Gandhi's Non-Cooperation Movement in Rayalaseema: Response and Participation

Summary

This article analyzes the response and participation of the Rayalaseema region in Andhra Pradesh during Gandhi's Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-1922). It highlights the movement's impact on local socio-political dynamics, including mass protests, boycotts of British goods and institutions, and resistance to colonial policies. Key activities included the establishment of national schools, panchayat courts, and widespread participation in Swadeshi initiatives like Khadi promotion and temperance campaigns. Women played a notable role in mobilizing masses, with figures like Duvvuru Subbamma and Ponaka Kanakamma leading efforts. The movement also saw significant disruptions to British authority, including tax resistance, forest rule defiance, and attacks on colonial infrastructure. Local leaders like Konda Venkatappayya and Ayyadevara Kaleswara Rao were instrumental in organizing demonstrations and resigning from British-sponsored positions. The article emphasizes Rayalaseema's historical context as a region marked by socio-economic challenges and prior resistance to colonial rule, which shaped its active engagement in the Gandhian struggle for independence.