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TRANSCRIPT
CHAPTER - II
CIRCUMSTANCES LEADlNG TO FREEDOM STRUGGLE IN RAVALASEEMA - SOCIO-REblGIBUS-ECOMOPAIG CULTURAL 1 AND POLITICAL FACTORS
1 Social Background
Indian society including Andhra and Payalaseema were still believers and
practioners in caste system and superstitions. The upper caste commurity lhke
Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vysyas were believers of ancient traditions and their
superiority of their birth has been identified assuming pos~tions In the society.
The Sudras comprised of several sub-castes occupy different professions fo i
the~r iivelihooc! In the society. Owing to self-reliance In their respective
professions (small scale cottage industries), they were well off and had enough
earnings which provided them satisfaction in their economical life rather than
identity with social equality.
Even though economic satisfaction by self-reliance, the hierarch~c
construction of the castes gave rise to inequalities among them. Even in matters
of residence, the lower castes were segregated from the higher ones and were
assigned separate quarters of the village or the town for residence. The
untouchables and other lower castes who formed the nether most layers of the
caste ridden Hindu society were further debarred from the right of the using the
public wells and tanks. Hierarchy gradation, social and other inequal~t~es,
endogamy, restrict~ons on dining and the lack of freedom regard~ng the choice
vocation were the principal features of the caste system in Rayalaseema.
The advent o i the Britishers committed a serious mistake by djsruptlng
the social and religious system of Hindu society. The Britishers stopped Sat1
system by Law. This measure which appears so just and reasonable was then
considered by Hiqdus an ouirageous and insultirg to their sacred socio-religious
tradition. The company antagonised the people by Introducing changes in their
laws of inheritance and succession. By a law, the government entitled a Hindu
even after embracing Chrlstlanity to claim his share in his ancestral property.
This was highly resented by the Indian people and had no exception in
Raya!aseerna.
Establishment of Christian Missionaries in Rayaiaseema
The f~rst Christian Missionary activity was established in the year 1597
A.D. when two Jesuit Fathers and a Brother were at the court of Venkata
Rayalu at Chandragiri in Chittoor district. Some of the people from lower
sections (Sudrasi and Chandalas of Telugu people were converted into
Christianity to safeguard their identity rather than the superiority of birth as
insisted by the Hindu hierarchical caste system against untouchability which
prevailed among Hindu society. A widow and her four children embraced
Christianity against Sati system at Punganur. The family probably belonged to
the Velama caste. Thus the beginning of Christianity in Andhra was first made
in Rayalaseema. Punganur thus became cradle of the Telugu ~hr i s t ians . '
Towards the close of the 18th century, Reverend Henry Arnold established a
Christian Missionary at Punganur In Chittoor district. The Roman Catholic
Mlssron was established at Madanapali~, in Ch~ttoor district and Father-Le-Gae
established a Jesuit Miss~on at Krishnapuramvillage in Penugonda taluk. By the
teachings of Father-Le-Gae many Hindu people especially Kapus from
Mudigubba village in Anantapu: district were converted into Christianity. in
add~tion to the Kapus a few lower castes like Goilas and some Kamsaias (local
s~b-castes) were converted into Christianity. By the teachings of Father La
Fountain even the high caste Brahmins and Balijas of the village of Thadimarry
embraced the new faith.2 In Cuddapah district. Karnataka Jesuit Mission which
was a French Mission, formally situated at Pondicherry converted a number of
Hindus into Christlarity. The Nawab of Cuddapah was also influenced by the
priest Joachim a physician.3 According to the reliable sources, Reverend
Mawbey and Gribbles Protestant Missionary activities were reached to
Cuddapah. The other Christian priest like Reverend Howell who was the
surveyor of the public works departments at Cuddapah did great efforts In
converting a number of Hindus into Christianity. Reverend H.O. Nelll wna was
in-charge of the districts of Cuddapah and Kurnool changed great number of
Hindus into Christianity at ~ a n d y a l . ~ In Rayalaseema the Sudra especially the
Chandalas voluntarily embraced Christianity only for equal soclal opportunity.
The Britishers through Christian Missionaries provided food, shelter, cloth,
educat~on and employment opportunity to the downtrodden among the
hierarchy of Hindu Society. Thereby, the lower sectlons of Hindu society
desired social equality and social justice which indirectly infused them towards
the feeling of the netionalism and ultlmateiy b r o ~ g h t t h e m into :he fold of lndlan
freedom movement.
Spread of Western Education
The spread of Engilsh education in Rayalaseema was the result of the
na:lve and the departmental efforts and mainly because of the educational
activities of the variobs Christian Miss~onaries durlng the 19th century. Three
rnaln Christian agencies were responsible for the spread of modern the
education in India especially Rayalaseema. Among three one was from foreign,
the second from British Government and the third was from progressive Indians.
The Christian Missionaries who did extensive work in the cause of the
spread of the modern education in India, were inspired mainly by a motlve of
proselytizing spirit to speed up the spreading of Christianity among the Indians.
They sincerely believed that their campaign to convert the lndlans was a
civliising Mission. They attacked polytheism, the caste inequalities among
Hindus for Christianity, fundamentally stood for oneness of God besides social
equality. These Misslonaries were pioneers of the modern education in Indla.
Though the Christianity was the part in the process of education, secular
schools were also established to impart secular concept among Indians t o bring
together various caste sections in the lndlan society. According t o the available
sources like the written report of the Cuddapal? district In the year 1825 A.D.
cerlain charity scboois were established in Rayalaseema. In 1830 A.D. the
Native Regimental School was started in Cuddapah cantonmerr. These schools
represent particularly the first impact of western educat~on in Rayaiaseema5.
Boarding school for the orphans was established at Cuddapah in the year 1845
A.D. by the London Visslon which was an evident fact to the earliest activlty
in the field of education in Rayalaseerna. As per the reliable sources, four
vernacular schools were opened by the American Mission at Ch~ttoor In the year
1854 A.D. In 1855 A.D. a school exclusively for women's education was also
opened at Chittoor. Another boarding school for boys was also started as early
as 1855 A.D. at Nandyal. The London Mission started a g~rls school at
Cuddapah in 1860 A.D. Another educational institute at Gooty was established
dur~ng the year 1862-1863 A.D. During 1864.1865 A.D, there were about 25
village schools started by the society in Cuddapah district. Malthus
Mu!tipurpose School was established at Gooty in 1876 A.D. Fathers A.Milius
of the Hermansburg Evangelical Lutheran Mission also opened a secondary
school at Tadipatrl in 1880 A.D. During 1822-1881 A.D, the Roman catholic
Mission also ran an institution within the limits of Anantapur Municipality. The
Church of Scotland built Middle School at Nagari in 1882-1883 A.D. The
sochety for the propagatton of Gospel set up a Middle School in Nandyal in
1884 A.D. Reverend E.Lewis of the London Mission founded a middle school
whth 58 pupils at Adoni In 1887 A.D. Coles Memorial High school was
estabhshed at Kurnool in 1890 A . D . ~
Besides these, a few Anglo - vernacular schools were also started in
Raya,aseema both by the E;ove:nrnent and local bodiesduring sixties, seventees
and eighties of the Pineteenth century. The Municipality of Adoni started a girls
school in 1878 A.D. with 38 pupils. It has been recorded that private
management Girls High School was taken over by the Anentapur Municipality
in 1879 A.D. An Elementary Local Fund i4ormal Schooi at Cuddapah, a local
fund girls high school at Punganur, local fund schools at Alur, Puttur,
Srikalahasti and Kuppam were established by the aid of the British Government.
Similar institutions at Narayanavanam and Chadragiri were also started in 1883
A.D. The Government Middle Schools at Madanapalli and Kurnool were also
established. Like wise, several primary and middle schools were established at
various places in Rayalaseema. Some of the non-Christian private agencies and
Theosophical society of Madanapaili in 1915 A.D. made a land mark in the
deveiopment of collegiate education in ~aya laseema.~
The above educational institutions in Rayalaseema spread knowledge and
English language which led to the narrowing of social-gulf between the
educated and the masses. This education was greatly divorced from the real
life of the people in Rayalaseema and problems viewed from the standpoint of
Indian National progress. I t glorified and idealized the British rule and
depreciated India's past instead of giving a critical scientific appraisal of i t . It
overemphasized the study of the English education and Christianity. It d ~ d not
awake any national pride. All these further promoted an educated lndian to
disorient from the Indian masses to feel himself identified with the ruling nation
and harbour a contemDt for the natives.
The study of English language and other social sciences through
educational institutions either by the establishment of Christian Missionaries or
by the British Government or by the native institutions provided an opportunity
to study the social liberation and nationalist philosophical literature. The works
of Herbert Spencer, the profound sociologist, Lock, the great philosopher, John
Stuwart Mill, the implacable foe of all authoritarianism and stalwart exponent
irdividua! liberty and popular sovereignty, Adam Smith, the father of modern
economics, Carlyle and Ruskin, both ruthless cr~tics of social injusticesrampant
in modern society and Gibbon and Burke, both outstanding historians of modern
epoch inspired the Indians t o build up a democratic and rationalistic outlook.
Further, the English language rendered a great service as a medium of
communication for the educated Indians through out India to exchange views,
on national scale on different subjects of social, political and scientific interest.
It proved very valuable as a medium of expression of various national congress
conferences. The progressive role of the introduction of modern education in
India and to the resultant contact with modern culture was strikingly proved by
the fact that practically all leaders of progressive movement, economic,
political, social, religious or cultural, belonged to the educated intelligentsia. The
pioneers and the leaders of the National Movement were the English educated
lnd ia~s .
2. Religious Background
As the natives were the staunch believers of their own religion-Hindu~sm,
the national democratic awakening found expression in the religious sphere.
The concept of social cohesion by the teachings of devotionalism, the
pilgrimage of holy places, :he perineal rivers after the names of Indian gods and
goddesses, national religious festivals I~ke Durgastami [Goddess Durgsi,
Deepavali iVicto:y of God Krishna over evil power) Sri Pama Navami the birth
of god Rama and Ganesa (God Vinayaka) and other religious rituals and
historical episodes of Sivaji and Jhansi Lakshmi Eai uprising naconal unity in
every nook and corner of Hindu society. Payalaseerna in Andhra is no exception
from the spirited nationalism of tne country by the said factor of religious
fervour. The political and religious leaders like Dayananda Saraswati,
Vivekananda, Tilak and Mrs.Annie Besant reminded the people of their religious
past glory ard the superiority of Vedic culture, They also suggested the
methods how best they could be revived.
The pilgrim places of several faiths of Rayalaseema are Tirupati and
Srikalahasti in Chittoor district for Vaishnavism and Saivism, Srisailam,
Mahanandi and Ahobilam in Kurnool district for Saivism, Lepakshi In Anantapur
distr~ct for Easava Saivism, the Mutt of Vira Brahmendra Swamy at
Kandimallayyapaili and Vontimitta in Cuddapah district for Vaishnavism, the
religious festivals like Vijayadasami, Ganesa, Srirama Navami, Sivaratri, Ganga
Jathara (consort of Siva) Deepavali are being performed in every village and
town in Rayalaseerna inspired the feelings of religious oneness paved to the
way the nationalism in Rayalaseema. The rivers like Krishna at Srisailam in
Kurnool district, Tunga Bhadra (after the name of God Veera Bhadra who rose
from the matted hair on the head of God Slva, who trampled (Tunga) and
destroyed the perfo:msnce of Yaga by Daksha] at Sangarneswaram in Kurnool
district, Swarna Mukh: iborn :P the hills of Seshachalam hills of Tirumala of Sri
Venkateswara! w h ~ c h flows the outskirts of Srikalahasti a sacred pilgrim place
of God S~va, gave inspiration to religioirs nationalism in Rayalaseema. The old
deit~es were interpreted in a way suitable for rousing national sentiment and
hopes among the people. This wonderful tra~sfiguration of the deities carrled
the message of new nationalism to the masses of Rayalaseema. The
Bramhasarnaj, under the leadership of Raja Ram Mohan Roy and his followers
in Rayalaseema like Kalluri Subba Rao from Anantapurdistrict. Anantasayanani
lyengar from Chittoor disrict, Mrs.Annie Besant, the founder of the
Theosoph~cal society st Madanapalli in Chittoor district from Rayalaseema
propagated religious reform movement and launched an offensive against caste
system branding ~t as undemocratic, inhuman and anti-national. They crusaded
agalnst child marriages. They stood for the freedom and equal rights of the
women and remarriages for widows.
The religious reform movement in Rayalaseema valued the modern
western culture and organized national educational institutions at Madanapall,
Kurnool, Nandyal, Anantapur, Cuddapah, Adoni and Hindupur for inspfration of
nationalism among the people. As such the leaders of Rayalaseema carried out
the liberal democratic culture of the west as admirers of Raja Ram Mohan Roy
They broadcast the freedom of press and criticized the British government for
excluding the Indians from h~gher posts and on the other nand gave new hope
to the down-trodden and ignorant multitudes and led to a new political and
social awareress by developing a sense of seif-respect a ~ d strongly yearning
for the amelioratior of the ills o: the Rayalaseema.
Thus, tne religious movement aiming at national freedom from the Brit~sh
rule and the establishment of ar, Indian society and state on a democratic bass
and also of tne modern economy, became a function of an all-embracing
:eligious movement. Nationalism was expressed in religio terms and clothed in
a religion-myst~cal form and became secular for further development of the
Nationalism.
3. Economic Background
The Nationalism emerged in Rayalaseema due to economlc frustration.
People were well off due to self-sufficiency in their respective fields of
agriculture and small cottage ~ndustries before the advent of the British Raj, The
crafts pursued in Rayalaseema in olden days were s i l ~ and cotton splnning and
weaving, carpentry, bangle making, lacquer work, manufacture of brass and
bronze-ware, earth salt, indigo and dyeing. Iron smelting was also one of the
ancient industries of this region. Kalamkar~ temple cloth paintings of
Srikalahast~, the toy making of Tirupati out of the hard wood of red sandars,
Bachanna ~ornrnalu of Nossam village In Kurnool district earned a name for the~r
exquisite craftsmanshrp. Silk weavlng at Dharmavaram, rug-weaving in the
:aluks of Kalyanadurg. Pattikonda, Dhone and Kurnool and carpet weavlng in
the taluks of Adoni and Yurnool were the other important cottage inoustries of
Rayalaseema. These industr~es particularly spinning and weaving, later suffered
a set-back due to the keen competition faced from the machine-made goods.
A majority of the units in Rsyalaseema were Agro-based. The other
industries such as oil mills, rice mills, cotton ginning, shelling and pressing mills,
tobacco processing, cotton mills, ground nut decortlcating and oil pressing and
silk thread twisting assumed greater importance because they constituted the
small industrial bulk and were supported by agricultural products like oil seeds,
paddy, tobacco, cotton and other grown abundantly in this region. The non-
agrlculturai smaii scale industries like slates Industry at Markapur, Wooden
works, ceramic works, mining and grinding, brick works were flour~sh~ng. These
gave a new impetus to the economy of Rayalaseema. The chief centres of
trade in Rayalaseema of those times were Anantapur, Dharrnavaram, Hindupur,
Guntakal, Cuddapah, Proddatur, Chittoor, Tirupati, Kurnooi, Nandyal,
Yemmlganur and ~ d o n i . '
Britishers destroyed the old order by introducing machine made
consuming goods in mass scale in Rayalaseema. Thus, the Britishers spelt ruin
on the old system which was based on the self-sufficiency of the village. The
Britishers were interested more in their trade and commerce than in the well-
be~ng of rurai lnd~a and its masses. Their intention was t o develop the Indian
market for the goods manufactured in Great Britain and take raw material from
Rayalaseema for their industry. With this object in view, they developed the
railway system in Rayalaseema IPuttur to Renigunta) and framed a suitabletariff
policy. Although the aim of the government was to develop the lndian market
ir. the internet of :he Brltish manufacturer, they could not avoid the raise and
growth of Indian Industry. As an unintended result of the economic policies
pursued by the government a new capitalist class emerged in Rayaiaseema
which played an important roie in the development of lndian nationalism in
Rayalaseema. The birth of the new capitalist class was greatly assisted by the
destruction of the village Industries which was the direct consequence of the
tariff policy of the Brltish Government. The ranks of the new class were
swelled by the large class of land lords who came into existence as a result of
the land revenue policy of the British Government. The village ceased to be the
autonomous economic unit i t had aiways been and became dependent upon the
cities or the external world for industrial goods. A number of ruined artisans,
crafts men, weavers, spinners, tanners, blacksmiths from the village as weil as
the city had no option but to crowd into agr~culture. In this way, Rayalaseema
had no exception transformed from being a region of combined agr~culture and
economy into an agricultural colony of British manufacturing capitalism. The
pressure on land thus increased greatly, and the masses sank into poverty. I t
became one of the objectives of Nationalism in Rayalaseema side by s ~ d e along
with other ~rovinces in lndian subcontinent to alieviate the misery of tile
masses snd improve the~r standard of living.
The destruction of the economic self-sufficiency of the viliage and the
development of a nationai economy for a country as a ,whole were the logicai
result of the economic polictes of the British poiicies. The birth of the national
economy was indeed of greathelp to generate nascent nationalism In
Rayalaseema. Thus, the Britishers in a systematic way managed to ruln Indian
trade and native industries. The Maslin cloth which had been a good export
item in Rayalaseema was glven a death blow by the East lndia Company so as
to create market for British textiles which were manufactured in lancshire and
Liverpool, Import duty on English made cloth was removed in order to keep the
wheels of English textile mills running. ~s'pecially Rayalaseema wealth began to
f low to the west resulting in the poverty of the people. The selfish commercial
Engiish company paid no heed to improving the lot of the cultivators.
The land revenue poiicy ofthe British Government in lndia had disastrous
effects so far as the well being of the peasant was concerned consigned. It
became a target for the scathlng attacks of thenationalists. Since, the revenue
was collected In cash, the peasant found it very difficult to pay during lean
years. The peasant was forced to borrow from the money-lender at high rates
of interests. He thus sank deeper and deeper into the morass of poverty. The
land revenue policy was directly responsible for the increasing poverty among
the people and it convibuted a lot towards the growth of national awakening.
Miseries of Famine
The crops of Rayalaseema depended upor rains. In the later half of the
19th century the Kurnooi-Cuddapah canal provided water to the crops of that
region. lt was a major irrigation project taken up as early as 1860 A.D. and
completed during 1871 - 1872 A.D. by the Madras Irrigation and Canal
Company Limited. The canal takes off anicut built across the Tunga Bhadra
between the village of Sunkesula in Kurnool district and Razole in Alampur taluq
of Mahaboob Nagar district. Of its entire length of 306 Kms. 225.40 Kms lies
in Kurnool district. The canal was originally designed to irrigate an extent of
1.30 lakh hectors of land with a discharge capacity of 3,000 cusec. Wells,
tanks and streams also constitute the major source of irrigation in
~ a y a l a s e o m a . ~ However, i f the monsoon failed, agriculture used to be a mere
gamble w ~ t h rain. It caused famines in Rayalaseema very frequently. Famine
was the kind of terrors. Crops could not grow, the grass was burnt by the heat
of the sun and the cattle starved.'' Not fewer than eleven famines occurred in
~ayalaseema" and people were suffered greatly during the worst famine of
1876-78 A.D. popularly known as Doccala Karuvu. The agricultural families of
Cuddapah, Kurnool, Madanapalli, Punganur, Chittoor were the worst affected
farn~ne. Collectors and special commissioners drewthe attention of the Madras
Government to this sorry state of affairs affecting the large majority of the
people. As a result of the famines, the population decreased in Rayalaseema
special!^ in Cuddapah and Kurnool districts. Some of the families In these areas
were converted into Christianlty by foreign Christ~an Missionaries who opened
famine relief camps.12
Under these circumstances the Strachey Commission of 1880 A.D. itself
commented that the positioq of the British had not created any sense of general
obligation to give relief to the people. Except some emergency measures to
provide relief measures like suspending taxes, distribution of food, medicines,
and ~ rov id lng work, there was no policy on a notional level as a precautionary
measure in times of natural calamities. On the basis of the recommendat~ons of
the Stretchy Commission, Famine Relief and Insurance Fund was created.
Rupees 15 million were always to be provided in the Budget to be used for the
construction of the protective works like railways and canals. Under the Act
of 191 9 A.D. agriculture was put on the transferred list and provincial
governments were asked to contribute a fixed sum for expenditure over famine
relief. Though such steps were taken in the records of fam~ne history (1899-
1900 A.D.1 a heavy toll of life took away in Rayalaseema. All these
developments show one thing that the implications of a governmental
responsibility to the natural calamities like famines were not realised in all
seriousness by the British till at the fag-end of their rule. Gruelling poverty and
devastating fawines were mainly due to the selfish economic policy that
dislocated the economic life of the people in Rayalaseema.
4. Role of Press
The press piayed a vital role in airing the public opinion among the
educated Indians. Some Indian owned papers supported the introduction of
English education in lndia and also some benevolent programmes to Indians by
the British by which those papers were not only denounced but dubbed as anti-
nationalists. In due course, newspapers in native languages came into existence
and began to criticise the policies and doings of the Britlsh Raj. The
administrators fe!t embarrassed with hostile attitude of the vernacular press.
Consequently, i t imposed restrictions on the press in 1878 A.D. by vernacular
press ACT. Which provoked a much heat both in lndia and England and hence
revoked after four years. But soon the British Government took measures to
stifle the freedom of thought and speech to the native people. Such h ~ g h
handedness of the British Government in india intensified the anti-Br~t~sh
campaign by the national leaders. The period between 1858-1 885 A.D saw the
growth of several vernacular newspapers and journals and literary associations
sprung up throughout the country. Rayalaseema also echoed the same
thoughts. The first Telugu newspaper Satyaduta was published by the Christian
Association of Bellary for the propagation of Christianity, as a counter to this.
Veda Samaj of Madras p~bl ished a Telugu News Paper Tatvabodhini In 1864
A.D. Veeresaiingam Pantuiu the mighty social reformer started Vivekavardhini
in 1874 A.D in Rajahrnundry for introducing reforms in the social and llterary
fields. Later on, he also started separate journals like Satihitabodhini, Hasya
Sanjivlni and Satya Samvardhini. The first two were exctusiveiy ior the cause
and uplift of the women while the other two were for the cause of removal of
sociai evils like child marriage, caste system, dowry and the institution of
prostitution as sn integral part of the H~ndu caste system. The other journals
like Sasirekha and Krishnapatrika threw iight on the evils of Brltlsh
administration and criticised the government's defective public welfare
activities. The press n fact helped in spreading wide new ideas of Nat~onallsm,
Democracy and social change in ~aya laseema. '~ The press played a vital role
in airing and infiuencing the public opinion among the peopie in Rayalaseerna.
In Madras presidency, the Telugu press played a key role during the time of
National Movement. Ka~pa Subramanyam Sastri and Mahanandayya both being
influenced by National Movement desired to start a newspaper named Swarajya
Udayam. On the advice of Pappuri Rama Charyulu, the great freedom fghter
from Anantapur, they named it Sri Pinakini Patrika after the river Pinakini. Thus.
the first issue of Sri Pinakini Patrika appeared on 16th September 1922 A.D.
Pappuri Ramacharyuiu was one of its founding partners and was also the
~ d i t o r . ' ~ Then P.Ramacharyulu left the Sri Pinakini patrika as some differences
had cropped up and he started Independently Sri Sadhana Patrika in 1926 A.D.
Gadicherla Harisarvo:hama Rao published Matruseva from Sadipatri and then
shifted to Naidyal. These papers, however, focused attention on the public
grievances of ~ a ~ a i a s e e m a l ~ , because of the transport faciiity of the first
railway line was const:ucted in Rayalaseema between Puttur and Ren~gunta In
1862 A.D.. which was in fact the first railway line in ~ n d h r a . "
5. Role of Associations
A number of publlc Associat!ons began to bring political awareness
among the people. Rayalaseema also took part in it. As a result Gajula Lakshmi
Narasu Serty (1806-69 A.D.1 organised Chennapatnamswadesh~ Sangham and
founded the first lnd~an owned newspaper In Madras called the Crescent in
1844 A.D." In 1852 A.D. the Madras Native Association was started by some
of the leading citizens of both Andhra and Madras. It was first affiliated to the
British Indian Association of Calcutta but subsequently became independent of
it. The s a ~ d association submitted petitions and memoranda to the Br~tish
Parliament, and other authorities concerned played an important role for some
years.18
The Madras Mahajana Sabha, another political organisation, was started
on May 16, 1884 A.D. with P. Rangaiah Naidu as the President and P.
Anandacharyulu of Chittoor in Rayalaseema as the Secretary. The aim of the
Madras Mahajana Sabha was to give proper directions to the growing national
consciousness among the people. They played a major role in the public
awaken~ng in Madras These associations provided the ililterates
wi th information and knowledge about current political conditions and an
opportunity for the illiterate to become enlightened. The establishment of the
lndian National Congress in 1885 A.D. a;so gave further impetus to the
formation of District Associations in Andhia and the first such District
Association was Krishna District Associaiion formed in 1891 A.D. out of the
twenty one districts of Madras presidency. In due course of time, such
associations were also formed in Cuddapah, North Arcot and several other
districts. Besides. Gooti Kesava Pillai started People's Association at Gooty in
Anantapur during the year 1882 A.D. It fostered political activity and
represented grievances to the British ~overnrnent", through discussions in the
sessions of the Madras Legislative Assembly. In addition to local associations,
Agriculture Association was started by the people of Penugonda In Anantapur
district in the year 1907 A.D. to discuss Agricultu:al as well as polit~cal issues.
I t gained name as the first of its kind in the Madras ~ r e s i d e n c y . ~ '
By the guidance of retired civil servant A.O.Hume, a foreign Nationalist,
the native patriots started the Indian National Congress (INS). Soon it became
popular throughout India had its maiden session in Bombay In 1885 A.D under
the presidentship of Umesh Chandra Banerjee. It gained name and fame as a
prestigious organisation. Rayalaseema people fairly represented in the first
session of lndian National Congress. The famous nationalists from Rayalaseerna
were P. Anandacharyulu, S.N.Narasimhulu Naidu from Chittoor district and
Gooty Kesava Piliai from Anantapur attended the session on behalf of
Rayalaseema. The second session of lndian National Congress was held at
Calcutta in 1886 A.D. and Andhra sent 21 delegates had ~ t s represen:ation.
Rayaiaseema gotthe credit by P. Anandacharyulu because he presided over the
lndian National Congress session at Nagpur in 1891 A.D. Other Andhra
nationalists like A.P.Parthasarathi Maidu and Nyapathi Subba Rao attended the
debates of the session.'* The early leaders known as moderates of lndian
National Movement believed in theconcept of prayer and petition, but in course
of time they also gradually lost thelr faith in the British, i t gave scope for the
use of extremists who took lead in the Vandemataram and Home Rule
Movements till 1916 A.D. The southern people met the people of north by
actively participating in the National Movement and the spirit of Nationalism
received greater impetus in due course of time. So a large majority advocated
Swadeshi and boycott of foreign commodities not only as an instrument of
political warfare but also as the essential meansfor the economic and industrial
revival of the country.23 ln several regions, the leaders launched and
part~cipated in regional movements in the form of offering solutions to the
problems of the regions concerned and joined the main stream of National
Movement.
Gooty Kesava Pillai was very much associated with the lndian National
Congress from its inception.24 Through the press media and public meetings
he highlighted the case of Hampanna who sacrificed his life in defending the
honour of two indian women against some European soldiers near Guntakal.
This event professed the atrocities of Britishers on the Indians at various
localities In the country.25 In fact, many political and social organisations
affiliated to the lndian National Congress played a s ig~i f icant role as platform
to enumerate and inculcate the concept of National Unity and t o bargain
concessions from the British. The Congress Progiamme from 1885 - 1905 A.D
was modest in nature. While moderates demanded constitutional reforms,
economic relief, administrative reorganizations and protection of civil rights,
rather than the demana for independence. Owing to the circumstances, it is
clear that the intention of the moderates was not-self-rule-swaraj but
administrative reforms. They adopted a resolution to seek political
representation in legislatures, local self-institutions, high posts in administration
and army, restriction of military expenditure, simultaneous examination of the
Indian Civil Service in England and India, Agriculturai Development and
protection of native Industries. Thus, the period from 1885 to 1905 A.D. in
Indian history was regarded as the period of moderate appeals and petitions and
redress. The same tendency was conspicuous in Rayalaseema too where the
people participated wholeheartedly in the annual sessions of lndian National
Congress and voiced their grievances. The burden of revenue taxes was too
heavy and so discontent prevailed among the people. The Britishers exploited
natural resources and paid no heed to irr~gation facilities for crops, medical care
for the poor, education and social welfare for middle class society. The decline
of small-scale industries commenced with the introduction of rnach~ne made
producl;ons. Hence, the people of Rayalaseema raised their voice of d~scontent
in the annual sessions of the indian National Congress which took the shape of
resolutions and later became the petitions to the British for redressed. The
delegates from Rayalaseema region regularly participated in the annual sessions
of the lndian National Congress. Gradually, they lost confidence in the prayer
and petition method and slowly moved towards the demand for Swarajya or
Self-rule for natives within the British empire on the model of the self-governing
colonies of Australia and Canada. The demand was first pronounced by Gopala
Krishna Gokhale in 1905A.D. at Banaras and later explicitly stated by Dadabhai
Nauroji in 1906 A.D. a t Calcutta. The moderates steered the lndian National
Congress upto 1919 A.D which was an era of advent of Gandhiji into lndian
pol~tics. In every major course of lndian Nat~onal struggle, according to lndian
National Congress, the entire Rayalaseema plunged into the movement and
carried on the programmes env~saged by the National leaders. In this way
Rayalaseema, followed in the foot steps of Gandhiji and was connected the
movement w ~ t h main streams of National Movements in North India and their
reflections over Rayalaseema from 1905 t o 1947 A.D. will be discussed in the
following chapters.
REFERENCES
1. Rarnakrishna. V, Social Reforms in Andhra 1848-?999, New Delhi, 1983 p p 49-53.
2. Sivasankara Narayana, B.H. iedi. OP. Cit.. pp.124-125
3. Ibid., pp.143-144
4. Gribb!e. J.D.6 : A Manual of the District of Cuddapah in the Presidency of Madras, Madras, 1875, p.351.
5. Sivasankara Narayana, B.H. led), OP. Cit.. p.596.
6. Ibid., pp.637-698.
7. Rarnesan, ied), Andhra Pradesh districts gazetteers. Chittoor, Hyderabad, 1979, p.156.
8. Siva Sankara Narayana, B.H, (Ed) Andhra Pradesh District Gazeneers : Anantapur Gazetteer, Hyderabad, 1970, pp.307-349.
9. Rajagopal, M.V., (Edi Andhra Pradesh District Gazetteers : Kurnool, Hyderabad, 1974, p.75.
10. Sivasankara Narayana, B.H., Op.Cit., p. 251
11. Narayana Rao, K.V., The Emergence of Andhra Pradesh, Bornbay 1973, pp.7-17.
12 Extracts from Native News Paper Reports for the Fortnight Ending 30, November, 1891, Para 65, (TNSA)
13. Gopal B.R. : History of Andhra Pradesh, Part-I, Mysore, Maithili Prakasana, 1987, pp.62-163.
14. Sreeramulu, R. : Pratibhashali (Biography) of Pappuri Rarnacharyulu in Telugul, Anantapur, 1986, pp.14-15.
15. Ibid., pp.14-15
16. Rarnana Rao, A.V. : Economic Development of Andhra Pradesh. 1776-1957, Bombay, 1958, pp.250-157.
Anil Seal : The Emergence of lndian Nationalism, New Delhi, 1982, pp.197-198.
Venkata Rangaiah, M. : The Freedom Struggle in Andhra Pradesh. Vol.11, Hyderabad, Government of A.P., 1965, pp.86-87.
Government of Madras Public Department, Proceedings Mo.3443, Dated 10.07.1886.
Damodaram P~llai, D. : Gooty Mesava Pillai, 1860 - 1933, Biography in Telugu), Hyderabad, Government of A.P., 1978, p.7.
The Hindu, dated January, 24, 1907.
Gopal B.R. : Op.Cit., pp.163-164
Ghoshe, P.C.: History ai Indian National Congress, 1892-1909.
Pattabhi Sharamayya, B. : The History of the Indian National Congress, Vol.1, Bombay, 1946, p . l lO .
Venkata Rangaiah, M and lnnaiah, N : Andhralo Swatantra Samaram, Hyderabad, Government of A.P., 1972, p.10.