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Chief Editor: Sreenivasarao Vepachedu,
MS, LLM, JD, PhD
Issue 93 5107 Kali Era , paardhiva Year, Bhadrapada month
1927 Salivahana Era, paardhiva Year, Bhadrapada month
2063 Vikramarka Era, paardhiva Year, Bhadrapada month
2005 AD, October
Dravida Brahmins of Andhra(1)
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A group of Brahmins migrated approximately 600 years ago (~1300
1400 AD) from Saurashtra(2) towards south of Vindhyas and settled
on the banks of River Kaveri in Tamilnadu and adopted Tamil
language. These Brahmins are related to the Ayyars of Tamilnadu.
Later, some of these Brahmins migrated northward towards coastal
Andhra to the River Godavari basin and henceforth are called Dravida
Brahmins.
It is possible that Dravida Brahmins migrated to Andhra around 400
years ago(3) from Tamilnadu. The Dravida Brahmin group continued
the migration deep into north coastal Andhra, settling at various
places of their convenience and based on the locations they settled in,
further divided into:
Aaraamadravidas
Divili Brahmins
Dravidas or suddha dravidas
Perurudravidas
Pudurudravidas
Ryalidravidas
Tummagunta Brahmins
Aaraamadravidas are those Brahmins who settled and lived in
gardens (aaraamas) initially. They are also called thota aravalu
(thota = garden, aravulu = Tamils or Dravids). Some Dravida
Brahmins settled in the villages and are identified by the area or the
name of the village in which they settled down. For example, the
Brahmins who settled in the town Peruru near Amalarpuram came to
be known as Perurudraavidulu. Similarly, the Brahmins settled in the
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towns of Ryali, Divili, Puduru and Tummagunta came to be known as
Ryalidraavidulu, Divili Brahmins, Pudurudraavidulu, Tummagunta
Brahmins, respectively. In addition, there is another branch called
dravidulu or suddha dravidulu.
The Dravida Brahmins included 6 jaatis (tribes), 6 vamshams (stock
or clan), 18 pakshams (parts) and 18 gotrams (lineage) and several
family names(4). Due to their expertise and learning, the rulers of
Coastal Andhra(5) gave not only refuge, but also gifts and rewards of
lands and agrahaaras (villages) to the migrated Brahmins. Dravida
Brahmins continued their migrations in search of opportunities and
are found in several states in the Indian Union, especially in the
cosmopolitan cities like Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore etc., and
also in the New World.
Notes:
1) "aaraamadraavida vamsacharitra," written (1935) by
Anamtapadmanaabham Dvivedula (18881947), published by his son
Venkataramarao Dvivedula, Samkhavaram, Andhra Pradesh
533446. To obtain a copy of the original text write to Venkataramarao
Dvivedula or to:
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The author thanks Dr. Rajgopal Duddu for the above reference and
for his input and discussions.
The Brahmin migration to the South features in legends of the sage
Agastya. The Vindhya mountain range in central India continued to
grow higher showing its might and obstructed cloud movement
causing draught. Sage Agastya decided to solve the problem and
traveled south. The Vindhya mountain bowed to Agastya and the sage
requested Vindhya to stay prostrated until he returns. Vindhya
complied with this request and sage Agastya never returned to north.
The earliest Brahmins to arrive in Andhra were most probably sage
Viswamitra's students and progeny around 1200 BC. South Indian
kings showed respect and patronage for Brahmins and Brahminism
since ancient times, e.g., Satavahana dynasty that ruled for five
centuries and extended over Andhra and central India, founded by
Srimukha (221198 BC), supported Brahminism and Vedic tradition
(History and Culture of Andhra Pradesh, Rao PR, pp.viii and 822).
One of the most important features of Satavahana dynasty was
granting land to Brahmins. (History of India, Herman Kulke and
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Dietmar Rothermund, p. 102). Sangam era of Chera, Chola and
Pandya kings in Deep South also used to grant lands to Brahmins
(History of India, Herman Kulke and Dietmar Rothermund, p. 104).
Similarly there have been Brahmin migrations back and forth that
continue even today. Due to these waves of Brahmin migrations, we
see today various subcastes and traditions among Brahmins.
One of those Brahmin migrations pertinent to Dravida Brahmins was
from Saurashtra to the south to River Kaveri. It is not clear why this
particular group of Brahmins migrated to Tamil country in 13th and
14th centuries. However, the period in which the Dravida Brahmins
migrated was full of strife and destruction due to Islamic incursions in
the Northwestern Indian Continent (current Afghanistan, Pakistan and
present Western India), including Gujarat. Saurashtra forms part of
the area where the ancient Saraswati river existed. Saurashtra is also
known as Soruth and Sorath, a former state in the Indian continent,
located on the Kathiawar peninsula of western India, which is now
part of the Indian State of Gujarat. The RigVeda refers to the River
Saraswati as a mighty river flowing from the mountains to the sea and
was adored as the nurturing mother of a civilization, which drew its
life sustenance on the banks of the river. It is not clear if the
southwardmigrated Brahmins are related to Saraswat Brahmins of
this region who migrated to other parts of the Indian continent.
From the River Kaveri region, they migrated to various other parts of
Tamilanadu and up north into Andhra Pradesh somewhere between
600 to 300 years ago. Some of the Aaraamadravida Brahmin families
have migrated from Kumbhakonam, an ancient temple town in
Tamilnadu on the banks of river Kaveri, 194 miles away by train from
Chennai. Kumbhakonam has mythical connections visit Kanchi
Kamakoti peetham site.
3) Although it is not clear when Dravida Brahmins migrated to
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Andhra, according to Anamtapadmanaabham Dvivedula (ref 1), about
300 years ago they adopted Telugu language and integrated with
Telugu speaking people. If we consider the studies on language
adoption in the US, the immigrants (first generation of immigrants)
and their offspring (second generation immigrants) continue to speak
their native tongue as well as the language of the land. The third
generation of immigrants forget their ancestral language or only a
small minority in that group maintains bilingualism. Speaking only
English is the predominant pattern by the third generation in the US.
Thus, by extrapolation, we may assume Dravida Brahmins began
migrating to Andhra around 400 years ago, which is, of course, an
assumption. It could be 600 years ago!
4) Some of the aaraamadravida family names (see ref 1):
Allamaraaju, addamki, addamki bhaagavatulua, ayilaavajhala,
abbaavajhala, akkapamtula, annapamtula, anamtapamtula,
avadhaanula, akkabhaagavatula, anamtavjhala, ayitta, anivilla,
aakomdi, aayupilla, upamaaka, oarigamti, oaleti, kamchi,
kaakaraparti, kaakara, kaakaraala, kaaraadavajhala, kaampamtula,
kaamavarapu, koochibhotla, kolloori, komdaari, kolgamti, koata,
gamdavarapu, goakulaanamdam, gummaa, charla, chellapilla,
chakravartula, chaamarti, chilakamarti, chimtalachervu,
chittapamtula, tampella, taatapoodi, tirumaamidi, toata, dvivedula,
dvivedi, dvibhaashyam, duddu, sasiraaju, naldeegela,
nrusimhadevara, narasimhadevara, pamtula, pullaapamtula,
puraanapamda, paalamki, pinnimti, peddimti, podila, ponnapalli,
perumaalla, paina, patraayudu, ballamoodi, bulambu, boani,
bhaagavatula, brahmayila, bheemasoala, bhairavabhatal,
madhunaapamtula, madhuraapamtula, maddaal, madhurakavi,
mahendravaada, maarepalli, muddu, munnamgi, raavooru,
raamanugula, raamavarapu, raajulu, raaghavabhatlu,
raamabhaktula, varadaa, vajhala, vedula, sannidhi, saamavedula,
soamayaajula etc.
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Usually, Telugu Brahmin family names are based on their vocation,
villages, awards, recognition etc. Family names like Kuchibhatlu,
Nagabhatlu, Bhairavabhatlu, Raghavabhatlu, etc. are names based on
"battir", Tamil word for pundit. Some say that Bhattu is a derivative
of bhata, which means a person who works for hire and as these
Brahmins were hired by kings for various priestly duties, they are
called bhatlu. It is also said that Brahmins who considered
themselves as bhattus (servants) of their family God (kuladaivam)
gave their family name as bhattu or bhatla of their family God. For
example, Nagahatlu means bhattus of Naga or snake God.
Raghavabhatlu means bhattu of Lord Raghava or Rama. Pamtulu,
Madhurapamtulu, etc. based on their recognition as pamtulu, which
means pundit or guru or teacher. Ponnapalli, Marepalli, Kolluru,
Addanki, etc are based on village names. Vedulavaru, Dvi
vedulavaru, etc. based on their learning in vedas and others like
soamayaajula are based on ancestral achievements, jobs and deeds.
It should be noted that some of the above family names of Brahmins
are also found in various other castes and tribes, especially those
related to villages. So it is not correct to assume that a person with a
family name listed above to be an aaramadravida Brahmin.
5) Around 400 years ago, coastal Andhra was under the rule of
Tuluva dynasty. Srikrishnadevaraya ascended to the throne in 1509
and brought peace and glory to the Andhra. Telangana was already
taken over by Muslim rule, several centuries ago. Quli Qutub Shah of
Golconda (Hyderabad), Ismail Adilshah of Bijapur and Gajapatis of
Orissa waged wars against Vijayanagara dynasty. The reign of
Srikrishnadevaraya was considered to be the Golden Age of Telugu
literature. Soon after Srikrishnadevaraya, Quli Qutub Shah defeated
Vijayanagar dynasty and Andhra came under Muslim rule for the first
time. Later, British took over coastal Andhra and formed Madras
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Vepachedu Educational Foundation, Inc
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Om! Asatoma Sadgamaya, Tamasoma Jyotirgamaya, Mrityorma
Amritamgamaya, Om Shantih, Shantih, Shantih!
(Om! Lead the world from wrong path to the right path, from ignorance
to knowledge, from mortality to immortality and peace!)
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