Telangana
History
History of Telangana
Delve into the annals of our state's rich history, from its earliest civilizations to its present-day achievements.
In the heart of the vast Indian subcontinent, nestled atop the undulating landscapes of the Deccan Plateau, lies Telangana - a land with an ancient heartbeat, a reservoir of tales, and a legacy that stretches back millennia.
Telangana, perched on the Deccan Plateau, is a tapestry of dynastic tales from the Satavahanas to the Asaf Jahi Nizams. It saw the might of the Kakatiyas, the resilience of the Musunuri Nayaks, and the splendor of the Golconda Sultanate. In 1724, Nizam-ul-Mulk's ascension marked a new era, introducing the region to modern innovations. Post-independence, after a brief resistance, Hyderabad integrated into the Indian union in 1948. Fast forward to 2014, Telangana emerged as India's 29th state, with the dynamic Hyderabad at its heart.
Let’s dive into the early history of Telangana.
Pre-history (Up to 1000 BCE)
In the heart of India, on the high Deccan Plateau, lies the landlocked jewel that is Telangana. And within its ancient heartbeats echo tales of valiant dynasties, one of which is the remarkable Satavahana Dynasty.
The lands of Telangana boast a rich pre-historical legacy. Archaeological studies, particularly under the Nizams' regime, unveiled evidence of continuous human habitation from the Paleolithic age. Tools, microliths, cists, dolmens, cairns, and menhirs have been found in all ten districts of Telangana, speaking to the ancient civilizations that once thrived here. Although formal research has been limited since 1956, individual amateur explorers have made significant contributions in uncovering this vast prehistoric past.
Pre-Satavahanas (1000 BCE – 300 BCE)
As we move closer to recorded history, Telangana emerges in Buddhist and mythological texts, marking its presence both geographically and linguistically. Thakur Rajaram Singh, B N Sastry, and Dr. D Raja Reddy, through their dedicated explorations, illuminated a society that thrived before the Satavahanas. Notably, Dr. Raja Reddy, with numismatic proof, revealed that rulers with Kotalingala as their capital existed prior to the Satavahanas. This region's significant achievement is the issuance of punch-marked coins, some of the earliest in the subcontinent. Ancient accounts by Magesthenes and Arrian also describe Telangana as a land dotted with thirty forts, many of which await discovery.
Satavahanas (250 BCE – 200 CE)
The post-Mauryan era saw the rise of the Satavahanas, a dominant power that originated in Telangana with its first capital in Kotalingala. This initial seat of power was often overshadowed by the more recognized capitals in coastal Andhra like Paithan and Amaravati. Coins from the Satavahana kings like Simuka, Siri Satavahana, Satakani I, and VasittiputtaPulumayi, unearthed in Kotalingala testify to their grandeur. Their reign, marked by cultural prosperity, was a time when literature, such as Gathasaptashati, and art, like the paintings of Ajanta, flourished.
Post-Satavahanas (200 CE – 950 CE)
The decline of the Satavahanas in the third century AD fragmented the Telugu-speaking regions under multiple rulers. While mainstream historians once considered this a dark period, recent research suggests otherwise. Telangana was governed by a plethora of dynasties like the Ikshvakus, Vakatakas, and Vishnukundins, to name a few. This period, spanning almost seven centuries, is still shrouded in mystery and awaits more comprehensive research.
Kakatiyas (950 CE – 1323 CE)
In the annals of Indian history, the Kakatiya dynasty holds a pivotal position, having sprung from the shadows of the Rashtrakuta sub-feudatories to assert their own dominion by around 950 AD. Their reign spanned more than three centuries, with Warangal transforming into the capital from its initial location at Hanumakonda. The realm witnessed the valor of rulers like Ganapatideva, Rudradeva, and the iconic Queen Rudramadevi - the first woman to helm the throne in this region.
A salient feature of the Kakatiyas was their vision in irrigation and water management. The topography of Telangana, with its unique undulating landscape, was turned into an advantage with a meticulously designed chain-tank system. This irrigation foundation fuelled economic prosperity, which in turn fostered a thriving cultural milieu. However, the allure of this affluent empire attracted the covetous eyes of neighboring states and the distant Delhi Sultanate. Repeated attempts to invade were thwarted until 1323, when the Delhi forces finally breached Warangal, leading to the tragic end of King Prataparudra.
Post-Kakatiya Interregnum (1323 – 1496)
The fall of the Kakatiya dynasty heralded an era of political fragmentation. Over the next 150 years, Telangana's mantle was donned by a medley of rulers, including the Musunuri Nayakas, Padmanayakas, Kalinga Gangas, Gajapatis, and Bahmanis.
Qutbshahis (1496 - 1687)
The stage was set for the ascendancy of the Qutbshahis by 1496. Sultan Quli Qutb Shah, once the Telangana subedar under the Bahamanis, raised the flag of independence with Golconda as his epicenter of power. Spanning seven sultans, the Qutbshahi dynasty extended its influence beyond Telangana, encapsulating vast swathes of today's Maharashtra and Karnataka.
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Their reign, however, wasn't to last indefinitely. The looming shadow of the Mughal empire, with its insatiable thirst for conquest, turned its gaze towards Golconda. By 1687, the Qutbshahi stronghold fell, plunging Telangana into another period of tumult and fragmented rule for the subsequent decades.
The Asaf Jahis (1724-1948) Era
Foundation: In 1712, the Mughal Emperor Farrukhsiyar appointed Qamar-ud-din Khan as the viceroy of the Deccan region and titled him as Nizam-ul-Mulk. A significant turn of events in 1724 led Qamar-ud-din Khan to reclaim the Deccan suba, marking the birth of the Asaf Jahi dynasty and renaming the region as Hyderabad Deccan.
Legacy: The Medak and Warangal divisions of the current Telangana region were under the Asaf Jahi Nizams. The capital was shifted to Hyderabad in 1769, and in 1799, the Nizams surrendered their defense and foreign relations to the British, while remaining rulers of their dominion.
Post-Independence Era
Hyderabad's Resistance: Post the British departure in 1947, Hyderabad wished to remain independent. This dream was short-lived, as the state saw an armed struggle led by the local peasants against the private militia known as the Razakars, headed by Qasim Razwi.
Integration into the Indian Union: India, adamant about integrating Hyderabad into its union, initiated Operation Polo on 17th September 1948, successfully annexing the state. By 26th January 1950, M. K. Vellodi was appointed the chief minister of Hyderabad State. 1952 saw the state’s first democratic election with Dr. Burgula Ramakrishna Rao as the victor.
First Telangana Movement
Genesis: The locals of the Telangana region in the 1950s voiced their desires for a separate state. The States Reorganization Commission (SRC), formed in 1953, was petitioned by the Telangana folks. Intellectuals and leaders like Prof. Jayashankar, Sri HC Heda, and Sri Konda Venkat Ranga Reddy put forth a comprehensive rationale for the Telangana state. The SRC, in its report on 30 September 1955, recommended the formation of Telangana.
Political Back and Forth: Despite the SRC's recommendation, political maneuvers resulted in the merger of the Telangana region with the Andhra state, thus forming Andhra Pradesh. This merger happened under the umbrella of the Gentlemen’s Agreement, which sought to protect the interests of the Telangana region but was promptly violated.
1969 Telangana Agitation
Rise of Discontent: The non-fulfillment of the Gentlemen’s Agreement, and the subsequent perceived discrimination against Telangana, culminated in the 1969 agitation. Initially, a student-led protest, it quickly escalated with support from a broader audience, resulting in police firings and about 369 deaths.
Political Movements: Amidst the unrest, the Telangana Praja Samithi (TPS) was formed by Sri M. Chenna Reddy in 1969. In the snap parliamentary elections of 1971, the TPS won 10 out of the 14 seats in Telangana. However, with Mrs. Indira Gandhi’s Congress (R) Party's significant victory and the formulation of the Six-Point Formula, the agitation witnessed a decline post-1973.
Final Telangana Movement
The seeds of the final Telangana Movement were sown in the mid-1990s when the demand for a separate state of Telangana began to gain traction. The 2000s saw the agitation intensify, largely under the leadership of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and its founder, K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR).
In 1997, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) expressed its support for Telangana's statehood. However, despite the creation of other states, Telangana remained unformed due to political complexities, including opposition from the Telugu Desam Party.
Stepping into this political chasm, KCR founded the Telangana Rashtra Samithi in 2001, after extensive consultations with key stakeholders in the region. Backed by stalwarts like Prof. Jayashankar, TRS soon became the primary political force championing the statehood cause.
By 2004, the TRS had strategically allied with the Congress, securing significant representation in both state and central government. This marked the first official recognition of the Telangana issue at a national level, with mentions in the UPA-1 Common Minimum Program, and speeches by President Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
However, progress was slow, and a feeling of stagnation led to KCR's resignation from the Union Ministry in 2006. The subsequent years saw the TRS engaging in various political maneuvers, including alliances and by-elections, to emphasize the statehood demand.
The tipping point came in 2009. KCR's hunger strike, combined with a mass uprising involving students, workers, and various societal sections, propelled the issue to national attention. This immense pressure led to a short-lived declaration by the UPA government in December 2009 to initiate the statehood process. However, internal disagreements and external pressures soon led to a retraction.
Formation of Telangana State
To streamline the agitation, various political entities and organizations in the Telangana region formed the Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC) in 2009. The TJAC, under the leadership of Prof. Kodandaram and with active participation from TRS, played a crucial role in organizing and intensifying the movement.
It wasn't until July 2013 that the UPA government recommenced the statehood process. By February 2014, both houses of the Indian Parliament passed the bill for Telangana's statehood.
In the General Elections of 2014, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi emerged as the leading party in the region, laying the foundation for KCR's leadership in the newly formed state. Thus, on June 2nd, 2014, Telangana was officially inaugurated, with KCR as its first Chief Minister, marking the culmination of decades of struggle and aspiration.