The 17th century is considered a pivotal period in the history of India. During this century, the Deccan region was a hotbed of political unrest and constant warfare. Muslim sultans, the Mughal Empire, the Maratha power, and local chieftains vied for control of the Deccan region. These political conflicts determined the political future of the Indian subcontinent. [ 1 ]
Geography of the Deccan
The Deccan Plateau stretches across the central and southern parts of India. The region is rich in natural fortifications, mountain ranges, and rivers. This geographical feature has made the Deccan a strategically important region. The region has become politically important due to its trade routes, agricultural wealth, and mineral resources.
History of the Deccan – Before the 17th Century
The Bahmani Sultanate formed the foundation of Deccan politics in the 14th century, but it weakened due to internal strife and feudal rebellions.
Fall of the Bahmani Sultans
Power struggles within the Bahmani Empire led to its decline, which led to the emergence of several independent sultanates in the Deccan.
The rise of the Deccan Sultanates
After the division of the Bahmani Empire, kingdoms like Ahmednagar, Bijapur, and Golconda emerged. Although they maintained independent rule, they were mired in mutual hostility.
Ahmednagar Kingdom – Ahmednagar offered fierce resistance to the Mughals during the rule of the Nizamshahis. Female leadership like Chand Bibi gained prominence during this period.
Adilshahis of Bijapur – The Bijapur kingdom, though culturally rich, was politically unstable. It was weakened by Mughal invasions.
Qutub Shahis of Golconda – The Golconda kingdom gained immense wealth through the diamond trade. But that same wealth attracted the Mughals.
By the 17th century, Bidar and Berar had weakened and merged with other kingdoms. The remaining three sultanates faced mutual hostility and pressure from the Mughals.
Expansion of the Mughal Empire :
The Mughals had their sights set on the Deccan since the time of Akbar.
Attacks on the Ahmednagar kingdom continued during Jahangir’s reign.
Ahmednagar was completely incorporated into the Mughal Empire during the reign of Shah Jahan.
Deccan politics became extremely intense during the reign of Aurangzeb (1658-1707).
Aurangzeb spent the last 25 years of his life in the Deccan. Fall of Bijapur and Golconda
Aurangzeb aimed to bring the Deccan under his complete control:
Bijapur in 1686
Golconda in 1687
He conquered kingdoms and incorporated them into the Mughal Empire.
These actions brought an end to the independent rule of the Deccan Sultanates.
The rise of Maratha power
It was during this period that the Maratha power emerged under the leadership of Shivaji Maharaj.
The Mughals faced the Bijapur rulers with a guerrilla warfare strategy based on tribal areas and forts.
Even after Shivaji’s death, the Marathas posed a major challenge to the Mughals.
Socio-economic impacts
Farmers and traders suffered greatly due to the continuous wars. People’s lives became unstable.
Weakness of the Mughal Empire
The Deccan Wars laid the foundation for the fall of the Mughal Empire.
The politics of the 17th century Deccan was a key turning point in Indian history.
Jagirdari – Tax burden – Peasant – Professional crisis
The structural inequality in the feudal system served as the basic backdrop for the emergence of Sardar Sarvai Papanna Goud’s movement in 17th century Telangana. This system should be understood not as a mere economic machine, but as a political-social system that exercised power over rural society. This section analyses how the feudal system, the burden of taxation, and the crisis of the peasant-professionals provided a framework for the Papanna movement.
2.1.1 Jagirdari System: Power through Land
The Jagirdari system in Telangana transformed land not only as a means of production but also as a political one. The allocation of lands as Jagirs to those who served the state authority removed control over land from the people and concentrated it in the hands of intermediaries. Although these intermediaries were not landowners, they had extensive powers over tax collection and rural administration.
In this system, the relationship of farmers with the land became unstable. Although they cultivated the land, they were not recognized as having rights over it. This instability turned land from a source of livelihood to a permanent uncertainty. This situation increased moral dissatisfaction in rural society.
2.1.2 Tax burden:
From economic exploitation to moral crisis, the feudal system was based primarily on state needs rather than on production. Drought, crop failure, or market changes were not considered as reasons for reducing the tax burden. As a result, farmers had to pay taxes whether the crop was good or bad.
This tax system not only affected the farmers financially but also morally. In the eyes of the people, tax collection became a forced exploitation rather than an act of fair governance. This change transformed tax refusal from a criminal act to a moral act of resistance. This moral change played a key role in gaining public support for the Papanna movement.
2.1.3 Farmer-Professionalist Crisis: Deformation of Rural Society
The impact of the feudal system was not limited to the peasantry. The professional classes that formed part of the rural economy – such as blacksmiths, blacksmiths, gollas, and gouds – also suffered from this crisis. When the income of the peasants fell due to the burden of taxes, the demand for the services of professionals decreased. Thus, the pressure on one class affected the entire rural society.
This comprehensive crisis brought about a significant change in rural society: people began to understand their problems not as individual failures, but as systemic injustices. It was this understanding that gave rural resistance a collective form.
2.1.4 Feudal system and resistance movement
The main point this section makes is that the Papanna movement was not a sudden uprising. It was a social response to the inequalities embedded in the feudal system. Jagirdari, the burden of taxation, and the rural crisis combined to create a political situation where people began to rethink their allegiance to authority.
At this stage, the Papanna movement presented the people with an alternative. Should they continue to submit to exploitation, or should they resist it? This question transformed the feudal system from an economic issue into a political one.
Origin of the Indian caste system :
The caste system was divided into several sub-castes over time: Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra. Initially based on occupation, the division evolved into a caste system based on birth by the Middle Ages.
Caste system :
The caste system has been a major social system in the history of Indian society for thousands of years. This system was especially prevalent in medieval India. The caste system was the main social system that controlled society. The late 17th century and early 18th century were the most crucial periods in the history of Telangana. It was during this period that a popular leader named Sardar Papanna rebelled against casteism and social oppression.
Caste structure is a key analytical category in understanding 17th-century Telangana society. Caste served not only as a social identity during this period, but also as a major mechanism for controlling access to occupation, economic opportunities, residential security, and power. This caste structure, combined with the feudal tax system, further deepened and perpetuated inequalities in rural society.
Nature of the caste system:
During Sardar Papanna’s time, society was divided into castes based on birth. Caste, rather than individual talent, bravery, or education, determined social status. The upper castes controlled governance, lands, and positions of authority, while the lower castes were restricted to service, labor, and military work.
Upper caste dominance:
The upper castes like Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas held power over temples, educational institutions, and the royal courts. They achieved social control through religious rituals. They discriminated against the lower castes in the name of “dharma.”
Oppression of Dalits, backward castes, and lower castes : Ban on temple entry, obstacles to education and land ownership, taxes, forced labor, corporal punishment, and humiliation, all of this oppression has led to deep dissatisfaction in society.
The restrictions imposed by systems can bind a person’s physicality, but they cannot suppress the inner desire for self-respect. Any society without social equality is doomed to destruction, because life without self-respect is incomplete. The rebellion of the sinners was carried out to restore that self-respect.
Historical significance :
By studying the caste system during the time of Sardar Papanna, we can witness the extent of social inequalities in the Telangana region.
In the historical context of modern social justice movements, Sardar Papanna is positioned not just as a warrior but as an anti-caste leader.
During Sardar Papanna’s time, the caste system was a system that degraded human dignity. Sardar Papanna went down in history as a man who stood against that system. His struggle should be considered a struggle for social equality and human dignity.
Telangana society :
Before Sardar Papanna, the zamindari system was strong. The feudal dominance of the upper castes continued. The farmers and laborers were severely exploited. The caste system gave consent to this economic exploitation.
Brahmins-Monopoly over religious rituals, control over temples, discrimination in the name of Shastras. Kshatriyas-Leadership, land ownership, military and administrative power, and tax exploitation continued.
Telangana society has been subjected to extreme social oppression of lower castes, ban on temple entry, residence outside village boundaries, corporal punishment, economic exploitation, bonded labor, high taxes, and lack of land rights.
Human dignity The caste system saw the individual not as a human being but as a “body belonging to the caste.” This severely undermined human dignity.
Social background :
Sardar Papanna belonged to a lower caste. He was a victim of caste discrimination from his childhood. He felt the need to stand up against injustice.
2.2.1. Rural Caste System: Labor-Based Hierarchy
Caste in rural Telangana society is not just a social identity; it is a political system based on the division of labor. Each caste is assigned a specific economic role, social position, and limitations. In this system, it is not the importance of production that determines the value of labor; it is the position of caste.
In this process, the key groups for agricultural production were also socially marginalized. This antagonism created discontent in rural society.
2.2.2. Position of Bahujans, Harijans and Tribals
This story…
Not of kings. Not of palaces.
This is the story of lives left in the dark.
This is not history hidden behind castle walls—
The story of lives torn apart under those walls.
This…
A story of unspeakable, unnameable tears.
The washerman, Sarvanna, was trampled on like a human being in front of his own children.
He planted fear in his wife’s eyes.
That day…
They washed and dried his soul—not his body.
The barber, Masanna… carried his mother’s body in his arms.
The mother’s breathing was stopped in the name of taxes.
From that day on… his instrument was not—
His heart is always crying.
Potter Govindu… While the clay pots are burning
On the other side
He saw his children’s stomachs burning with hunger.
Art is in his hands… but there is no food in his house.
The Jakkula Perumal… saw his forest burning.
His sister’s screams are still killing his sleep.
That day… fear left him.
Even humanity.
The name of religion…
He was rejected on both sides.
A traitor here… a traitor there.
In the end… she found her place in suffering.
Kotwal Mir Saheb… saw justice… but could not do it.
His eyes know how many voices have been silenced in the name of the law.
That’s why… the nights that have passed for him, he still hasn’t seen the light.
The hero of the unknown… ran his whole life without a hometown name.
He died unrecognized. He has no place in history…
But, there is his blood in this soil.
A young Gond… lost his God in the forest.
He cut down his future along with the trees.
That day… the forest cried. Man cried too.
Harijan youth… not for work-
He was punished for being born. He was beaten for drinking water…
They kept him away as an untouchable. They scolded him for raising his head.
If you ask for food, you are insulted… if you ask for rights, you are rejected.
That day he bled to death.
Not for himself… for the hope that his children would walk with their heads held high.
The young shepherd… lost his tomorrow along with his sheep.
The screams of children, combined with the lowing of livestock, pierced the sky.
The young man from Mudiraj… was punished for catching fish in his pond.
A tax on the water… a seal on the nets.
If you cast your net at night, you’ll get caught… During the day, the fish will be plentiful.
The day you realize that even though the pond is yours, the fish are not yours…
He was devastated inside.
The weaver… His cloth adorned royal families. It lit up palaces.
But his children were starving.
Art is for the king… suffering is for him.
None of them wanted war.
But… the pain that came with their names demanded war.
That day…
Tears have become weapons.
That day…
Silence became a slogan.
That day…
The names have been merged. Not as thieves… not as an army…
As people who died without justice.
So…
A revolution was born.
The Gaud community occupies a key position in the rural economy. Although the occupations based on palm and palm trees are essential to rural life, the social prestige of the Gaud community is limited. Economic importance, social oppression – has served as an important source of political consciousness.
The Golla community was the backbone of the rural economy through herding and providing fodder. However, the lack of land rights and the burden of taxation kept them in constant uncertainty. Because of this, this community was able to act as a conduit for information and military support in rebellions.
The Madiga community is the most important but also the most marginalized group in the rural labor system. Although the tannery professions are essential to the rural production cycle, they are socially stigmatized as impure. This disparity raises questions about social justice.
The Eruka community generally lived in forest-border areas and were associated with occupations such as hunting, nomadism, and astrology (Sodhi). Although they were viewed as suspicious by the state, they played a vital role in rural society in terms of information, guidance, and geographical knowledge. The distrust of these communities helped the state to label the rebellions as “criminal”.
2.2.3. Caste, Honor, and Resistance
The caste system did not just regulate labor; it distributed honor. Whose voice was to be listened to, whose complaints to be heeded, whose suffering to be ignored – all these were determined by caste. In this system, the denial of justice to the oppressed became a common experience.
This experience provided the social basis for the Papanna movement. His leadership gave people an alternative sense of respect – respect based on justice and courage, rather than caste.
2.2.4. Brahmin-Muslim Elite – Rural Society
In 17th-century Telangana, official administration was concentrated in the hands of a Brahmin-Muslim elite. While the Brahmins controlled administrative and religious functions, the Muslim elite controlled the military and revenue systems. This dual elite structure created a clear distance from rural society.
This distance was not just religious; it was about access to power. Rural communities were limited in their ability to speak directly to the administration. As a result, the state was seen as a distant, punitive force in the village.
In this situation, the Papanna movement appeared as an intermediary force for the rural community, as well as an alternative form of power. Hence, his movement became a serious threat in the eyes of the state.
2.2.5. From caste structure to political consciousness
The main argument presented in this section is that the Papanna movement did not directly transform caste-based discontent into caste warfare. Instead, it transformed that discontent into a broader political resistance. Caste is the source of political consciousness here; but not the ultimate goal.
The Papanna movement was not a single caste or single class struggle; it was a collective response to the hidden injustices in rural society. The next section will analyse how these socio-economic inequalities transformed into state-village antagonism.
Rural people’s legal concepts, local traditions, and social contracts – all of these have lost their importance in the authoritarian legal system. As a result, a feeling has strengthened in rural society: the state and its representatives are not a solution to their life problems, but only an additional burden.
Caste, power, and resistance
When these caste-based inequalities were combined with feudal and tax systems, they became not just social discrimination but political discontent. Oppressed sections of rural society shared their experiences and built unity against power.
This unity prepared a social foundation before the military coups. These differences between the caste structure, the feudal system, and the state power – in the next stage – led the rural society towards alternative leadership. This study suggests that it was from this development that public leaders like Papanna emerged.
The relationship between the state and rural society in 17th-century Telangana was not cooperative; it was fundamentally antagonistic. The state was present in the lives of rural people mainly in the form of tax collection, punitive measures, and power control. In this situation, the state was perceived as a distant, exploitative institution, rather than as a protector or guardian of the people.
The state authorities did not interact directly with the rural community. Administration was carried out through intermediaries such as jagirdars, faujdars, amins, and tax collectors. These intermediaries were not responsible to the people; they were only accountable to the higher authorities. As a result, the rural people were left without any institutional means to express their problems. This administrative distance was the first foundation of the state-village antagonism.
In history, material victories may be temporary, and the boundaries of empires may be erased. But the struggles for eternal human values, such as the establishment of an egalitarian society and social justice, stand the test of time. Regardless of the victories in the external world, every step taken for human principles will find a permanent place in history. The historical course of history has proven only one truth — fighting for values is victory.
Even to remain silent when injustice is being done is to indirectly cooperate with that injustice. Standing up to the tyranny of systems and raising one’s voice on behalf of the weaker sections of society has been the foundation of democracy in every era. The historical morality that the reign of the Pope has proclaimed is the same — the responsibility to speak up for justice.
2.3.1 The state becoming a distant power
The state was rarely directly experienced in rural Telangana society. The state was visible in the daily lives of the people mainly in the form of tax collection, military incursions, and punitive measures. The administration was seen as a force that came to the village to administer justice, rather than a force that took away resources.
This distance was not only physical, but also conceptual. The rural people lost the sense that the state was “ours.” The law seemed to control the village rather than protect it. This perception gradually emptied political loyalty.
2.3.2 Role of mediators: Expansion of authority and responsibilities
The gap between the state and the village was filled by jagirdars, amins, and tax collectors. However, although these intermediaries extended the power of the state, they did not shoulder the responsibility of the state. The fulfillment of tax objectives became their primary duty; rural welfare was not even considered secondary.
This situation created an important sense of unpredictability in rural society. The understanding that injustice was not caused by individual misconduct; it was caused by the system. It was this understanding that gave the resistance social justice.
2.3.3 Justice, law, and moral conflict
The contradiction between the law imposed by the state and the justice enjoyed by the village became even more pronounced during this period. Refusal to pay taxes, attacks on tax collectors, or resistance to state authority – all of these were “crimes” in the language of the state. But in rural society these were often understood as acts of resistance to justice.
This is where moral politics comes in. The village did not reject the law outright; but it brought forward the argument that justice should prevail when the law did not bring justice. This moral argument provided public support for the Papanna movement.
2.3.4. The politics of fear and crime
The state failed to recognize rural resistance as a political challenge. Instead, it attempted to remove the political meaning of resistance by branding it as “thieves,” “bandits,” and “rioters.” This labeling politics played a key role in criminalizing rural movements.
However, this did not change the experience of the rural people. In the eyes of the people, these labels made the injustice more obvious. Thus, a semantic contradiction was created between the state language and the people’s language.
2.3.5. From opposition to alternative authority
This antagonism between the state and the village created a vacuum. – A vacuum of authority to administer justice. The Papanna movement entered this vacuum. His leadership appeared to the people not as an alternative to the state, but as an alternative to justice.
At this stage, resistance became not just a reaction, but a creative political experiment. People began to rethink how they imagined power and how justice was administered. This shift is what distinguishes the Papanna movement from ordinary uprisings.
2.3.6 State-Village Conflict:
The Papanna movement was not a show of individual courage; it was a social response to a legal crisis between the state and the village. Landlord exploitation, caste inequality, and administrative distance combined to create a political situation where the village had to morally question the state.
The state’s presence in the villages was mostly in times of crisis. Official representatives only came to the villages in cases of tax arrears, suspicions of rebellion, or punishment. These visits instilled fear and insecurity in the people. The presence of state representatives was seen as a dangerous disruption rather than a natural part of rural life.
The legal system also deepened this antagonism. Not only were the courts of law physically remote from rural people, they were also socially inaccessible. Legal processes were costly, time-consuming, and heavily biased in favor of the elite. The local legal concepts and traditional methods of redress of grievances of rural people lost recognition in the legal system. This gradually eroded the public’s trust in the ability of the state to deliver justice.
In this situation, rural society began to explore alternative means of justice and protection. Local leaders, individuals who stood by the people, even if by force, emerged as alternative symbols of authority in rural society. Although they were not officially recognized, they gained legitimacy in public morality. This development can be seen as a social process that directly challenged state authority.
Given this background, the emergence of leaders like Papanna was not a random event. It was a historical response to the state-village conflict. The following chapters will analyze how this response became a coordinated movement, and how it challenged state authority.
Sardar Papanna against the caste system :
A warrior who questioned caste-based injustice.
He organized the lower caste people and turned them into a military force.
He challenged the upper caste system and the local landlord system.
He propagated that valor and courage are the values, not caste.
A warrior who proclaimed that labor should be respected.
He desired equality for all.
The Papanna movement was not just a political one, but also a social revolution.
There is no caste distinction, casteism is the source of oppression.
Caste discrimination was the main reason for many of the uprisings that took place during that period.
He opposed economic exploitation.
He condemned social humiliations.
He avoided religious restrictions.
Sardar Papanna’s struggle was a direct testimony to this oppression.
Militarization-He demanded caste equality.
Position in the Papanna army based on merit, and respect for the oppressed, was a revolutionary idea at the time.
Political form of caste system :
Caste system is a tool of power for rulers
A weapon to suppress rebellions
The Papanna movement challenged this.
Papanna Rebellion-Social Revolution
His fight is not just a war, but a fight for social respect.
Resistance of the upper castes :
The stigma of “thief” on Papanna. Attempts to distort the situation and distance it from the people. Belittling lower caste leaders. Papanna is an example of this
People’s reaction :
The lower castes saw Papanna as a savior. They joined his struggle. People supported Papanna and shouted slogans demanding that the discrimination in the name of religion in the caste system be suppressed and inequalities be removed. Sardar Papanna pioneered modern social justice theories with the concept of equality.
Suppressing the illegal anarchy against lower caste women in the caste system and protecting them in the Papanna movement.
Casteism – the root cause of the upheavals :
The caste system was the main reason for many uprisings in Telangana.
The defeat of the poor-
Social reasons led to his defeat.
Lack of caste-based unity
Unity of upper castes
His thoughts on the legacy of the child:
Similarities with modern times in folk tales
Sardar Papanna’s administration style :
The caste system was not given much importance.
He continued his affairs by including the Sabbanda caste.
His followers belonged to all castes.
That is why he is called the “leader of the masses”.
The influence of caste continues in today’s society. Papanna’s struggle is an inspiration for social justice. Sardar Papanna should be seen as a symbol of anti-casteism. The story of Papanna shatters the silences of history.
Sardar Papanna Telangana consciousness. Long-term impact of caste system, oppression, generational influence, the source of Telangana’s self-respect.
During Sardar Papanna’s time, the caste system served as an oppressive system that stripped human dignity. Sardar Papanna was a rare leader who stood up against it. His struggle has become a beacon of social equality in history.
Agriculture :
The period during which Sardar Papanna lived is known to have witnessed political, social and economic changes in the history of Telangana. During that period, agriculture played a major role as the livelihood of the people. The structure of rural society was completely dependent on agriculture.
Sardar Papanna stood out as a revolutionary leader in the history of Telangana. During his lifetime, political oppression, social inequality, and economic exploitation were severe. Amidst these conditions, agriculture was the main source of livelihood for the rural community. The agricultural sector not only influenced the lives of the people but also the social structure and the nature of the uprisings.
It analyses the agricultural conditions, land system, crop formation, irrigation system, living conditions of farmers, taxation system and their relationship with the revolts of Sardar Papanna during his reign.
Sardar Papanna’s time was during the last phase of the Mughal Empire and the beginning of the rule of Asaf Jahi. During this period, local zamindars, Deshmukhs, and Patels had complete control over the rural system. Agriculture became their main source of income.
Although the villages were self-sufficient, high taxes and exploitation made life miserable for the peasants. This situation led to rebellions.
Agricultural policy
During that period, agriculture was carried out in traditional ways. Ploughing agriculture using cattle continued to be the mainstay. Cultivation was dependent on cattle. Only cattle dung was used as fertilizer. Farmers relied heavily on rain-fed agriculture. Due to limited water resources, cultivation was completely dependent on the monsoons.
Crop Appearance
The main crops grown during Sardar Papanna’s reign were paddy, sorghum, sajja, ragi, pulses like lentil, gram, gram, and oilseeds (sesame, castor). These crops not only met the food needs of the people but also formed the basis of the rural economy.
Water resources – ponds
The tank system is the lifeblood of agriculture in the Telangana region. During the time of Sardar Papanna, the tanks and kuntas around the villages were used as the main sources of irrigation water. The maintenance of the tanks was the responsibility of the rural community.
Land system and the condition of farmers
Lands were mainly under the control of landlords like zamindars, deshmukhs and patels. Farmers had to work as tenant farmers. Land measurements were done using traditional methods.
Tax policy
During that period, high taxes were imposed on agricultural produce. The pressure of taxes on farmers continued before and after the Nizam’s rule. The burden of these taxes was the cause of the farmers’ discontent. No matter how much the production was, taxes were collected. High taxes were imposed on the produce. The lands of farmers who could not pay taxes were seized. The life of farmers became difficult due to the burden of taxes. Sardar Papanna waged a fierce struggle against this exploitative system.
Agriculture – the source of rebellions
Farmers were a socially and economically depressed class. When there were famines, the burden of debt increased. The moneylenders exploited the farmers even more. The plight of the farmers, oppression by the landlords, and tax evasion led to uprisings in the rural areas. Sardar Papanna used these farmer problems as a strong motivation for his uprisings.
Economic and social impact
Agriculture was not only an economic activity but also regulated social relations. The caste system, division of labor, and village system all continued to be associated with agriculture.
Although agriculture during Sardar Papanna’s time was the source of livelihood for the farmers, it was also an exploited sector. It was the inequalities in this agricultural system that led to the uprisings of leaders like Sardar Papanna. His struggle went down in history as a movement for the liberation of the lives of the farmers, not just a political one.
Droughts and impact
When famines occurred, food shortages, migrations, and uprisings increased.
Sardar Papanna’s Rebellions – Reforms made during Papanna’s rule
The plight of the farmers was the main motivation for Sardar Papanna’s struggles.
His attacks on landlords brought relief to the farmers.
The Sardar Papanna movement spread with the support of agricultural farmers.
Agriculture is the center of the rural economy.
Crop tax relaxation
Providing livestock and land for agriculture
He reused the looted wealth for public needs.
In folklore, the feeling that the farmer’s field was fruitful during Papanna’s rule and the property was saved is clearly heard.
Tribal communities like Gonds, Lambadis, Kolams, and Yanads in Telangana played a key role in the Papanna forces.
They were guides in the forests and acted as spies.
That is why he was also called the ‘Tribal King’ in folk songs.
Changes in the tax system :
During the Mughal rule, taxes were a heavy burden on the farmers of Telangana. The Zamindaris and the Mughal criminal system forced the collection of taxes. Papanna rejected this system.
Only a third of the farmer’s harvest was collected as tax. The rest was kept by the farmer’s families.
If the crop was damaged or spoiled, he would give tax exemption.
He abolished additional taxes on crops like cattle, wheat, and sesame.
Although agriculture during Sardar Papanna’s time was exploited, it laid the foundation for people’s resistance. The suffering of farmers is what made heroes like Sardar Papanna stand in history. There is historical evidence that they stood by the families of farmers during Papanna’s rule and made appropriate changes.
Social conditions :
In any monarchy in the history of the world, justice and law belong to the one who has power. There is no place for public opinion. The people have no say. After Aurangzeb attacked Golconda, there was no rain and the people suffered from drought. Before the people who had experienced the disaster could recover, the Mughal armies started roaming freely. Their injustices and atrocities became unstoppable. Having witnessed and experienced such a situation, Papanna stepped forward to protect the poor people. He stood by the oppressed people and ruled independently for almost 20 years.
Origins of the Papanna Rebellion :
Rural laborers, washermen, barbers, potters, and artisans were plunged into poverty.
Lack of respect for the labor of farmers.
Farmers fleeing their lands/falling into debt.
Tribal and Bahujan communities are being pushed to the bottom.
Reluctantly following religious rituals at home.
Even if you don’t want to, you have to pick up the strings and sing.
Having to pay taxes even while fighting death.
Papanna’s unwillingness to live under the influence of the nobility.
The harassment of those who are professionally and financially self-sufficient has increased in their lives. Their lives have become unprotected.
The oppressed castes were haunted by fear of death.
Exploitation by local nobles, landlords, and subedars increased.
Having experienced such disastrous conditions firsthand, rebellious tendencies began to sprout in Papanna.
With thoughts of rebellion, he began to yearn for freedom.
People have lost faith in the rulers.
Changes in Papanna’s rule :
Not only did he relax taxes, but Papanna also changed economic and business relations.
He allowed the looted money to flow back into the local economy.
Rural markets and small businesses strengthened during his time.
A folk song, “In the kingdom of Papanna, taxes are low, rice is abundant,” is evidence of this.
He abolished forest taxes and gave them shares in the land’s harvest.
Not only Hindus supported Papanna. Muslims also supported him. Half of the first list of followers were Muslims. Tribals joined Papanna’s army in large numbers.
It is clear that it is a people’s rule/movement that transcends caste and religion.
The tribes considered him ‘our savior’.
It has become a symbol of social justice and equality.
Sardar Sarvai Papanna (1650-1709) was the first Bahujan warrior who established the first Bahujan kingdom in the Deccan in the 17th century. Born into a common caste, he was the first Bahujan king who defied the power and slavery of the dominant castes in the social system of that time and led the Dalit Bahujans towards state power.
After the 1960s, history took a new turn around the world. In the construction of alternative history, the construction of the existential history of forgotten places and people came to the fore. It is in this context that the mention of Sarvai Papanna Goud of the 17th century came before us. In the context of Sarvai Papanna Goud, who was forgotten in the history of the dominant castes, the relevance of his history is doubling day by day. There is a need to know his history.
Sarvai Papanna took on the responsibility of protecting the local people against the tyrannical rule of the Mughal Viceroys and the Brahminical ideology. Sarvai became famous as Papanna by putting his mother’s name before his own. Papanna is the only person in history after Satakarni to put his mother’s name before his own. Papanna was a warrior who demolished the fortress walls of the strong feudal powers that were entrenched in the society of that time. It is unusual for him to work tirelessly to establish and expand his kingdom by building forts so that it would not be captured by enemies.
More important than how long Papanna ruled is how a common man could achieve this. A king who stood the test of time for almost three decades and left his indelible mark on the land of Deccan. We talk about the urgent need of the spirit of Phule, Periyar and Ambedkar today. But, the inspiring struggle of Papanna, who understood this almost centuries ago, needs to be passed on to future generations. There is a need to put aside the divisive factors of caste, religion, class and ethnicity and fight for the rule of the Bahujan state. Our tribute to Sardar Sarvai Papanna is to work for a society free of education, employment, hunger, untouchability and exploitation. A true leader is one who considers the suffering of the people as his own suffering. A great hero is one who has transformed the faith of the people into his strength. Only one who chooses Dharma as his weapon and justice as his path will go down in history. Leadership is born when sacrifice, service and determination come together. Time will never forget the one who has earned a place in the hearts of the people. Great leaders are not born by chance. The faith, courage, and sacrifice of the people make them great leaders.
Sardar Sarvai Papanna’s history is not a story that ends with the life story of an individual; it is a spirit of life that acquires new meaning in every generation. Values do not change even when times change; Dharma does not change even when kingdoms change; self-respect remains eternal even when powers change. Papanna’s life reminds us of the same truth. He proved that a person born in an ordinary family can remain in the hearts of the people with extraordinary determination. He demonstrated with his life that the trust of the people is the true strength of a leader, justice is the true foundation of governance, and service is the ultimate meaning of leadership.
While Aurangzeb was waging wars to expand his empire, on the other hand, Chhatrapati Shivaji and Sambhaji lit the torch of Swaraj among the people. While Tanisha’s rule continued in Golconda, Akkanna-Madanna stood as an ideal for pro-people governance. In Bhadrachalam, Bhakta Ramdas stood as an eternal symbol of devotion, service and sacrifice. In the same historical era, Sardar Sarvai Papanna laid the foundation of state building on the soil of Telangana, building the self-respect of the people. All these great men are lights that illuminated the same era in the history of India; but each light guided the society in its own way.
This book is just a humble attempt to bring a ray of that light to the readers. Our aim is not to rewrite history; our intention is to bring to light the truths hidden in history with evidence. This work has been written with the ambition of introducing Papanna to future generations as a great leader who has stood forever in the history of the people of India, without limiting him to a caste, a region, or a class. Every reader who reads this book should develop respect for history in their hearts; should be interested in the search for truth; values like self-respect, courage, service, equality, and justice should become the guidelines of life. That is the real result of writing this book.