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.

Kalhana, in his Rajatarangini (c. 12th century CE), classifies five Brahmin communities as Pancha Dravida, noting that they reside south of the Vindhya Range.[7] [8] These communities are traditionally listed as:

  1. Drāviḍa – Referring to the Brahmins of Tamil Nadu and Brahmins of Kerala.
  2. Āndhra (Tailaṅga) – Representing the Telugu Brahmins of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
  3. Karnāṭa – Referring to the Karnataka Brahmins.
  4. Madhyadeśa – Identified with Mahārāshtraka in variant readings, representing the Marathi Brahmin.
  5. Gurjara – Representing the Gujarati Brahmins, Marwari Brahmins, and Mewari Brahmins.[9]

Sub-groups

  1. Vaidiki
    1. Mulakanāḍu (Telugu: ములకనాడు)
    2. Telagānyam (Telugu: తెలగాన్యం)
    3. Velanāḍu (Telugu: వెలనాడు)
    4. Kāsalanāḍu (Telugu: కాసలనాడు)
    5. Karṇakammalu (Telugu: కర్ణకమ్మలు)
    6. Vēngināḍu (Telugu: వేగినాడు)
    7. Konesīma (Telugu: కోనసీమ)
    8. Ārādhya (Telugu: ఆరాధ్య)
    9. Prathamasākha (Telugu: ప్రథమసాకి)
  2. Niyogi
    1. Āruvela (Telugu: ఆరువెల)
    2. Nandavārikulu (Telugu: నందవారికులు)
    3. Kammalu (Telugu: కమ్మలు)
    4. Pesalavayalu (Telugu: పేసలవయాలు)
    5. Pranganāḍu (Telugu: ప్రంగనాడు)
    6. Prathamasakha (Telugu: ప్రథమసాకి)
  3. Tambala
    1. Tambala (Telugu: తంబల)
  4. Immigrants from Tamil Nadu (Dravidadeśam)
    1. Pudūr Drāvida (Telugu: పుడూర ద్రావిడ)
    2. Tummagunta Drāvida (Telugu: తుమ్మగుంట ద్రావిడ)
    3. Perūr Drāvida (Telugu: పెరూర్ ద్రావిడ)
    4. Ārama Drāvida (Telugu: ఆరామ ద్రావిడ)

Several Telugu Brahmin subgroups (who are predominantly smartas), such as Velanāḍu, Mulakanāḍu, and Vēgināḍu, derive their names from specific geographical regions. These territorial names are also shared by some non-Brahmin communities, indicating a broader cultural association.

The Ārādhyas hold a distinct position within the Telugu Brahmin community. Among the Karṇakammalu (a prominent Telugu Brahmin sect), sub-sections such as Ōgōti and Koljedu are notable. Members of these groups follow the Rig Śākhā tradition, a branch of the Rig Veda.

The Telagānyams represent a diverse group, with some adhering to the Rig Veda and others following the Yajur Veda (Yajurveda and Shukla Yajur Veda). The Nandavārikulu, who are exclusively Rig Vedic, worship Chaudēswari, the goddess of the Devānga community, as their patron deity. Traditionally, the Nandavārikulu Brahmins acting as gurus (spiritual guides) to the Devāngas.

A unique feature of the Telugu Brahmins is their use of house names, or intiperulu, a practice shared with non-Brahmin Telugu communities. These family names often reference elements from nature or daily life, such as Kōta (fort), Lanka (island), Puchcha (Citrullus colocynthis), Chintha (Tamarindus indica), and Kāki (Corvus levaillantii). Among the Niyōgi Brahmins, house names often end with the word raju or razu, reflecting a connection to aristocratic or landowning traditions.[10]

Apart from these there other notable communities like Golkonda Vyapari, Deshastha and Dravida.

Denominational divisions

Smarta, 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=2https://www.sahapedia.org/kuchipudi-0 Around five-hundred families belonged to this village, and its classical dance form is referenced in Machupalli Kaifat of 1502. Mainly a male dominated dance field in its early stages, Kuchipudi was known for its dance dramas and lively depictions of characters.

Customs

Andhra Brahmins, differ from Tamil Brahmins in certain rituals, attire, and sectarian marks. Telugu Brahmin women wear their saree without passing it between the legs (kaccha kattu), with the free end draped over the left shoulder unlike Madisar which goes to right shoulder. Their sect mark typically consists of three horizontal streaks of bhasmā (vibhūti or sacred ashes) or a single streak of sandal paste (gandham) with a circular black spot in the center (akshintalu bottu).

The marriage badge, or bottu, is tied during the nagavali day after a mock pilgrimage (kāsiyātra). The bride worships Gauri sitting in a basket of paddy or cholam. After tying the bottu, rice (Talambralu) is showered on the couple.

Telugu Brahmin women also perform various rituals (vratams), similar to other communities in the region. Gauri is a favoured deity in many of these rituals.[28]

Telugu Brahmin wedding rituals differ significantly from others, though initial preparations like pelli choopulu(match-making)', nischaya tambulaalu (nischitartham or nngagement), and eduru sannaham are similar. The most distinct feature is the kasi yatra. In this playful ritual, the groom, dressed as a renunciant with an umbrella and wooden sandals, declares his intent to forsake worldly life for sannyasa (sainthood). The bride’s brother intervenes, convincing him to embrace grihastasrama (marriage). Traditionally held at the bride’s home, modern ceremonies often take place in wedding venues. The kasi yatra is symbolic of spiritual progression but is performed with joy, laughter, and family involvement.[29]

Occupation

Pre-Independence

Niyogi Brahmins served as village record keepers (karanams/Kombattulas), poets, and sometimes ministers. Deshastha Brahmins also served as village record keepers (karanams)[30] 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.[31]

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",[32] [33] 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.[34] [35] Vaidiki Brahmins and Dravidulu are priests and teachers.[36] [37]

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.[38] 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.[39]

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).[40] According to a survey by Outlook India in 2003, Brahmins were estimated to be around 5% of United Andhra Pradesh population.[41]

Notable people

Philosophy and Religion

Academics

Social Activists

Politics

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. Rosalind O'Hanlon . Performance in a World of Paper: Puranic Histories and Social communication in Early Modern India . 2013 . Past and Present . 219 . Oxford University Press / The Past and Present Society . 24543602 . 104 .
  8. Deshpande . Madhav . 2010 . Pañca-Gauḍa and Pañca-Drāviḍa: Contested Borders of a Traditional Classification . Studia Orientalia . 108 . 34.
  9. Web site: V . Pandya A. . Abu in Bombay State: A Scientific Study of the Problem . Patel . en . 1952.
  10. Web site: Castes and Tribes of Southern India Vol-i (1909) . 1909.
  11. 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..
  12. 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.
  13. 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..
  14. Book: Social change in village India: an Andhra case study. 73–74. Y. Subhashini Subrahmanyam. Prithvi Raj Publishers. 1975.
  15. 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..
  16. 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..
  17. News: 2016-11-15 . Madras' milieu beheld from the eyes of a dewan . The Times of India . 2023-08-02 . 0971-8257.
  18. Book: Subrahmanyam, Y. Subhashini . Social Change in Village India: An Andhra Case Study . 1975 . Prithvi Raj Publishers . 71 . en.
  19. 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.
  20. 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.
  21. 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.
  22. 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..
  23. Book: India's Communities. 552. K. S. Singh. Oxford University Press. 1998. 9780195633542. The Maharashtra Desastha Brahman are distributed in the districts of Telangana..
  24. Book: Society in India: Continuity and change. registration. David Goodman Mandelbaum. University of California Press. 18. 1970. 9780520016231.
  25. 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..
  26. 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.
  27. 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..
  28. Web site: Castes and Tribes of Southern India Vol-i (1909) . 1909.
  29. Web site: Traditional Telugu Brahmin Marriage Ceremony PDF Wedding Bride . 2024-07-16 . Scribd . en.
  30. Book: Self and Society in Transition: A Study of Modern Autobiographical Practice in Telugu. Rajagopal Vakulabharanam. University of Wisconsin--Madison. 2004. 57–58.
  31. 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..
  32. Frykenberg . Robert Eric . 1965 . Elite Groups in a South Indian District: 1788-1858 . . 24 . 2 . 261–281 . 10.2307/2050565 . 2050565 . 153984852 . 0021-9118.
  33. Book: State and Society: A Reader in Comparative Political Sociology. 116. Coenraad M. Brand. University of California Press. 1973. 9780520024908.
  34. Book: Journal of the Andhra Historical Society, Volume 29, Parts 1-2. Andhra Historical Research Society. 1964. 11.
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  36. Book: Medieval Andhra: A Socio-Historical Perspective. Alpana Pandey. 11 August 2015. Partridge Publishing. 11 August 2015. 34. 9781482850178.
  37. 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..
  38. Book: Political Economy of India: A Study of Land Reforms Policy in Andhra Pradesh. 521. B. A. V. Sharma. Light & Life Publishers. 1980.
  39. Book: Gods of Power: Personality Cult & Indian Democracy. 147. Kalyani Shankar. Macmillan. 2005. 9781403925107 .
  40. 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..
  41. News: Distribution Of Brahmin Population. Outlook India. 16 June 2003.
  42. Web site: Nimbarka Indian philosopher . 16 January 2021 . Encyclopedia Britannica . en.
  43. Web site: Telugu Saints and Sages_ Vol-1 .
  44. Book: Ballard . Roger . Desh Pardesh: The South Asian Presence in Britain . Banks . Marcus . 1994 . Hurst . 978-1-85065-091-1 . 172 . en.
  45. Web site: Telugu Saints And Sages_ Vol-1 .
  46. Web site: Telugu Saints And Sages_ Vol-1 .
  47. S. Singaravelu . Obituary: Professor K. A. Nilakanta Sastri (1892-1975) . Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society . 55 . 1 . 1982 . 94 . 41492918 .
  48. Book: Anjaneyulu, D. . Kandukuri Veeresalingam . 1976 . Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India . en.
  49. 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.
  50. Book: Harrison, Selig S. . India: The Most Dangerous Decades . 2015-12-08 . . 978-1-4008-7780-5 . 254 . en . Selig S. Harrison.
  51. 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.
  52. 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.
  53. 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).
  54. 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..
  55. 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.
  56. Web site: Soundarya Biography .
  57. 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