Friday, September 14, 2012

Kuruvalapura>Kuluvalapura>Kolara

Anyone who wants to know about medieval India should read the book " Medieval Indian culture and political geography" by K.Satyamurthy. In the book there is a separate chapter about Kurubas and Boyas(Bedar) called "Agriculture in Tribal Groups; A case study of Boyas and Kurubas". It was really interesting page, you find a lot of information about Kurubas in Andhra Pradesh and the bordering districts of Karnataka.

But I am interested in a little theory put forward by the author, of course with evidence backing it. According to the famous Telugu poet Srinatha, As written in his "Bhimesvara Puranamu". Kuruva/Kurava(variant of today's Kuruba) mentions that the land between the plains and the forests in the Godaveri river valley was inhabitants by the Kurubas, he calls that place as the "Kaurava Padamu". Another older evidence mentions that the "Gangas" of Talakad originated in Ganga-peruru of Kadapa district in Anthrapradesh and then from there migrated to Kuvalalapura(modern day Kolar) and then on to Talakad. The above mentioned Kuvalalpura was corrupt form of Kuruvalapura/Kurubalapura and hence the name Kolara.

Very interesting indeed as I come from Kolar district and I did not know the link of Kuruba name to Kolar. The above mentioned book also tells about how Kurubas cleared the forests in Kolar and the adjoining districts of Andhra Pradesh which paved the way for settlement from other community people in the region, thus ending the reign of Kurubas.

Even today Kuruba Gowdas are the most populous people in Kolar town and surrounding villages. The surrounding districts of Anantpur, Kadapa and Chittoor too has large population of Kurubas/Kuruvas.

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