The Historical Inscriptions of Southern India (collected till 1923) and Outlines of Political History c9.s2.t68.4

c9.s2.t68.4

I identify the oft-mentioned ‘Nalla Siddha’ with Betta II, son of Erasiddha. A record at Kāvali in Nellore district (*V. R. ii, Nell. 441*; B, and *V. C. ii. 735, No. 39*) of date A.D. 1207-8, makes Nalla Siddha, elder brother of Tammu Siddha I, and it says that Nalla was anointed, his younger brother Tammu was ‘by his favour’ ruling the kingdom. That is to say Nalla retired into private life leaving his brother to rule. An inscription at Tiruvālaṅgaḍu (*E. I. vii, 120*) confirms this. It says (v. 19) that ‘the middle brother, king Betta, being given to the practice of austerities, conferred the government on his younger brother Tammusiddhi’. Thus Betta II was the same as Nalla,¹ which is merely a nickname, ‘black’. In A.D. 1205 the eldest brother Manma Siddha IV was dead. Again an inscription at Nandalūr in Cuddapah District (*V. R. i, Cudd. 792; 578 of 1907*) informs us that Nallasiddharasa was son of Erammasiddha. It is necessary to mention these matters because some writers make Nalla Siddha an uncle of Tammu Siddha I.