We, the Sistlas
Sistla happens to be the 'surname' of one of the prominent Brahmin families of Andhra Pradesh. The word Sistla, plural for Sista, originates from the Sanskrit Shishta, which means "follower of prescribed edicts and duties." It also means 'principled, judicious and well mannered.'
The surname 'Sistla' followed from the title "Sista" borne by Elakuchi Vallabha Somayaji, reputed for his unrivalled scholarship in Sruti, Smriti, Purana and Itihasa - Vedas, Social Law, Ancient History and Mythology. It was for this extraordinary genious, coupled with his own humble and sublime character, that he was honoured with the Manchalla Agraharam (agricultural land) by the Reddy king Vema Bhupala, (who ruled the Andhra Desam after the collapse of the Kakatiya Dynasty,) in the year 1340 AD. Since then he was referred to as Vallabha Sistu Garu. The descendants in that geneology bore the surname "Sistla" - plural for Sista, branching off from 'Elakuchi.'
Vallabha Sistu Garu was endowed with "full title for governance" of his Agraharam, including all eight branches of authority, viz; Priesthood, Performance of Vedic Sacrifices (Yagnas), Astronomy and Astrological Sciences, Verification of the Purity of Gold, Palmstry, Literature, Social Administration and Finacial Management. Yet, in order to alleviate himself from the ill effects generally believed to hover around recipients of 'gifts', he, in turn, bestowed Vrittis (profitable occupation) and house to deserving Brahmins of the region. The Tamrapatra (gift deed on a copper plate) of Vema Bhupala Reddy contained 37 poems and two long passages in prose, all in Sanskrit, including details of further endowment by Vallabha Sista.
From the lotus feet of Narayana, wherefrom the pious water of Ganga, worshipped by Gods, emanated, was born the fourth Varna .(category of mankind). Out of this was born in the Panta Reddy clan, the great Prola Reddy like the moon from the ocean of milk. The providence of his past births blessed him with the fortune of worshipping Brahmins. He was reputed as having hands of gold. He had five sons from his noble wife Annamamba. Among them Vema Bhupati was a great warrior and was feared by his enemies. Shining with the glow of Devendra, the king of Devatas, he conquered a number of forts from his enemies. Served by his tributary kings he ruled the land, with Kundinapuri (Kandaneedu) as his capital. He upheld and enriched the Brahminical (Vedic) religion and gifted a number of Agraharams to the Brahmins.
Shri Maharajadhiraja, Rajadeva, Raya Vaishya Bhujanga, Narendra Tala Gundu Ganda, Jaganobba Ganda, Mukhyagrahara Daana - (Vema Bhupati) - who was made eternally famous by virtue of the inscriptions of the donees on gift deeds of copper plates, stamped with metal prints of Virupaksha Basaveswara (the inscription of Reddy Kings); who raised eighty-four forts; who got steps constructed upto the peak of the hill temple of Srisailam; who enhances the glorious Panta Redyy clan who always has in his mind the fond desire of enjoying as a honey bee, the nectar of the lotus feet of Viswamitra Tripurantaka Deva; who is the Kumara .(son) of the great Prolaya and Annamamba; who is an incarnation of Kumara himself (Kumaraswamy - son of Lord Siva) - (Vema Bhupati) - having decided to gift the MUkhya Agrahara of Manchalla, - lying in the region towards the east of Kaundina city, west of river Bhadra, southwest of river Krishna - to Shri Elakuchi Vallabha Sistugaru .son of Shambhu Somayaji, grandson of Sarveswara Somayaji, of the pious Kaundinya Gotram .(genetic lineage) Yajus Shakha .(branch), who is an unrivalled scholar of the four Vedas, the master of the six Shastras, a perfect expounder of 'Sruti, Smriti, Purana and Itihasa' - invited highly learned and self disciplined Brahmins who are perpetually immersed in execution of the six prescribed duties (Shata Karma ), other honourable men and those casual, prostrated to them in worship and with their blessings bestowed upon Shri Elakuchi Vallabha Sistugaru, the gift of the (said) Agraharam performing ablutions with holy water sprinkled through Darbha .(holy grass) and grains of gold.
This gift is made in Vikrama Saka 1262 (1340 AD), Vikrama Nama year, Margashirsha month, on Monday, the full moon day on the occasion of Chudamani Amavasya (lunar eclipse).
A part of the vilage Gundalapadu in Sattenapalle Taluka of Guntur District was gifted in the year 1792 AD by Sircar Muzumdar Shri Mannuri Venkatesamgaru . to Sistla Yagnanarayana Somayajulu, son of Kameswara Somayajulu.
In the year 1164 Hijri, Padusha Qutb-ul-Malik, Nawab of Golconda ordered gifting of Kanakvalli and Ramapuram Agraharams Sistla Kameswara Somayaji Siddhanti for his excellence in astrological sciences. The 'sanad' (official communique) was written by FoujdaarNametulla Khan and physically donated by Meka Sobhanadri Rao, Zamindar, in whose jurisdiction the villages fell. Perpetual hereditary title for his descendants was also mentioned in the endowment. The 'sanads' were handed over to Sistla Lakshmipati Sastry, (son of Yagneswara Sastry and grandson of Kameswara Somayaji Sidhanti.)
Those presently known are :
1. Jagannathapuram 6. Velchuram 10. Lakapalli 2. Manchalla 7. Vennukonda 11. Peddavaram 3. Denduluru 8. Kanakavalli 12. Bethavolu 4. Vissannapeta 9. Ramapuram 13. Edunugunta (part of Ellore) 5. Visakhapattanam (only a part)
Sistlas basically are from Velnadu region of Andhra, yet, their expansion from south of Krishna river to as far east as Vishakhapattanam can be ascertained from an unforeseen event that occured during the time of Lakshmipati Somayajulu (seventh from Vallabha Sista.) A severe drought hit Manchalla region because of which Lakshmipati Somayajulu had to migrate to Vizianagaram Estate. The Maharaja of Vizianagaram gifted him three Agraharams in that region. His son, Sakshi Bhavannarayana Somayajulu married into Kasalnati .family of east Godavari District (then referred to as Kasalnadu) and settled down there. It is because of this alliance that Sistlas branched to Kasalnati .as well which remained in the eastern Andhra. Madhava Jyosulu, other son of Lakshmipati Somayajulu, returned back to Manchalla