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.

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. 

Primary locations of balija naidus in the recent history of Telugu speaking areas - From Srikakulam to Kanya Kumari

The word Balija has traditionally been associated with traders of all sorts - small traders such as the Gajula Balijas to the large merchant traders such as the Setti Balijas. The word Naidu was associated as a blend evolved from their persistent intent to defend their trade and protect their means of livelihood, and thereby, a warrior-group came into being. This warrior-group emerged from the rights given by the then Kings to be able to protect their trade, their families and communities and households.

This right to bear arms came along with the title of 'Nayakudu' that transformed across various regions as Naidu (in Andhra Desa), Nair (in Malaya Desa), Naicker or Nayakan (in Tamizha Desa), Nayak (in Kannada Desa) and Naik or Nagare or Desai (in Deccan and Konkan). The foremost of the warrior clans include the Nayaks of Madurai and Thanjavur, the Khandi Kings of Ceylon, the local ruling clans of Penukonda, Rayadurga, Kalyanadurga, Chandragiri, Udayagiri and Venkatagiri.

The communities in the Tamil speaking areas were also known as Kavara or Gavara Balijas. The Gajula Balija Naidus are the largest sub-group of the Kavara or Gavara Balijas in the Tamil speaking areas, and are known as Valaiyal Chettis or Naidus.

Gradually, the Balija Naidus became known as a warrior or trading community. It is said though, that the original Balijas would have moved out of Balijipeta in the current Srikakulam region. There is brief mention of the community in Kakatiya inscriptions, as Veera Balingyas. Similar to most European, Chinese and Arabian merchant traders, the Balija Naidus in the northern coastal areas of Andhra Desa, established the first-known merchant guilds for land-based trade and sea-going trade. One of the oldest trading guilds from among the Balijas is also known from Bellary in Karnataka.

These merchant guilds bonded with similar guilds that came to Dondra at the southern tip of Sri Lanka, and with ships that came through Madagascar or those that went out with gold from Nala Sopara. There were contacts with merchant guilds in the Arabian and Chinese lands for coordination of the land trade through the caravans that came down from Persia and Afghanistan.

The aspect of integration through trade is known from historians who study these aspects. It is said that there is mention of regional trade guilds in the Tamil speaking areas also. The trade guilds that established themselves through the southern region of the Indian Subcontinent, i.e., south of the Narmada River, became autonomous, region-by-region. This geographic separation and their ability to secure themselves through trade, brought them the power that they would naturally have wanted to assume. Similar to such trading guilds in Europe, China and the Arabian world, the trading guilds of the Balija Naidus also met regularly, had formal meetings and they recorded their discussion. If they would have made donations to the local temple, that contribution was recorded as such and such.

Similarly, if they helped the local King in times of war or drought, these decisions were recorded. These meetings of the trading guilds were recorded with mention of the armed support that they had, and with descriptions of their armies and their ability to inflict death and harm to those who would oppose their trade. These decisions were made known usually in Sanskrit, and where required, with the local language. The decisions were sealed with the symbols of the trading guilds, much like it was done in other regions of the world, at that time, with figures of items, trade goods, possessions, arms, animals or deities.

The symbols of the Nanadesi trading guild

[from http://www.tnarch.gov.in/epi/guild.htm]

Copyright with the original owner

The most unique and long-known aspect of the trade guilds of the Balijas in these regions were the splendid names by which they called themselves. The trading guild of Aihole was known as Ayyapozhil Ainnurruvar or the "Five hundred of Aihole". This would have probably meant that there were 500 trading families or communes of the Balijas at Aihole. Their geographic range of trade and movement is clearly seen from the trading guild that was known as Tisaiayirathu Ainnurruvar or the "Five hundred that went about in a thousand directions". The traders that went by sea, towards the South East to Kambuja and Java and Sumatra, and to the west to the Arabic worlds and Madagascar, were known as the Nanadesi, and those that traded in the Tamil speaking areas, were known as Valanjiyar of the Balija families, also known as Banajigas.

The trading caravans moving out of Nala Sopara towards Srikakulam and Nellore by following the major river routes of the Godavari and Krishna Rivers were usually under attack in the Konkan, Deccan and riverine delta areas. The trading guilds of the Balijas had to establish themselves along the route and defend their trade. Thus, the communities dispersed along these major rivers initially, and later, along the coast. The right to protect their trade, as given to them by the Kings, recognised the community as Balija Nayakulu, and thereby, evolved as Balija Naidu. Though it is said that the community was recognised in this manner during the Kakatiya dynasty, it is entirely possible that the right to defend their trade would have been practiced from much earlier times, and we are not entirely aware of such measures. Subsequently though, the power derived from armed combat, and from organising themselves, led the Balijas to establish themselves as Kings of local regions, and this was seen from the various kingdoms south of the great rivers, such as along the Pennar River from the southern regions of the Deccan and all the way through the current Rayalaseema region.

The Kings of these regions recognised the wealth, power and organisation of these trading guilds among the Balijas, and their ability to defend themselves, and thereafter integrated them within the armies, administration and management of the various kingdoms. Thus, in Srikakulam and all the way south to Udayagiri and Nayudupeta in Nellore region, the Setti Balijas were appointed also as tax collectors.

There is mention of Rani Mangammal, the Madurai Nayak queen. Similar to her, Vijayaranga Chokkanatha and Thondaiman of Pudukkottai were Balija Kings. The earliest inscription written in Telugu was derived from the donation of land to the temples in the Tamil speaking areas, especially, the Kalamalla copper plate that provides information of the Charter of the Telugu speaking Chola Kings, who were descended from the Karikala Kings. The coins issued by Rani Mangammal and her royal dynasty are known to have legends in the Telugu script. Similarly, the mural paintings of the Nayak period, in the 16th to 18th Centuries, in the Tamil speaking areas, have labels in Telugu from the Balijas.

Inscription informing about donation of lands to temples

at Kanchipuram c. 17th Century

[From http://www.tnarch.gov.in/epi/ins6.htm]

Copyright with original owner

The Balijas were known to marry into other clans, and in spite of some opposition through history, have managed to make a mark for themselves and be remembered for posterity as warriors, generals, Kings and today, as politicians and people-friendly positions such as film stars or sportspersons. The foremost of such integrated families was of course, Krishnadevaraya, the Emperor and one of the most powerful Kings of India, ever known. He ruled over the great Vijayanagar Empire. There were other forms of community-level integration within the royal families with Balijas, and one of these included the Kota Balijas. The great King, Ramaraya, the last ruler of the Vijayanagar Emperor, and belonging to the Araveeti dynasty, was a Kota Balija. One of the later Kings was Kasturi Naidu, also Pedda Koyenti Nayudu of the Vasarasi family of the Balijas.

Gajula Balija Naidu - Related surnames and family names in Tamil Nadu of 1860 to 1950

Balija Naidus were usually a trading community, found in all cities and mofussil towns of the Madras Presidency, from Srivilliputhur to Srikakulam. There were two major groups. The royalty - the Balija Nayaks, the Kings of Madura, Tanjore and Vijayanagar - were from the same community. As were their generals, ministers and governors. The second group were the traders - and of these, there were two major groups - Gajulu or Gazulu Balijas (bangle sellers) and the Perike Balijas (salt sellers).

In the current Tamil districts of Madras Presidency, the Balijas came to be known as Vaduga and Kavarai. To distinguish between the glass-bangle sellers and the gold jewellery traders, the Gajula Balijas involved in the richer trade got the titles "Chetti" and this was usually preferred. Commonly different surnames are - Naidu, Nayakkan, Chetti, Setti, Nayak, Kavarai, and Valaiyal Chetti among others.

[Valaiyal = Bangles in Tamil... i.e. Gajulu]

The Gazula Balijas in Nellore areas - 

from "The Vizagapatnam District Gazetteer" edited by W. Francis - 1907

The Balija Chettis or Setti, and sometimes, Shetty Balijas, and Sugavansi Balija controlled trading guilds. These communities became powerful and had tremendous impact on the trade of Vijayanagar. These guild-master families were given the title "Desai" by the Vijayanagar Kings. The Chetty families in Srirangam, Kumbakonam and Thanjavur were closely related to many Gajula Balija Naidus.

I remember my parents and grandfather being close friends of the Chetty families who were jewellers in Matunga, Mumbai, because they knew each other from back in Srirangam and were probably related, or close enough. The Chetty families, as I was told by my paternal grandfather, were actually Gajula Balijas, but on research, I learn that they were preferential to the community title - Kavarai Gajula Bangaru Naidu. This is the crucial distinction from glass bangles to gold jewellery traders.

There are variations in the surnames or family names. These include - Balija, Banajiga, Balanja, Bananja, Bananju, Banijiga, Balijiga, Valanjiyar, Balanji, Bananji, Baliga - derived from the Sanskrit term for Vanik or Vanii - a trader. It was the Banajigas who comprised trade guilds, and were famously known during the pre-medieval and medieval period as the five hundred lords of Ayyavolu. The name - Balija - also came to include Boya, Golla, Gavara and others during the rule of Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagar.

The largest groups were Kapu, and these extended to Vakkaligas. In Kannada, some of these groups and communities came to be known by other names, including Pusala. There are communities named after their nativity - such as Gonuguntla Desayi Chetti - named after Gonuguntla Village. Yet another community was Gandavarapu, who were Gonuguntla Balijas, and migrated to Cuddapah. Other names included Mulaka, Miriyala, Vyasa, Tota, Kondeti, Gopathi and Perike among others.

The official status for Gajula Balija Naidus or Gazula Balija Naidus are -

Naidus of Srivilliputhur area during 1850 to 1925 - some notes

There were historical concentrations of Naidu populations in Tamil Nadu since the Vijayanagar and other empires that conquered lands from Andhra areas to Kerala-Tamil Nadu areas and vice versa, i.e., from South Tamil Nadu to Andhra-Karnataka areas. [Of course, that's a different post...]

Today, most Naidu families in south-south Tamil Nadu speak Telugu at home, in a local accent, but probably cannot read or write it fluently. They would definitely be much better at Tamil, and perhaps, Malayalam. English? Absolutely. Better than the English, most certainly!!!

During 1850 to 1925, the Naidu families would have been proficient in Telugu, following Andhra cuisine, customs and marrying into similar caste and communities, including very specific sub-caste groups. Today, it would be the larger community preferences.

The Naidus during 1850 to 1925 in these areas were known as 'Nayakkars' since they were similar to warrior clans of the local Naick (= Chief). Since the Telugu language that they spoke was known locally in south Tamil Nadu as "Vadugu", the Telugu-speaking community came to be known as 'Vadugars'. So, Vadugars were the larger community, while the Nayakkars were a sub-set. Within this sub-set, there would have been Kamma Naidus, Balija Naidus and other groups.

The southern most group of Nayakkars that probably knew each other would have been residents of today's Madurai, Ramanathapuram and Tirunelveli districts. They lived mostly in villages and specialised in the cultivation of cotton and chillies. The headman of the village was known as the 'Vooru Nayakkar' or 'Vooru Naicker'. Historically, the Naidus in this region have been recognised as economically backward classes and have benefited from the opportunities since Independence and have studied well and moved to wherever their fortunes and future took them.

There is a significant difference when you compare the communities while at Tirunelveli and Srivilliputhur and when they are in the Madras-Chengelpet-Thanjavur-Kumbakonam-Tiruchirapalli-Srirangam areas. In south-south Tamil Nadu, they retained the surname - 'Naidu', 'Naicker' or 'Nayakkar' - but, in the north-east Tamil Nadu areas, they took to be identifying themselves with a surname. They took on different 'house-names' to distinguish themselves within the community. Thus, my great grandfather was "Neela Meghala Shyamala Naidu", while my grandfather, settled in Trichy and later Madras, was "Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam". My father took on the name - Balapila Naga Bhushan, but uniquely, his younger brother, my uncle took on - Shantaram Naidu. This grouping of different names is what made me dig deeper and deeper into the region.

During 1850 to 1920s, the most prominent Naidu families in Srivilliputhur areas were the zamindars, i.e., the landlords - and they were - Pemmasani of the Kurivikulam Estate, and Ravella of the Illavarasanandanal Estate. The Pemmasani family also had the Naickerpatti Estate in Madurai, while the Bellam family owned the Seevalpatti Estate.

My father's family

My paternal great grandfather, Neela Meghala Shyamala Naidu, was born in Srivilliputtur. My paternal great grandmother, Rukmini Devi, was also born in Srivilliputtur, in Tamil Nadu. They were a Telugu-speaking Balija Naidu family in deep South India, devoted to the Goddess Andal of the Srivilliputtur Temple. They were closely associated with the temple and yet, somehow became devoted to the deity Panduranga, Vittala. I am not aware of how that happened, so far south, in Srivilliputtur.

Sri Andal of Srivilliputtur

Deity at the prayer place of my family

since my great grandfather...

Srivilliputtur temple mahagopuram

the beginning....

From Srivilliputtur, my grandfather's marriage took place with Kodai, a lady from Tiruchirapalli, near Srirangam, in Central Tamil Nadu. Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam, my paternal grandfather, was true to his name. The family was extremely devoted to Ranganatha, the deity at Srirangam. Having come from Srivilliputtur, the deities at the prayer place were mainly Andal, Ranganatha and Panduranga. Kodai, my grandmother, or Kodamma, as we knew her, was a twin. Her sister, Lakshmibai / Lakshmamma, was married at Hyderabad in the Nizam State of those times.

Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam

My paternal grandfather

Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam and Kodamma

My paternal grandfather and grandmother

My paternal grandfather, Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam and

My paternal grandmother, Rambai (a.k.a. Kodai - Kodamma) - c. 1958, Mumbai

My grandfather, born on 9 July 1899, served in the army for a brief while, and later moved to the Railway Protection Force, which was an armed force of those times. He kept getting transferred to many places, but kept roots in Chennai, near Nungambakkam. His brother-in-law's family was settled at Nungambakkam and they were attached to the temple of Ranganatha at Tiruvallur. On alternate transfers, the family stayed in Chennai, and kept visiting the Tirumala temple of Sri Venkateswara frequently. Soon, the prayer place was now dedicated to Sri Venkateswara, and was accompanied by Andal, Ranganatha and Panduranga.

My paternal grandmother, Kodai, came from a very respectable family, full of good traditions, devotion and family values. My father was born in Belgaum and his brothers and sisters were born in different places, as the family kept moving.

My paternal paternal great grandfather, Shri Neela Meghala Shyamala Naidu, was an expert at civil construction and much sought after, as a valued contractor for works. He was invited for construction works and was involved in projects in Rajapalayam, Srirangam-Trichy, Kumbakonam, Chennai and nearabouts. In his later years, he was called to Mumbai and was involved in construction projects in the emerging metropolis, sometime in 1920s. Later, he returned to Madras, settled down with his daughters, Balamma and Shanmughavalli, who were married and staying at Triplicane and Mambalam areas. He passed on to the greater temple above in Madras.

My paternal paternal great grandmother, Rukmini Devi, was born in Srivilliputhur and married in the same city. She passed on to the greater temple above while at Srivilliputhur when my paternal grandfather was 12 years old, therefore, 1911. She would have been about 35 years old at that time, so, possibly born 1875 or thereabouts.

Shri Neela Meghala Shyamala Naidu and Smt Rukmini Devi would have probably been residents of Renganathapuram or Perumalpatti at Srivilliputhur, or nearabouts.

My paternal grandfather, Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam and paternal grandmother, Rambai, a.k.a Kodamma, a.k.a. Kodai, had eight children. Three survived to be elders and managed their families. Five children died due to various causes. Their names were -

(1) Daya Krishna - aka Damu
(2) Navneetha Krishna - aka Babu aka Nagabhushan aka Balapila Naga Bhushan (my father)
(3) Pramila Jairam Naidu
(4) Venkata Krishna - aka Venkappa (passed on due to illness)
(5) Sarala
(6) Murali Krishna
(7) Kaushala Ram
(8) Shanta Ram - aka Shantaram Naidu

Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam (Centre) with B. N. Bhushan (Left) 

and Shantaram Naidu (Right) - sometime in the late sixties. 

Photographer - myself, at age 8 or 9 years old, 

with a b&w photosmart camera that cost Rs. 18