Guntur: Palnati Yuddham, (battle of Palnadu) is an important milestone in the history of Andhra Pradesh. However, the government did not take any steps to protect the culture and tradition of Palnadu but the locals have been trying to do it by conducting Palnati Veeraradhana Utsavalu for five days every year, paying tributes to the warriors of the battle. Further, they have also been practising Chapa Koodu system introduced by Brahma Naidu, a minister in the Palnadu kingdom who tried to abolish the caste system, by treating all people equally and by offering food to all castes on “one mat”.
Palnati Veeraradhana Utsavalu are scheduled to start at Karempudi on Nov. 17 and will conclude on Nov. 21. The famous Chapa Koodu would be held on Nov. 19 and Kodi Poru (cock fight) on November 20. According to the history, the famous Palnati Yuddham was fought on the banks of Naguleru stream in 1182 CE at Karempudi village.
Ancestors of the area formed a peetham (memorial) to remember the martyrs of Palnati battle every year, preserved the swords, knives and other weapons used in the battle and the war weapons would be worshipped during five-day celebrations. During the celebrations, the battle of Palnadu would be enacted and dance programmes would be organised. The fight for power between brothers was the cause of the battle and a cock fight was the decider of the war.
According to history, the then soldiers, Jaffar and Fareed, constructed a temple for the martyrs in the battlefield at Karempudi. The martyrs were buried in the same ground and their graves are present there even today. Palnati Veerachara Peetham organisor B. Vijay Kumar said P. Tharun Chennakesava, priest of the Peetham, will hoist the flag to inaugurate the Palnati Veeraradhana Utasavalu at Veerula Gudi on Nov. 17. He said that the Palnati war scenes will be enacted in the form of a play, Rayabaram (diplomatic talk), on Nov. 18, Chapa Koodu will be held on Nov. 19, under which people from all sects and castes would have food sitting on the same seat shunning differences. EO of Veerula Gudi Ch. Vijaykumar Reddy said all arrangements have been made for remembering the Palnati warriors and that people in large numbers from AP, Telangana and other states will join the celebrations.
