Discover Telangana

- Rapolu Ananda Bhaskar

The word TELANGANA is thousands of years old. It means the land where Telugu is spoken. The land has civilization of thousands of years. Certain etymologists concluded that the present location, on longitude between 15degrees and 21degrees and latitude between 74 degrees and 82 degrees on Deccan plateau, is the land where Telugu was first spoken. Aboriginal Telugu words were intact till recently, among illiterate people of the remote TELANGANA, where as people of all other Telugu areas add words of other languages knowingly or unknowingly in their communication. It has to be resoundingly established that the Godavari river was called as Telivaha as in certain Buddhist scriptures. The capital of Shathavahana – Kotilingala was on the banks of Telivaha river. Telivaha means flow of white. The Kotilingala was traced on the shores of Godavari, establishing the oneness of both the words. Telangana also traces its setting on the riparian area of Telivaha i.e. Godavari.

Telangana, as Telingana, Telingane is in global historical records for the last two thousand years. Karl Marx recorded this word in this geographical setting, tracing the happenings since 11th century, in his notes on India. Decades long, wide spread, inter disciplinary, intra-disciplinary and multi disciplinary research is still to be taken up, which is possible by huge public establishments, to arrive at the full answer. Archaeological, anthropological, geographical studies besides social, economical and administrative history of Telangana have so many loose ends.

This land is now in emotionally surcharged to attain separate statehood. This is the urge since 1948 when it became integral part of independent India, though disputed by the then Nizam by taking the issue to the United Nations Security Council. The dispute was under debate in UNSC for decades. This land was economically sound, agrarian-rich, and thoroughly irrigated, with good transport infrastructure and trained administrative service at the time of accession. There was amity between people of different faiths.

About Telangana in modern India. The renowned historian Ramachandra Guha on November 1, 2006 published an article in THE TIMES OF INDIA, with factual distortions. He was of the understanding that Potti Sri Ramulu death in fast led to constitution of States Reorganisation Commission headed by Justice Fazal Ali and formation of Andhra Pradesh. Then he admitted the error after my raising of objection by e-mail but no correction was made to his piece. This highlights the poverty of our historical research.

The inland historians customarily record the handouts of some Government source without digging out the facts. Following the death of Potti Sriramulu in December 1952, Andhra state was carved out of Madras presidency in October 1953. Then on mounting demands from other areas, Union Government headed by Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru constituted the Fazal Ali Commission, which in its 1954 recommendations suggested for separate Telangana state. There was never a proper appraisal about the dispute in UNSC. Instead there were attempts to hide the episode. Here, historical recording is needed to give dispassionate details for the learning.

Present war of words on Thalli. The motherhood is attributed to land only. So, we, Indians feel proud in saluting Bharatha maatha. Same with Telangana thalli. The sentimental Telangana sons of the soil are now deeply identifying with their motherland. This is part of the cultural agitation for statehood. Andhra has never unified with Telangana in these five decades. So, there can hardly be any pride about Telugu thalli and Andhra maatha. Even the sons of Rayalaseema or even Kalinga differ on this count. The motherhood is not possible to the language. Motherly feeling can certainly be there. More over Telangana is the land of origin of Telugu. Here is the need for plenty of case studies to resoundingly establish that both these parts are far from unification socially, linguistically, culturally and encourage the decency in debate and convince the people of all lands.

These days certain other incidents were being brought out to support their argument. One such is the Andhra Bhaasha Udyamam – language spreading struggle and activities of Andhra Maha Sabha in the erstwhile Hyderabad state. Even the armed struggle before police action is taken as example. They were never meant to be ruled by other Telugu speaking parts. Profound Arya Samaj movement has also played significant role in emancipation of this land. For all these struggles in Telangana, the activists were natives. They lost their youth, time, resources and even lives. Even the recent emergence of NT Rama Rao and his party also deserves a scan. Very many present senior leaders of his outfit in this part of the state were erstwhile activists of Telangana who even went to jail. All this chronology needs a deeper evaluation to set the record right.

There is a long way to go.

• In these movement days, if we are able to inculcate and to some extent, record the stray details, the coming generations may go bit deeper into subject.
• Besides, it is also needed to build interaction with the world and national History research councils and faculties of various Universities and learning centres to encourage our topics and to provide input to them to set the record right.
• Evaluation is required for correction of certain misconceptions, so as to feed the facts to the learners.
• Minute historical incidents and excavations shall be compiled into book form to encourage scientific research, for which locals and natives of the particular places shall be involved.
• It shall be a priority to feed on to the web through own and other history sites, the present data.
• It is also of great need to frequently congregate the historians and other experts under the aegis of various academic institutions to spread our message and to encourage research.

This will enhance the awareness among present generation, as it is struggle time.

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