Women Warriors of the Telangana Armed Struggle: A Legacy of Courage and Resistance

Gadwal: The Telangana Armed Struggle…A history written by the farmers. For land, for livelihood, for liberation from bonded labor, it stands as a living testament to the sacrifices made by communists. It was a people's war waged against exploitation. Half of the sky, the women, also participated in this battlefield. The struggle was an example of the hidden fighting spirit within women, especially those who were socially oppressed. With cries of "Banchan Dora, I’ll break your leg!" they charged like lions, also shouting, "I'll dig your grave, you rascal!" With red flags in hand, they marched forward on the path of struggle. Breaking traditional chains, they fought and drove out enemies. They endured the scorching heat, drenching rain, and freezing cold in the forests and mountains, standing side by side with men. While some women took up arms and fought against the brutal military, many others supported the struggle indirectly.

The resolve, resistance, and fighting spirit displayed by these women against the atrocities of the brutal soldiers to protect their dignity is inspiring. When you reflect on these events, you realize the revolutionary resolve and strength that lie dormant within our economically and socially oppressed women. As Puchalapalli Sundarayya said, "To free them from the chains of tradition and awaken this dormant strength, we need to put in a little effort. If we do, we can bring about any powerful rebellion."

Back then, women were the primary victims of the inhuman tortures inflicted by the Nizam’s army, Razakars, and Nehru's forces. To extract information about the communists, they were beaten with thorny clubs, their bodies were brutalized, and they were subjected to unspeakable verbal abuses. In front of their eyes, their children, husbands, and brothers were tortured. They were sexually assaulted. But they stood firm for their cause, enduring all this. Without hesitation, they turned whatever they could find into weapons and revolted against injustice. They protected the communists who were sacrificing for them. Such a great history belongs to these brave women.

With a new consciousness… When the men left their homes to join the guerrilla units or live secret lives, it was the women who were left with the responsibility of protecting everything. Not only that, they participated alongside men in the struggle against the Briggs plan, which aimed to drive out people from the forests and villages, including the Koyas and Chenchus. With an unprecedented awareness and new determination, they joined the movement.

As guerrilla commanders… Women also joined the guerrilla units in the long struggle against the Nizam and the Razakars. Even in the face of hardships, they didn’t back down, taking up roles as couriers and political activists, leading secret lives. Among those who are well-known are Mallu Swarajyam, Arutla Kamaladevi, and many others. One of them was Rangakka (K. Satyavati), who was born in Chivvemla, Nalgonda district, and became a guerrilla commander in the Telangana Armed Struggle, terrorizing Mahbubnagar district. Her bravery was so remarkable that then-Chief Minister Burgula Ramakrishna Rao had to mention her struggle in the assembly.

As propaganda workers… Even if they did not directly participate in the guerrilla units, many women indirectly fought and risked their lives for the struggle. One such woman was Priyamvada from the Tungaturthi constituency of Nalgonda district, who actively spread awareness about the armed struggle among the people. She worked as a sentry, standing guard on village hills, and served three years in jail. Similarly, Katkuru Susheela Devi from Sarabananapuram, Bhuvanagiri taluka, was attracted to the armed struggle during her school days. Even while pregnant, she endured jail life. Kattaboyina Janakamma, from Sirisanagandla, Nalgonda district, worked as a courier between guerrilla units and later became a municipal councilor in Miryalguda. Lalithamma, from Kothapally village in Suryapet taluka, joined the armed struggle immediately after marriage and even went on hunger strikes in jail to continue her fight.

To protect the land… Chityala Ailamma, with the help of Andhra Mahasabha and communist parties, fought fiercely to protect her land from being grabbed by Visunur Deshmukh. Similarly, in Mukundapuram, Miryalaguda, a rich moneylender threatened Kumari Mattayya to give up his land. When he refused, they tortured him to death. His wife, with the support of the villagers, fought back and reclaimed the land. Similar incidents occurred in Wadapally and Kondipolu. In Veeraram village, a tribal farmer and his wife resisted the landlord’s thugs and police, but the pregnant wife was brutally killed by the police, who stomped on her stomach.

For increased wages… In the surrounding areas of Kondapalli, laborers were given only two or three handfuls of grain as daily wages. They went on strike, demanding four handfuls. Women also participated in large numbers, and they fought tirelessly until the landlords gave in to their demands. In the villages around Pindiprolu and Yellandu, agricultural labor strikes took place in 90 villages, with women leading the struggles. When the military attacked these villages, women stood beside the men, providing them with stones to fight back. In Mallareddygudem, a woman lost her life in such a battle. Similarly, in Gazulanka, another woman named Viyyamma died. In the forests of Gondala in the Godavari region, when the police tried to capture the men, the women from ten nearby hamlets stood up to stop them. They fearlessly hurled stones at the police from behind trees, forcing them to flee.

Support for guerrilla units… Women took many precautions to prevent the guerrilla units and party leaders who sought shelter in their homes from being caught by the police. No matter how late at night the guerrilla units arrived, women ensured they were fed and guarded them while they slept. They delivered food to the guerrilla units hiding in the forests and hills. Even when caught by the police, they endured brutal torture but never revealed the location of the guerrilla units. One such woman was the elderly revolutionary Doodala Salamma. The Mysore police tortured her to reveal the location of the guerrilla leaders, but she never betrayed them. In Rajaram center, tribal couples were brutally tortured for helping the guerrilla units, but the police couldn’t extract a single truth from them. In Neredu village, seventy women were beaten until they bled, then tied up with tight ropes and tortured. The police sprinkled chili powder on their wounds. In Bendapadu village, Rajamma was tortured with hot irons on her chest, neck, and arms. Women were imprisoned and prevented from nursing their children. Many courageous women like Lachamma, Jainabi, Hamu-Mangali, Mallikamba, Erramma, Rambayamma, and Venkamma endured similar struggles. Many wives lost their husbands, and many mothers lost their children in the struggle for freedom from bonded labor. Despite all this, they stood by the guerrilla units and supported them.

As mothers, they embraced and fed the hungry. The era of the Nawabs ended, the Razakars disappeared, and the British left. But violence and exploitation against women continued...