About Kapu Dynasties

Kapu Dynasties

The following are some ruling clans associated with Kapu (Balija) community.

• Telugu Chodas

• Kona Kings

• Koppula Chiefs

• Musunuri Nayaks

• Korukonda Nayaks

• Madurai Nayaks

• Tanjavur Nayaks

• Vijayanagar- Araveeti Dynasity

• AnandaGotrikas

• C.P. Brown mentioned that the Poligars of Anantapur belonged to the Balija Naidu community.

• The Current Nellore was also ruled by Balija Naidu's.

• Etukuri Bala Rama Murthi in "Andhrula Samkshiptha Charithra" Cholas gradually came to be called as Kapu and Telaga.

The surnames Chaladi, Chode, Chodapaneedi, Chodasetty, Chodepala, Konidena and Chodavarapu show link to the Telugu Cholas(Choda) Dynasties with the Kapus. Even some of their gotra (is a patrilineal classification and identification of a caste) is referred as "CHOLLA" or "Chola". These Kings were from the Chaturtha Kulamu (Source Palanati Veera Charitra) and Kasyapa as their Gothram.

• Balijakula Charithra", the Kotikam Kaifiyat says as follows:

" _ _ _ _ _Sree Manmahaa mandaleshwara Achyuthadeva Mahaa Raayalayya vaaru Daivaprasaada labdavasaath chethanu, karunatho goodi Balija Varna Garikepaati Vamsamuna Kalgina Sree Sree Viswanatha Naayaka gariki Paandya mandalaadhiraaju ane rendunnara koti dravya Raajyaanku sasthrothkamuga pattaabhisekham Vijayanagaramandu Cheyinchiri.

• "Garikepati" is the last name of Madura Balija Kings."Alluri" is the last name of Thanjavur Balija Kings.

• "Chinthalapudi" is the last name of Khandi (Ceylon) Balija kings. Vijaya Bhupala Naidu who ruled Khandi was the brother-in-law of Kumara Krishnappa Naidu of Madurai Balija Dynasty.

There were matrimonial alliances between Kapu community and major Dynasties like Eastern Chalukyas, Telugu Chodas, Kakatiya, Vijayanagar,Madurai and Thanjavur Kingdoms. Some inscriptions belonging to the Eastern Chalukyan King Bhima Raja, who was the Ancestor of Raja Raja Narendra, point to a possible link between the Chalukyan Dynasties and the Kapu Community of Coastal Andhra. The following are some of the interesting matrimonial alliances among Balija/Kapu Dynasties of Vijayanagar, Madura, Thanjavur and Kakatiya.

• Vijayanagar emperor Sri Krishna Deva Raya’s half brother was emperor Achyuta Deva Raya. Achyutha Deva Raya's wife Thirumalamba's own sister Murthimamba (Achyuta Deva Raya's sister-in-law) was married to Thanjavur king Alluri Sevappa Naidu.

• One of the members of Thanjavur king Sevappa Naidu was married to Madura king Garikepati Thirumala Naidu.

• Thanjavur King Vijaya Raghava Naidu's daughter and Sevappa Naidu's great Grand daughter Mangamma was married to king Chokkalinga Naidu, the grandson of the celebrated Thirumala Naidu of Madura dynasty.

• Queen Sri Ranga Devi, sister of Veera Narasimha Rayalu of Narapathi dynasty was married to king Bhuvanaika Malla of Kakatiya dynasty. (Note: Narapathis are also called Chalukyas. Araveeti families come under Genealogical tree of Narapathis. Vijayanagar emperor Sri Krishna Deva Raya's son-in-law Rama Rayalu belongs to Araveeti family of Kapu caste. According to Vijaya Kumari and Sepuri Bhaskar In "Social Changes among Balijas" the famous Vijayanagar King Sri Krishna Deva Raya belonged to Kapu caste.)

• The Kona Kings were Descendants of Haiheya and had Kasyapa as their Gothram found in the Kapu Community.

• The Vijayanagar Araveeti line of Kings called themselves as Chalukya Prince's and were descendants of these Haiheyas and can also be found in History as Arayeti during Eastern Chalukyan Rule and had Atreya as their Gothram which is found in the Kapu communities.

Despite inscriptional evidence of the Chalukyas claiming Kshatriya status, off late this has become questionable. Historian Suravaram Pratapa Reddy hypothesizes that though Raja Raja Narendra called himself a Kshatriya this was done to justify his rule and subsequent legacy. He may have even gotten the Kshatriya classification through matrimonial alliances.