In the course of world’s evolution, history has a very prominent role as studying and understanding it defines the future. However, as the famous author Dan Brown quoted, history is always written by the winners and in the process of evolution the winners are never stagnant and changed with every era. When the winners changed every time the existing history was obliterated and new history is created with an objective to elevate their own cause and denigrate others. When we try to understand the history of prime castes in Southern part of India, what we could derive is unlike its counterparts akin to Reddys and Velamas, Kammas didn’t put required effort in chronicling and preserving its history, as well passing the same to its future generations. Zamindari clans of Velamas have got their history penned during British regime and this book had made a valuable contribution to the history of Andhra Pradesh, as well to South India. Correspondingly, Sir C.R.Reddy (Kattamanchi Ramalinga Reddy), who was curious to know the roots of his caste, Reddys, approached the eminent historian of his time Shri Mallampalli Somasekhara Sharama to conduct research and script a book on Reddys. Shri Sharma with utmost devotion organized painstaking research and came out with a book “Reddys Kingdom” after a thorough exploration. Similar kind of efforts cannot be seen in the case of Kammas for the reasons unknown.
It is an obligation on the part of contemporary youth to understand the history of Kammas and the eons in which they created a history or changed its course with their contributions. But how do they learn it? Ironically there are only two or three books available on the history of Kammas, who have played a prominent role in the progress of culture and civilization in Southern India. Of them was the older one written by Shri Kotha Bhavayya Chowdary long back, which tried to cover the evolution of Kamma caste exhaustively. It, to a major extent plugged the inadequacy that the history on Kammas was not available. However, it too failed to give a definite conclusion on key aspects akin to the roots of Musunuri Prolaya Nayaka and Kapaya Nayaka, who several antique inscriptions mentioned as Kammas. However there is some valuable literature said to be available in Saraswati Mahal, Tanjavur (Tamilnadu).
So as to attend this issue and offer this generation a succinct material on the history of Kammas, Kamma Association of Ameerpet, Hyderabad constituted a small committee of experts and academicians to get the history written a decade back. These efforts yielded another book on Kammas “Kamma vaari Charitra” (History of Kammas) authored by Dr.Muppalla Hanumantha Rao in the year 2007. To generate interest among readers the author had confined the book to around a dozen chapters vis-à-vis 1000 pages of old book authored by Shri Bhavayya Chowdary. Dr.Rao spent his valuable time and cross-checked with several archives available in different libraries akin to Chennai library. This book very well captures an extensive range of topics from archaic Kamma kings to today’s political leaders.
Nevertheless, there are certain monthly magazines run by Kamma associations and certain private individuals. One such magazine is “Kamma Vaibhavam” and other one “Kammavani” run by Kamma Associations of Hyderabad. Additionally, some other magazines are being run from other parts of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamilnadu.
Dr.Muppalla Hanumantha Rao in the year 2007. To generate interest among readers the
author had confined the book to around a dozen chapters vis-à-vis 1000 pages of old book
authored by Shri Bhavayya Chowdary. Dr.Rao spent his valuable time and cross-checked
with several archives available in different libraries akin to Chennai library. This book very
well captures an extensive range of topics from archaic Kamma kings to today’s political
leaders.
Nevertheless, there are certain monthly magazines run by Kamma associations and
certain private individuals. One such magazine is “Kamma Vaibhavam” and other one
“Kammavani” run by Kamma Associations of Hyderabad. Additionally, some other
magazines are being run from other parts of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamilnadu.