Tel: రాయలసీమ rāyalasīma
‘Royal Country’ [Ceded Districts] Region, Andhra Pradesh
From Tel: rāyal, royal’; and sīma, ‘country’, ‘district’.
In 1928, during the Independence movement, a decision was made to drop the ‘derogatory’ colonial name in favour of Rayalaseema. The region had been ‘ceded’ to the British as part of a deal with Ali Khan, Nizam of Hyderabad.
The region covered the former districts of Kurnool, Anantapur, YSR/Kadapa and Chittoor.
For related place names see Indian Place names and Andhra Pradesh place names.
The region of Rayalaseema Sreeraju