Panduga Sayanna-The Robinhood of Telangana

“Unnolani Kottindu,

Lenolaku Pettindu

Pandaga Sayanna Vadu

Rajulaku Monagudu”

                           ------------Telugu Verses

“Grabbed from the haves

Distributed to have-nots                                

That is Pandaga Sayanna

Greater than Kings”.

He grabbed, seized, robbed, and looted the wealth from big shots and distributed it equally among the poor, deprived, and have-nots. He along with his gang blocked the highways and looted the wealth. Who is he????

These are the first four lines of the first stanza of a heroic ballad on Pandugolla Sayanna sung by a Dakkali folk artist using the Kinnara Instrument. Pandugolla Sayanna or Pandaga Sayanna belongs to Palamooru also known as Mahaboobnagar District, Telangana Region, Andhra Pradesh.

He was the Messiah of the poor. But for Pandugolla Sayanna  “The Poorest among the poor is not one”. Again, he called “women the poorest among the poor”.

A Century ago, many poor could afford for two full meals. Forget about the marriages and other expenses. Those who could not afford " Pustalu” (Pustalu means Mangala Sutra considered a sacred thread with gold plates kind which is tied by the bridegroom around the bride’s neck for the culmination of marriage). Pandugolla Sayanna got “ Pustalu-Mangal Sutra” and “ Mettalu-toe rings” done for marriage ceremonies and also borne the marriage expenses of the poor in fourteen villages. Those days girls were married off at a very young age to protect and safeguard against the wick eyes of the landlords and rich merchants (if any family failed to marry off their daughters at an appropriate time i.e., after attaining puberty), they would fall as prey to evil landlords and Patels. Marriages incurred huge expenses too. So, Sayanna extended financial assistance to them.

A few Scholars called Pandugolla Sayanna a Social Bandit. Others called him as Robinhood of Telangana. Few others went to the extent of calling him a Revolutionary Hero.

Who was this Sayanna?

Common people opined that Pandugolla Sayanna was neither a thief nor a bandit. He was the “Hero” of the poor people. He was a brave and heroic man who saved and reinstated poor people’s health, wealth, and lives. They considered him as their own  “blood relative”.

Pandugolla Sayanna was born in a Meruginipalle village in the Mahaboobnagar district. He was born into a “Tenuga” family. (Tenuga meaning person engaging in maintaining gardens, gardening work, and related works) on Muharram day. His parents could not afford to send him to school due to acute poverty. He was thus engaged in the family occupation.

He also got himself trained at “Samigaridi”-Country exercise learning center. His passion and commitment made him excel in more than one sport like weight lifting, and other physical exercises Sayanna had six “dosts”- Friends, and together they formed a ‘Gang’. All is well with a good physique regularly practiced at “Samagaridi”.

How did Sayanna look like?

Unfortunately, no picture or photograph of Pandagolla Sayanna is available to date. But yes, as per the Dakhali folk artists' narration, it is believed that Sayanna was 6” feet and had a strong build physique. He had a long and sharp nose and a dark bushy mustache that he used to curl and extend to both ears.  In due course, Sayanna built up relationships with Telugu Narasamma, a beautiful woman who became his companion too. She fell for his “Pedikadu nadumu” meaning, his waist measured one fist- to say, he had a slender waist and broad built-up shoulders measuring three fists. To say, Pandugolla Sayanna was well-built and handsome.

Just the mention of his name sent cold shivers to Nizam rulers and district officials. In order to capture Pandugolla Sayanna red handed “qufiya police” became shadow followers.

When the Nizam ruler declared and passed GO-Government Order to observe Muharram festivity in Nizam State, coincidentally this also marked Pandugolla Sayanna’s birthday too.

It is also said that Sayanna’s mother did not have issues for long, so she vowed during “Phir” (Phir is the Muslim fair) and Sayanna was born on Moharrum day. So the practice of preparing “Kandura” on Muharram day began. He kept this ‘Riwaj’-practice preparing Kandura for Moharrum day till he survived.

 In order to prepare “Kandura” which implies sacrificing of sheep and goats, he blocked the Tandur route and robbed twelve bastas (bags) of rice and six sheep flock from passers-by Golla Chennaiah. Golla Channaiah fell at his feet, placed his head in the Pandugolla Saunas belly, and pleaded to return the same as he was a poor man and had a large family to feed.  This sends a kind of hunger-churning feel inside his stomach out of ‘daya and jali’. -As he could feel the hunger cramps of the poor, Golla Chennaiah was spared and his flocks were returned back.

So, he then robbed the sheep flock from Venkata Reddy Jamindar (Landlord) of the town and prepared Kandura, and arranged a grand feast for the poor. Sayanna used to think ‘how that big landlords and the well-off are able to accumulate wealth, whereas, the poor tend to remain poor. Struggling to eat two mouthfuls even on festival days. He often discussed the differences between acts and possession of haves and have-nots with his dosts (friends) and would discuss the strategies and remedial measures to the upliftment of the poor. According to Pandugolla Sayanna, the only remedy for the upliftment of the poor was to “snatch from the haves and distribute to the have-nots”-thus he sought natural justice. Pandugolla Sayanna's common poor representative was kind and generous towards them. He condemned the hegemony of the rich and revolted against the hegemonical atrocity.

Jamindar Venkata Reddy built up enmity with Pandugolla Sayanna and also intended to take revenge for his actions.  

As the Dakkali narrate: It was a kind of hide and seek game played between Pandugolla Sayanna and the Police.

“They would search in the nook and corner of the villages,

 He would be hiding behind bushes,

They would search in hillocks,

He would wander freely in the streets,

If they would search in the villages, hillocks, or streets,

He would be floating in the air, behind thorny spines of palm trees”.

His dark curly mustache and bread would get camouflage with the palm leaves. 

A Century ago, the Nizam rulers, Patels, Karanams, and Patwaris came together during “Milaqat”- a common understanding/agreement of squeezing people with the extra burden of taxes under the name of “Nizam Farmana”. They started issuing “Dandaga”-simply looting common people and peasants. Common people and peasants were living in poverty, in a helpless state.   So, youth like Sayanna revolted against this practice. As a consequence, they were captured and remanded by the Police.

Poor Telugu Narasamma was threatened and also taken into confidence by Police, and landlords to capture Sayanna. Sayanna born into a poor family and grew up seeing poverty had great sympathy for the poor and deprived. Poor people called him “Dharmatama” for his kind attitude and supported his actions.

As the Dakkali’s sing the song during narration “Papa yemi chayaledu Pandugolla Sayanna” meaning “Pandugolla Sayanna did not commit any sin, it is the rich and landlords who kick our belly during the day and night”-they are wicked and not Pandugolla Sayanna.

However, one fine day Pandugolla Sayanna was captured by Qufiya police with great difficulty with the support of landlords, and other wealthy people who intended Sayana’s captivity and remanded him in an Iron cage. Even after capturing and deploying him in an iron cage, police feared touching or going near Pandugolla Sayanna.

Hearing the news of his capture, people from fourteen villages staged a protest around officials and police stations. They cried, wept, and fell at the feet of the police, landlords, and wealthy people to release him.

“Pedolaku, coolilaku,

Pellillu chesindu,

Papamedi cheyaledu

Pandugolla Sayanna,

Veyilakodi rupayalu

Meeku estham, sarakaralu,

Desham meda undale

Pandugolla Sayanna”

                     ----- Telugu Verses

                     (An imaginary picture of Pandugolla Sayanna based on Dakkali's Folk narration)

 Rani Shankarama (1840-1912) of Vanaparthi Samasthana with soft corner was ready to pay a sum of Rs 10, 000/- (amount equivalent to the looted amount by Sayanna) to the police.

However, not much literature is available about the political administration and understandings of Samasthanas, Nizam rulers, police, and landlords of that period, and the exact mission to kill Pandugolla Sayanna. The officials and police were unable to answer and failed to manage the crowd said “Sayannani champakapothe, Desham dakhaniyadu, Pandugolla Sayanna, Rajyam dakhaniyadu- if Sayanna is not killed, he would not allow the Country to prosper”. So, in order to behead Sayanna’s head Thalagondala Venkanna was called.

Sayanna's mother’s cry fell on deaf ears of the authorities and rulers. Sayanna consoled his mother saying “Mother place my bust size statue near the well used for drinking, I shall still protect my people”.

Even in the iron cage, nobody dared to go near Sayanna. So, Sayanna himself called Thalagonda Venkanna and shared the secrets of his death

“Na Pikalu Chirura (Tear off my calf muscles)

  Rekkalu Chirura, (Tear off the backside of the upper arm)

Aapudaithe Pothadi, (Then shall I breathe last )

Nadi pranam Venkanna” (Oh! Venkanna)

Dakkali folk artists beautifully narrate further that

“Muppairendula Tavizalu Egalaleka lechi paye” (32 Tabiz flew like a comb of houseflies flying away)

 “Muppairendula tavizalau garuda pakshilula yegiraipoye” (32 tabiz jumped high in the air like a “ bird Garuda-belonging to eagle’s family”.

Then, Sayanna’s body fell on the earth kissing the dust of his motherland. Though, government officials, and police all had captured him still prayed towards the dead corpse of Sayanna saying:

“Annara Sayanna, O! Pandugolla Sayanna, (Oh! Brother Pandugolla Sayanna)

Padiyatala Pala Bheeyam ( 10 quintals of quality rice)

Yeta yeta Kandura Chesthamu, (Shall prepare Kandura)

Bhakthithodaneeku (With wholeheartedly shall serve you)

Ma Kutumbani Rakshichu, (Protect our families)

Chedayemi Cheyaku” (Don’t cast wrath on us).

Consoling his mother, came the words in  the air

“ Adarodu thali Sayamma, (Don’t be scared Sayanna’s mother)

Bedarodu thali Sayamma, (Do not panic oh! Sayanna’s mother)

Niyanakane Untannu, (Shall always remain with you)

Apudu enka Sayanna devodainilichadu” (So, saying he ever lived like a God)

Even after 125 years, when Dakkali Folk artists narrate the heroic tale of Pandugolla Sayanna still reverberates and echoes in the villages in Mahaboobnagar and one can visualize Sayanna before them when the Dakkali folk artist narrates the story using a Kinnara instrument.

Today, due to the sudden demise of Dakkali folk artists due to sickness, and illness the “Sound Picture” of Sayanna is fading off.

There is a need to reward these folk artists who are still preserving and safeguarding these kinds of heroic ballads and narrations through folklore medium. Unfortunately, they are neither recognized or rewarded to date! Will they be??????

I am very glad to know Dr. Dasari Ranga garu, who has done his Ph.D. in Mahaboobnagar Dakkali Kalalarulu and their Kinnara instruments. His favorite is Dakkali Balamma-who passed away in December 2018. It is very unfortunate when we lose folk artists and no one replaces them. Very grateful to Dr. Dasari Ranga garu who has not only documented the art, artists' profile, and also storytelling but also has with all of his efforts gotten award recognition to all these artists.
Dr. Dasari Ranga garu recollects the way Dakkali Balamma narrated the story of Panduga Sayanna with full vigour, twilight sporting in her eyes, and the zeal she gets to narrate the same. Dr. Dasari Ranga himself is a very good writer and folk art performer too. 

Dakkali Balamma with her co-partner and Dr. Dasari Ranga during his field work visit. 

In the above picture Dr. Dasari Ranga in Dakkali storyteller's role with Kinnara instrument

Dr. Dasari Ranga as Panduga Sayanna during One Act Play rehearsal

Dr. Dasari Ranga in the role of Panduga Sayanna

PS-(This post is based on the article Published in Andhra Bhoomi Sunday Special by Prof. Jayadhir Thirumal Rao (Emeritus Fellow, Retd from P.S Telugu University, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh).

I  immensely got involved when my friend read this article to me and thus thought of translating it and posting it on my blog.  I have tried my best to translate into English and share it with you all.