VIJAYAWADA: As the year-long celebrations to mark the liberation of the state of Hyderabad from the Nizam rule are set to commence from September 17 (Saturday), very few people know about Paritala village in Andhra Pradesh, which was also liberated from the Nizam’s 74 years ago.
The Nizam had occupied seven villages in Paritala as expensive diamonds were found in the region. Khanat Taluka of Paritala (erstwhile Warangal district) had a police station, magistrate court, sub-treasury offices and hospitals. The high court was in Hyderabad.
The seven villages - Paritala, Gani Athukur, Battinapadu, Mogulur (now in Kanchikacherla, NTR district) Kodavatikallu, Usthepalli (now in Chandarlapadu) and Malavalli (now in Nuzvid) were under the Nizam’s rule for over 200 years. Like the rest of the country, they also celebrated India’s Independence on August 15, 1947.
They hoisted flags, held processions and raised slogans against the police and the Nizam. The country’s independence evoked enthusiasm in them to be liberated from the Nizam rule.Paritala liberationists led by Madiraju Devaraju brought people from Janagama to Kothapet Lanka for manufacturing hand grenades, guns and other ammunition. They attacked the Paritala taluk police station on the night of November 12, 1947 and stole guns.
In the next three days, November 15, 1947, the freedom fighters forced Rajakars and the Nizam’s staff out of the region and declared Paritala a republic. A central panchayat committee, comprising 21 people from seven villages under the leadership of Madiraju Devaraju, ruled the republic for 13 months after the historic day.
The then union and state governments recognised the Paritala Republic and prevented the Nizam’s army from entering that area. Several national leaders, including Jayaprakash Narayana and T Prakasam Pantulu, visited Paritala Republic and extended their support.The Nizam’s rule ended on September 17, 1948, following which Paritala Taluka - along with Hyderabad- was merged into the Union of Indian.
Gude Mallikharjuna Rao, a freedom fighter who witnessed the capture of the Paritala Taluk office and declared the region a republic, wrote special features in news magazines. “My father would say that their fight for Paritala was not recognised in Indian History,” Dr GV Mohana Rao, president of Sarvodaya Trust of Freedom Fighters Association, said.
In 2009, Rao’s association built a stupa, commemorating the heroes who fought for the liberation of Paritala.The events that led to the liberation of Paritala came to light only in 1981 after Yaramasa Sivarama Prasad, a veteran journalist from Gottumukkala, interviewed Madiraju Devaraju. He said the Taluk office is now been used as revenue building, while the police thana has now become a high school.