Mystery behind Rani Rudrama’s death, yet to be unravelled

Warangal/Nalgonda: History extols the valour of Rani Rudrama Devi, but the mystery surrounding her death – how, when and where - is yet to be unravelled. History, more often than not, has been subjected to distortion in accordance with the whims and fancies of historians. Rudrama’s life is no exception from denigration.

The lingering doubts surrounding her death, however, were answered partly with the inscription found at Chandupatla in Nalgonda district a few years ago, however, too little was done thereafter to dig deep into the facts by any government or private agency.

There were many freelancing theories floated by historians with the limited information and research work available about Rudrama’s life. The Chandupatla inscription affirms that she breathed her last on November 27, 1289. The inscription was made by PuvvulaMummadi, said to be an aide of MallikarjunaNayakudu, while donating a piece of land to Somanatha Swamy temple, in reverence to Rudrama.

Mallikarjuna was a commandant who accompanied Rudrama and said to have died along with her in the war. The inscription didn’t show the details of cause of death and the location. However, there was an argument that she was killed by Kayastha king Ambadeva, citing an inscription found in Tripuranthakam (now in Prakasam district).

According to historian Emani Siva Nagi Reddy, the inscription of Amba Deva states that he had conquered all the kings in Andhra Pradesh at Tripuranthakam war. But there was no mention that he had defeated Rudrama. The version of another historian PV Parabrahma Sastry is that Rudrama was killed on November 25, 1289 fighting against Ambadeva’s forces.

Speaking to The Hans India, historian SriramojuHaragopal said: “The Chandupatla inscription confirms the death date of Rudrama, who by then an octogenarian, but it didn’t provide the information of the location. The facts need to be fathomed and chronicled.”

Although the facts are yet to be ascertained, the villagers of Chandupatla have been observing the death anniversary of Rudrama on November 27 since the inscription came to limelight. While the locals geared up to observe Rudrama’s 728th death anniversary on Monday (November 27), travesty is such that there was no such observance in Warangal, Kakatiya dynasty’s seat of power.

By Adepu Mahender