16 aNaala telugu vaaLLu.
Syamala Rao Tadigadapa (STADIGAD@us.oracle.com)
22 Jul 97 10:54:59 -0700
Ever heard of Rs 116/- and Rs 1116/- ?
I think most of us remember hearing these words.
Ever heard of Rs. 1-0-0 ( i.,e 0-16-0) viz. 16 aNaala aandhruDu?
I thnik most of us remember hearing these words.
Ever heard of sarcar zillalu?
I think most of us remember these words too.
I have one explanation.
The British government and the Nizams have had a historic pact.
The British allowed Nizams to run an almost independant government.
In return, Nizams have given away certain provinces to the British
which numbered 24, and hence called (British)circar zillas.
In circar districts, the british currency was in circulation.
The Nizams circulated their own currency.
But the two rupees differred both in appearance and exchange value.
The common equation those days is:
116 Nizam rupees = 100 British India rupees
When artists from circar districts performed in Nizam area, they useed to
demand and accept cash in british currency for obvious reasons.
Those who demanded Rs 100/- in those days, used to collect Rs 116/- whenever
the performance was in Nizam state, which they exchanged to Rs 100/- british
currency.
A rupee before the metric system was introduced was counted as
rs 1/- = 16 aNaas.
1 aNa = 12 paisaas.
Usually, they are entered as 1-0-0 ( rs-aNas-ps)
Those from circars, used to feel that the rupee they use is THE rupee and the
Nizam rupee as a local currency only.
A rupee from Nizam state was valued at only Rs 0-13-9 as opposed to the true
1-0-0 which was 0-16-0 in aNas. So, those from circar districts used to say
that they are from 16 aNas area, meaning that their currency fetches 16 aNas
full, where as a Nizam rupee fetches them only 0-13-9 of real rupee.
Now a days, some people use the phrase 'nooru naya paisala telugu vaaDu'.
But it does not mean any thing special.
The implication in assertaining that any body is 16 aNas telugu is to say
that they have 'pure' telugu culture and where as in Nizam state, the telugu
culture was more influenced by the 'muslim' culture. In a sense, it is
down playing telugu culture in Nizam state.
This is the story of 16 aNas Telugu persons.
Thanks.
-Tadigadapa Syamala Rao.
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