where it refers to events in the latter half of the eighteenth century. Further materials for a historical sketch of the estate are provided by the appointments and title-deeds given to the family by successive Muhammadan rulers which are still preserved in its archives, and by an old genealogical tree kept there.
The family is of the Velama stock and its ordinary titles (like those of the Kálahasti zamindars) are Rao or RáyaNimgár. It claims descent from one Anupótama Náyudu, about whom some remarkable stories are told. His existence is proved by orders of the Báhmani kings — one of Ala-ud-din (1435-58) dated 1454, 'pardoning him for his misbehaviour' and granting him and his brother Mádhava certain lands, and the other by the son of Muhammad Shah II (1463-82) dated 1464-65 and confirming or modifying the former grant — but these do not connect him with Pitháapuram. The grants confer villages in the Nizam's Dominions, and the former directs him to come to the court of the Sultan. The 'misbehaviour' perhaps consisted of the exploits (mentioned in the MS. history) of his son, who collected a large army and conquered forts in the west, which were afterwards held by the family as a jaghir. The names of two of these forts are given in the MS. as Kailása and Metukúr, and a Metukúr is mentioned in the grant. Anupótama's brother, Mádhava Nayudu, is said in the MS. to have founded the family of Venkatagiri in Nellore. The family were afterwards ousted from their jaghir by 'some Delhi sirdars', but one of them, Ranga Rao (of the third generation after Anupótama Náyudu), won back Metukúr and Kailása by force of arms and his son and grandson ruled them more or less independently. The sons of the latter were ousted again and served the king of Golconda as sirdars. This must have been about the end of the sixteenth century.
It is from Mádhava Rao, one of these sirdars, that the Pithápuram family is descended. His sons 'lived for a long time at Samalkot,' and one of them, Tenugu Rao, was appointed Sirdar of the Rajahmundry Circar at the head of 4,000 troops with Anaparti (in Rámachandrapuram taluk) as a jaghir.1[1] He is said to have been appointed by king Abu Hassan of Golconda (1672-88), who was undoubtedly well disposed to his family. He had seven sons. One of them, Jaga Rao, was made a sirdar over 350 men and the letter of
- ↑ 1 The Pithápuram MS. professes to quote an inscription from Anaparti confirming this appointment, and dated 1598. But this date must be too early, and the list of Muhammadan rulers in the Rajahmundry MS. referred to below does not support the appointment.
