Telugu Brahmin Explained

Telugu Brahmins are Telugu-speaking Brahmin communities native to the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.[1] [2] They fall under the Pancha Dravida Brahmin classification of the Brahmin community in India. Telugu Brahmins are further divided into sections like Vaidiki, Niyogi, Deshastha, Dravida, Golkonda Vyapari among others.[3] [4] [5]

History

The Apastamba Dharmasutra is posited to have been composed in the region of modern-day Andhra Pradesh between the Godavari and Krishna rivers, but this is not certain. It is dated to approximately 600-300 BCE, and more narrowly to between 450 and 350 BCE.

Sub-divisions

Telugu Brahmins fall under the Pancha Dravida Brahmin classification of the Brahmin community in India.[6] They are further divided into various sections based on their occupation, denomination, region etc.

Sub-groups

Vaidiki (Velanati,Veginati, Telaganya, Mulukanadu), Niyogi (Aruvela, Pakanati, Prathamasaki etc.), Golkonda Vyapari, Deshastha and Dravida.

Denominational divisions

Smartha, Madhva, Vaikhanasa, Sri Vaishnava, Shaiva and Shakta.

Art

A specific area of Vaidiki Telugu Brahmins have curated a specific style of classical dance called Kuchipudi- named after the village they are from.https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctvr7fdjz.11?seq=2 In 1675, the ruler Abul Hasan Kutub Thani Shah- the last ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty- gave the village of Kuchipudi as a land grant to the Brahmin dancers of the village.https://www.sahapedia.org/kuchipudi-0 Around five-hundred families belonged to this village, and it's classical dance form is referenced in Machupalli Kaifat of 1502. Mainly a male dominated dance field in its early stages, Kuchipudi was known for it's dance dramas and lively depictions of characters.

Customs

Wedding rituals for Telugu Brahmins differ from others vastly. Although the beginning of the preparations remain similar, including Pelli Choopulu, Nischaya Tambulaalu, Wedding saree, and the custom of Eduru Sannaham. However, the differences start with the actual ceremonies themselves. In the olden days, the ceremonies would be performed at the bride's residence but have migrated to special wedding venues in recent times. Although other customs also differ, the biggest different would be the 'Kasi Yatra', which is when the sacred silver thread- from the threading ceremony does years prior- is wrapped around the groom, he adorns himself as a sanyasarama dharma, holding an umbrella an wooden sandals. He then proclaims he is not interested in the materialistic world and wishes to go into sainthood- otherwise known as 'Kasi Yatra'. As the groom is about to leave, it's the bride's brother who is supposed to convince the groom that the bride is waiting for him and it is the groom's responsibility to enter 'Grihastasrama'- marriage- before sainthood. In Hindu scriptures it explains the different levels of spirituality and the order of importance. However, it is a fun and playful, experience meant to unite both parties of the marriage with much laughter.[24]

Occupation

Pre-Independence

Niyogi Brahmins served as village record keepers (karanams), poets, and sometimes ministers. Deshastha Brahmins also served as village record keepers (karanams)[25] and many also served as high-level administrators and bureaucrats such as Deshmukhs, Sheristadars, Tehsildars, Deshpandes and Majumdars under Qutb Shahis of Golkonda and Nizams of Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.[26]

Niyogi Brahmins and Deshastha Brahmins also ruled Andhra Pradesh as zamindars. In Guntur district, one of the four major zamindars i.e., Chilakaluripet zamindari and Sattenapalle zamindari were ruled by Deshastha Brahmins, whose title was "Deshmukh", [27] [28] The Polavaram zamindari of West Godavari district and Lakkavaram zamindari of Prakasam district were ruled by Niyogi Brahmins. Due to their secular occupations, marriage alliances between Deshastha Brahmins, Golkonda Vyapari Brahmins and Niyogi Brahmins was very common since centuries.[29] [30] Vaidiki Brahmins and Dravidulu are priests and teachers.[31] [32]

Post-Independence

After the implementation of the Land Ceiling Reforms Act in 1973, Niyogi Brahmins and Deshastha Brahmins who had huge amounts of land lost their lands and properties as a result of this.[33] In 1983, after becoming Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N. T. Rama Rao abolished Patel–Patwari system prevailing in Andhra Pradesh. As a result of this many Brahmins who had control over the villages as Karanams (revenue officers) lost their control over villages as well as many of their lands and properties.[34]

Population distribution

As per the 1931 census, Brahmins were about three percent in the region constituting present-day Andhra Pradesh (then part of Madras State).[35] According to a survey by Outlook India in 2003, Brahmins were estimated to be around 5% of United Andhra Pradesh population.[36]

Notable people

Religious leaders

Social Activists

Politics

First Vice President

Second President of India

Indian Prime Minister

Bhart Ratna

Andara CM

Nagarjuna Sagar Designer

Bureaucrats

Music

Films

See also

References

  1. Book: Abstracts: Daśam Antarrāshṭrīya Nr̥vaijñānika evaṃ Nr̥jātīya Vijñāna Mahāsammelana : Xth International Congress of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences, India, December 10 to 21, 1978, Volume 3. National Committee for ICAES. 1978. 3.
  2. Book: Bhattacharya . Jogendra Nath . Hindu Castes and Sects . 1896 . Thacker, Spink . 1298966337 . 98 .
  3. Book: Lakshmanna, Chintamani . Caste Dynamics in Village India . 1973 . Nachiketa Publications . 21 . en.
  4. Book: Journal of the Indian Anthropological Society, Volume 26 . Indian Anthropological Society . 1991 . 230 . The Brahmins of Andhra Pradesh who speak Telugu can be divided into Vaishnavites, Smarthas and Madhwas. They are strictly vegetarians..
  5. Book: Robert Eric Frykenberg . India and the Indianness of Christianity: Essays on Understanding -- Historical, Theological, and Bibliographical -- in Honor of Robert Eric Frykenberg . Richard Fox Young . Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing . 2009 . 9780802863928 . 70.
  6. Book: India's communities, Volume 1; Volume 5. Kumar Suresh Singh. Oxford University Press. 1998. 552. 9780195633542. (pg 552) In Andhra Pradesh, all the Brahman groups except the Oriya Sahu Brahman are Pancha Dravida and are divided into Tamil Srivaishnava, Andhra Srivaishnava, Kamme Brahman and Maharashtra Desastha Brahman..
  7. Book: Karnataka State Gazetteer: Mysore. 157. Director of Print, Stationery and Publications at the Government Press. 1988. The Madhwas are followers of the Dwaitha philosophy of Madhwacharya and have sub-sects like the Badaganadu, Aravelu, Aravathuvokkalu, Deshastha, etc..
  8. Book: India's Communities, Volume 6. Kumar Suresh Singh. Oxford University Press. 1998. 2044. In Tamil Nadu, the Madhwa Brahmins are migrants from Karnataka. They have six sub-groups, they are Aruvela, Aruvanththuvakkalu, Badaganadu, Pennaththurar, Prathamasaki and Desastha and Badaga. They are concentrated in the Madras, Coimbatore, Coonoor and in Ooty.. 9780195633542.
  9. Book: Marriage and Family in Mysore. 27. Mysore Narasimhachar Srinivas. AMS Press. 1978. 9780404159757. The Nanda Vaidikas come from the Telugu country and include both Smarthas and Madhvas..
  10. Book: Social change in village India: an Andhra case study. 73–74. Y. Subhashini Subrahmanyam. Prithvi Raj Publishers. 1975.
  11. Book: Journal of the Andhra Historical Society, Volume 36, Parts 2-4 . Andhra Historical Research Society . 1976 . 70 . The Brahmans were either Smartas, Vaishnavas or Madhwas accordingly as they are followers of Sankaracharya, Ramanujacharya and Madhvacharya..
  12. Book: Sekaram, Kandavalli Balendu . The Andhras Through the Ages . 1973 . Sri Saraswati Book Depot . 28 . en . Among the Niyogis, there are Aruvela Niyogis, Pakanati Niyogis and others..
  13. News: 2016-11-15 . Madras' milieu beheld from the eyes of a dewan . The Times of India . 2023-08-02 . 0971-8257.
  14. Book: Subrahmanyam, Y. Subhashini . Social Change in Village India: An Andhra Case Study . 1975 . Prithvi Raj Publishers . 71 . en.
  15. Book: Sharma, B. N. Krishnamurti. A History of the Dvaita School of Vedānta and Its Literature, 3rd Edition. Motilal Banarsidass (2008 Reprint) . 978-8120815759. 2000 . 227.
  16. Book: India's Communities, Volume 6. 3317. Kumar Suresh Singh. Oxford University Press. 1998. The Deshatha Brahman in Andhra Pradesh have two groups, namely Smartha and Madhva which are divided into exogamous surnames (intiperu) to indicate one's ancestry and regulate marriage alliances.. 978-0195633542.
  17. Book: India and the Indianness of Christianity: Essays on Understanding -- Historical, Theological, and Bibliographical -- in Honor of Robert Eric Frykenberg. Robert Eric Frykenberg. Richard Fox Young. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. 70. 2009. 9780802863928.
  18. Book: People of India: A - G., Volume 4. Oxford University Press. 1998. 3317. In Andhra Pradesh, the Deshastha Brahman have settled in various parts, particularly in the cities of Rayalaseema, Anantapur, Kurnool, Tirupati, Cud- dapah and Hyderabad..
  19. Book: India's Communities. 552. K. S. Singh. Oxford University Press. 1998. 9780195633542. The Maharashtra Desastha Brahman are distributed in the districts of Telangana..
  20. Book: Society in India: Continuity and change. registration. David Goodman Mandelbaum. University of California Press. 18. 1970. 9780520016231.
  21. Book: Maharashtra, Land and Its People. 45. Gazetteers Department, Government of Maharashtra. 2009. Marriage alliance between Deshastha Rigvedi and Telugu and Karnataka Brahmins takes place quite frequently..
  22. Book: The Andhras through the ages. Kandavalli Balendu Sekaram. Sri Saraswati Book Depot. 1973. 29. One of the very important sections among the Telugu Brahmins are Dravida Brahmins. Their very name indicates their South Indian or Tamil origin. A very large number of Brahmin families migrated from Tamil Nadu to Andhra Pradesh.
  23. Book: Andhra Pradesh District Gazetteers: Kurnool. Bh. Sivasankaranarayana. 1967. Director of Print. and Stationery at the Government Secretariat Press; [copies can be had from: Government Publication Bureau, Andhra Pradesh]. 150. There are also a few Dravida Brahmin migrants especially from the Tamilnad speaking either Tamil or Telugu or both..
  24. Web site: Traditional Telugu Brahmin Marriage Ceremony PDF Wedding Bride . 2024-07-16 . Scribd . en.
  25. Book: Self and Society in Transition: A Study of Modern Autobiographical Practice in Telugu. Rajagopal Vakulabharanam. University of Wisconsin--Madison. 2004. 57–58.
  26. Book: Appasaheb Ganapatrao Pawar . Maratha History Seminar, May 28-31, 1970: papers . Shivaji University . 1971 . The ascendancy of the Qutb-shahis of Golkonda resulted in several Maratha Brahmins of the Madhwa sect, generally called Desasthas, being appointed to high positions. This is evident from several terms such as Deshmukh, Deshpande, Majumdar, Mannavar etc. used in the districts of Andhra to signify certain administrative posts..
  27. Frykenberg . Robert Eric . 1965 . Elite Groups in a South Indian District: 1788-1858 . . 24 . 2 . 261–281 . 10.2307/2050565 . 2050565 . 153984852 . 0021-9118.
  28. Book: State and Society: A Reader in Comparative Political Sociology. 116. Coenraad M. Brand. University of California Press. 1973. 9780520024908.
  29. Book: Journal of the Andhra Historical Society, Volume 29, Parts 1-2. Andhra Historical Research Society. 1964. 11.
  30. Book: State and Society: A Reader in Comparative Political Sociology. 112. Coenraad M. Brand. University of California Press. 1973. 9780520024908.
  31. Book: Medieval Andhra: A Socio-Historical Perspective. Alpana Pandey. 11 August 2015. Partridge Publishing. 11 August 2015. 34. 9781482850178.
  32. Book: People of India: Andhra Pradesh (3 pts.). Kumar Suresh Singh. Anthropological Survey of India. 1992. 567. 9788176710060. Traditionally, the Dravidulu were engaged as priests by the local rulers, zamindars and chieftains, and donated to them Agraharams. Some of them followed the vedic texts and engaged themselves as purohits and acharyas..
  33. Book: Political Economy of India: A Study of Land Reforms Policy in Andhra Pradesh. 521. B. A. V. Sharma. Light & Life Publishers. 1980.
  34. Book: Gods of Power: Personality Cult & Indian Democracy. 147. Kalyani Shankar. Macmillan. 2005. 9781403925107 .
  35. Book: India Briefing 2001. Taylor & Francis. 16 September 2016. 105. 9781315291192 . In Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, for instance, the brahmins represented about 3 percent of the population according to the 1931 census..
  36. News: Distribution Of Brahmin Population. Outlook India. 16 June 2003.
  37. Web site: Nimbarka Indian philosopher . 16 January 2021 . Encyclopedia Britannica . en.
  38. Book: Ballard . Roger . Desh Pardesh: The South Asian Presence in Britain . Banks . Marcus . 1994 . Hurst . 978-1-85065-091-1 . 172 . en.
  39. Book: Anjaneyulu, D. . Kandukuri Veeresalingam . 1976 . Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India . en.
  40. Web site: Parthiban . Praveena . 2019-10-01 . How Gandhi's views on caste, race and God evolved through the years . 2023-07-24 . The Federal . en-US.
  41. Book: Harrison, Selig S. . India: The Most Dangerous Decades . 2015-12-08 . . 978-1-4008-7780-5 . 254 . en . Selig S. Harrison.
  42. Book: Andersen. Walter. Messengers of Hindu Nationalism: How the RSS Reshaped India. Damle. Shridhar D.. 2019-06-15. Oxford University Press. 978-1-78738-289-3. 261. en. Dr. Hedgewar, a Telugu Brahmin, was a trained medical practitioner, and founded the RSS in 1925.
  43. Book: The Emerging Hindutva Force: The Ascent of Hindu Nationalism. Prakash Louis. Indian Social Institute. 2000. 38. 9788187218319. The third head of RSS, Balasaheb Deoras was another Telugu Brahmin..
  44. Book: The Calcutta Historical Journal, Volume 18. University of Calcutta. 1996. 44. The second Andhra Conference, held at Bezwada (Vijayawada) under the presidentship of Nyapati Subba Rao Pantulu, a (Maratha-Telugu Brahman) Desastha descended from a long line distinguished civil servants, unanimously passed the resolution demanding a separate province for Andhras which had been drawn up the previous year in Bapatla.
  45. Book: Government and Politics in South Asia, Student Economy Edition. 53. Robert Oberst. Routledge. 27 April 2018. 9780429962325. P. V. Narasimha Rao Congress (IP) 1921 2004 Jun. 1991–May 1996 Brahmin (Hindu) Telugu, South (AP).
  46. Web site: 20 November 2016. SP Balasubrahmanyam honoured with centenary award. 27 August 2020. Deccan Herald. en. 11 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201011195241/https://www.deccanherald.com/content/582136/sp-balasubrahmanyam-honoured-centenary-award.html. live.
  47. News: Salvadore . Sarah . I embody the spirit of Vizag: Sobhita Dhulipala - Beauty Pageants - Indiatimes . 15 February 2022 . Femina Miss India . 26 March 2013.

Bibliography

External links

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