. Thus, the city, named after Villi, being Srivilliputhur.

Andal, the human consort of the Lord is recognised as the only woman Alvar, from among the twelve Alvar saints of Vaishnavite theology. To this day, her works, Thirupavai and the Nachiar Thirumozhi are recited by the devotees at the temple. Her father, Periya Alvar, is also one of the Alvar saints.

With the incoming Balija Naidu chieftains, warlords and army generals, and after their settling in, some became local Kings. While the lines of geneology are not discussed in detail, the township began to gain in fame during the times of Thirumalai Nayakar (1623-1659) and Rani Mangammal (1689-1706). After the marauding attacks of Nerkattumseval, Puli Thevar and Periyaswami Thevar and Mohammed Yousoof Khan, the settlement came under the protection of the King of Travancore until 1850 before passing on to British hands.

Thirumalai Nayakar, the Balija King of Madurai

[from - http://indica.co.in/thirumalai-nayakar-mahal -

copyright with the original owner]

The Vatapatrasayee Andal temple is the most important one in this region, and is one of the 108 Vaishnava Divya Desams. Lord Vishnu is also known as Rangamannar and is depicted here as resting on a banyan tree leaf, and therefore known as Vatapatrasayee = Vata - Banyan, Patra - Leaf, Sayee - Lord.

The other important temple is the Madavar Vilagam Vaidyanathar Temple, with a six feet high image of Nataraja, the dance-form of Shiva.

Nearby, in Thiruvannamalai, also known as Thenthirupathi, is the temple dedicated to Vishnu and nestles within the Western Ghats.

At Kattalagar, is the Vishnu temple, to the west of Srivilliputhur, near the Mantunga hills.

There are two ancient Shiva temples nearby, known as Sundara Mahalingam and Sandhana Mahalingam at Sathuragiri Hills, where several Shaivite sages were known to have resided.

Thirumalai Nayak was one of the most foremost of the thirteen Madurai Nayak rulers in the 17th century. He is known to have caused the construction of the most of the temples in the region, including the ones at Madurai. His kingdom stretched from Coimbatore, Tirunelveli, Madurai, Aragalur and some of the Travancore kingdoms, and the old Pandya territories. The Madurai Nayaks were Bana or Balija Naidus, and ruled the southern regions of Tamil Nadu from 1529 AD to 1736 AD, with Madurai as the capital. There were 13 rulers, with 2 being women, and 2 having ruled jointly. The most noteworthy among them were Tirumalai Nayak and the queen Rani Mangammal.

Before the rule of the Balija Naidus in southern Tamil Nadu, the region was ruled by the Afghans who came down from Delhi, by taking advantage of the dissension within the Tamil Pandya kings. Malik Kafur was sent by Emperor Ala-ud-din Khilji from Delhi in 1310 AD. He destroyed many towns while marching on to Southern India and ransacked Madurai entirely. The Meenakshi Temple at Madurai, then with 14 towers, was pulled down, the streets and buildings were destroyed, with only the inner temples of Sundareshwara and Meenakshi left behind. The Pandya Kings were weak, and Malik Kafur desired to return to Delhi, which he did. Soon thereafter, the neighbouring Chera Kings invaded Madurai, defeated the Pandya rulers, and established a new rule in 1313.

Malik Kafur however sent back a Afghan Governor, and thereafter, Delhi's rule was established for nearly five decades. While Mohammad-bin-Tughlaq ruled Delhi, during 1333 AD, the local feudatory, Jalal-ud-Din Ahsan Khan declared himself independent and ruled Madurai. He was killed by his own officers in 1339, and Alauddin-Udauji-Shah was King of Madurai during 1339 AD to 1340 AD. He was also killed by his own officers. Qutbuddin Firoz ruled for 40 days before being killed in 1340 AD. Giyazuddin Muhammad Damghan, an Afghan chieftain became King of the Madurai region for four years. He was followed by Naziruddin Mahmud Damghan, a fellow Afghan, 1344 AD to 1356 AD, Adil Shah 1356 AD to 1359 AD, Faqruddin Mubarak 1359 AD to 1368 AD and Alauddin Sikandar 1368 AD to 1377 AD.

Sikandar had to face a fierce battle with Bukka from Vijayanagara, and lost the Kingdom in 1377, leading to the rule of the Vijayanagara empire and the coming of the Balija Naidus. The city of Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara empire and the regions of Madurai and Srivilliputhur were ruled by the Balija Nayakas for the next 200 years and defended itself against Afghan and Moghul invasions. Kampana Udayar, a prince of the Vijayanagara empire, and representing Bukkaraya, came to Madurai in 1372, established a feudatory kingdom at Madurai and reopened the Siva and Vishnu temples in the city. Later, with the consolidation and control of Krishnadevaraya, 1509 AD to 1529 AD, the feudal kings and governors recognised themselves as "Nayaka".

Kampana Udayar was followed by his son Embana Udayar, and was followed by his brother-in-law, Porakasa Udayar. This dynastic rule was broken by Lakkana Nayaka, in 1404 AD, who ruled Madurai jointly with Mathana Nayaka until 1461 AD.

However, during earlier years, prior to the Pandya Kings, the region was ruled by Bana chieftains, who were established by Kulottunga Chola III during the 1200s. They were smart, and established themselves as feudatory kings of both the Cholas and the Pandyas.

The earliest known Nayaka chieftains, as Balija Nayakas, however, are from 1477 AD. The earliest was -

Thirumalai-runjolai Mahabalivana, ruler of Madurai, 1477 AD
Virapratapa Sundara-ttoludaiyan Mahabali Vanadhiraya, ruler of Conjivaram (Kanchivaram), 1469 AD

Later, Kings included - Narasa Nayaka, Tenna Nayaka, Narasa Pillai, Kuru Timmappa Nayaka, Kattiyama Kamayya Nayaka, Chinappa Nayaka, Ayyakarai Veyyappa Nayaka and Viswanatha Nayaka Ayyar.

Rani Mangammal

[from - http://www.mabeats.com/2008/02/rani-mangammalthe-queen.html

- copyright with the original owner]

Rani Mangammal, was one of the foremost of the Madurai Nayak dynasty, and perhaps one of the only few Baljia Naidu queens in most dynasties in peninsular India. Daughter of Lingama Nayakar, a general of Chokkanatha Nayakar, she married the King, but could not become the queen, because he wanted to take another spouse who was the daughter of Vijayaraghava Nayakar, the princess of Thanjavur. Thus, one can see that there were several important houses of Balija Naidus through the central to the southern regions of current Tamil Nadu. Chokkanatha Nayakar died in 1682, without completing the marriage, and Rani Mangammal took over as the Regent Queen to take care of the throne for her son Rangakrishna Muthu Veerappa Nayakar. He died in 1689, and his wife committed suicide after giving birth to her son. Rani Mangammal placed him on the throne of Madurai when he was 3 months old, and ruled as Regent Queen on behalf of her grandson.

The battle of Palnadu - the Kurukshetra of the Naidu clans and the migration after victory and defeat

The battle of Palnadu is known usually as the Kurukshetra of the Andhra regions, more so since the war was fought by cousins, in a manner similar to the Mahabharata. The battle took place in 1200 AD. The battle resulted in the victory of Bramham Naidu's Velama clans, along with other related communities. In spite of their victory, their suspicion and fatigue, led to their migration from Palnadu to Venkatagiri. Nagamma, on the side that was defeated, was known to be a wily commander and would have staked revenge over the battle for her families. Not trusting her after their victory, Bramham Naidu and his groups moved out of the regions controlled by Nagamma.

However, later, due to the losses in battle, the Palnadu Naidus, weakened by fighting amongst themselves, lost control in the region and were overtaken by the Kakatiyas in later years. Subsequently, the Nawab of Golconda conquered the Palnadu region, and this triggered further migration southwards, in an attempt by the Naidus to retain, protect and preserve their way of life. The initial settlements came up in the Venkatagiri region and southwards to Chandragiri and Puttur.

A new regime of Naidu rulers took over at Venkatagiri, and comprised the Velugoti, Velanki or Velama Naidus. It is said that the migrating Naidu rulers and rich farmers took along with them their workers, tenants, support systems including priests, mainly Vaidehi Brahmins. This was especially true during the takeover by the Nawab of Golconda. The cuisine and sacred rituals of the Vaidehi Brahmins who performed them for the Naidus got established in the regions of Chittoor to the east of the Velikonda Hills and in the regions between Palamaneru to Erpedu.

A remarkable story, supposed to be true, is that the Venkatagiri Naidu rulers were liberal in providing land ownership to their faithful supporters. One such land transfer was on the basis of Mr. Dasari Govindappa Naidu being allowed as much land as a horse could walk or run from sunrise to sunset in the Kailasa Kona area near Nagalapuram. The village, thus established, is named as Govindappa Naidu Kandriga.

It is supposed that the people who migrated south of Venkatagiri, mainly the Naidu clans, would have actually begun their journeys from Velnadu or Elnadu and Palnadu in the Guntur region. Accordingly, they began to be known as Ellanti (those from Elnadu) and Pallinti (those from Palnadu). The familiar surnames for these families include Ellanti, Pallinti, Tummala, Nutalpati, Kanderi, Gandamaneni, Gaali and Sakamuri, among others. The villages that they settled in, within Chittoor, south of Venkatagiri, are Tirumala Kuppam, Vepagunta, Mangalagiri Kandriga, Nasi Naidu Kandriga, Dasari Govindappa Naidu Kandriga and Buchi Naidu Kandriga, among many others.

The current city of Macherla, the erstwhile capital of the Palnadu region, originates from Mahadevi Cherla. The Andhra Mahabharatam or the Palnati Yuddham (great battle of Palnadu) was fought between Macherla and Gurajala between 1176 AD and 1182 AD. The town of Macherla is also known for the Chennakesava Swamy temple built during the Haihaya rule.

The Chennakesava Temple at Macherla

[from - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ck_temple,mcl.jpg]

Geographically, Palnadu is in the northern parts of Guntur District. Palnadu is an acronym for Pallava Naidu, and is an important period of Telugu history. The end of the Satavahana dynasty saw the Pallavas become independent in the Krishna River Valley. In tribute to them, the region came to be known as Palnadu. This region was also ruled by the Ikshvaku, Vishnukundinas, Eastern Chalukyas and later, by the Kakatiyas. The Vengi Chalukyas who ruled the Palnadu war were weakened by the Great Battle of Palnadu and this led to the emergence of the Kakatiyas.

The great battle of Palnadu was actually a battle between two families of cousins, of the Kalachuri clans also known as Haihaya. Nalagama Vira Raju, the son of Alugu Bhupathi Raju, of the Palanati Kalachuris, and his step brother, Malideva Raju, married to a princess of the Kalyani clan of the Kalachuris were prominent warriors of this great battle. Recherla Dodda Naidu and Recherla Brahma Naidu were the vassals of the Velanti Cholas and were administrators of their territories. There was tremendous rivalry among these families, and with the defeat of Malideva in a cock-fight, the opportunity presented itself. Nagamma exiled Bramha Naidu and Dodda Naidu for seven years.

After the period of exile, similar to the Mahabharata, Bramha Naidu sent Alaraja, son of Kalachuri Kommaraja of Kalyani, and brother-in-law of Malideva to present a claim for the properties and lands of Malideva. Nagamma refused to accept the claim and poisoned Alaraja to death at Cherlagudipadu. This led to the Kalachuris of Kalyani and Bramha Naidu to declare war on Gurazala, and the battle was fought in Karempudi, along the Naguleru River. Several local Kings came in support of either group. The Kakatiyas, Kota Vamsas, Paricchedis and Hoysalas supported the Vengi Kalachuri families and Nagamma. Malideva and his clan of Velanati Cholas were supported by the Kalachuris of Kalyani.

Though Bramha Naidu and his groups won the battle, Malideva had died. Nagamma was reinstated, and the war led to the fall of the Velanadu families. Several families lost their warriors in the war, and this weakened the warrior clans of the Naidus in the eastern delta areas. This allowed the Hoysalas, Kalachuri, Ganga and Kakatiyas to take over.

Palnati Veerula Gudi or the temple to the heroes of the Palnati Battle

[from - http://www.liveguntur.com/karempudi.php]

The Palnati Veerula Gudi, the temple to the heroes of the Palnati battle, was built at the battle ground on the Naguleru River. The temple also houses all the weapons that the warriors used in the war. The temple is uniquely opened only once a year, during November or December, for five days only. The opening of the temple is celebrated during those five days at Karempudi.

Salem Pagadala Narasimhalu Naidu - 12 April 1854 - 22 January 1922 - leading Balija Naidus during pre-1890 in South Tamil Nadu

Salem Pagadala Narasimhalu Naidu or Pagadala Narasimhalu Nayadu was a Congressman, social worker, publisher and a writer of travelogues. He was also an industrialist based at Coimbatore and established various public institutions. A Balija Naidu, he was born to Rangaswami Naidu and Lakshmi Ammal in Erode on 12 April 1854. Similar to the house of Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam Naidu, he was also named Balakrishna at birth, and later renamed as Narasimhalu, after his grandfather.

Salem Pagadala Narasimhalu Naidu

[from - http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/04/stories/2009010457460200.htm]

Pagadala Narasimhalu Naidu => Pagadala Rangaswami Naidu => Pagadala (Balakrishna) Narasimhalu Naidu

I remember my grandfather and my father mentioning about Pagadala Narasimhalu Naidu as a bold explorer and a smart industrialist. My grandfather would often refer to him as the one Naidu who was responsible for transforming the Salem-Coimbatore region towards industrial development.

He studied Telugu in his early years, and later joined the government-run Salem College. He has given credit to his teacher, Appayi Nayudu, in helping him complete his grade exams in 1873.

Pagadala Narasimhalu Naidu married Ethiraj Ammal of Salem in 1868. They had two sons. She died of tuberculosis later. Narasimhalu Naidu married Meenakshi Ammal from Palakkad in 1899, the year that Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam was born in Srivilliputtur.

A true Vaishnavite Naidu, he went on the Divya Desam Yatra, and wrote about it as a travelogue, titled 'Arya divya desa yatari sarithram' in 1877 and included his notes about his travels to North India. He was the publisher of the Salem Patriot since 1877, and later began publishing the Coimbatore Abamaani, and later, Coimbatore Patrika in 1879. He had also established the Coimbatore Crescent, and later established the Kalanidhi Press.

Pagadala Narasimhalu Naidu established the CS&W Mills, the first textile mill of Coimbatore. Later, he established a sugar mill at Podhanur. As a leading political leader in the region, he was involved in the establishment of the Victoria Municipal Hall at Coimbatore, the Coimbatore Cosmopolitan Club, the College Committee and the Cooperative Store. In an adept understanding of the requirements of water supply to the city, he helped install the water supply from Siruvani. Water was very scarce in Coimbatore. Narasimhalu Naidu identified Muthikulam water, emanating from Vellingiri Hills for the benefit of Coimbatore. With a forum of residents, Kudithanakarar Sabha, and with the help of the District Collector, he undertook an expedition to the Muthikulam forests and presented a report.

He has written more than a hundred books on religion, music, agriculture, community history and social history, law and medicine. He traced the roots of the Balija Naidus in southern Tamil Nadu from their past links to the Vijayanagara empire, and wrote about it in detail in the Balijavaru Puranam, and also known as the Balija Vamsa Purana, that was published in 1896. His book is listed in the Catalogue of the Tamil Books in the Library of the British Museum by Lionel David Barnett, George uglow Pope of the British Museum Department.

As a political leader, he was the Secretary of the Coimbatore Unit of the Chennai Mahajana Sabha, and became the Secretary of the Coimbatore Unit of the Indian National Congress, right up there in the founding years of 1885. He attended the first conclave of the INC in Bombay in 1885 and later in Calcutta in 1886 and Chennai in 1887.

Later, in 1903, G. M. Venkatarama Naidu, wrote a biography about Salem Pagadala Narasimhalu Naidu. 

Gajula Balija Naidus during 1890 to 1950 - in the Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh regions

The Gajula Balija Naidus were usually referred to or preferred to be known as Gavara, Kavara, Chetti, Setti, or Balijas during the period 1890 to 1950. Nowadays, most of these names have stabilised with their modifications while some families have retained their clan names and seemingly discarded the 'Balija' or 'Naidu' part, for e.g. Varada, Marri, Meka, Mudra or Chetty.

The Madras Presidency Map of British India

[from - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/26/Pope1880MadrasPres2.jpg]

Andhra Pradesh was formed in 1956. And now, we are witness to the birth of Telengana and Seemandhra. At this moment, it does not feel like several decades have gone by. Many elders would remember the erstwhile pre-Andhra Pradesh days also. The key aspect to the development and progress of our families in the earlier Century was the construction of the Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at Dowleshwaram, to the east of Rajahmundry. This was sometime around 1848-1852. The agriculture boomed, trade developed and the region became prosperous. Our families began to move out to expand their trade and undertook to stabilise themselves in different parts of this region and to undertake different types of work. This included trade in vegetables and flowers, transport of food products, trade in clothes, jewelry, artisanship and finished goods.

The British Indian Empire Map of the Imperial Gazetteer in 1910

with the Madras Presidency and the Hyderabad State

[from - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/ British_Indian_Empire_1909_Imperial_Gazetteer_of_India.jpg]

The initial movement was from Guntur, Vijayawada and south to Nellore. During this period, there was another movement, that was from Srivilliputtur, Madurai, Kanya Kumari and Nagarcoil regions, northwards to Srirangam, Thanjavur and to Madras. This led to the intermingling of families, clans and groups. New communities and larger families emerged. With the ongoing political turmoil, several other groups began to stabilise their communities, but the Gajula Balijas did not seem to do so well in taking care of themselves with an united front.

Some did well, and proved themselves in corrupt practices too, in connection with land revenue matters. There is one paper that mentions that one such Tahsildar, a Mr. Krishna Rao, Hujoor Tahsildar of Ananthapuram, appointed 108 of his family to various jobs. This led to many complaints, of course, and he was transferred. He took it upon himself to consider the transfer as another opportunity, and he appointed 117 from his kith and kin, of which 80 were from within his own family. This is not the united front that I am referring to, of course.

There were well-to-do families too. The Raja of Venkatagiri went into mining of mica. The Zamindars of Kalahasti lived a very opulent lifestyle. Similar families, with likewise tendencies, lived the best of their lives during the late 1800s, during 1870 to 1890, and went bankrupt. They were usually spoken of, when referring to the grand old days of Gajula Balija Naidus of those times. Every family, clan or community usually referred to themselves as having marriage relationships with these notoriously known families.

The first of the attempts at unifying the communities came from Gajula Lakshmi Narasu Chetty who founded the Madras Native Association in 1852. Later, Shri G. Rangaiah Naidu established the Mahajanasabha on 16 May 1894. The epidemic of 1891 in Madras killed many and discouraged several others from moving to the city. Several leading Naidus attended the first Indian National Congress Session in 1885. They included P. Rangaiah Naidu, N. Venkata Subbarayudu, and S. N. Narasimhulu Naidu. The second Indian National Congress Session held in 1886 was attended by prominent Naidus, including A. P. Parthasarathi Naidu and P. Rangaiah Naidu.

The Justice Party in the 1920s in Madras Presidency

Shri Thyagaraya Chetty is at the Centre (with the girl seated near him). 

Also present is the Raja of Venkatagiri.

[from - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/Justice_Party_1920s.jpg]

Political growth, understanding and evolution among Naidu communities continued during 1890 to 1920, with the formation of several local parties, until 1923-1924, when the Chief Minister of Madras, Panagal Raja, nominated some Naidus to the Zilla Board and Municipal Chairman's posts. They included Yathirajulu Naidu to the Zilla Board and Municipal Chairmanship of Guntur and Muniswami Naidu in Chittoor. In 1928, K. V. Reddy Naidu, a powerful political leader in Madras State, with sway from Vijayawada to Srirangam, founded the South Indian Liberal Federation. When Panagal Raja died, there were differences. B. Muniswamy Naidu fought against Bobbili Raja and came closer to N. G. Ranga (later, the veteran parliamentarian of independent India). Eventually, Muniswamy Naidu became the Chief Minister of Madras in 1930.