Karimnagar (Sabbi-nadu): The Unabridged Dynastic & Administrative Record 1. Asmaka Mahajanapada (c. 700 – 300 BCE) The Godavari Cradle — Kotilingala Karimnagar was the undisputed political and commercial nucleus of the Asmaka Mahajanapada . While Bodhan was the spiritual/royal seat, Kotilingala served as the primary river-port and mint, governed by a sophisticated oligarchy of merchant-warriors. The First Local Rulers: Gana-Mukhyas Governance was centered on the Nigama (Guild) system, where clan leaders managed the flow of goods along the Godavari: The River Lords: Based at Kotilingala , they controlled the "Dakshinapatha" (Southern Trade Route) where it crossed the Godavari. The Mint Masters: Karimnagar holds the earliest evidence of indigenous coinage in Telangana. These leaders managed the transition from barter to a monetized economy. The Fort-Keepers: They maintained the first mud-fortificat...
Telangana: The Global Cradle of the Iron Age The Iron Age may have come into existence in Telangana much before the rest of the world. Archaeologists excavating the University of Hyderabad campus recently discovered iron artifacts dating back to roughly 2,200 BC . This conclusion suggests a hoary tradition of metallurgy and tool making that has thrived in the region for at least four thousand years, predating most global civilizations. The Natural and Human Environment Northern Telangana lies in a remote rural heartland, a landscape of scattered agricultural villages of mixed occupational groups, interspersed with teak-dominated forests and bisected by the west-to-east flowing Godavari River . This area was settled well into the past, as evidenced by a plethora of small abandoned irrigation reservoirs recorded on early topographical maps. Nizamabad (Ancient Indur) , particularly the village of Konasamudram , became world-renowned as an established steel-making centre...