The Rampa and Gudem regions which have been merged into the newly formed Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) district have witnessed many fituris (rebellions or skirmishes) against the power that be and between tribal clans from 1839 to 1924. But, the seventh and the last of the fituris led by revolutionary freedom fighter Alluri Sitharama Raju against the British was unique.
Except for the brief Rampa-Gudem rebellion of 1886, led by Rajanna Anantayya, who was said to be from the plain areas, the rest all apart from Alluri were led by tribal leaders.
Being a non-tribal leader, Alluri was the first to try to unite all tribal muttas (groups) and wage a war against the British.
Though there were anti-British feeling in all the earlier rebellions, but it was not the primary objective and other issues such as tyranny of the local government and police officials, access to forest and right to podu cultivation, were the focal points of the rebellion. But Alluri trained the guns against the Colonial rulers for freedom.
The monument built at the place where freedom fighter Alluri Sitharama Raju was killed on May 7, 1924 at Mampa in Koyyurru mandal of Alluri Sitharama Raju district . | Photo Credit: BY ARRANGEMENT
Apart from the disputes on Alluri’s birth year and place of birth, there is also a disagreement on his visit to the Manyam or the Agency area of Rampa and Gudem.
As per a historical account of M. Venkatarangaiya, a historian, Alluri might have witnessed the Lagarayi Fituri of 1915-16, and the seed of rebellion was sown, when he was barely 18.
Venkatarangaiya immortalises Alluri by saying that the tribals of the Rampa and Gudem region treated him as a man ‘possessed by the God’. He also mentions that Alluri had a grip on astrology and medicine and had the uncanny ability to tame wild animals, which gained him instant acceptance, respect and admiration among the tribals. But the British called him ‘mentally unstable’, primarily for his hatred for anything ‘British’.
Historian David Arnold in his book ‘The Rebellious Hillmen: The Gudem-Rampa rising 1839-1924’ noted that due to his name, the tribals could evoke the feelings of ‘Rama-Sita-Hanuman’, which in reality Alluri never asked for, despite being a religious man.
But Anantayya in 1886 had tried to use this mythological connection to pep up the Fituri, David had noted.
Khadi connection
In 1921, Alluri was on a pilgrimage to Nashik and there he would have probably come across the Gandhian principles. David, in his book, says that on his return, Alluri had tried to use democratic panchayat principles to settle disputes and he switched on to khadi.
He was wearing a khaki trouser and a khadi shirt that he had dyed red to symbolise his rebellion, when he was shot dead.
Historians say that khaki pants and red khadi shirt was Alluri’s attire and he was using a British Webley revolver which he used to tuck in a Sam Browne belt. The belt was among the items Alluri had seized while raiding police stations.
Between August 22 and 24, 1922, Allluri raided Chintapalli, Krishnadevipeta and Rajavomangi police stations and orchestrated two ambushes. He seized 26 muskets, 2,500 rounds of ammunition, six .303 Lee Enfield Rifles and one revolver.
Support from plains
Alluri was the only rebel, who tried to garner support from the plains and because of that the British had cleverly cordoned off the hills, subjecting his influence between Peddavalasa, Gudem and Darakonda.
Despite that, Alluri had tried to woo people, especially the Congressmen from the plains, but he remained unsuccessful. Historians say the Congressmen threw their weight against Alluri, on the ground that Gandhian principles were against violence.
According to Professor P.D. Satyapal from the Department of Anthropology, Andhra University, and member of the Tribal Museum Committee, the people from the plain areas especially traders, money lenders, contractors or immigrant cultivators did not support him, as they had vested interest in the Agency areas.
