I SEE THE HISTORICAL PLACE

Nellore: there are no grand memorials to honour the great warrior Khadga Tikkana in this region.

But he lives in the minds of people as the hero of a great ballad. Khadga Tikkana known so because of his expertise with the sword (Khadga), was the cousin of the great poet Kivi Thikkana, who translated the Mahabhatatha into telugu.

The great swordsman was the chief of the army when king Manumasiddhi was ruling over Nellore during the 13th century. His heroic exploits are the subject of the popular ballad titled Katamaraju Katha, which is still sung by folk artists with fervor. According to the ballad, Katamaraju, a neighboring king, had an agreement with Manumasiddhi over using the wide meadows in the latter's kingdom as grazing grounds for his flocks of cattle. In return, Katamaraju was supposed to give all the male calves born Suring the grazing period to Manumasiddhi.

Once there was a heavy drought in Nellore there was no fodder or grass for the cattle. So Katamaraju secretly allowed his cattle to graze in the paddy fields destroying the crops. He also refused to give the calves to Manumasiddhi. The irate Manumasiddhi then asked his commander Khadga Thikkana to go and collect the rightful share of cattle. Khadga Tikkana led a band of soldiers and clashed with Katamaraju’s soldiers at Chagalakonda, now in Prakasam district. This skirmish is known as the yerragaddapati Potlata. However, Khadga Thikkana was beaten back and returned home humiliated. There he faced more humiliation. His wife and mother were ashamed at his enemies. His wife Channamma kept turmeric in the place where he went to bathe indicating that he was effeminate and not a warrior.

His mother poured curdled milk instead of curd in his dinner saying that this was enough for a cowardly person. Insulted and injured, Khadga thikkana summoned his troops and returned to the battlefield and fought Katamaraju’s soldiers with renewed vigour. He was so valorous and invincible that he killed hundreds. Balladeers sing that a terrified Katamaraju then sent a Saivite Brahmin, Bremha Rudraiah, to fight and kill Khadga tikkana, knowing that the latter would not fight a Brahmin. His ploy was successful and Khadga thikkana was beheaded. The brave warrior’s severed head was then brought back to his home in Paturu. His wife and mother were devastated but proud.

“it was probably the first Sati in the south India.” A stone with an engraving of four soldiers on a horseback is found even today at the place where Khadga tikkana was cremated. Local people call this place Veerula dibba and believe that it is guarded by spirits. “Our belief is true since cattle avoid this area while grazing,” said a villager.

This spot is historically significant,” the priest in the Vighneswara Temple at Paturu. “but now only ghosts haunt it.