Rampa
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Rampa
A hilly tract in the Agency of Godavari District, Madras, lying between 17 19' and 17 49' N. and 81 32' and 81 58' E., with an area of about 800 square miles. Commencing about 20 miles from Rajahmundry, the country presents a succession of hills from 2,000 to 4,000 feet high, extending back from the northern bank of the Godavari almost to the Sileru river. It takes its name from the little village of Rampa, and was originally held as &jdgtr by the mansabdars* of that place. In 1858, owing to the unpopularity of the mansabdar, disturbances broke out which lasted till 1862. A police force was then recruited among the hillmen. In 1879 the Scheduled Districts Act was extended to this tract , and in the same year there took place a second rising called the Rampa rebellion, which involved the employment of troops. It was not finally quelled till 1881, when the leader Chendrayya was killed. The mansabdar had been deported early in 1880, and a settlement made with most of the muttahdars in 1879. These latter still hold the greater part of the country, paying a light tribute (kattubadi}. The most important of them are the muttahdars of Vellamuru and Musarimilli j the former in particular t is much looked up to by the hillmen of the suriounding tracts. The Rampa hill country is now almost entirely included in the minor taluk of Chodavaram. It contains extensive forests ; but the shifting culti- vation (fodu) practised throughout this region, to which the Forest Act is not applied, is very destructive. This practice involves burning down the forests, the crop being raised among the ashes. There are only two roads, one 14 and the other 19 miles long. A strong police force is maintained at Chodavaram, and a smaller body at Kota. Both stations are stockaded, The inhabitants are principally hill Reddis. The chief products are bamboos and tamarinds.
