appointment, dated 1676-77, is still kept at Pithápuram. Both the MS. history and the genealogical tree agree in saying that the nucleus of the present zamindari of Pithápuram was given to another son named Rámachandra Rao; the former ascribes the gift to king Abu Hassan, but the latter gives the date as 1647. The sanad then granted is not forthcoming, but the MS. gives what purports to be a copy of it. According to this, the grant included the 'pergunnas' of Cocanada, Selapáka (7 miles south of Cocanada) and Porlunádu (i.e., apparently, Pithápuram).1[1] Samalkot and two other villages were also given as mokhása.
The MS. goes on to describe the fortunes of Tenugu Rao's children in some detail. Two more of his sons, Krishna Rao and Rangasáyi Rao, were intimates of king Abu Hassan, being particularly good chess-players. The latter killed himself in the presence of the king rather than survive the insults which that ruler, being out of humour, one day heaped upon him.
Various descendants of the seven sons of Tenugu Rao held the estate for some years. One of them, Venkata Krishna Ráya-Nimgár, at length obtained an exemption from the payment of peshkash and 'ruled over the estate as if it were independent.' Certain zamindars of the country having failed to pay their revenues, an expedition was sent by the Muhammadans under Rustum Khán,2[2] the subordinate of Anwar-ud-dín, about 1733 to suppress them. The zamindars of Mogalturru and Ellore were defeated at Ellore and called in the help of Venkata Krishna Ráya-Nimgár and the zamindarni of Peddápuram. The united forces of the zamindars fought the Muhammadans twice near Peddápuram, but were defeated and driven into exile. The Rája of Pithápuram 'lived for some time among the hills of Tótapalli on predatory excursions.' His cousin Bachchanna was captured with the remnants of the army by Rustum Khán and he and his followers were beheaded at Pithápuram.
Venkata Krishna Ráya himself is said in the MS. to have died of jungle fever in Tótapalli. But this is apparently wrong. The genealogical tree makes him rule till 1759, and his existence in 1754-55 is proved by nine Muhammadan
- ↑ 1 Pórlunádu is nowadays used to designate those parts of the Cocanada, Peddápuram and Pithápuram country which are watered by the Yeléru. The word is locally explained to mean 'the land of floods,' from porlu, 'to overflow.'
- ↑ 2 Called in the MS. 'Haji Hussain,' but evidently identical with Rustum Khán. The Rajahmundry MS. represents him as Nawáb of Rajahmundry from 1730 to 1737, and Mr. Grant (p. 208) gives the date of the defeat of the Mogalturru zamindar as 1733.
