Vizagapatam/Gazetteer/Anakapalle Taluk
ANAKAPALLE TALUK.
Anakapalle taluk lies next south of Vizagapatam, on the coast of the Bay. CHAP. XV. Anakapalle. Near the sea it includes low-lying and swampy ground; but a little further inland rises a disconnected line of the red hills characteristic of the plains of this district; then follows a plain of unusually rich land; while on the north a larger line of the red hills separates the taluk from Viravilli. Much of the tract of rich land is watered from the Sárada channels and grows excellent sugar-cane, other parts of it are dotted with wells and the patches of garden crop they irrigate, and the prevailing tree throughout the whole is the palmyra, which stands in rows along the boundaries of all the fields and grows in clumps in every hollow.
The whole of the taluk is zamindari land. It contains three places of interest, some account of which follows:—
Anakápalle : A municipality of 18,539 inhabitants CHAP. XV. Anakapalle. on the trunk road and the Madras railway, 21 miles west of Vizagapatam in the midst of a level expanse of rich wet land watered by the Sárada, which river runs close by the town and is crossed by both the road and railway bridges. The place is badly-built and overcrowded, but is reputed to be extremely healthy and is a favourite place of residence with natives of the district. Its municipality is referred to in Chapter XIV. It contains a hospital, a school, a travellers' bungalow constructed on a highly original plan (opposite which is the much revered tomb of a woman who committed sati), a dharmasála and, to the south, the remains of a fort called after the famous Páyaka Rao mentioned in the account of Páyakaraopéta on p. 312 below. In this last are shrines to Bhógésvara and to the goddess Núkalamma, at the latter of which a largely-attended festival and buffalo sacrifice occur on each Telugu New Year's Day.
Anakápalle is known for its brass and iron vessels, made by Kancharis; for its cotton cloths and sheeting woven by Dévángas, the latter of which are called nágabandham from their diamond patterns and are popular in the Gódávari district; for the sugar-cane growing conducted by those industrious and enterprising agriculturists, the Gavaras; for its large market on Sundays; and as being the head-quarters of the principal estate of the rich and influential family of landed proprietors known as the Godé family, who pay more peshkash to Government than any one in the district except the Rája of Vizianagram.
The founder of this family, whose members say that tho} are Perike or Puragiri Kshatriyas by caste, was Godé Jagga Rao, who was dubash (agent and interpreter) to Mr. Andrews, the Chief at Masulipatam, and came with him to Vizagapatam when (see p. 35) he became the first Chief of the latter district. He had two sons, Súrya Prakása Rao and Súrya Náráyana Rao. The former of these was a naturalist and botanist of repute (rare qualifications among men of his station in those days) and laid out the excellent garden at Anakápalle in which the Godé bungalow now stands. Dr. Benza, in his notes of his journey through the Northern Circars with the then Governor, Sir Frederick Adam, in 1835, says of him that 'he speaks and writes the English language uncommonly well, and his pronunciation evinces hardly any foreign accent. He disregards the show and glitter, the suite of attendants, the umbrella-carriers, and other indispensable appendages of his countrymen of rank corresponding to his own; and wears none of their ornaments. He came to visit the Governor on a superb Arabian horse, and was introduced without a single attendant. We accompanied him on his return to Anakápalle, and he conducted us to his garden, which was laid out in a most beautiful style, rich with indigenous and exotic plants and trees.' He also assisted in the capture of the notorious rebel Páyaka Rao (p. 313) in 1834. He had no son. His younger daughter married M.R.Ry. G. L. Narasinga Rao.
Jagga Rao's second son. Súrya Náráyana Rao, had two sons named respectively Venkata Jagga Rao and Náráyana Gajapati Rao. In those days there were few colleges at which a boy could be given an English education, and the alternative was a private tutor. Venkata Jagga Rao was accordingly sent all the way to Madras to be under the tuition of Mr. T. G. Taylor, F.R.S., then Government Astronomer. There he imbibed the keenest interest in astronomy (again a rare accomplishment in men of his position), writing, to the now defunct Madras Journal of Literature and Science, papers on points connected with that science and being on one occasion recommended to act for Mr. Taylor. On his return to Vizagapatam he built, in 1841, in the family residence there, Dábá Gardens, the well-equipped observatory which still goes by his name and [is referred to in the account of Vizagapatam below (p. 332). He died in 1856 at the early an;e of 39 without male issue. His only daughter married M.R.Ry. Ankitam Venkata Narasinga Rao, a Deputy Collector (who continued and extended the meteorological observations which were being carried on at the observatory and became an F.R.A.S. and F.R.G.S.), and their son, M.R.Ry. A.V. Jagga Rao, who inherits a taste for science, is now in enjoyment of their share of the family property, including Dábá Gardens.
Súrya Náráyana Rao's second son, Náráyana Gajapati Rao, was born in December 1828; educated at the Hindu College, Calcutta; succeeded to his share of his father's property in 1853 ; took a prominent part in the founding of what is now the Mrs. A. V. Narasinga Rao College, in the erection of the civil hospital in Vizagapatam and in numerous other public benefactions; was a member of the Legislative Council for sixteen years from 1868; and was granted the title of Rája in 1881, a C.I.E. in 1892, the title of Mahárája in 1898, and a K.C.I.E. in 1903. He died in the same year and his widow, the Maháráni Lady Gajapati Rao (who was his cousin and the adoptive daughter of M.R.Ry. G. L. Narasinga Rao above referred to) survives him. He was the last of the family in the direct line- Of his two daughters one married into the Wadhwán family of the Bombay Presidency and now resides at Súrya Bágh, Vizagapatam, while the other (since deceased) married the Rája of Kurupám in this district. There thus now survive two chief representatives of the various branches of the family; namely, M.R.Ry. A. V. Jagga Rao and the Maháráni Gajapati Rao.
The property of the Godé family includes (besides land in the Gódávari and Ganjám districts) the nine estates of Anakápalle, Bharinikam and Munagapáka in Anakapálle taluk; Godicherla, Koruprólu. Nakkapalli and Srirámpuram in Sarvasiddhi; and Kuppili and Shérmuhammadpuram in Chipurupalle. Of these, all but Bharinikam and Koruprólu (which were subsequently carved out of other properties) were estates which were formed out of the havili land and sold in auction at a fixed assessment in 1802. Except Shérmuhammadpuram, which was bought by Godé Jagga Rao himself, all the others were originally purchased by the Rája of Vizianagram. Anakápalle was sold by him to Godé Súrya Prakása Rao in 1810; Munagapáka was bought by the same Prakása Rao in 1830; Godicherla and Srírámpuram were purchased in 1818 by Súrya Náráyana Rao, but the latter resold Srirámpuram again and after changing hands several times it was eventually bought by Súrya Prakása Rao in 1835; Nakkapalli was sold for arrears of revenue in 1812 in three portions; namely, Nakkapalli, Koruprólu and Pedda Gummalúru, the first of which was eventually, in 1818, bought by Súrya Náráyana Rao; and Kuppili, after passing through several hands, was purchased by the same gentleman in 1836. Of the remaining two properties, Bharinikam consists of one village which originally belonged to the Chipurupalle estate but became separated from it in the course of sales for arrears and was bought by Súrya Prakása Rao in 1822; while Koruprólu, which (as has been seen) was a part of Nakkapalli, was purchased by the same gentleman in 1820. The third of the three subdivisions of Nakkapalli, the village of Pedda Gummalúru, changed hands, it may here be noted, several times until in 1863 the S. S. Prakása Rao and Mungamuri families, whose descendants still own it, acquired it jointly.
When Súrya Náráyana Rao died in 1853, his share of the property was divided between his two sons. Of the above nine estates, five (Anakápalle, Bharinikam, Munagapáka, Godicherla and Srírámpuram) are now in the possession of Maháráni Lady Gajapati Rao; two (Koruprólu and Nakkapalli) were bequeathed for life to her strep-daughter, the Ráni Sáheb of Wadhwán, by the will of Mahárája Sir Gajapati Rao executed in August 1896; one (Kuppili) was similarly bequeathed to the three children of his second daughter, wife of the Rája of Kurupám, named respectively V. Súrya Náráyana Rázu, V. N. Gajapati Rázu, and V. J. Ratnayamma, who now reside at Waltair; while the last of the estates (Shérmuhammadpuram) is the property of M.R.Ry. A. V. Jagga Eao.
The largest of these properties, as has been said, is Anakápalle. It comprises 22 villages, mucli of the land in which is watered by three channels from the Sárada which are supplied from two anicuts and equipped with head-sluices.
Kasimkóta: A crowded and untidy union of 7,450 inhabitants, lying amid level cultivation 3½ miles south-west of Anakápalle, just off the trunk road and on the bank of the Sárada river. Contains a railway-station. No traces survive of the fort after which it is named. During the Muhammadans' rule of the country it was 'y*' chiefest Fort in the Country' and the head-quarters of a command in the Chicacole Circar (it still contains the descendants of the many Musalmans who received inam lands in those days); and it continued to be the chief town of a division for some time after the British acquired the district in 1768, and the doings of its Rája frequently figure in the old correspondence. Col. Forde's troops here joined those of Vizianagram previous to their march southwards against the French at Rajahmundry and Masulipatam in 1758 (p. 33). Glass bangles and coarse white cloths are made in the village.
The place is the residence of the Bráhman owner of the proprietary estates of Kasimkóta and Mélupáka, the latter of which lies in Sarvasiddhi taluk. The^e were two of the properties which were formed in 1802 out of the havili lands and put up to auction at a permanent assessment. Mr. Carmichael says that they were then bought by the Rája of Vizianagram for Rs. 4,343 and Rs. 5,265, respectively; that two years later, the Rája sold them to Kárumanchi Venkatáchalam, at whose death in 1837 they passed to his maternal grandson, Mantripragada Venkata Rao; that on the latter's demise in 1845 his brother Chiranjivi Rao and his posthumous son Venkatáchalam jointly succeeded and, being minors, were put under the Court of Wards; and that the former died in 1851, while the latter attained his majority in 1863 and died in May 1865 leaving a minor widow, Rámayamma, and an infant daughter Mahálakshmamma. The former was made h ward of court until her majority in 1867, and died in 1883. The latter then succeeded to the estate; but she died in CHAP. XV. Anakapalle. 1892 and the property passed to her minor son, the present proprietor, Márella Chinna Venkatáchalam. The estates were at first managed by the minor's father and uncle, but in 1896 were placed under the care of the Court of Wards until the minor attained his majority in October 1903.
The Rámayamma mentioned above purchased in 1883 (from her stridhanam property, she said) the proprietary estate of Mámidiváda in the Sarvasiddhi taluk, which consists (see p. 310) of one village subdivided off from the Chipurupalle estate. Her daughter Mahálakshmamma, the late proprietrix of Kasimkóta and Mélupáka, inherited this property and, at her wish, it was assigned to her two minor daughters, Nedunúri Ráma Lakshmamma and Vallúri Chinna Ammáyi. Their brother, the present proprietor of Kasimkóta and Mélupáka, has been appointed their guardian under section 59 of Act I of 1902.
Sankaram: A village of 441 inhabitants about 1½ miles north by east of the Anakápalle travellers' bungalow. In the fields belonging to it are two low, contiguous, rocky hills, running east and west, which are locally known as the Bojjanakonda and contain some of the most remarkable Buddhist remains in the Presidency. The more western of these hills is formed of a series of rock strata which have been thrust over into a vertical position, and along its crest these crop out in four or five low, parallel, walls of rock which have weathered into parallel rows of pinnacles. Each of these pinnacles, some scores in number and of all sizes, has been fashioned into a Buddhist stúpa of the usual pattern. The villagers, not recognizing what they are, call them the Kotilingam, or 'crore of lingams'. In three places the strata have compacted to form a solid mass of rock on the crest of the hill, and this has been cut, with immense labour, into three huge stúpas, the biggest of which is about 30 ft. in diameter and of corresponding height. On the southern side, these are weathered out of all shape, but on the north they are almost as sharp as the day they were cut. The villagers call them 'the heaps of grain.' To make these three great stúpas, cuttings have been driven right through the solid rock of the hill, and in the case of the largest of the three the excavation is some 6 feet wide and 20 deep. It contains, at the bottom, a porch about 27 feet long by 5 wide and feet in height, also excavated in the solid rock, out of which opens a small, plain, shrine some 7 feet square. But it is on the eastern of the two hills that the more remarkable Chap. XV. Anakapalle. of the remains are situated. Every rock pinnacle on this has similarly been carved into the semblance of a stúpa, and in a considerable outcrop of black, weather-beaten rock on its western face is a two-storeyed rock-cut temple, in and about which are numerous Buddhist sculptures. This outcrop stands perhaps 75 ft. above the surrounding fields and is reached by an irregular flight of broken steps. The face of it has been cut back to give a vertical facade to the shrine; and thus a small, level, rock-terrace has been formed. Out of the back of this opens the lower of the two chambers of which the temple consists. Above the entrance to it is sculptured a small figure sitting, with legs crossed, in the usual contemplative attitude, while on one side is a life-size, standing, nude Buddhist figure. The chamber itself is excavated out of the solid rock and is 30 ft. square and 8 ft, high. It was originally supported on 16 roughly cut pillars about 2 feet square, standing in four rows of four each, and each equidistant from the next. Five of them have disappeared, probably owing to fires having been lit round them, and the two nearest the entrance bear rudely sculptured figures about four feet in height. In the centre of the chamber stands a stúpa, about four feet high and almost shapeless from age.
Immediately above this chamber, excavated in the same outcrop of rock, is a smaller shrine. Over the entrance to this, in a large niche, is sculptured a seated Buddhist figure, cut in high relief. It is about five feet high and on either side of it is a standing figure, while two smaller ones hover about its head. On one side of the entrance is a second similar figure, and on the other is a third, rather smaller. All three of these have been whitewashed, and they are conspicuous for a great distance across the surrounding fields.
Passing through this entrance (immediately above, and on either side of, which are small seated figures) one reaches a rectangular chamber about 12 ft. by 4 ft. and 7 ft. high, on the walls of which are sculptured in relief two large seated images, two smaller ones, and a number of other figures. All of these are much dilapidated, the rock being of a soft variety and very coarse texture. Out of this chamber opens an inner shrine about 9 ft, by 5, on the back wall of which is carved a seated Buddhist figure 5 ft. in height and 18 inches in relief, behind which rises a cobra with hood expanded, while on the two side walls are two standing images of about the same size flanked by kneeling male or female figures in an attitude of adoration, and other lesser carvings—among them more stupas. These figures are CHAP. XV. Anakapalle. again much worn. They all exhibit the lengthened ear lobes and the closely curled hair which is characteristic of such images. Limits of space forbid any more detailed account of all these sculptures, and in any case no description would be very intelligible without the aid of drawings.
On the side of the hill a little above this upper chamber is a square pillar, 7 feet high, which is a conspicuous object from the fields below, and not far from it is a small detached cell about 18 ft. by 6 ft. and 7 ft. high, supported on four pillars ornamented with the conventional lotus and containing yet another seated Buddhist figure and certain other images.
Above all these, on the summit of the hill, are a large quantity of bricks, some in position and some scattered in every direction among the grass. It may perhaps be conjectured that these are the remains of a stupa which was built above the rock-cut temples.
There appear to be no inscriptions on any part of these interesting remains.
At the Pongal feast a large gathering of some thousands of Hindus takes place at the foot of these two hills. Sundry religious ceremonies are performed and the village cattle are taken up to the lower of the two chambers above described and driven eight times round the stupa in the centre of it. The crowd then disperses and the shrines are left to the bats and owls for another year. Similar rites are performed at other caves in this district.
At this feast, the curious stone image standing in the hollow between the two hills also comes in for some attention. This represents a woman surrounded by a border made up of tiny human figures and is locally declared to be the image of one Erinamma, who used to kidnap children and eat them. Every woman who comes to the Pongal feast hurls a stone at her, and she is now all but buried beneath the pile so formed.