Shri Duggirala Gopalakrishnayya was a great freedom fighter of India, born on 2 June 1889 in a village called Penuganchiprolu in Krishna District of present day Andhra Pradesh. Shri Duggirala Gopalakrishnayya, was a very captivating Poet, Speaker, Song Writer, Philosopher, Singer and an extraordinaryRevolutionary with a philosophy of Non Violence. Shri Nadimpalli Narasimha Rao worked in tandem with Shri Duggirala Gopalakrishnayya. For his exemplary work and sacrifices for freedom movement in Andhra, he was fondly conferred the name 'Andhra Ratna' (Jewel of state Andhra Pradesh state)
Duggirala Gopalakrishnayya was one of the famous leaders in the non-violent Indian Freedom Movement. He attracted millions of Andhra people to the movement through his poetry and speeches.
He was born in Penuganchiprolu village in Krishna district on June 2, 1889 into a Brahmin family. His father was Kodandaraamaiah and mother was Seethamma. He studied in high schools in Guntur and Bapatla cities. While at school, even at that young age, he founded “Jaateeya Naatyamandali (National Dance Group)” to help develop arts such as drama and music.
He went to England for higher studies. After graduating with MA degree from Edinburgh University, he worked with Ananda Kumara swamy for some time and translated Nandikeswara’s Abhinaya darpanamu from Sanskrit into English entitled, “The Mirror of Gesture,” published by Cambridge-Harvard University Press in 1917.
After a brief tenure as a lecturer at Rajamandry Training College and Bandaru National College, he jumped headlong into freedom struggle. In 1919, the British government unified Cheerala and Perala municipalities into one municipality. Gopalakrishnayya called for a non-cooperation movement against this action. This movement became one of the most important milestones in the Andhra freedom struggle. He traveled extensively in Andhra, after the Nagpur Congress Convention in 1920, to propagate the aims of the meeting. He was jailed for one year when he disobeyed a ban on speeches in Barampuram.
He was very much interested in Telugu folk-arts and toiled for the uplift of these arts. Telugu folk arts include toalubommalaata (puppet show), jamukulakatha, burrakatha, veedhinaatakaalu, saamu gaaradeelu, golla kalaapam, butta bommalu, keelu gurraalu, vaalakaalu, gosangi, guravayyalu, saradhakatha, kinnerakatha, kommu boora, jodu maddela, palle suddulu, toorpu bhagotham, chuttukaamudu, pitchikuntlavaalla katha, sadhana soorulu, palanati veera vidyavanthulu, etc. He founded a journal entitled, “saadhana.” He strove for the spread of libraries in Andhra in a movement called grandhalayodyamamu (library movement).
He was very spiritualistic and a Rama worshipper. He formed a volunteer group called ‘Ramadandu,” which was a well-organized, patriotic and spiritual organization. He was awarded the title “Andhra Rathna (Gem of Andhra)’ by the people in 1921 at a meeting in Guntur.
Three episodes during the Civil Disobedience Movement in Andhra attracted the attention of the whole country. The first and major one was the Chirala-Perala episode led by Duggirala Gopalakrishnayya. He served for some time in the Government College at Rajahmundry and the National College at Machilipatnam. He was, however, not satisfied with the kind of education that was imparted there. Moreover, after attending the Calcutta Congress in 1920, he was attracted to the program of Non-co-operation and resolved to dedicate his life to the achievement of Swaraj. For this purpose he trained thousand disciplined band of warriors and gave them the name `Ramadandu’. He put them to test at the All-India Congress Session in Vijayawada to maintain peace and order and the All-India leaders were immensely pleased with the kind of work they did.
It was an unprecedented step in the history of the country. For eleven months people lived there in thatched huts braving the severity of weather. Gopalakrishnayya and his Ramadandu kept up the morale of the people. Their aim was to establish a parallel government and demonstrate to the outside world how Swarajya, as conceived by him, would be like. He constituted an Assembly comprising members elected from each caste and established an arbitration court. Sankirtans and Bhajans kept up the morale of the people. He, however, faced financial difficulties and he went to Berhampore in 1921, when the Andhra Conference was in session to collect some money. There he was prohibited to address the public meetings but he defied the orders. He was arrested and sentenced to one year’s imprisonment and sent to Trichinapally. There was no other person who could occupy his place. The Government also took repressive measures against those who built sheds on government lands. People returned to their homes in the municipality at the end of eleven months and reconciled themselves to its constitution. Though the movement failed, the qualities of courage and fearlessness they developed stood them in good stead in the subsequent stages of the freedom movement. Sri Gopala Krishnayya died at the age of 40 in 1928.
Shri Duggirala Goapalakrishna was British educated. When he returned to India, he served for some time in the Government College at Rajahmundry and the National College at Machilipatnam, AP. He was, however, not satisfied with the kind of education that was imparted there. Moreover, after attending the Calcutta Congress session in 1920, he was attracted to principles of 'Non-co-operation' and 'Satyagraha', and resolved to dedicate his life to the achievement of Swaraj(Native rule).
For this purpose,, he trained a band of a thousand volunteers who were self-disciplined and brave warriors. He gave them the name `Ramadandu' (Army of Lord Rama). He put them to work to test their patience at the All-India Congress Session in Vijayawada to maintain peace and order. All-India leaders were immensely pleased with the kind of work they did. National leaders like Nehru and Gandhi have been well convinced that such a disciplined force of volunteers was need at the time, and praised Shri Duggiralas' mobilising skills and inspirational living.
Chirala - Perala Movement
Chirala and Perala were two contiguous villages in Prakasam (then part of Guntur) district with a population of 15,000. The British Government wanted to combine them into a municipality in 1920, to obtain more taxes from people who are already suffering due to misrule of British on one hand, and their repressive measures on the other. In January, 1921, the residents refused to pay the municipal taxes. Several of them including a woman were prosecuted, tried and sentenced to imprisonment. This woman was considered to be the first woman in the country to be imprisoned on political grounds.
After the All-India Congress session at Vijayawada, Gandhiji came to Chirala. Gopalakrishnayya sought his advice on the future course of action to be taken. Gandhiji suggested two alternatives, (1) to continue the No-Tax Campaign in a non-violent manner and (2) mass exodus of people to the vacant areas beyond the municipal limits. The second would automatically end the municipality. But he made it clear that whatever course they chose the Congress would bear no responsibility and that they must stand on their own legs. Gopalakrishnayya had enough confidence in himself and the people, and in spite of the warning, he persuaded the residents to move to the area outside the municipal limits and raise temporary tenements which he called `Ramanagar'.
It was an unprecedented step in the history of the country. For eleven months people lived there in thatched huts braving the severity of weather. Gopalakrishnayya and his Ramadandu kept up the morale of the people. Their aim was to establish a parallel government and demonstrate to the outside world what Swarajya, as conceived by him, would be like. He constituted an Assembly comprising members elected from each caste and established an arbitration court. Sankirtans and Bhajans kept up the morale of the people. He, however, faced financial difficulties and he went to Berhampore in 1921, when the Andhra Conference was in session to collect some money. There he was prohibited to address the public meetings but he defied the orders. He was arrested and sentenced to one year's imprisonment and sent to Trichinapally. There was no other person who could occupy his place. The Government also took repressive measures against those who built sheds on government lands. People returned to their homes in the municipality at the end of eleven months and reconciled themselves to its constitution. Though the movement succeeded partially, the qualities of courage and fearlessness they developed stood them in good stead in the subsequent stages of the freedom movement. Later, the British realised the anti-government sentiment in the people and reconciled to keep both Chirala and Perala separately, as earlier
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