GAZETTEER.
Soon after Mr. Russell appeared upon the scene in 1833 (see p. 57), Páyaka Rao disappeared, going, it was supposed, into the Nizam's country. But in 1834 he returned 1[1] at the head of a party of adventurers. Troops were sent after him; he fled to Rampa in Gódávari; the chief there gave him up; he was hanged in Páyakaraopéta on the river-bank; and his body, after the fashion of those times, was suspended in an iron cage on a gibbet there and left to moulder away. Forty years later 2[2] his skull and a bone or two still remained, but the masonry foundation is all that is now left of the gibbet. Among the villagers the spot goes by the suggestive name of 'Páyaka Rao's slip-knot post.'
Pentakóta: Lies at the mouth of the Tándava stream near the southern extremity of the taluk and district; population 1,646. Contains the remains of the fort after which it is named and a considerable mosque. Was once a salt-factory and port. The latter, though unsafe in the south-west rains, was sheltered during the north-east monsoon and formerly did a considerable export trade at that season. It (and also Púdimadaka) was closed to regular trade in 1881 for the curious reason that it was too far from Vizagapatam and Cocanada for the European merchants to be able personally to supervise exportation, which resulted in the native contractors so adulterating the exports that the shippers incurred heavy losses.
Púdimadaka: Fourteen miles south of Anakápalle by a metalled road; population l,816. Was formerly a port, but was closed at the same time, and for the same reason, as Pentakóta (q.v.). It has been described as 'one of the safest ports on the coast of Orissa' — a ledge of rocks, terminating in the conspicuous landmark called the Pillar Rock, running out seawards to the south of it into five fathoms of water and efficiently protecting shipping during the south-west monsoon.
Ráyavaram: Eight miles south-west of Yellamanchili, population 2,625. Was formerly the station of the district munsif who now sits at Yellamanchili. Is said to be named after king Krishna Déva of Vijayanagar, who is supposed to have halted here during his expedition against Orissa about 1515 and to have recorded his victories on the big slab known as the ráchabanda, or 'king's slab,' which still lies in the market place.
The Village formerly gave its name to one of the hundas or properties which were formed in 1802 (see p. 170) out of the havíli land and put up to auction as permanently-settled estates. This was then bought by the Rája of Vizianagram, who in 1810, says Mr. Carmichael, sold it to Sági Rámachandra Rázu, his
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