Chagi
Encyclopedia
The Chagi were an ancient ruling dynasty of Andhra Pradesh
who ruled over Natavadi region (in Krishna District
) with Gudimetla as there Capital. Chagis were Suryavanshi Kshatriya
s of Vasishta gotra and are ancestors of Sagi
and Vatsavai
clans of Kshatriya Rajus
of Andhra. According to the folklores of the Raju
caste
, Chagis are believed to be one of the four tribes/clans that migrated from North to Telangana
and gradually settled into the Northern Circars in the 6th century.
s, Eastern Chalukyas, Kakatiya
s, Gajapathis
, Vijayanagar
Dynasties and were Zamindar
s during Nizam
and Colonial rule
. The Kakatiya
King Ganapati Deva's sister Melambika was married to the second son of Chagi Buddaraju, who was ruling Natavadi region.
The Chagis were closely related to Eastern Chalukyas, Kakatiya
s, Paricchedis and Kota Kings
through marital alliances.
The Chagi dynasty broke into various branches, specifically the Vatasavai royal families of Peddapuram
, Tuni
, and Godicharla, the Sagis of Kottur, Konda-kirla, Rayavaram
, Rajala, Sarva-siddhi, Vemalapudi, Velchur Kodur and the Raja Sagis of Kota Uratala and Thangedu Zamindars. All regard Chagi Pota Raju, who participated in the battle of Palnadu
in 1178-1182 as a common ancestor. The family name changed over time from Chagi to Sagi. The Vatsavai branch of Chagi(Sagi) came from Vatsavai Timma Raju sometime around the 14th century when he changed the family name in honor of a Fort. Of all these branches the most accomplished are the Vatsavais of Peddapuram
. They attained the title of Jagapati in the 16th century.
was founded by Maharaja Vatsavai Pedda Pathrudu. Raja Vatsavai Chaturbhuja Timma Jaggapathi Bahudur built the fort of Peddapuram, and He ruled the estate from 1555-1607. After his demise, his son Raya Jaggapthi ruled, followed by his children Timma Jaggapathi and Balabhadra Jaggapathi. By 1785 Peddapuram extended from Thotapalli to Nagaram encompassing 585 villages and towns. From 1791-1804 it was ruled by Sri Vatsavai Raya Jaggapathi, who the British
chose to take over in 1802. Raya Jaggapathi's widow Buchi Sitamma, ruled from 1828-1835. She founded two trusts for the poor, one in Peddapuram and another in Kathipudi. Even today the poor are fed for free twice a day.
For 300 years the estate of Peddapuram was ruled by Vatsavai Jagapathi Maharaja’s. The Vatsavai Maharaja’s patronized poets such as Enugula Lakshmana Kavi and Sri Vedula Satyanarayana Sastry. With no heir, the estate was briefly ruled by Sri Suryanarayan Jagapathi Bahadhur until 1847, when it was taken over completely by the British East India Company
who made the town a revenue division and built The Munsif court and a Lutheran High School.
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
who ruled over Natavadi region (in Krishna District
Krishna district
Krishna District is a district of India's Andhra Pradesh state. It is named after the Krishna River, the third longest river that flows within India, flows through the district and joins Bay of Bengal here in this district. It has a population of 4,529,009 of which 32.08% is urban as of...
) with Gudimetla as there Capital. Chagis were Suryavanshi Kshatriya
Kshatriya
*For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya or Kashtriya, meaning warrior, is one of the four varnas in Hinduism...
s of Vasishta gotra and are ancestors of Sagi
Sagi
Sagi is one of the Indian surnames used by Kshatriya Rajus of Andhra Pradesh. Sagis were descendents of Chagis, which is an ancient ruling clan which ruled over small Kingdoms of Andhra , especially in Palanadu region...
and Vatsavai
Vatsavai
- Villages in Vatsavai Mandal :The following is the list of villages in this Mandal.#Allurupadu#Bhimavaram #China modugapalle #Chittela#Dabbakupalle#Dechupalem#Gangavalli#Gopinenipalem#Hasanabada#Indugapalle#Kakaravai#Kambampadu#Kanneveedu#Lingala...
clans of Kshatriya Rajus
Rajus
The Raju are a Telugu caste inhabiting Andhra Pradesh, India.-Etymology:Raju is a Telugu variation of the Sanskrit word Raj and Raja meaning king, prince or lord...
of Andhra. According to the folklores of the Raju
Rajus
The Raju are a Telugu caste inhabiting Andhra Pradesh, India.-Etymology:Raju is a Telugu variation of the Sanskrit word Raj and Raja meaning king, prince or lord...
caste
Caste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
, Chagis are believed to be one of the four tribes/clans that migrated from North to Telangana
Telangana
Telangana is a region in the present state of Andhra Pradesh, India and formerly was part of Hyderabad state which was ruled by Nizam. It is bordered with the states of Maharashtra on the north and north-west, Karnataka on the west, Chattisgarh on the north-east and Orissa to the east...
and gradually settled into the Northern Circars in the 6th century.
History
Chagis while occasionally enjoying independent rule most of the time they had been feudal allies of the VishnukundinaVishnukundina
The Vishnukundina Empire was an Indian imperial power controlling the Deccan, Orissa and parts of South India during the 5th and 6th centuries, carving land out from the Vakataka Empire. It played an important role in the history of the Deccan during the 5th and 6th centuries CE...
s, Eastern Chalukyas, Kakatiya
Kakatiya
The Kakatiya dynasty was an Indian dynasty that ruled most parts of what is now Andhra Pradesh, India from 1083 CE to 1323 CE, with Orugallu , now Warangal , as its capital. Orugallu is also called 'Eka Sila Nagaram'...
s, Gajapathis
Gajapati Kingdom
The Gajapatis were a medieval Hindu dynasty that ruled over Kalinga , large parts of Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal, and the eastern and central parts of Madhya Pradesh and the southern parts of Bihar from 1434-1541. Gajapati dynasty was established by Kapilendra Deva in 1434...
, Vijayanagar
Vijayanagara Empire
The Vijayanagara Empire , referred as the Kingdom of Bisnaga by the Portuguese, was an empire based in South Indian in the Deccan Plateau region. It was established in 1336 by Harihara I and his brother Bukka Raya I of the Yadava lineage. The empire rose to prominence as a culmination of attempts...
Dynasties and were Zamindar
Zamindar
A Zamindar or zemindar , was an aristocrat, typically hereditary, who held enormous tracts of land and ruled over and taxed the bhikaaris who lived on batavaslam. Over time, they took princely and royal titles such as Maharaja , Raja , Nawab , and Mirza , Chowdhury , among others...
s during Nizam
Nizam
Nizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad popularly known as Nizams of Hyderabad was a former monarchy of the Hyderabad State, now in the states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , and Maharashtra in India...
and Colonial rule
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
. The Kakatiya
Kakatiya
The Kakatiya dynasty was an Indian dynasty that ruled most parts of what is now Andhra Pradesh, India from 1083 CE to 1323 CE, with Orugallu , now Warangal , as its capital. Orugallu is also called 'Eka Sila Nagaram'...
King Ganapati Deva's sister Melambika was married to the second son of Chagi Buddaraju, who was ruling Natavadi region.
The Chagis were closely related to Eastern Chalukyas, Kakatiya
Kakatiya
The Kakatiya dynasty was an Indian dynasty that ruled most parts of what is now Andhra Pradesh, India from 1083 CE to 1323 CE, with Orugallu , now Warangal , as its capital. Orugallu is also called 'Eka Sila Nagaram'...
s, Paricchedis and Kota Kings
Kota Vamsa
Kota Vamsa in Telugu means Fort Dynasty and is used to refer to the medieval dynasty which ruled over a small region of Andhra Pradesh with Dharanikota as their capital from around 8th century AD to the mid 12th century AD...
through marital alliances.
The Chagi dynasty broke into various branches, specifically the Vatasavai royal families of Peddapuram
Peddapuram
Peddapuram is an important Municipal town in the East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh in South India. It is also capital town for Peddapuram Mandal.- Geography :Peddapuram is located at . It has an average elevation of 35 metres ....
, Tuni
Tuni
Tuni is a town and a municipality in East Godavari district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.Tuni is a Major commercial marketing centre for more than forty surrounding villages in the east Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh....
, and Godicharla, the Sagis of Kottur, Konda-kirla, Rayavaram
Rayavaram
Raya-varam is a village in Pudukottai, Tamil Nadu state, India.-Geography:Rayavaram is located at . It is a village in . It is 72 km south of Trichy and 90 km North of Madurai. The nearest town, Pudukottai, is 18 km away. The closest airport is Tiruchy. It is situated just 8 km...
, Rajala, Sarva-siddhi, Vemalapudi, Velchur Kodur and the Raja Sagis of Kota Uratala and Thangedu Zamindars. All regard Chagi Pota Raju, who participated in the battle of Palnadu
Palnadu
Palnadu is the northern region of Guntur District in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Also known as Pallava Nadu, it occupies an important place in Telugu history. After the decline of the Satavahana dynasty, the Pallavas became independent in Krishna river valley. The region is known as...
in 1178-1182 as a common ancestor. The family name changed over time from Chagi to Sagi. The Vatsavai branch of Chagi(Sagi) came from Vatsavai Timma Raju sometime around the 14th century when he changed the family name in honor of a Fort. Of all these branches the most accomplished are the Vatsavais of Peddapuram
Peddapuram
Peddapuram is an important Municipal town in the East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh in South India. It is also capital town for Peddapuram Mandal.- Geography :Peddapuram is located at . It has an average elevation of 35 metres ....
. They attained the title of Jagapati in the 16th century.
Inscriptions of Chagi(Sagi)
- In Yanama-lakuduru, south of BezawadaVijayawadaVijayawada is the third largest city in Andhra Pradesh, India, located on the banks of the Krishna River and bounded by the Indrakiladri Hills on the West and the Budameru River on the North. The city is located in the Krishna District, about from the state capital Hyderabad.Vijayawada literally...
an inscription is left in honor of Tulukam Velnadu Sagi Doraya Raju dated 1215 AD. - In 1230 AD and 1246 AD. inscriptions describe the reign of Chagi Pota Raju and Manma Raju.
- An inscription left in a temple in the Krishna districtKrishna districtKrishna District is a district of India's Andhra Pradesh state. It is named after the Krishna River, the third longest river that flows within India, flows through the district and joins Bay of Bengal here in this district. It has a population of 4,529,009 of which 32.08% is urban as of...
around 1260 AD gives the genealogy of the Sagis and states the family is of the Bahujakula(KshatriyaKshatriya*For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya or Kashtriya, meaning warrior, is one of the four varnas in Hinduism...
). Bahuja means arm or shoulder in SanskritSanskritSanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
and kula means caste. In Hindu mythology, the four castes formed from the body of lord BrahmaBrahmaBrahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
with the KshatriyaKshatriya*For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya or Kashtriya, meaning warrior, is one of the four varnas in Hinduism...
s arising from his arms and chest. - An inscription in Gudimetla on a fort dated around 1268 AD during the reign of Kakatiya Rudrama Devi Maharaju mentions a * Sagi Pota Raju was her commander in chief.
- Vatsavai Pratapa Ayyappa Deva Maharaju was mentioned in 1443 AD.
- Sagi Gannama was a governor under the rule of Vira Pratapa Gajapati Purushottama Deva of the Gajapati Dynasty (AD 1462-1496) of Orissa. He built a hill fort in Vinukonda. In 1447 AD Sagi Ganamma built the Temple of Lakshmi Narasimha at Vinukonda. Sagi Ganamma also built Raghunatha swamy temple in 1447 AD.
Rulers of Peddapuram
The town of PeddapuramPeddapuram
Peddapuram is an important Municipal town in the East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh in South India. It is also capital town for Peddapuram Mandal.- Geography :Peddapuram is located at . It has an average elevation of 35 metres ....
was founded by Maharaja Vatsavai Pedda Pathrudu. Raja Vatsavai Chaturbhuja Timma Jaggapathi Bahudur built the fort of Peddapuram, and He ruled the estate from 1555-1607. After his demise, his son Raya Jaggapthi ruled, followed by his children Timma Jaggapathi and Balabhadra Jaggapathi. By 1785 Peddapuram extended from Thotapalli to Nagaram encompassing 585 villages and towns. From 1791-1804 it was ruled by Sri Vatsavai Raya Jaggapathi, who the British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
chose to take over in 1802. Raya Jaggapathi's widow Buchi Sitamma, ruled from 1828-1835. She founded two trusts for the poor, one in Peddapuram and another in Kathipudi. Even today the poor are fed for free twice a day.
For 300 years the estate of Peddapuram was ruled by Vatsavai Jagapathi Maharaja’s. The Vatsavai Maharaja’s patronized poets such as Enugula Lakshmana Kavi and Sri Vedula Satyanarayana Sastry. With no heir, the estate was briefly ruled by Sri Suryanarayan Jagapathi Bahadhur until 1847, when it was taken over completely by the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
who made the town a revenue division and built The Munsif court and a Lutheran High School.