SARVAI PAPADU….. .THE FORGOTTEN KNIGHT OF TELANGANA

Dr k Prabhakar Rao

Sarvai Papadu was a knight from Telangana
Who has been forgotten by our pseudo history
The valor of brave knight although touching the heavens
Has remained great but a forgotten mystery
Although he ruled local areas with his might
The times were difficult with Muslims at their peak
All the south Indian kingdoms disappeared from the sight
And the remaining rulers remained weak and meek

Papadu grew in Telangana although born in Belgaum
He grew grazing cattle and sheep
He belonged the caste of toddy tappers
And it is said as a child he was never found to weep
Once he was sleeping in a field
While the sun was throwing on his face bright rays
A serpent passing that way saw him in open
It spread its hood over his face and luck has its own ways

Some passers saw the serpent with Papadu
And were sure that he would surely rule the lands
The days passed and the lad grew into youth of courage
While he planned to rewrite history with his armed bands
He raised money from his widowed sister
Got horses materials arms and brave men
He looted hamlets and further raised his wealth
While Muslim commanders lost their sleep in their den

Papadu became a terror to Mughal commanders
Who believed that Papadu enjoyed divine powers
All the efforts of these chiefs were in vain
While Papadu grew in power and reached top of the tower
Forts were built at Shahpur and Tatikonda
Papadu sacked Bhongir Warangal and many towns
He grew bolder day by day
While the Mughals ran away like mere clowns

All good things finally come to an end
As traitors in the land planned his capture and fall
He was betrayed while asleep
And some of his men connived with Muslims for his downfall
Papadu was captured by Muslim troops
Historians claim that he was tortured and killed
The head was severed and hung to the fort
And the body was thrown to the crows after it was grilled
The fact is that Papadu was very brave knight
He took hi sown life before he was held by men
He preferred death in glory than dishonor
And Papadu disappeared in to past betrayed by his own men
Men are few in our valiant history
Who laid down life for Hindu faith and heritage
Most of our knights were betrayed our own men
Or else the history of India would have been different in it’s golden page

…

NOTE..Sarvai Papadu ( papanna) or Sardar Paparayudu lived during the closing years of 17 th. century and was contemporary of Aurangzeb and Shivaji. He raised banner of Revolt in Telangana and was much feared by Muslim commanders.He reigned in the regions of Bhongir, Jangaon and surrounding districts. shahpuram was his main stay. He was chivelrous and very brave and daring. He protected Hindus from Muslim atrocities and was steadily growing when he was betrayed by some of his men to Muslim commanders of Mughal army during the reign of Bahadur Shah I who ruled at Delhi after the death of Aurangzeb in 1707. Papadu committed suicide and faded into golden pages of our History.