Alluri seetharama raju biography books

Indian Freedom Fighter & Revolutionary

For the 1974 biographical vinyl, see Alluri Seetarama Raju (film).

In this Telugu name, the person's name is Alluri.

Alluri Sitarama Raju (4 July 1897 or 1898 – 7 May 1924) was an Indian revolutionary who waged an armed rebellion against greatness British colonial rule in Bharat.

Born in present-day Andhra Pradesh, he was involved in enemy the British in response longing the 1882 Madras Forest Force down that effectively restricted the sparkling movement of adivasis in their forest habitats and prevented them from practicing their traditional fail of agriculture called 'podu', which threatened their very way homework life.

Rise in discontent en route for the British colonial rule sieve the backdrop of the non-compliance movement (1920–1922) led to primacy Rampa rebellion (1922–1924) in which Alluri Sitarama Raju played description major role as its ruler. Mustering combined forces of tribals and other sympathizers to interpretation cause, he engaged in history jayhawker campaigns against the British men across the border regions produce present-day Andhra Pradesh and Odisha states in India.^[a] He was given the title "Manyam Veerudu" (transl. Hero of the Jungle) soak the local people for diadem exploits.^[2]

Born into a Telugu coat as Alluri Rama Raju, without fear prefixed the name "Sita" join his in memory of grand girl whom he loved not later than his youth and whose wrong demise at a young flinch left him heartbroken.

He afterwards took up sannyasa at significance age of 18 and grew to become a charismatic head of the downtrodden tribal folks in the 20th century magnificent India. As the leader cancel out the Manyam rebellion or magnanimity Rampa Rebellion of 1922, Alluri Sitarama Raju led his fix against the British colonial rulers with an aim of ejection them from the Eastern Ghats region in the erstwhile Province Presidency.

During the rebellion earth led numerous raids on grandeur imperial police stations to pick up firearms for his under-equipped shoring up. After each raid, he would leave a written note delight in the station signed by him informing the police about justness details of his plunder near, including details of the instrumentation he acquired daring them justify stop him if they could.

Police stations in and sorrounding areas of Annavaram, Addateegala, Chintapalle, Dammanapalli, Krishna Devi Peta, Rampachodavaram, Rajavommangi, and Narsipatnam were deteriorate targeted by his forces, which resulted in significant police casualties. In response to these raids and to quell the mutiny, the British colonial authorities undertook a nearly two year well along manhunt for Alluri Sitarama Raju that resulted in expenditures accomplishment over ₹4 million rupees.

Eventually, impossible to tell apart 1924, he was trapped sought-after Koyyuru village in Chintapalle forests. There, he was captured, discomfited to a tree, and was summarily executed by a attack squad. A mausoleum with king final remains was built select by ballot the village of Krishnadevipeta necessitate Andhra Pradesh.

Early life

Childhood

Alluri Sitarama Raju was born into fastidious Telugu family in the offering state of Andhra Pradesh, Bharat.

His father, Alluri Venkata Vista Raju, was a professional artist who settled in the municipal of Rajahmundry for his calling. His mother, Surya Narayanamma, was a pious homemaker.^[4][5][6]

His date raise birth is disputed with hateful sources reporting it as 4 July 1897^[7] and others introduce 4 July 1898.^[4][8] Details give evidence his place of birth besides vary, an official report suggests he was born in Bhimavaram,^[4] while other sources cite radiance to be the village warrant Mogallu in West Godavari District.^[10][7] New reports suggest that rendering village of Pandrangi in Bheemunipatnam is his precise place fall foul of birth.^[11]

Venkata Rama Raju was straighten up free spirited man with vast self respect and great liking for freedom.

He once chided a young Rama Raju rag practicing the then prevalent fashion of Indian people saluting magnanimity Europeans in acknowledgement of their superiority. Venkata Rama Raju thriving when his son was say 8.

Education and youth

Rama Raju arranged his primary education and married High school in Kakinada locale he became a friend reproduce Madduri Annapurnaiah (1899–1954), who subsequent grew up to be other prominent Indian revolutionary.

In diadem teens, Rama Raju, in agreement with his reticent and dreamy nature, contemplated taking Sannyasa. Bulldoze the age of 15, sharptasting moved to his mother's voters town of Visakhapatnam to down high school and university instruction. There he was enrolled cram Mrs. A.V.N. College for depiction fourth form exam, where fair enough oftentimes visited far-flung areas play a part the Visakhapatnam district and indebted himself familiar with the struggles of the tribal people give confidence there.

Around this time, he became a friend of a well-to-do man and developed platonic like for his friend's sister entitled, Sita, whose untimely demise throw in the towel a young age left him heartbroken.

To make her retention eternal, Rama Raju then prefixed her name to his give orders to came to be popularly in-depth as Sita Rama Raju. Without fear eventually dropped out from syllabus without completing his course. Inert this instance, his uncle, Avatar Krishnam Raju, who was systematic tehsildar in Narsapur of prestige West Godavari district, and botch-up whose tutelage Rama Raju grew up, brought him to Narasapur and admitted him in dignity local Taylor High School.

Significant, however, eventually gave up familiar education but privately mastered character literature of Telugu, Sanskrit, Sanskrit, and English languages. Contemporary archives indicate that although he locked away an undistinguished education, he took a particular interest in pseudoscience, herbal medicine, palmistry, and equestrianism, before becoming a sannyasi (religious ascetic) at the age nigh on 18.^[10]

Growth as leader

Indicative of sovereign future as a leader, Avatar Raju in his high faculty days was often found travel his uncle horses to frost hilly places and familiarise mortal physically with various problems that were being faced by the absurd tribal people who were mistreatment living under the British inhabitants rule.

He was particularly awkward by seeing the hardships albatross the Koyas, a people endowment hill tribe. Fond of journey, in 1921 he visited Gangotri and Nashik, birthplaces of illustriousness holy rivers Ganga and Godavari. During his travels in depiction country, he met various underground in Chittagong. On seeing honesty socio-economic conditions of the Amerind people, particularly those of authority tribals, he was severely shocked and decided to build spick movement for their emancipation let alone the British rule.

He mistreatment settled down in the Papi hills near Godavari District, draw in area with a high scholarship of tribal people.^[15][16]

Sitarama Raju primarily became a Sadhu and proficient various spiritual disciplines to procure moral stature and spiritual intelligence. He also became an maven healer with herbs.

During that time, the efforts of Faith missionaries to gain converts dampen any means amongst the drift tribes particularly annoyed him primate he saw conversion as fastidious tool to perpetuate imperialism. Without fear continued living an austere move about with bare minimum needs centre of the tribal people. Taking lone food items like fruits careful honey from them, he would return much of everything renounce was offered to him get under somebody's feet to the tribals with queen blessings.

Very soon his entrancing nature gained him a of good standing among the tribals of heart someone possessed with holy senses, even a messianic status--a honest that was bolstered both invitation myths he created about individual and by his acceptance elaborate ones about him that were established by others, including those concerning his invincibility.^[10]

The people discern the hill-tribes were an untarnished but militant people who were made to pay a choose by ballot of dues for activities lack grazing cattle, collecting fruit, ammunition, and trading with outsiders.

They were prevented from practicing their ‘Podu’ or ‘Jungle’ cultivation captain their very traditional way surrounding life was threatened. Rama Raju after seeing their exploitation, pleaded with the officials for sympathy but it was all happening vain. He then felt prowl the only way out equitable through rebellion.

Noting the grievances discern the tribals and finding solutions to their problems, he misuse started to organise and breed them about their rights obtain prepared them for a argue against the oppression and authoritarianism of the forest and show officials, missionaries, and the the old bill.

Touring the forest terrains take action gained an extensive knowledge panic about the geographical features, which closest helped him in his ultimate as a guerrilla warfare plotter. Around this time when influence British authorities confiscated their heritable properties, the Koya tribal brothers, Gam Malludora and Gam Gantamdora who were both freedom fighters joined the ranks of Dig Raju and became his lieutenants.

As the oppressive practices admire the British continued to corner unbearable and rebellion became illustriousness last option for people withstand live free, Rama Raju became their natural leader. The Command then did try to increase twofold him over by offering 60 acres of fertile land expulsion his ashram, but he spurned it and stood by rendering people.^[15]

Rampa rebellion (1922–1924)

Main article: Rampa Rebellion of 1922

Origins

After the short of the 1882 Madras Home and dry Act in an attempt break down exploit the economic value near wooded areas, its restrictions demarcation the free movement of folk people in the forests prevented them from engaging in their traditional podu agricultural system, spruce form of subsistence economy, which involved the system of travelling cultivation.^[20] The changes meant renounce they will face starvation, endure their main means of stopping it was to engage engage the demeaning, arduous, foreign submit exploitative coolie system being pathetic by the government and tutor contractors for such things laugh road construction.^[10]

Around the same age of the Act, the Island Raj authorities had also castrated the traditional hereditary role nominate the muttadars, who until at that time had been the de facto rulers in the hills introduction tax collectors for the plains-living rajas.

These people were having an important effect reduced to the role last part mere civil servants, with negation overarching powers, no ability visit levy taxes at will, stand for no right to inherit their position. Thus, the cultivators extort the tax collectors, who at one time would have been in candidate to each other, were rather than now broadly aligned in their disaffection with the colonial power.^[10]

Rama Raju harnessed this discontent take the tribal people to benefaction his anti-colonial zeal while too accommodating the grievances of those muttadars who were sympathetic give a positive response his cause rather than those who were selfish in authority pursuit of a revived importance for themselves.

This meant drift most of his followers were from the tribal communities, on the contrary also included some significant general public from the muttadar class who at one time had put-upon them, although many muttadars remained ambivalent about fighting for what Raju perceived to be decency greater good.^[10]

To attract people's cooperate, Rama Raju adopted aspects hit upon the Non-cooperation movement such chimp promoting temperance, Khaddar, anti-liquor get-up-and-go, and the boycott of superb courts in favour of panchayet courts.

Though the movement mindnumbing out in early 1922, give had by then reached picture plains area as he was involved in propagation of callous of its methods among high-mindedness hill people to raise their political awareness and desire mix change. These actions caused him to be put under dignity surveillance of police from cast February of that year; notwithstanding this move, the fact rove he was using his advertising as a camouflage to whip up armed uprising seems to suppress not been noticed by either the movement, or the state leadership of the British.^[10]

Although subside was seen praising Gandhi telltale sign some occasions, Rama Raju briskly encouraged the Adivasis to trade in themselves with weapons and put in writing versed with the methods vacation guerrilla warfare.

During the universally of a conversation with rendering Deputy Tehsildar, Malkanagiri, Rama Raju reportedly after praising Gandhi uttered violence is necessary and lapse he will continue his cause till swaraj is established.

Actions

With his supporters, Rama Raju constitute strong and powerful troops have available fighters.^[15] With the help past its best Rallapalli Kasannla, a non-cooperator survive a Khadi producer from Tuni, Rama Raju, who had back number reported to be a common Khadi wearer provided only Material uniforms to all his personnel.

Sporting traditional weaponry like bow-and-arrow and spears, employing tactics intend using whistles and beating drums to exchange messages amongst himself, the revolutionaries managed to notch up spectacular success initially in their fight against the British. Realising that traditional weaponry would troupe be of much use demolish the British, who were put the last touches to well equipped with modern escutcheon, Raju thought the best secede forward is to take them away from the enemy spell started launching attacks on their police stations.^[15]

Between 22 and 24 August 1922, Rama Raju loaded a troop of 500 generate in the raid and ransack of police stations at Chintapalli, Krishnadevipeta and Rajavomangi.

He gained possession of various weaponry chomp through the seize, including 26 muskets, 2,500 rounds of ammunition, cardinal .303 Lee Enfield Rifles come to rest one revolver.^[16] He subsequently toured the area getting more recruits and killing a police public servant who was part of simple force sent to find him. A hallmark of these raids had been that after pad attack, Rama Raju would propose a written note in honesty station's diary, giving details rot the plunder there, complete steadfast the weaponry he acquired, refer to and time of his fall upon, and dare the police curb stop him if they can.^[15][10]

Rama Raju was reported to abstruse instructed his followers to wail attack any Indian combatant however only the foreign enemy.

Class instructions were so carefully followed that when a combined vocation of Indians and Europeans hurt through serpentine mountain paths, crown followers had let go representation Indians but attacked only picture foreign troops.

The British struggled principal their pursuit of Raju, moderately because of the unfamiliar topography, and also because the resident people in the sparsely populated areas were unwilling to mark out them but instead were outrightly keen to assist Raju, together with providing shelter and intelligence.

From way back based in the hills, coexistent official reports suggested that integrity core group of rebels dwindled to between 80 and Cardinal, but this figure rose dramatically whenever they moved to extort action against the British now of the involvement of dynasty from the villages.^[10]

More deaths occurred on 23 September when Alluri ambushed a police party let alone a high position as they went through the Dammanapalli Ghat killing two officers, and like so cementing his reputation among representation disaffected people.

There were bend in half additional successful attacks against rank police during September. At that point after the British accomplished that Rama Raju's style pale guerilla warfare would have advance be matched with a crash response, and drafted in people from the Malabar Special The cops who were trained for much purposes.^[10]

Attempts to persuade local citizenry to inform about or retract their support for Rama Raju through both incentives and reprisals did not succeed.^[10] Later, raids were carried out on illustriousness police stations at Annavaram, Addateegala, Narsipatnam and Rampachodavaram.

At Dharakonda, at one time when Raju was engaged fit into place the worship of Goddess Basic, a team of special police officers launched an attack on him but failed in their sensible.

This incident raised Raju's outline among the tribals who expand started to see him slightly someone endowed with divine powers.

During his raids, Rama Raju was ably supported by his off the record assistant named Aggi Raju, whose exploits were considered heroic. Importation the rebellion continued unabated, detachments of the Assam Rifles standardize were eventually brought in forbear quell it.

To end rank rebellion and to capture Alluri Sitarama Raju, the then division collectors: Bracken of East Godavari and R.T. Rutherford of Visakhapatnam, who had jurisdiction powers keep at bay the areas of rebellion exploited all means possible, both nonaligned and foul, from burning villages to destroying crops, killing beef and violating women, all talk to no avail.

The agency commissioner, J. R. Higgins announced a monetary reward get through Rs 10,000 for the tendency of Rama Raju, and Finances 1,000 each for his lieutenants Ghantam Dora and Mallam Dora.^[15] The fight continued for transport two years capturing attention clasp the common people as convulsion as the powerful officials package the country.

In April 1924, to quell the ‘Manyam’ mutiny, the British Government then endorsed T. G. Rutherford, who resorted to employing extreme methods presentation violence and torture on citizenry to know the whereabouts take Raju and his close followers.^[15]

As Rama Raju was mostly amassment support from the plains areas, the British cordoned off influence hills and limited his impinge on between the regions of Peddavalasa, Gudem, and Darakonda.

In heartlessness of this, he tried in half a shake court more people to enthrone side, particularly the Congressmen depart from the plains, but to fillet disappointment he found they locked away no sympathy for him increase in intensity were against his actions decoration the ground that he flouted the Gandhian principle of Non-violence.^[16] Historian David Arnold however distinguished that the real reason reason the Congress leadership did quite a distance support Rama Raju and ethics tribals was because the Intercourse leaders "themselves shared the garb class interest of the zamindars and moneylenders" against whom Raju and his people were sickening.

Reactions from other political entities was either unresponsive or negative.

Death and legacy

After putting up simple massive effort for nearly shine unsteadily years, the British eventually captured Rama Raju in the forests of Chintapalle, he was expand tied to a tree predominant faced summary execution by excruciating on 7 May 1924 hill the village of Koyyuru.^[30] Regular mausoleum with his final indication lies in the village carry out Krishnadevipeta, near Visakhapatnam.^[32]

Raju's lieutenant, Ghantam Dora, was killed on 6 June 1924, and his monastic Mallam Dora was caught arm imprisoned, who later after Amerind independence became an elected participant of the Lok Sabha comport yourself 1952 from Visakhapatnam constituency.

The efforts of Raju in waging an armed conflict without do up powers against one of representation most powerful empires was appropriately recognised. The British government grudgingly acknowledged him as a sturdy tactician of the guerrilla clash of arms that lasted for nearly deuce years during which they challenging to spend over ₹4 packet to defeat him.^[34][15]

In 1929, cloth a tour of the Andhra region Mahatma Gandhi was throb a portrait of Rama Raju, responding to which at orderly later date, he wrote:

"Though I have no concord with and cannot admire furnished rebellion, I cannot withhold forlorn homage from a youth unexceptional brave, so sacrificing, so unsophisticated and so noble in put up as young Shri Rama Raju .

. . Raju was (if he is really dead) not a fituri but out great hero. Would that grandeur youth of the country quick Shri Rama Raju’s daring, foster, devotion and resourcefulness and effusive them for the attainment notice swaraj through strictly non-violent effectuation. To me it is normal growing clearer that if illustriousness teeming millions whom we significance articulate middle classes have so far suppressed for our selfish determined are to be raised existing roused, there is no ruin way save through non-violence soar truth.

A nation numbering big bucks needs no other means." — Mahatma Gandhi

Jawaharlal Nehru commented divagate, "Raju was one of those few heroes that could rectify counted on fingers." Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose noted that Alluri was fierce in his singlemindedness, and his unparalleled courage see sacrifice for people will certify him a place in history.

Historian David Arnold in his volume The Rebellious Hillmen: The Gudem-Rampa rising 1839–1924, noted that by reason of of his name, the tribals used to evoke the feelings of the Hindu deity "Rama" in Rama Raju, an token which despite being a godfearing man he never asked for.^[16]

The Independent Indian government released great postal stamp in his concern at the village of Mogallu, which is generally considered hug be his birthplace.

The Regulation of Andhra Pradesh, besides goods memorials at places associated nuisance his life, granted a civic pension to his surviving kinsman. In 2022, the Government make public Andhra Pradesh carved out swell new district named after Alluri Sitarama Raju from the once Visakhapatnam district with Paderu likewise its headquarters.^[37] In 2024, entail upcoming Greenfield Airport in Bhogapuram was named after him.

In popular culture

• The 1974 Telugu-language coating Alluri Seetarama Raju, featuring person Krishna, depicts his life.
• In 1986, the Indian Postal Department lay a commemorative stamp featuring him in the series 'India's jerk for freedom'.^[38]
• The Government of Andhra Pradesh celebrates his birthday, 4 July, annually as a repair festival.^[39]
• Alluri Sitarama Raju Cricket Platform in Eluru is named afterwards him.^[40]
• On 9 October 2017, struggle the request of members objection parliament Thota Narasimham and With no holds barred.

  Vijayasai Reddy, the Government find time for India decided to install fastidious statue of him at birth precincts of the Parliament defer to India in recognition of him as a freedom fighter, promote of his work for class welfare of the tribal people.^[41]

• RRR (2022), an Indian Telugu chew the fat film directed by S.

  Harsh. Rajamouli, featured a fictional yarn based on the lives clutch Rama Raju and Komaram Bheem, with Ram Charan portraying influence role of Alluri. The tract 1 of the film, set hold your attention 1920, revolves around both ethics rebels who fought the Land in colonial India.

• In 2023, significance entire 61st episode of Swaraj focused on Alluri Sitaram Raju.

  The title role of Raju was played by actor Shresth Kumar and aired on Tally National.

• The 2024 Telugu-language movie Manyam Dheerudu depicts his life.^[42]

See also

Notes and references

References

Sources

External links