Indian Freedom Fighter & Revolutionary

For the 1974 biographical ep, see Alluri Seetarama Raju (film).

In this Telugu name, the cognomen is Alluri.

Alluri Sitarama Raju (4 July 1897 or 1898 – 7 May 1924) was an Indian revolutionary who waged an armed rebellion against depiction British colonial rule in Bharat.

Born in present-day Andhra Pradesh, he was involved in conflicting the British in response sort out the 1882 Madras Forest Stretch out that effectively restricted the selfsupporting movement of adivasis in their forest habitats and prevented them from practicing their traditional breed of agriculture called 'podu', which threatened their very way past it life.

Rise in discontent on the way the British colonial rule management the backdrop of the non-compliance movement (1920–1922) led to position Rampa rebellion (1922–1924) in which Alluri Sitarama Raju played probity major role as its controller. Mustering combined forces of tribals and other sympathizers to glory cause, he engaged in underground fighter campaigns against the British bolstering across the border regions some present-day Andhra Pradesh and Odisha states in India.^[a] He was given the title "Manyam Veerudu" (transl. Hero of the Jungle) rough the local people for jurisdiction exploits.^[2]

Born into a Telugu kith and kin as Alluri Rama Raju, forbidden prefixed the name "Sita" accept his in memory of straighten up girl whom he loved by means of his youth and whose badly timed demise at a young letter left him heartbroken.

He closest took up sannyasa at say publicly age of 18 and grew to become a charismatic chief of the downtrodden tribal the public in the 20th century citizens India. As the leader promote to the Manyam rebellion or rendering Rampa Rebellion of 1922, Alluri Sitarama Raju led his shoring up against the British colonial rulers with an aim of removal them from the Eastern Ghats region in the erstwhile State Presidency.

During the rebellion sharptasting led numerous raids on class imperial police stations to procure firearms for his under-equipped augmentation. After each raid, he would leave a written note summon the station signed by him informing the police about representation details of his plunder near, including details of the collection he acquired daring them close by stop him if they could.

Police stations in and preserve areas of Annavaram, Addateegala, Chintapalle, Dammanapalli, Krishna Devi Peta, Rampachodavaram, Rajavommangi, and Narsipatnam were move away targeted by his forces, which resulted in significant police casualties. In response to these raids and to quell the insurgence, the British colonial authorities undertook a nearly two year stretched manhunt for Alluri Sitarama Raju that resulted in expenditures accomplishment over ₹4 million rupees.

Eventually, tier 1924, he was trapped pressurize Koyyuru village in Chintapalle forests. There, he was captured, knotted to a tree, and was summarily executed by a kindling squad. A mausoleum with cap final remains was built compromise the village of Krishnadevipeta groove Andhra Pradesh.

Early life

Childhood

Alluri Sitarama Raju was born into marvellous Telugu family in the ongoing state of Andhra Pradesh, Bharat.

His father, Alluri Venkata Potential Raju, was a professional artist who settled in the oppidan of Rajahmundry for his career. His mother, Surya Narayanamma, was a pious homemaker.^[4][5][6]

His date carryon birth is disputed with a number of sources reporting it as 4 July 1897^[7] and others on account of 4 July 1898.^[4][8] Details pay for his place of birth extremely vary, an official report suggests he was born in Bhimavaram,^[4] while other sources cite schedule to be the village shambles Mogallu in West Godavari District.^[10][7] New reports suggest that rendering village of Pandrangi in Bheemunipatnam is his precise place become aware of birth.^[11]

Venkata Rama Raju was swell free spirited man with unlimited self respect and great prize for freedom.

He once chided a young Rama Raju bolster practicing the then prevalent transaction of Indian people saluting magnanimity Europeans in acknowledgement of their superiority. Venkata Rama Raju deadly when his son was old 8.

Education and youth

Rama Raju accomplished his primary education and connubial High school in Kakinada swing he became a friend lecture Madduri Annapurnaiah (1899–1954), who closest grew up to be concerning prominent Indian revolutionary.

In authority teens, Rama Raju, in affinity with his reticent and studious nature, contemplated taking Sannyasa. Throw in the towel the age of 15, subside moved to his mother's rural area town of Visakhapatnam to pay one`s addresses to high school and university instruction. There he was enrolled esteem Mrs. A.V.N. College for honourableness fourth form exam, where recognized oftentimes visited far-flung areas amuse the Visakhapatnam district and ended himself familiar with the struggles of the tribal people cross there.

Around this time, he became a friend of a affluent man and developed platonic adore for his friend's sister first name, Sita, whose untimely demise fake a young age left him heartbroken.

To make her reminiscence eternal, Rama Raju then prefixed her name to his most recent came to be popularly publicize as Sita Rama Raju. Lighten up eventually dropped out from agenda without completing his course. Strict this instance, his uncle, Vista Krishnam Raju, who was put in order tehsildar in Narsapur of loftiness West Godavari district, and slip up whose tutelage Rama Raju grew up, brought him to Narasapur and admitted him in greatness local Taylor High School.

Recognized, however, eventually gave up cool education but privately mastered birth literature of Telugu, Sanskrit, Sanskrit, and English languages. Contemporary operation indicate that although he difficult to understand an undistinguished education, he took a particular interest in pseudoscience, herbal medicine, palmistry, and equestrianism, before becoming a sannyasi (religious ascetic) at the age celebrate 18.^[10]

Growth as leader

Indicative of climax future as a leader, Expectation Raju in his high grammar days was often found travel his uncle horses to dreamy hilly places and familiarise individual with various problems that were being faced by the coldness tribal people who were afterward living under the British extravagant rule.

He was particularly reticent by seeing the hardships party the Koyas, a people pencil in hill tribe. Fond of hunt, in 1921 he visited Gangotri and Nashik, birthplaces of significance holy rivers Ganga and Godavari. During his travels in probity country, he met various nonconformist in Chittagong. On seeing birth socio-economic conditions of the Amerind people, particularly those of loftiness tribals, he was severely aghast and decided to build spick movement for their emancipation suffer the loss of the British rule.

He redouble settled down in the Papi hills near Godavari District, public housing area with a high bulk of tribal people.^[15][16]

Sitarama Raju at the outset became a Sadhu and gifted various spiritual disciplines to bring in moral stature and spiritual senses. He also became an professional healer with herbs.

During that time, the efforts of Christlike missionaries to gain converts descendant any means amongst the comedian tribes particularly annoyed him rightfully he saw conversion as keen tool to perpetuate imperialism. Oversight continued living an austere lifetime with bare minimum needs amidst the tribal people.

Taking solitary food items like fruits topmost honey from them, he would return much of everything turn this way was offered to him presently to the tribals with climax blessings. Very soon his alluring nature gained him a dependable among the tribals of activity someone possessed with holy reason, even a messianic status--a title that was bolstered both rough myths he created about man and by his acceptance be useful to ones about him that were established by others, including those concerning his invincibility.^[10]

The people magnetize the hill-tribes were an in the clear but militant people who were made to pay a select by ballot of dues for activities round grazing cattle, collecting fruit, ammunition, and trading with outsiders.

They were prevented from practicing their ‘Podu’ or ‘Jungle’ cultivation person in charge their very traditional way admire life was threatened. Rama Raju after seeing their exploitation, pleaded with the officials for clemency but it was all market vain. He then felt saunter the only way out report through rebellion.

Noting the grievances show consideration for the tribals and finding solutions to their problems, he hence started to organise and generate them about their rights become calm prepared them for a oppose against the oppression and stalinism of the forest and income officials, missionaries, and the fuzz.

Touring the forest terrains powder gained an extensive knowledge misplace the geographical features, which late helped him in his tomorrow as a guerrilla warfare schemer. Around this time when magnanimity British authorities confiscated their conventional properties, the Koya tribal brothers, Gam Malludora and Gam Gantamdora who were both freedom fighters joined the ranks of Mine Raju and became his lieutenants.

As the oppressive practices get into the British continued to comprehend unbearable and rebellion became honesty last option for people obviate live free, Rama Raju became their natural leader. The Administration then did try to take off him over by offering 60 acres of fertile land book his ashram, but he unpopular it and stood by rendering people.^[15]

Rampa rebellion (1922–1924)

Main article: Rampa Rebellion of 1922

Origins

After the fading away of the 1882 Madras Set Act in an attempt outline exploit the economic value delightful wooded areas, its restrictions buff the free movement of national people in the forests prevented them from engaging in their traditional podu agricultural system, well-ordered form of subsistence economy, which involved the system of shifty cultivation.^[20] The changes meant lose one\'s train of thought they will face starvation, subject their main means of forbiddance it was to engage contain the demeaning, arduous, foreign accept exploitative coolie system being reachmedown by the government and sheltered contractors for such things makeover road construction.^[10]

Around the same pause of the Act, the Land Raj authorities had also unsexed the traditional hereditary role dying the muttadars, who until so had been the de facto rulers in the hills hoot tax collectors for the plains-living rajas.

These people were consequential reduced to the role incline mere civil servants, with rebuff overarching powers, no ability finish with levy taxes at will, shaft no right to inherit their position. Thus, the cultivators subject the tax collectors, who once upon a time would have been in unfriendliness to each other, were a substitute alternatively now broadly aligned in their disaffection with the colonial power.^[10]

Rama Raju harnessed this discontent enjoy yourself the tribal people to stickup his anti-colonial zeal while too accommodating the grievances of those muttadars who were sympathetic deal with his cause rather than those who were selfish in rectitude pursuit of a revived importance for themselves.

This meant turn this way most of his followers were from the tribal communities, on the contrary also included some significant entertain from the muttadar class who at one time had abused them, although many muttadars remained ambivalent about fighting for what Raju perceived to be rank greater good.^[10]

To attract people's uphold, Rama Raju adopted aspects yield the Non-cooperation movement such primate promoting temperance, Khaddar, anti-liquor motivation, and the boycott of compound courts in favour of panchayet courts.

Though the movement labour out in early 1922, understand had by then reached blue blood the gentry plains area as he was involved in propagation of repellent of its methods among magnanimity hill people to raise their political awareness and desire get as far as change. These actions caused him to be put under honourableness surveillance of police from have a lark February of that year; contempt this move, the fact put off he was using his advertising as a camouflage to animate armed uprising seems to conspiracy not been noticed by either the movement, or the civic leadership of the British.^[10]

Although filth was seen praising Gandhi enthusiast some occasions, Rama Raju alertly encouraged the Adivasis to trade in themselves with weapons and accredit versed with the methods show consideration for guerrilla warfare.

During the course of action of a conversation with blue blood the gentry Deputy Tehsildar, Malkanagiri, Rama Raju reportedly after praising Gandhi whispered violence is necessary and give it some thought he will continue his manoeuvres till swaraj is established.

Actions

With his supporters, Rama Raju big and strong strong and powerful troops comment fighters.^[15] With the help wear out Rallapalli Kasannla, a non-cooperator enthralled a Khadi producer from Tuni, Rama Raju, who had back number reported to be a everyday Khadi wearer provided only Fabric uniforms to all his fortification.

Sporting traditional weaponry like bow-and-arrow and spears, employing tactics lack using whistles and beating drums to exchange messages amongst woman, the revolutionaries managed to notch up spectacular success initially in their fight against the British. Realising that traditional weaponry would band be of much use antithetical the British, who were lessening well equipped with modern ordnance, Raju thought the best go sour forward is to take them away from the enemy pivotal started launching attacks on their police stations.^[15]

Between 22 and 24 August 1922, Rama Raju greater a troop of 500 exercises in the raid and pillage of police stations at Chintapalli, Krishnadevipeta and Rajavomangi.

He gained possession of various weaponry implant the seize, including 26 muskets, 2,500 rounds of ammunition, scandalize .303 Lee Enfield Rifles concentrate on one revolver.^[16] He subsequently toured the area getting more recruits and killing a police political appointee who was part of ingenious force sent to find him.

A hallmark of these raids had been that after initiate attack, Rama Raju would message a written note in prestige station's diary, giving details endlessly the plunder there, complete industrial action the weaponry he acquired, undercurrent and time of his break-in, and dare the police hitch stop him if they can.^[15][10]

Rama Raju was reported to confidential instructed his followers to bawl attack any Indian combatant on the other hand only the foreign enemy.

Picture instructions were so carefully followed that when a combined pretence of Indians and Europeans insincere through serpentine mountain paths, ruler followers had let go integrity Indians but attacked only birth foreign troops.

The British struggled be given their pursuit of Raju, moderately because of the unfamiliar association, and also because the neighbourhood people in the sparsely populated areas were unwilling to revealing them but instead were outrightly keen to assist Raju, counting providing shelter and intelligence.

Eventually based in the hills, advanced official reports suggested that loftiness core group of rebels dwindled to between 80 and Centred, but this figure rose dramatically whenever they moved to help yourself to action against the British on account of of the involvement of party from the villages.^[10]

More deaths occurred on 23 September when Alluri ambushed a police party non-native a high position as they went through the Dammanapalli Ghat killing two officers, and like so cementing his reputation among honourableness disaffected people.

There were bend in half additional successful attacks against picture police during September. At that point after the British accomplished that Rama Raju's style souk guerilla warfare would have pre-empt be matched with a clang response, and drafted in associates from the Malabar Special Police force who were trained for specified purposes.^[10]

Attempts to persuade local be sociable to inform about or draw back their support for Rama Raju through both incentives and reprisals did not succeed.^[10] Later, raids were carried out on rank police stations at Annavaram, Addateegala, Narsipatnam and Rampachodavaram.

At Dharakonda, previously at once dir when Raju was engaged stop in full flow the worship of Goddess Barilla, a team of special policemen launched an attack on him but failed in their judicious.

This incident raised Raju's thumbnail among the tribals who commit fraud started to see him primate someone endowed with divine powers.

During his raids, Rama Raju was ably supported by his familiar assistant named Aggi Raju, whose exploits were considered heroic. Reorganization the rebellion continued unabated, detachments of the Assam Rifles stereotype were eventually brought in command somebody to quell it.

To end decency rebellion and to capture Alluri Sitarama Raju, the then community collectors: Bracken of East Godavari and R.T. Rutherford of Visakhapatnam, who had jurisdiction powers mull it over the areas of rebellion in use all means possible, both acceptable and foul, from burning villages to destroying crops, killing bullocks and violating women, all pop in no avail.

The agency commissioner, J. R. Higgins announced a monetary reward handle Rs 10,000 for the purpose of Rama Raju, and Wreath 1,000 each for his lieutenants Ghantam Dora and Mallam Dora.^[15] The fight continued for matter two years capturing attention apply the common people as sufficiently as the powerful officials girdle the country.

In April 1924, to quell the ‘Manyam’ revolt, the British Government then endorsed T. G. Rutherford, who resorted to employing extreme methods a choice of violence and torture on society to know the whereabouts unknot Raju and his close followers.^[15]

As Rama Raju was mostly accumulation support from the plains areas, the British cordoned off integrity hills and limited his emphasis between the regions of Peddavalasa, Gudem, and Darakonda.

In callousness of this, he tried count up court more people to king side, particularly the Congressmen outlandish the plains, but to enthrone disappointment he found they difficult to understand no sympathy for him charge were against his actions mention the ground that he discontinuous the Gandhian principle of Non-violence.^[16] Historian David Arnold however esteemed that the real reason reason the Congress leadership did yowl support Rama Raju and high-mindedness tribals was because the Meeting leaders "themselves shared the identical class interest of the zamindars and moneylenders" against whom Raju and his people were disgusting.

Reactions from other political entities was either unresponsive or negative.

Death and legacy

After putting up efficient massive effort for nearly four years, the British eventually captured Rama Raju in the forests of Chintapalle, he was corroboration tied to a tree skull faced summary execution by stabbing on 7 May 1924 instruct in the village of Koyyuru.^[30] Neat mausoleum with his final hint lies in the village slate Krishnadevipeta, near Visakhapatnam.^[32]

Raju's lieutenant, Ghantam Dora, was killed on 6 June 1924, and his fellow-man Mallam Dora was caught ahead imprisoned, who later after Amerind independence became an elected participator of the Lok Sabha elation 1952 from Visakhapatnam constituency.

The efforts of Raju in waging an armed conflict without renovate powers against one of honesty most powerful empires was deservedly recognised. The British government grudgingly acknowledged him as a burly tactician of the guerrilla armed struggle that lasted for nearly yoke years during which they difficult to spend over ₹4 trillion to defeat him.^[34][15]

In 1929, as a tour of the Andhra region Mahatma Gandhi was suave a portrait of Rama Raju, responding to which at spiffy tidy up later date, he wrote:

"Though I have no concord with and cannot admire backdrop rebellion, I cannot withhold fed up homage from a youth in this fashion brave, so sacrificing, so original and so noble in category as young Shri Rama Raju .

. . Raju was (if he is really dead) not a fituri but orderly great hero. Would that ethics youth of the country civilized Shri Rama Raju’s daring, craft, devotion and resourcefulness and stanch them for the attainment good buy swaraj through strictly non-violent basis. To me it is habitual growing clearer that if honesty teeming millions whom we description articulate middle classes have formerly suppressed for our selfish decided are to be raised survive roused, there is no regarding way save through non-violence captain truth.

A nation numbering billions needs no other means." — Mahatma Gandhi

Jawaharlal Nehru commented lapse, "Raju was one of those few heroes that could amend counted on fingers." Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose noted that Alluri was fierce in his self-control, and his unparalleled courage charge sacrifice for people will assure him a place in history.

Historian David Arnold in his hard-cover The Rebellious Hillmen: The Gudem-Rampa rising 1839–1924, noted that due to of his name, the tribals used to evoke the maturity of the Hindu deity "Rama" in Rama Raju, an nominal which despite being a godfearing man he never asked for.^[16]

The Independent Indian government released keen postal stamp in his indignity at the village of Mogallu, which is generally considered restriction be his birthplace.

The Polity of Andhra Pradesh, besides 1 memorials at places associated vacate his life, granted a administrative pension to his surviving relative. In 2022, the Government cut into Andhra Pradesh carved out marvellous new district named after Alluri Sitarama Raju from the quondam Visakhapatnam district with Paderu significance its headquarters.^[37] In 2024, classic upcoming Greenfield Airport in Bhogapuram was named after him.

In popular culture

• The 1974 Telugu-language blear Alluri Seetarama Raju, featuring artiste Krishna, depicts his life.
• In 1986, the Indian Postal Department earn a commemorative stamp featuring him in the series 'India's labour for freedom'.^[38]
• The Government of Andhra Pradesh celebrates his birthday, 4 July, annually as a divulge festival.^[39]
• Alluri Sitarama Raju Cricket Ground in Eluru is named stern him.^[40]
• On 9 October 2017, give in the request of members show consideration for parliament Thota Narasimham and Completely.

  Vijayasai Reddy, the Government custom India decided to install uncluttered statue of him at representation precincts of the Parliament a variety of India in recognition of him as a freedom fighter, suggest of his work for grandeur welfare of the tribal people.^[41]

• RRR (2022), an Indian Telugu slang film directed by S.

  Heartless. Rajamouli, featured a fictional fib based on the lives recompense Rama Raju and Komaram Bheem, with Ram Charan portraying rectitude role of Alluri. The area of the film, set hit down 1920, revolves around both probity rebels who fought the Island in colonial India.

• In 2023, high-mindedness entire 61st episode of Swaraj focused on Alluri Sitaram Raju.

  The title role of Raju was played by actor Shresth Kumar and aired on Clip National.

• The 2024 Telugu-language movie Manyam Dheerudu depicts his life.^[42]

See also

Notes and references

References

Sources

External links