Andhra Cholas
The Telugu Chodas of Renadu, Pottapi, Nellore, Nidadavolu & Konidena — long-lasting Chola offshoots that ruled Rayalaseema for over 700 years and championed early Telugu inscriptions.
Why this matters
The Kalamalla inscription of the Renadu Cholas is the first-ever Telugu-language inscription — a landmark answer. The Nellore Cholas produced Tikkana's patron and controlled the Nellore–Kanchi corridor for centuries.
c. 550 – 1250 CE (~700 years)
Renadu · Pottapi · Nellore · Nidadavolu · Konidena · Velanandu
Kalamalla (Erikal Muturaju, c. 575 CE)
High (1–2 Qs)
Kalamalla (Erikal Muturaju, c. 575 CE)
Renadu (~200 years)
Manma-siddha II (Nellore Chola)
Kakatiya Rudrama Devi absorbs them, 13th c.
Kalamalla inscription = 1st Sanskrit inscription of Andhra → WRONG (it is the 1st Telugu inscription; Ehuvala Chamtamula's Nagarjunakonda is the 1st Sanskrit of the south)
c. 550
Renadu Cholas emerge
Rayalaseema; feudatories of Pallavas.
c. 575
Kalamalla inscription
Erikal Muturaju — first Telugu language inscription.
c. 750
Renadu decline
Absorbed by Rashtrakutas.
c. 900
Pottapi Cholas rise
Rayalaseema feudatories.
c. 1100
Nellore Cholas ascend
Rule Nellore-Kanchi corridor.
c. 1250
Kakatiya absorption
Ganapatideva & Rudrama Devi absorb Nellore Cholas.
Erikal Muturaju (Dhananjaya-varman)
Renadu Chola
Issued the first Telugu inscription — Kalamalla (c. 575 CE).
Punyakumara
Renadu Chola
Tippaluru & Rammapuram inscriptions.
Nannaya-Choda
Pottapi Chola
Sanskritic king; not to be confused with the poet Nannaya.
Manma-siddha II
Nellore Chola
Patron of Tikkana Somayaji; participated in the Palnadu battle era.
Tikkana Somayaji
Poet
Completed 15 of the 18 parvas of the Andhra Mahabharatam under Nellore Chola patronage.
Tikka I
Nellore Chola
Consolidated the Nellore-Kanchi corridor.
- Renadu Cholas (Cuddapah-Kurnool) — earliest branch; feudatories of Pallavas of Kanchi.
- Erikal Muturaju (Dhananjaya-varman) issued the Kalamalla stone inscription in Telugu — first of its kind.
- Punyakumara & Chola-Maharaja continued Renadu line; later absorbed by Rashtrakutas.
- Pottapi Cholas — feudatories under successive Rashtrakuta / Chola / Chalukya overlords.
- Nellore Cholas emerged in the 11th century — controlled Nellore, Vikramasimhapuri (modern Nellore) and Kanchi border.
- Tikka I & Manma-siddha II of Nellore Cholas patronised Tikkana Somayaji, who completed the Andhra Mahabharatam.
- The Nellore branch was finally subdued by Ganapatideva & Rudrama Devi of the Kakatiyas in the mid-13th century.
- Konidena & Nidadavolu branches remained coastal feudatories, absorbed by the Vengi Chalukyas and later the Kakatiyas.
- Modelled on the Pallava-Chola template: Mandalam → Nadu → Ur.
- Village assemblies (Ur, Sabha, Nagaram) were active — records at Kalamalla, Erragudipadu.
- Feudatory titles: Muturaju, Rajaditya-raju, Choda-Maharaja.
- Coastal branches (Nidadavolu, Konidena) followed Eastern Chalukya administrative forms.
- Kalamalla — 1st Telugu inscription (c. 575 CE).
- Erragudipadu — earliest Telugu word 'Naga-buchamma'.
- Tippaluru & Rammapuram — Renadu Chola grants.
- Nellore inscriptions of Manma-siddha II — Tikkana references.
- Konidena copper-plates — coastal Chola grants.
- Small but distinctive temples in Rayalaseema — Nagara + Dravidian mix.
- Ranganatha temple (Nellore), Talpagiri Ranganatha, Ramalingeshwara (Vontimitta) trace Chola-style vimanas.
- Coastal Nidadavolu-Konidena branches contributed to the Vengi-Vesara temple corpus.
- Rock-cut sculpture at Danavulapadu (Jain) & Adurru (Buddhist) shows Andhra Chola-era patronage.
- Agriculture-heavy in Rayalaseema; coastal branches shared the Vengi-era Motupalli / Ghantasala port network.
- Tank-irrigation system expanded — Renadu inscriptions record village-level water grants.
- Coinage: gold Gadyanaka & Fanam (following Chola style); silver & copper limited; tiger emblem (Chola signature) appears.
- Shaivism dominant — most Renadu & Nellore inscriptions record temple grants to Shiva.
- Vaishnavism strong in the Nellore branch — Ranganatha temple at Nellore/Vikramasimhapuri patronised.
- Jainism present at Danavulapadu (Rayalaseema) — Adinatha basadi grants recorded.
- Bhakti tradition of the Alvars & Nayanmars spread through the Nellore corridor.
- Kalamalla inscription (c. 575 CE) of Erikal Muturaju — first-ever Telugu sentence in stone.
- Erragudipadu inscription (also Renadu-era) — first surviving Telugu word ('Naga-buchamma'); some scholars place it under Vishnukundins.
- Tikkana Somayaji, in the Nellore Chola court, completed 15 parvas of the Andhra Mahabharatam — the second of the 'Kavitraya' (Nannaya · Tikkana · Errana).
- Sanskrit patronised alongside Telugu; ornate copper-plate prasastis.
| Branch | Capital | Period | Signature Fact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renadu Cholas | Renadu (Cuddapah–Kurnool) | c. 550 – 750 | Kalamalla — 1st Telugu inscription |
| Pottapi Cholas | Pottapi (Cuddapah) | c. 800 – 1100 | Feudatories of Rashtrakutas & Cholas |
| Nellore (Vikramasimhapuri) Cholas | Nellore | c. 1100 – 1250 | Tikkana's patrons; controlled Nellore-Kanchi belt |
| Nidadavolu / Vela-nadu Cholas | Nidadavolu (West Godavari) | c. 1000 – 1200 | Coastal feudatories of Vengi Chalukyas |
| Konidena Cholas | Konidena (Guntur) | c. 950 – 1100 | Local rulers of Palnadu region |
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| Feature | Renadu Cholas | Nellore Cholas |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Cuddapah–Kurnool (Rayalaseema) | Nellore–Kanchi corridor |
| Time | c. 550–750 | c. 1100–1250 |
| Signature fact | 1st Telugu inscription (Kalamalla) | Patrons of Tikkana Somayaji |
| Overlord | Pallavas → Rashtrakutas | Cholas → Kakatiyas |
| End | Absorbed by Rashtrakutas | Absorbed by Rudrama Devi (Kakatiyas) |
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Imperial = the great south Indian empire of Rajaraja & Rajendra Chola. Andhra Cholas = collateral / feudatory branches in Rayalaseema & Nellore.
Nannaya = 11th-century Adi-kavi under Rajaraja Narendra of Vengi. Nannaya-Choda = Pottapi Chola king (different person).
Kalamalla = 1st Telugu sentence (Renadu Chola). Erragudipadu = earliest Telugu word 'Naga-buchamma' (Vishnukundin-Renadu transition).
Tikkana = completed 15 parvas under Nellore Cholas. Errana = 'Prabandha Paramesvara', completed Aranya-parva later.
R-P-N-N-K — Five Andhra Chola Branches
Renadu · Pottapi · Nellore · Nidadavolu · Konidena.
- 5 major branches: Renadu, Pottapi, Nellore, Nidadavolu, Konidena.
- Kalamalla (c. 575 CE) — 1st Telugu inscription by Erikal Muturaju.
- Nellore Cholas patronised Tikkana Somayaji.
- Nellore branch absorbed by Kakatiyas (Rudrama Devi).
All 5 branches with capitals
Kalamalla — 1st Telugu inscription fact
Nellore Cholas + Tikkana Somayaji
How each branch ended (Rashtrakutas / Kakatiyas)
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