The Kota clan Dhananjaya gotra kings ruled the south bank of the Krishna River as an independent power for more than 150 years from the beginning of the 12th century to the last quarter of the 13th century.
Ganna Bhupala Dantuluri of Kota clan around 1400 A.D. ruled the Dharanikota region. Renowned Telugu poet Srinatha wrote ‘Dhananjaya Vijayam’ and dedicated it to Dantuluri Gannabhupala. Mahamuni Kavya Kanta Ganapati Sastri mentioned in his book that the king Dantuluri Gannabhupala gave his daughter Surambika to Anavema Reddy who ruled Addanki. This is said to be the first marriage between Kshatriya and Reddy communities. Kota chiefs were married to Kakatiya king familiry members. There were relationships:
“Ganapati Deva’s sister Melambika married the second son of Buddharaju who ruled the Natavadi region. Ganapati Deva’s first daughter Rudrama Devi married Chalukya Virabhadra- Nidadavolu Eastern Chalukya prince, and his second daughter Ganapamba married Kota Betaraja. Kakatiya kings had matrimonial relations with The Chagis (Sagis), the Eastern Chalukyas and Kota Kshatriya familires.”
Kota Hariseemakrishna was the most popular king among Kota kings. Other kings were Bhima Raju, Ketha Raju, Rudraraju, Dantuluri Gannabhupaludu. Telugu poet Mangalagiri Ananda Kavi dedicated his lyrical work “Vijayananda Vilasamu” to Datla Venkatrama Nrupudu (Datla Venkatrama Raju) of the Kota clan. Dantuluri (Tuni zamindars of this surname), Nallaparaju zamindars, Datla, Dandu, Rudraraju, Bhupathiraju, Penmetsa and other surnames of Dhananjaya gotra Rajus are descendants of this dynasty.
“The Dhananjaya gotra appears as the second of the four important sects of Kshatriyas in the Telugu land” – ‘History of Andhra Desa’ 1000AD-1500AD by Yashoda Devi, page 174, published by Gnana Publishing House.
Andhra government should therefore know the importance of Kota clan in the history of Amaravati.