Both of Andhra’s famous contemporary archers, recirve Olympian Dhiraj Bommadevara and multiple World champion in compound Jyothi Surekha Vennam hail from Vijayawada.But the ancient archers of renown, not forgotten despite their decimation, frim the region came from 400+ kms further deep into the state, from Warangal. One of the six teams of the upcoming Archery Premier League (October 2-12 at Delhi), is the Kakatiya Knights, whose main archer is the celebrated Khel Ratna Jyothi Surekha Vennam.The Kakatiya dynasty famous for the summoning of 9 lakh archers by its last King Prataparudra, who ruled over Orrangula (Warangal or Orugallu) and defied the Khilji Sultanate generals dispatched from Delhi twice, before being captured.Central to his defensive warfare were the legions of 9 lakh archers, he built with copper arrow-tips. Warangal was a prosperous kingdom of the Kakatiyas, but knew the fall of Devagiri to Allauddin Khilji was ominous, with all of Deccan vulnerable after 1296 AD.Medieval kings were constantly engaged in gobbling up smaller kingdoms, and in turn being open to be swallowed by bigger kings. And archers often laid siege to territories and took turns to defend when a bigger army marched in.Pratapa Rudra Kakatiya had previously invaded Kochcherlakota Sima with his staple of nine lakh archers, according to Epigraphia Telanganica, and besieged the fort for thirteen years. He was referred to as the lord of nine lakhs of archers in Prataparudriyam.Ballads got written for both the victors and vanquished, and enough and more inscriptions refer to these nine lakh archers.Story continues below this adA stone celebrating MaharajaDikpaladeva (prasasti) in the ptevalent vernacular of the Kali age, says, “The descendants of the Pandava Arjuna of the lunar race having left Hastinapura, the Turks become kings of Porangal. In that family there was a king named Kakati Prataparudra, who was an incarnation of Siva, the lord of 9 lakh archers, in whose reign golden rain fell.” This is as per an account by historian Gajala Vasanta Lakshmi.The narration in “Fall of Orangulla” by Ratnakar Sadasyula, recounts the happenings that made the nine lakh archers famous. As per the text, Allaudin Khilji raided Devagiri in 1296, doing the usual medieval king things – looting and extracting tributes.The huge plunder alerted him to more riches at Orugallu “fabled for it’s wealth then, but untimely death of his general Ulugh Khan put an end to his plans.”Malik Juna’s 1302 offensive got thwarted and was a disaster with the Khilji army retreating with considerable loss of men and material. Khilji, then packed off general Malik Kafur, in 1308, and Prataparudra was ready with a huge army of 900,000 archers, 20,000 horses and 100 elephants to defend against Kafur.Story continues below this adAfter Kafur laid siege on the fort in 1310, after 3 days, the fort is supposed to have fallen, though there was determined resistance by the Kakatiyas.The evil trick that worked? “It’s believed that cutting off the food stocks and supplies to the fort, resulted in Prataparudra’s decision to surrender,” the text writes.In the plundering that followed, that paperweight of a diamond, Kohinoor, too was looted and tribute promises exacted by the Delhi Sultanate.Curse of and for the nine lakh archersThough defeated, Prataprudra stayed resilient and stopped paying taxes by 1318. As happens, Allauddin Khilji, eventually died. His son Mubarak Shah got Malik Kafur killed and became the Sultan. He sent his general Khusrau Khan to Orugallu in 1318, and had to mount another siege, to defeat Prataparudra.Story continues below this adThe book narrates how events unfolded for the victors. In the end, all died.Medieval kings were either killing or getting killed. So Khusrau Khan murdered Mubarak Shah and took the Delhi throne in 1320. A group of nobles dethroned Khusrau in return. Ghiyas-Ud-Din kickstarted the Tuqhlaq dynasty and sent his son Ulugh Khan (later more famous as Mohd Bin Tuqhlag) to attack Orugallu, going after Prataparudra again in 1323. A false rumor of Ghiyas-Ud-Din’s death was circulated, and the chaos distracted the siege.Prataparudra got complacent here thinking he was home dry. The soldiers and archers were sent on a break. But Ulugh Khan was unfortunately back. He once again launched a massive attack and this time after a five month long siege, won in November 1323. Orugallu was ransacked and the fort burnt down.Prataparudra and his family were captured, and sent to Delhi. On his way along the Narmada, the grief of defeat is said to have gotten to him, “and it’s believed he commited suicide.”Story continues below this adAs both the Kakatiyas and Hampi fell, the chaos and destruction birthed the new rules – the illustrious Vijayanagara empire.The tale of the archers was lost to time, but the “nine lakh archers” kept popping up in inscriptions and writings of even Sultanate historians. The Kakatiyas ended, but not without their nine lakh archers, and arrow-making, resurrected in excavated history.