The original homeland of the Perki community is considered to be the present-day Andhra Pradesh. However, before independence, large parts of present Andhra Pradesh and Hyderabad State were included in the Madras Presidency. Therefore, the Perki people were found across all three regions. There is much evidence of this. For example, in the census reports of the Madras Presidency of 1891 and 1901, this caste was recorded separately.
In his book Perikanyuyulu, Shri Tulabandhula Nageshwar Rao expressed his views, quoting information provided by Shri Shibbenna Kondal Rao, who stated:
“The present-day Perika Shetty community of Andhra Pradesh were formerly kings of the Malla dynasty of Kshatriyas. Around 200 B.C., their capital city was Bhogavatinagar, located near the city of Pataliputra (modern-day Patna). However, due to the invasions or influence of the Aryans, they left North India and migrated southwards into the Deccan and Hyderabad regions.”
From this, it appears that the Perkis once lived in North India and were rulers of the Malla dynasty.
If we look at it in this light, it becomes clear that the Malla kings ruled in North India. In the later Vedic period, many republics were established, which eventually evolved into the sixteen Mahajanapadas (great kingdoms). These Mahajanapadas expanded their authority by conquering weaker republics, becoming powerful in the process.
The Mahajanapadas included: Magadha, Avanti, Awadh, Vatsa, Kuru, Panchala, Matsya, Shurasena, Kashi, Anga, Malla, Chedi, Ashmaka, Gandhara, Kamboja, and the Vajji confederacy. The mention of Malla as a Mahajanapada confirms that the Malla kingdom indeed existed in the north.
However, nowhere is it mentioned that the capital of the Malla Janapada was Bhogavati. On the contrary, in the pre-Buddhist period, the capital of the Malla Janapada was Kushavati. By the time of Lord Buddha, a republican system of governance had been established there. The name of the city of Kushavati was later changed to Kushinara.
It is said that Kushinara stretched twelve yojanas east to west and seven yojanas north to south. According to legend, it was here that Gautama Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana and was cremated.
According to Cunningham, the ancient ruins near Kasiah village in the Gorakhpur district are indeed the remains of Kushinara. Thus, Kasiah and Kushinara are considered to be the same place.
It is possible that this is so. Ancient stupa ruins and a statue of the reclining Buddha (depicting his Mahaparinirvana) are also found here. From the inscription on a copper plate discovered within this stupa, Parjiter concluded that Kasiah is indeed the ancient city of Kushinara.
It is also mentioned that north of the Vajji confederacy lay the Malla kingdom, which had two capitals—Kushinagar and Pava. Similarly, some accounts also state that Kopiya was a capital of the Mallas.
In present-day Uttar Pradesh, the Terai region includes the districts of Gonda, Basti, and Gorakhpur. In ancient times, this entire area was famous as a cultural center. The rulers of the Shakya, Malla, and Koliyan dynasties once governed this region. Large mounds of earth are still found here, within which the remains of that culture lie buried.
One such mound or hill is located in the village of Kopiya, situated on the banks of the Anoma River, about thirty miles from the city of Basti. The ancient name of Kopiya was Anupiya, which was once a capital of the Mallas. This place was known for its large mango grove. According to Buddhist texts, after renouncing his kingdom, Gautama Buddha spent his first night’s stay in this mango grove. He remained there for a week, and it was here that he abandoned his royal insignia and adopted the robes of a monk.
From the above discussion, it becomes clear that although the capital of the Malla kingdom was not Bhogavati, the kingdom itself certainly existed. In fact, it was counted among the sixteen Mahajanapadas, which confirms that it was a powerful republic.
One thing is certain: Shri Shibbenna Kondal Rao states that the Perkis were kings of the Malla Kshatriya dynasty, and around 200 B.C., under the influence of the Aryan–Brahmanical religion, they left North India and migrated to South India.
However, it is unlikely that this was the only reason for their migration. The Mahajanapadas were indeed powerful in their time, but gradually they weakened and eventually disappeared. Their decline had many causes, the most important of which were internal conflict, divisions, and factionalism.
On this subject, Dr. P. G. Sahasrabuddhe’s research provides valuable insight. After giving a detailed analysis of the reasons behind the decline of the republics, he states that—
The tradition of ancient republics in India continued unbroken for nearly a thousand years but gradually began to decline. By the 5th century A.D., these republics had completely disappeared, and monarchical rule became established everywhere. Naturally, just like the other republics, the Malla Mahajanapada also came to an end.
It seems that around this same period, for various reasons, the Mallas were compelled to migrate. In the 11th and 12th centuries, the Kalachuri kings held power in Kushinara, the capital of the Mallas. By the 13th century, however, the Muslim invasions destroyed the city.
This clearly indicates that, whatever the reasons, the Malla dynasty migrated from North India to South India, eventually spreading from Orugallu–Oruganti (modern-day Warangal district) into the Hyderabad and Madras Presidencies.
In the same way, the Kapu–Reddy castes belonging to this community are also found to have migrated southwards from North India. The Bharatiya Sanskritikosh (Encyclopedia of Indian Culture) mentions that the Kapu once resided in Ayodhya. It also records that the Reddys consider themselves Suryavanshi and claim lineage from Kusha, the son of Lord Rama.
This leads to the conclusion that the Kapu, Reddy, and Perika (Malla dynasty Kshatriya kings) once lived in North India and later migrated southward.
Thus, the Perki people, who migrated from the north to the south, were indeed Kshatriyas. Evidence of the Perika or Perika Shetty being Kshatriyas is also found in the book Perikanvyulu, which states:
“The Periki people, known as Puragiri Kshatriyas, were by birth and origin Kshatriyas. Even today, in court documents, literature, and folklore, the Perki people are referred to as Puragiri Kshatriyas. In the villages of Hansavaram and Tetagunta in Andhra Pradesh, the Perikas are still addressed as Puragiri Kshatriyas.”
Furthermore, in the early history of the Perkis, their ancestors such as Giriraju, Siddhiraju, and Viraraju carried the suffix ‘Raju’ in their names (Raju meaning king). This indicates that they were kings, and kings were, by definition, Kshatriyas.
Therefore, the Perkis were Kshatriyas, and indeed, they were the Malla dynasty rulers.
This too confirms their claim of being Kshatriyas. What is especially notable is that even today, during Perki marriage rituals, traditional Kshatriya customs are still observed.
These include:
- Tying a dagger to the waist of the groom,
- Fasting by five devotees of the Sun,
- Performing worship of the bow, arrow, and sword,
- A virtuous woman dipping the tip of an arrow into a pot of milk and then touching the groom’s feet, arms, and head with it while blessing him with the words: “May no part of your body be harmed in battle; may you remain safe and victorious.”
All these are marks of the Kshatriya tradition. Thus, from these practices, it is evident that the Perkis were indeed Kshatriyas.
The book Perikanvyulu mentions about these Kshatriya kings:
“The Pusapati royal family, the Bondili Kshatriyas, and the Mucchi Rajulu were ruling dynasties at that time, and among them was also the Puragiri royal family.”
From this, it becomes clear that the Perkis were not only Kshatriyas but also a royal dynasty.
After migrating from the north to the south, this royal family settled for a long time in Oruganti (modern-day Warangal region). During the reign of the Kakatiya king Prataparudra, they are said to have given him valuable support. Perikanvyulu records:
“To protect King Prataparudra and the Kakatiya kingdom from fanatical Muhammadan invasions, these people stood like an impregnable wall in defense of the state. Bravely facing the fanatic religious madness of the Muslims, they safeguarded the Shaiva faith. At that time, they proved their religious pride under the name Veer Rudra and attained eternal glory.”
Thus, after arriving in the south, they demonstrated their valor and loyalty. Later, for livelihood, they turned to trade, agriculture, and other occupations, and even in these, they quickly proved their ability. They came to be known as Perika Shetlu or Perika Shetty. Some of them also established themselves strongly in farming, which is described in detail in other chapters.