AGENTS FOR THE SALE OF MADRAS GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS• • IN INDIA. A. C. BARRAUD Be Co. (Late A. J. COMBRIDGS Be Co.), Madras. R. CAM BRAY Be Co.. Calcutta. E. M. GoPALAXRISHNA KONB, Pudumantapam, Madura. HIGGINBOTHAMS, (LTD.), Mount Road, Madras. V. KALYANARAMA lYER Be Co., Esplanade, Madras. G. C. LOGANATHAM BROTHKRS, Madras. S. MURTHY Be Co., Madras. G. A. NATKSAN &: Co., Madras. The Superinteudent, NAZAIR KANUN HnrD PRBSB, Allahahad. P. R. RAMA IYAR &: Co., Madras. D. B. TARAPORKVALA SONS Be Co., Bombay. THACKER &: Co. (Ltd.), Bombay. THACKKR, SPINK &: Co., Calcutta. S. VAS &: Co., Madras. IN ENGLAND. B. H. BLACKWBLL, 60 and s~, Broad Street, Oxford. CONsTABLa &: Co., 10, Orange Street, Leicester Square, London, W.C. DalGHTON, BELL Be Co. (Ltd.), Cambndge. T. FISHER UNWIN (Ltd." It Adelphi Terrace, London, w.e. GRINDLAY Be Co., 54, Parliameut Street, London, S.W. KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TR'uBNBR &: Co. (Ltd.), 68--74. Carter Lane, London, E C. and as, Museum Street, London, W.C. HBNRY S. KING Be Co., 650 Cornhi11, London, E.C. P. S. KING Be SON, a and 4, Great Smith Street, Westminster. London, S. W. LuZAC Be Co•• 46, Great Russell Street, London, W.C. B.~UARITCH, II, Grafton Street, New Bond Street, London, W. W. THACKER Be Co., a, Creed Laue, London, E.C. ON THE CONTINENT. ERNBSTLBROOX, as, Rue Bonaparte. Parla. MARTJlfOS NI]HOI'F, The Hague, Holland. MADRAS DISTRICT GAZETTEERS. I I GODAVARI. VOLUME f. 8/ , , GODAVARI DIS (Agency Tra Miles 10 5 o ~ r T , t t. I • " ' • t N o 01 )/1.1 I IV s o N .- ... .. I . ., , . I P( 1 I T • • .. 'O~"~'''''I~~~!~'' .,. " .. w' .. o• - ---~ _l~.'''' "-----------;~------------ I -- - -- --- ----- - - --- -- --- --s!iF----- - ! ,HOT ~) t .. I 20 Miles 1---- 1 A i-~-- - ~j G \ 1------ S2 ,i' .....................................;~ ................ ·P~h~o~to~-~p~r~,n:~~s~u:rv~e~y~O~f~fl~c:e~.~M~a:(~,~r, 1914 MADRAS DISTRICT GAZETTEERS I \~a ~ sec t-I CfV} G·onA V ARI BY F. R. HEMINGWAY, INPIAN ClVlJ, ~IU1VICJt. MADRAS: REPRINTED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT. GOVERNMENT PRESS. 1 9 1:5. u. PREFACE. THIS Gazetteer has been prepared on the plan prescribed by Government according to which statistics have been rele­ gated as far as possible to a separate Appendix which is to be revised decennially. The original 'District Manual' was written by Mr. H. Morris of the Madras Civil Service in 1878. I have gratefully to return thanks for help from many quarters. The account of the early history has been almost entirely based on information supplied by Rai Bahadur V. Venkayya. M.A •• the Government Epigraphist. whose kindness in reading and correcting my drafts and answer­ ing my 'questions I cannot too warmly acknowledge. The District officials have all given me their ready and cordial assistance, and so have many non·official residents of the district. I wish particularly to express my obHgations to the Revs. J. H. Harper. J. Cain ,and A. Gangloff, to Messrs. E. B. Elwin. I.C.S., H. Laflamme, C. Mildred, G. F. F. Foulkes, M. G. K. Waite, J. F. Marshall, M. \Voodhouse, W. J. ~l. Inkster, L. D. Buchanan, H. J. Anen, F. Armitage, A. C. Pranatartihara Aiyar, R. Venkata Rao and V. Partha­ saradhi Chetti and to Capt. M. N. Chaudhuri, I.M,S. All these gentlemen have helped me with the records at their disposal or with their personal experience; and they have supplied a large portion of the material found in this Gazet­ teer. I have also to't'hank Mr. J. A. Cumming, I.C.S., for reading through the proofs and for many" valuable sugges- tions. F.R. H. PLAN OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGES I. PHySICAL DESCRIPTION 1-16 II. POLITICAL HISTORY. 17-37 III. THE PEOPLE 38-67 IV. AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION ••• 68-91 V. FORESTS 92- 101 VI. OCCUPATIONS AND TRADE 102-12 3 VII. MEANS OF COMMUNICATION 124-134 VIII. RAINFALL AND SEASONS 135-147 IX. PUBLIC HEALTH 148-152 X. EDUCATION 153-159 XI. LAND REVENUE ADMINISTRATION 160-180 XII. SALT, ABKARI AND MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE ••• 181-187 XIII. ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE 188-195 XIV. LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT 196- 199 XV. GAZETTEER.- Amalapuram Taluk 200-206 Cocanada Taluk 207-u6 Nagaram Taluk 217-220 Peddapuram Taluk 221-226 Pithapuram Division 227-239 Rajahmundry Taluk 240-248 Rimachandrapuram TaIuk 249-254 Tuni Division ... .. ~ 255-257 Bhadrachalam Taluk ... 25 8- 265 ChOdavaram Division ... 266-277 Pc$lavaram Division 27 8- 283 Yellavaram Division 284-288 /' • INDEX 289-302 TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER L PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION. PAGK GENERAL DESCRIPTION (page I)-Chief towns (z)-Etymology of the name­ Natural divisions (3). HILLs-The Ghats. RIVERS (4)-The G6davari­ Its sanctity (6)-lt5 islands and encroachments-The season of its floods (7)-Its tributaries-The Yeleru. SOILS (8). GEOLOGy-Physical changes now in progress (9). MINERALS (lo)-Coal-The Gauridevipeta field­ Bedadanuru-Gold (Il)-Iron-Graphite-Mica-Building stone-Rock. crystals, garnets, sapphires. CLIMATE-Rainfall-Temperature (IZ)­ Wind and weather. FLORA. FAUNA (Ijl-Cattle-Buffaloes-Sheep and goats (14)-Cattle.breeding-Feeding methods-Cattle diseases-Cattle fairs (Is)-Game-Fish-~ative sportsmen (16) 1-16 CHAPTER n. POLITICAL HISTORY. EARLY HISTORY (page 17)-As6ka's conquest, 260 B.C.-The Andhras, down to zoo A.D. (18)-The Pallavas, about 200-615 A.D.-The Ch.ilukyas­ Their conquest of Vengi, about 615 (19)- Separation of the Eastern and Western Cluilukyas, about 63o-Hiuen Tsiang's description of the former (20)-Eastem Ch.ilukya rule, 63Q-999·-Ch61a conquest, 999-KIl16ttunga Ch61a I (21)-He obtains the Ch61a and Vengi thrones, I07o-His viceroys in Vengi-His death in IU9 and the decline of the Ch6las (z2)-The VeIanandu chieftains, twelfth century (23)-The K6na chiefs' of the delta -Local chiefs of Ellore, Nadendla, etc.-The K.ikatiyas of Warangal conquer Kistna about 1200 (24)-And G6davari about 1300-Pratapa Rudra's viceroys-Temporary Musalman conquest flf the district. 1323 (25) -The K6rukonda Reddis, I325-9S-The Reddis of Kondavld, 1344-142Z -The Rajahmundry Reddis, 1422-50 (26)-The Gajapatis of Orissa take the district, 145o-But cede part of it to the Muhammadans, 147o-The latter ousted, J489 (27)-Conquest by Vijayanagar, ISIs-Musalman conquest of KlStna. IS4o-And of G6davari, 1571 (28). MUHAMMADAN !>halon-Weakness of th,ir/ rule-Aurangzeb estabhshes his authority, 1687 (29)-The Subadar of the Deccan becomes independent, 1724-Tbe Northern Circars ceded to the French, 1753 (30)-Their difficulties there­ Bussy at length obtains possession, 1757 (31)-Forde's expedition against the French, J758-llis victory at Condore-The country cleared of the French (32)-Cession of the Northem Circars to the English, 1765 (33). ENGLISH ~aIOD (34)-Early administration-Disturbances of the peace­ In 1785-90 (34)-ln 179O-1800-Quieter times thereafter (36)-Subba Roddi's rebellion, 18s8-0utbreaka in R~pa 17-37 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER III. THE PEOPLE. PAC a GENERAL CHARACTI!.RISTJCS (page 38)-Density of the population-Its growth -Pa.rent.tongue-Religions. THE JAlNS (38). THE MUSALMANS. THE CHRlSTl4Ns-American EVl.ngeJical Lutheran Mission-The Canadian Baptist Mission (40)-Tbe Church Missionary Society (41)-The Roma.n Catholic Mission (42). tJE HINDus-Villages-Houses (43)-Dre~. (44) -Food (44)-Amuse~ents-Superstitjons (46)-Village, caste, and family gods. (47)-Marriage rules and ceremonie. (49)-Funeral. (So). PRIN­ CIPAL CA!>TES-Telugu Brahmans (sr)-Ra1.us (S3)-K6matil (S4)-Kapu. (ss)-Kammas-Perikes (s6)-fdiga.s (S7)-Gamallas-Kamabattul (58) -Sanis-Malas-Madigas (6o)-K6yas-IIill Reddis (66) ... 38-61 CHAPTER IV. AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION. WET CULTIVATION (page 68)-Paddy I its seasons-Its varieties-Rain.fed paddy (69)-So\\ing Versus transplantation-Methods of raisingaeedlings­ Preparation of fields (7o)-Transplllntatioll and care uf the crop-Second­ crop cultivation (71)-Third crops-Agricultural maxims-Wet crops other than paddy (72)-Rotations-Cultivation of sugar·cane-Jaggery­ making (74)-Ratooning-Varieties of lugar.cane-Recent lugar-cane disease and the Samalkot experimental farm (75). Day CULTIVATION (76) -Seasons, etc.-Cultivation (77)- Cholam-Tobacco (77)-Improvement of the leaf-Shifting cultivation in the Agency-Storage of grain (79). , I IRRIGATION-·Protected area. THH GODAVARI ANIcuT-Origin of the idea (So)--First estimates-The site and design (81)-Progreu of construction (82)-Subsequent difficulties (83)-Alterations since effected (84)-Distri­ butary workg (8s)-The Gannavaram aqueduct (86)-Co~pletlon of distributaries {87}-Financial resulLs of the scheme-Possible extensions of it (88)-lts administration. OTHER IRRIGATION SOURCES (89)-Minor channels and tanka--Wells- Artesian wells (90). ECONOMIC CONDITION OF AGRICULTURISTS ... ••• 68-91 CHAPTER V. FOlESTS. EARLY OPERATIONS (p:ge 92)-Progress'of reservation. SETTLEMENT (93)­ Proprietary rights-Susceptibilities of the jungle tribes (94}-P6du cultiva­ tion. ADMINISTRATION (95)-ln Rampa-In the rest of the Agency (96) -River transit rulea (97)-Fire.protectiqn-Artificial reprodactioD (97) I casuarina-Mangrove - Iptroduction of exotics, etc. GENERAL CHARAC­ TER OP THE FORESTs-On the COHost -In the uplands (99)-ln P61avaram and Yellavaram-In Rampa (Ioo)-In Bhadr;ichalam-Timher and th~ Clarket for it (Iol}-Minor forest produco':"'Forest revenue ... ... 9t-lO( TABLE OF CONTENTS. xi CHAPTER VI. OCCUPATIONS AND TRADE. PAGa ARTS AND INDUSTRIES (page I02)-Silk.weavers-Cotton.weavers (1°3); their numbers-Their methods-Tape·weavmg ([04)-Gunny-weaving­ Cotton-dyeing-Chintz.stamping (Ios)-Mats and tattis-Metal-work­ Painting (106)-Pith.work-Muslcal instruments-Wood and stone carvinlr -Ropes (Io7)-0i1s-Tanning-Shoes (IoS)-Baskets--Bangles-Pottery (Iog)-Country $ugar - Mercury-House·building (I [o)-Printing.presses -Rice-mills-Indigo factories-Shi~building-Dowlaishweram workshops -District Board Workshops at Cocanada {IU)-Samalkot distillery and sugar·factory-Dummagudem lace (112). TRADE-Markets-Grain.dea.l_ ing-Exports-Imports (u3)-Trade of Cocanada--The harbour-Port conservancy (II4)-European business houses at Cocanada (I1S)­ European Chamber of Commerce-Steamers visiting the port-Amount of trade-Character of trade (116).