Sights on the Morning Walks - Statue of Sardar Papanna Goud

 The morning walks have now spread into three directions. Sometimes I get to see things I miss otherwise. Like this statue of Sardar Papanna Goud aka Papadu, a folklore hero, on the Balkampet Road. Historians have called him 'Robin Hood like' or even a 'social bandit'.

Sardar Sarvai Papanna Goud

Now I have been on the Balkampet road a million times but since we are driving or riding our eyes are on the road but not on what's around. I found this statue while walking the other day located on the Balkampet road median and upon closer look found that it was a statue of Sardar Papanna Goud on whose name a Telugu film starring Krishna was made as 'Sardar Papanna'.

Sardar Papanna belonged to the toddy tappers caste Tatikonda near Ghanpur near Warangal district and despite humble beginnings rose to a king-like stature. Initially he would rob traders and businessmen and made a small fort near Tatikonda from where he operated. There was opposition from the zamindars or perhaps he was opposed to zamindars (though he apparently worked with one zamindar in later years). He primarily used to loot and kidnap the rich and build his small army - which obviously did not go down too well with the locals. His biggest achievement was attacking the Warangal fort and making off with a fortune which he used to reinforce his Tatikonda fort. The Mughals sent armies to control him four times but he successfully evaded all four. However in the fifth attempt they manged to secure the fort and though Papanna escaped he was caught by his own brother in law whom he had imprisoned, and executed.

Interesting that his statue is located here.

    

That's where Sardar Papanna sits on the Balkampet road.