The Andhras and the Telugus

Summary

The analysis of historical and literary references clarifies two key points about the Andhras: their geographical location and their relationship with the Telugus. Literary sources like the Aitareya Brahmana (vii, 3, 18) and Megasthenes' accounts (c. 300 BCE) place the Andhras in the southeastern Deccan, bordering Kalinga, with their territory extending from the Tel River to the Palar River by the 9th century CE. Inscriptions, such as Ashoka's 13th rock edict and the Mydavolu plates (3rd century CE), further corroborate their presence in regions like Andhrapatha (lower Krishna River) and Andhra-mandalam (Kolar District). The Ramayana and Mahabharata also reference the Andhras as a southern people, while Puranas like the Matsya and Vayu mention Andhra and Andhrabhrtya dynasties, often conflated with the Satavahanas. The text disputes the identification of the Andhras with the Satavahanas, emphasizing their distinct migration patterns—Andhras moving east to west, while Satavahanas expanded westward. It also challenges the notion that the Andhras originated on the western Deccan coast, instead affirming the eastern Ghats as their homeland. Regarding the Telugus, the term "Andhra" was first used synonymously with "Telugu" in the 11th century by Pavuloor Mallanna, though earlier references (e.g., Nannayabhatta, 11th century) do not explicitly equate the two. The Tamil term "Vadukar" (used pre