Palanati Brahmanaidu
Palanati Brahmanaidu (12th-century ) was the minister in a small Andhra kingdom of Palnadu (part of present Guntur district). He was responsible for the administration of Palnadu ruled by Haihaya King Nalagama. He tried to usher in a new era in which caste distinctions would be abolished. Differences in ideology and court conspiracies led to Brahma Naidu leaving with his supporters, from the court of Gurajala ruled by Nalagamaraju. Nalagama's half brother Malideva established a kingdom with the support of Brahmanaidu at Macherla.
The Battle of Palnadu
The Battle of Palnadu (Palnati Yudham) was immortalized in Telugu literature by the poet Srinatha in his 'Palnati Vira Charita'. The only other scholarly book on the subject was written by Gene Roghair titled "Epic of Palnadu: Study and Translation of Palnati Virula Katha, a Telugu Oral Tradition from Andhra Pradesh". This war was very important in the social history of Andhra Pradesh. It was a battle between two factions of the Palanati Haihayas.
In popular culture
- Palnati Yudham, 1947 and 1966 Telugu films depicted various aspects of the war and the human emotions surrounding it.
- The 1947 film was directed by L. V. Prasad, one of the pioneers of Indian cinema and a Dadasaheb Phalke Award recipient and starred Govindarajula Subba Rao as Brahmanaidu, P. Kannamba as Nagamma and Akkineni Nageswara Rao, another Dadasaheb Phalke Award recipient as Balachandrudu.
- The 1966 film produced by Tagirisa Hanumantha Rao and directed by Gutta Ramineedu starred N.T.R as Brahmanaidu, Bhanumathi Ramakrishna as Nagamma, Haranath as Balchandrudu and Jamuna as Maanchaala. Bhanumathi Ramakrishna has won the Rashtrapati Award for her performance in this movie.
References
- B S L Hanumantha Rao, Social Mobility in Medieval Andhra, Telugu Academy Press
- Palanati Vira charitra, Oral Epic