One of the greatest Hindu rulers ever, in Indian history, Kapilendra Deva, founder of the Surya Vamsa Gajapati dynasty, who took the empire to it's greatest extent, repelled Muslim invasions of Odisha, patronized arts and culture. Kapilendra Deva came into power following the decline of the Eastern Gangas, and ascended the throne on June 29, 1435 overthrowing the last ruler of the Eastern Gangas Bhanu Deva IV. Also referred to as Kapilendra Routray, he claimed descent from the Surya Vamsha.

The 4 main Telugu castes- Kapu, Kamma, Reddy and Velama were all once Kapus. Basically it was the common name given to the Nayakas in the Kakatiya empire, meaning protector of the land and farms. After the fall of the Kakatiyas they began to divide, forming their own kingdoms. The Reddys were mainly the Panta Kapus, Pakanati Kapus, and Reddy is actually a title indicating the village chief, it has later on become a caste tag. The Recharla Nayakas who ruled over Deverakonda, Rachakonda, became the Velamas.

The fall of the Kakatiyas and destruction of Orugallu was one dark chapter in Indian history. It was during such dark times two men, Prolaya Nayaka and Kapaya Nayaka came forth to unite the disparate Nayakas and throw the Muslim invadaders out of Telugu land.

Thread. After the fall of the Kakatiya kingdom, the Tughlaq army swept throughout Telugu land, as fort after fort fell, Kondavidu, Kolanaveedu, Kondapalli, Nidadavalou, Rajahmundry and Nellore.

Aurangzeb hoped, that #Sambhaji Maharaj's brutal execution would crush the Maratha spirit, however the opposite happened, as it actually spurred them on to resist even more intensely.

This thread takes a look at the events after that.
Sambhaji’s younger brother Rajaram was now the Chhatrpathi, and in March 1690, the Marathas under Santaji Ghorpade, led a furious assault on the Mughals, massacring them en masse.

Most Neo Vaishnava sects projected Krishna as this cool dude, lover boy, playing the flute, dancing around with Gopis.

Not much emphasis on how ruthless he was towards those not on the side of Dharma, read the Bhagavatam and Mahabharata to understand this side of him. During entire Kurukshetra War, whenever Arjun was in doubt, it was Krishna who reminded him of his Dharma.

When Arjun was unable to attack Bhishma, Krishna was furious to the extent he took up the Sudarshan Chakra himself. Only when Arjun reminded him of his vow did he calm.

Today is Jayanti of Swami Shraddhananda, one of the the great leaders of modern India, who awoke the Indian consciousness and called out the dangers of pan Islamism. And paid with his life for this. Swami Shraddhanand, also known as Mahatma Munshi Ram. It is ironical though, that his early life showed no signs of greatness to come. He was an atheist, got addicted to gambling, drinking, lust.

Kittur Rani Chennamma, who waged an intense revolt against the British, before being captured, passes away in captivity on this date in 1829 at Bailhongal Fort.

Thread on a real life heroine. In the history of Karnataka, there have been many brave women warriors, who took on the invaders single handedly. Rani Abbaka Chowta of Ullal, who made the Portuguese navy retreat from Mangalore, Keladi Chennamma who beat back Aurangzeb and his Mughal army.

Rani Rashmoni founder of the Dakshineshwar Temple in Kolkata, a lady whom Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa regarded as his own mother, a woman who took on the British, and in a way contributed to the Bengal Renaissance.

Thread on her death anniversary today. The widow of a wealthy businessman, Raja Chandra Das, Rashmoni was born into a humble Mahishya family on September 28, 1793 near Halisahar in the Northern Paraganas, to Harekrishna Biswas and Rampyari Devi.

#TodayInHistory The Naval Ratings Mutiny begins in 1946, as Indian naval officers, sailors revolt against the British, in one of the biggest challenges ever they faced. A forgotten mutiny that deserves to be known more about. Royal Naval Ratings Mutiny, or what is often called the forgotten mutiny in India’s history, an event which unlike the 1857 revolt or the Quit India movement, does not really strike much resonance, except among hard core historians.

Vasudev Balwant Phadke, often called as the father of the Indian armed revolt, passes away on this date in 1883 in a prison in Aden.

Thread on a great revolutionary. A Chitpavan Brahmin from Konkan, who rallied the lower peasant castes like Dhangars, Kolis, Bhils as well as warrior communities like Ramoshis against British rule. He often attacked rich English businessmen or zamindars, to raise funds for his liberation struggle.

Mahadji Shinde, the Great Maratha, the greatest ruler ever of the Scindia dynasty, who expanded his kingdom, routed the Rohillas and was one of the most powerful Maratha rulers in the North.

Thread The 3rd Battle of Panipat, had dealt one of the worst blows ever to the Maratha empire, Balaji Baji Rao, the Peshwa, could not recover from the debacle and died broken hearted in the very city of Pune, that he so lovingly built.

The #RazakarMovie ending credits features many of those who fought against the Nizam and Razakars. One thing to be noted that in Hyderabad State, the fight was more with the Nizam, who in turn was propped up by the British. The sacrifice of these people is the reason why Hyderabad is now part of the Indian Union. Again this is not a very exhaustive list, what am sharing are the well known names. #RazakarMovie

Of late there is a narrative being floated primarily by Left Libs that the Nizam was essentially a benevolent ruler who got misled by Rizvi. And that the Razakars was not a Hindu-Muslim issue.

This thread attempts to debunk those theories. #RazakarMovie
Osman Ali Khan, became the Nizam in 1911 and the first thing he did was getting the Hindu dewan Kishan Prasad resign. Urdu was the primary medium of education when hardly 10% of the state spoke it, the majority languages Telugu, Kannada and Marathi were completely suppressed.

Arudra a famous Telugu writer wrote Tvamevaham on the Razakar atrocities. Here in a letter to another writer Dasarathi Krishnamacharya he wrote of the motivation to write this.

It was on a train journey from Gudivada to Hyderabad , as it was nearing Indupalli.

#RazakarMovie

The lady stripped herself naked in front of all passengers , who were shocked.

One old man asked "As a woman do you feel no shame"

And she replied

"Shame? The Razakars stripped me naked and tied me to a tree for a week. I lost my feminity and shame then itself".

As we celebrate #RepublicDay today, on this very same date in 1565, one of the world's richest cities Hampi was destroyed by the Bahmani Sultans after Battle of Tallikota. #LestWeForgetIndia

Thread on this tragic event.


The decline of Vijayanagara had actually begun after Sri Krishna Deva Raya's death with constant power struggles for the throne, and Rama Raya’s tactics of playing off one Bahmani Sultan against another.

#NetajiSubhasChandraBose one of my heroes, it would be impossible to capture his remarkable life in a thread. This thread is more on some aspects of his life, and his ideals. #NetajiJayanti #ParakramDivas Netaji Subash Chandra Bose had been a born rebel, there was the anecdote about him attacking, the English lecturer at his college, who had made racist and derogatory comments about Indian natives. #Netaji126 #NetajiJayanti #ParakramDivas

Maharana Pratap passes away on this date in 1597, at his capital Chavand, one of the greatest Hindu warriors ever, a man who has been an inspiration to so many warriors and revolutionaries, one of the few Rajput rulers who refused to bow to Akbar. #Maharanapratap
What do you make of a man who refused to bow before the mighty Mughal emperor Akbar, when most other Rajput rulers did? When his own brothers sided with Akbar, leaving him virtually alone? #MaharanaPratap

Sri Krishna Deva Raya, under whose reign Vijayanagara attained greatest heights. His reign was marked by military conquests, patronage of arts and culture and flourishing of literature, and regarded as the Empire's Golden Age.
Thread on his Jayanti today. His father Tuluva Narasa Nayaka, a former Bunt chieftain, who became the commander, and later rose to power, founding the Tuluva dynasty, was a formidable warrior, and ruler himself.

Hindus have certain core features that are followed by all irrespective of caste or region.

One is Panchangam , all Hindus follow it to fix the Thithis for marriages, festivals, even death ceremonies. It might vary depending on state, but it's followed by all Hindus. Hindus worship in Temples period, the Temples may vary in architecture, Traditions, rituals, but end of the day that is where we worship anywhere in India or the world for that matter.

Doesn't matter if you are from North, South, East or West.

Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja, The Lion Of Kerala, who had humbled Hyder Ali, Tipu Sultan and the British in his lifetime.Also referred to as Cotiote Rajah and Pychy Rajah.

Thread on a hero of the Palegar Wars not known outside of Kerala. Born in the lush, green, hilly ranges of Malabar, Pazhassi Raja knew the terrain like the back of his hand, and spent time, mobilizing the people there against the invaders, first the Mysore kingdom and later the British.

#TodayinHistory Swami Shraddhananda is shot dead by a fanatic Abdul Rashid in 1926 . One of the great leaders of modern India, who awoke the Indian consciousness and called out the dangers of pan Islamism.
Thread on him. Swami Shraddhanand, also known as Mahatma Munshi Ram. It is ironical though, that his early life showed no signs of greatness to come. He was an atheist, got addicted to gambling, drinking, lust.