Vokkaliga (also
transliterated as Vokkaligar, Vakkaliga, Wakkaliga, Okkaligar, Okkiliyan) is a community, or a group of closely-related castes, from the Indian state of
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO 15919, ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reor ...
. They are also present in the neighbouring state of
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...
.
As a community of warriors
and cultivators
they have historically had notable demographic, political, and economic dominance in Old
Mysore (region)
The Mysore region is an unofficial region that is part of Karnataka state in southern India. It forms approximately the southern half of the non-coastal areas of that state. The area corresponds almost exactly to that of the erstwhile princely st ...
.
It is believed by some historians that the
Rashtrakutas
Rashtrakuta ( IAST: ') (r. 753-982 CE) was a royal Indian dynasty ruling large parts of the Indian subcontinent between the sixth and 10th centuries. The earliest known Rashtrakuta inscription is a 7th-century copper plate grant detailing the ...
[:"The community of the land tillers or agriculturists was known as vokkaligas. The importance given to the cultivation of land is amply demonstrated by the fact that numerous tanks were dug and irrigational facilities
were provided at various places. Some of the Rashtrakuta inscriptions found in the Banavasimandala carry the depiction of a plough at the top. There is a view that the
Rashtrakutas were originally prosperous cultivators, who later on dominated the political scene. Some of the inscriptions refer to them as Kutumbinah which is interpreted as meaning cultivators."] and
Western Gangas
Western Ganga was an important ruling dynasty of ancient Karnataka in India which lasted from about 350 to 1000 CE. They are known as "Western Gangas" to distinguish them from the Eastern Gangas who in later centuries ruled over Kalinga (m ...
were of Vokkaliga origin. The Vokkaligas occupied administrative positions in the
Vijayanagara Empire
The Vijayanagara Empire, also called the Karnata Kingdom, was a Hindu empire based in the region of South India, which consisted the modern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa and some parts of Telangana and Mahar ...
.
They later formed the early rulers of the
Nayakas of Keladi
Nayakas of Keladi (1499–1763), also known as Nayakas of Bednore and Ikkeri Nayakas, were an Indian dynasty based in Keladi in present-day Shimoga district of Karnataka, India. They were an important ruling dynasty in post-medieval Karnat ...
. The Vokkaligas had the most families in the ruling classes of the 17th century when the Arasu caste of the Wodeyars was created to exclude them.
[:"In the 17th Century, Chikkadevaraja created the Urs caste and classified it into 31 clans. Of these, 13 clans were deemed superior, while the remaining 18 were placed lower in the hierarchy. This latter comprised ruling families in the domain he was rapidly expanding. The most populous caste in this region, the Gowdas (the caste name Vokkaliga was later affixed to it during the British Census), clearly had more families in the ruling classes. But that did not deter Chikkadevaraja from omitting them from the new caste of 'Urs' that he had created."][:"The royal house came from an extremely small group, the Arasus (Urs), which claimed warrior (Kshatriya) status but were viewed by the state's two largest landowning castes, the Lingayats and the Vokkaligas, as an inferior cowherd (Yadava) caste."] Under the
Kingdom of Mysore
The Kingdom of Mysore was a realm in South India, southern India, traditionally believed to have been founded in 1399 in the vicinity of the modern city of Mysore. From 1799 until 1950, it was a princely state, until 1947 in a subsidiary allia ...
they operated autonomously and also served in the army and militia. The Vokkaligas formed the landed-gentry
[: "Vokkaligas are the landed gentry and the agriculturist caste of Karnataka."] and warrior class
of Karnataka.
Most subsects of the Vokkaliga community are designated as
Forward castes
by the Central Government of India. While some subsects in rural areas, are designated as Other Backward Class by the Karnataka Government.
[:"Not all 115 sub-sects of the Vokkaliga community have been included under OBC. As a result, many sub-sects are deprived of government benefits. All sub-sects must be included under OBC and we must campaign for this,campaign for this," the statement said. The pontiff also said that Vokkaligas in urban areas were in dire straits and they needed more reservation. At present, some 20 sub-sects of Vokkaligas come under Category 3A with a 4 per cent reservation in Karnataka.]
Vokkaligas commonly carry titles such as
Gowda,
Hegde Hegde means the Headman of the village. Hegde or Heggade Pergade is a surname found mainly in the coastal Karnataka region in India which is found in different communities. It is found amongst Hindus of the Bunt community, Saraswat brahmins, J ...
and
Gounder.
[:”The community has titles viz. Gowda, Gowdar, Gounder and Kounder.”]
Etymology
Vokkaliga
Vokkaliga is a
Kannada
Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...
-language word found in some of the earliest available literary works of the language, such as the ''
Kavirajamarga
''Kavirajamarga'' ( kn, ಕವಿರಾಜಮಾರ್ಗ) (850 C.E.) is the earliest available work on rhetoric, poetics and grammar in the Kannada language.Kamath (2001), p 90Narasimhacharya (1988), p 2 It was inspired by or written in part by ...
'', ''
Pampa Bharata'', and ''Mangaraja's Nighantu''. It has been used as an appellation for the cultivator community since time immemorial.
Generally, the term has come to mean an agriculturist though various etymological derivations are available, including:
chieftain under the Vijayanagara Empire. The city of Bengaluru was founded by Kempe Gowda in 1537.">Kempe Gowda I chieftain under the Vijayanagara Empire. The city of Bengaluru was founded by Kempe Gowda in 1537.
* The word ''okka'' or ''okkalu'' is a Kannada word for a family or a clan
and an ''okkaliga'' is a person belonging to such a family.
This is an allusion to the totemistic
exogamous
Exogamy is the social norm of marrying outside one's social group. The group defines the scope and extent of exogamy, and the rules and enforcement mechanisms that ensure its continuity. One form of exogamy is dual exogamy, in which two groups ...
clans which together form an endogamous sub group, of which there are many amongst the Vokkaligas. These clans are called Bali, Bedagu, Kutumba, Gotra or simply Okkalu all of which mean ''family''. They are named after their progenitor, primary occupation or in most cases after various birds, animals or objects.
* ''Okkalutana'' in Kannada means agriculture
* Alternate etymologies include , which means "threshing" in Kannada, and means someone from a family that threshes
Gowda
According to historian
Suryanath U. Kamath
Suryanath Upendra Kamath (26 April 1937 – 21 October 2015) was an Indian historian who served as the Chief Editor of the Karnataka State Gazetteer from 1981 to 1995.
Early life
Kamath was born in a Konkani-speaking family on 26 April 1937. ...
, the word ''Gowda'' derives from ''Gavunda''. The German Indologist
Gustav Oppert opined that the root of ‘Gowda’ is a
Dravidian word meaning "mountain".
The term "Gowda" and its archaic forms in Old Kannada such as ''Gamunda'', ''Gavunda'', ''Gavuda'', appear frequently in the inscriptions of Karnataka. The ''
Epigraphia Carnatica'' is replete with references to land grants, donations to temples, hero-stones (''Veeragallu''), stone edicts and copper plates dating back to the age of the
Western Ganga Dynasty
Western Ganga was an important ruling dynasty of ancient Karnataka in India which lasted from about 350 to 1000 CE. They are known as "Western Gangas" to distinguish them from the Eastern Gangas who in later centuries ruled over Kalinga (m ...
(est. 350 CE) and earlier. The Gavundas were landlords that collected taxes and rendered military service to the Kings.
Noboru Karashima says the Gavundas had functions corresponding to that of the Chola Vellala Nattars.
[:"They are, for example, Gavunda chiefs and heggade revenue officers vis-à-vis the Chola Vellala nattars; kalnad military tenure vis-à-vis padai-parru or parigraham tenure in the Chola state"] The majority of the gavundas were derived from the Vokkaligas; but by the 10th century, the term gavunda also came to denote chiefship of a community or group and was adopted by the heads of other communities assimilated into the early medieval state.
The Vokkaligas of
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...
use ''Gowdar'' and ''Gounder'' as their surname.
The
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:
* Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia
** Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils
**Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia
* Tamil language, na ...
origins to the word ''Gounder'' claim its derivation from ''kavundan'' or ''kamindan'' (one who watches over).
Whether the name ''Gauda/Gowda'' is an allusion to the
Gauḍa region Gauda may refer to:
* Gauda, a caste of Odisha
* Gauḍa (city), Bengal
* Gauḍa (region), Bengal
* Gauda Kingdom, a kingdom during the 5th to 7th century in Bengal (present-day Gauda city)
* Gauda (king), ruler of Numidia during 1st century BC
* ...
or not has not been conclusively proved.
Subgroups
The term Vokkaliga was used to refer to Canarese cultivators. Vokkaliga community has several sub-groups within its fold such as Gangadhikara, Namdhari Vokkaliga, Morasu Vokkaliga,
Kunchitiga
The Kunchitigas (also known as Kunchatiga, Kanchitiga, Kanchitigar, Kunchitigar, Kunchidigar, Kunchigar, Kunchu Okkaliga, Kunju Okkaliga, Kurichigar, Kunchiliyan, Kappiliyan) are a community of people from Karnataka, India. They are mostly conc ...
, Halikkar(Palikkar) Vokkaliga, Reddy Vokkaliga,
Gounder,
Tulu Gowda
Tulu may refer to:
People
*Derartu Tulu (born 1972), Ethiopian long-distance runner
*Walid Yacoubou (born 1997), Togolese footballer nicknamed "Tulu"
India
*Tulu calendar, traditional solar calendar generally used in the regions of southwest Kar ...
.
etc.
[:"'Okkalu' means cultivation or agriculture. The main sub-divisions are 'Morasu Vokkaliga', 'Ganga- dikara Vokkaliga', Kudu Vokkaliga, Kunchitiga, Hallikar(Pallikar) Vokkaliga, Namdhari Vokkaliga, Reddy Vokkaliga, Telugu Vokkaliga, Sarpa Vokkaliga, Uppinakolagada Vokkaliga, Mustiku Vokkaliga, Kapu Vokkaliga, Pakanatha Reddy Vokkaliga, Nadashetty Vokkaliga, Gowdas, Gounder and Vokkaliga Hegde."]
Exogamy at the family/clan level is strictly controlled by using the idiom of Mane Devaru (the patron god of the given exogamic clan) which dictates that the followers of same ''Mane Devaru'' are siblings and marriage is thus forbidden, allowing marital alliances only with another clan and not within.
Gangadikara Vokkaliga
The Gangadikara Vokkaligas, also known as the Gangatkars are numerically the largest among the Vokkaliga.
The Gangadikaras are mostly found in the Mysore, Mandya, Chamarajnagar, Hassan, Bangalore, Ramanagara and Tumkur districts of Karnataka. Gangawadi was the name for the area covering these districts, ruled over by the
Western Ganga Dynasty
Western Ganga was an important ruling dynasty of ancient Karnataka in India which lasted from about 350 to 1000 CE. They are known as "Western Gangas" to distinguish them from the Eastern Gangas who in later centuries ruled over Kalinga (m ...
and Gangadikara is a contraction of the term Gangawadikara (A man of Gangawadi).
According to
Burton Stein and
L. K. Iyer the Ganga rulers were Gangadikara Vokkaliga chiefs.
[:"Indeed, the very lacklustre of the Ganga rulers who preceded the Cholas and Hoysalas suggests that they were essentially peasant chiefs who neither sought nor managed to break their ties with the dominant peasant folk of the territory. That peasantry still identifies itself with the ancient Ganga designation; they are called, garigadikaras who in 1891 comprised forty-four per cent of the total population of the land-controlling peasantry of Mysore State (i.e. Vokkaligas). Gangadikara is a slight contraction of the term gangavadikara, ‘men of the Ganga country’."][:"The Gangadikara seem to be a more recent stratum, whose name reminds us of the Ganga-kings, who ruled in Mysore in the 10th century. We may regard their connections with the former ancient ruling house as very similar to those of the Arasu, the present-day aristocracy of Mysore, with the present- day ruling family. "] The Gangadikara Gowdas claim to be descendants of the erstwhile Ganga rulers.
The administrative setup of Gangas vested power in the Ooru Gauda, Nadu Gauda, Pergade (archaic for Hegde, Pergade->Peggade->Heggade) and so on, at various levels of administration and apart from administrative duties, the Gauda was expected to raise militia when called for.
The Gangadikaras and other Vokkaligas were considered analogous to the
Vellalar Chieftains of Tamil Country.
They are Deccan Kshatriyas corresponding to
Maratha
The Marathi people ( Marathi: मराठी लोक) or Marathis are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are indigenous to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language. Maharashtra was formed a ...
s of Maharashtra.
The Gangadikaras and the
Kongu Vellalars
Kongu Vellalar is a community found in the Kongu region of Tamil Nadu, India.
Etymology
The Vellalar of the Kongu country came to be known as Kongu Vellalar. They are also known by names such as "Bupaalan", Gangavamsam, Kudiyaanavar and V ...
could possibly share a common origin.
[:"The Gangadikara peasantry of Gangavadi appears to have been more significantly linked to the Kongu peasantry to the south than to peasant peoples in the central and northern parts of medieval Karnataka. Similarly, the Marasu Vokkaligas of eastern Bangalore and central and southern Kolar districts appear to have been linked to Tondaimandalam"] In fact, the word ''Konga'' is the Tamil equivalent for ''Ganga''.
The Gangadikaras have two primary sections – the Bujjanige (or Dhaare Shastradavaru) and the Pettige (or Veelyada Shastradavaru) based on differences in rituals performed during the wedding ceremony. They can be Shaiva or Vaishnava in religious affiliation (called Mullu and Dasa sects). Cheluru Gangadikaras (also called Chelaru), another small sub-sect, are said to be strictly vegetarian, a vestige of the times when the Gangas followed Jainism. Oral traditions of the people maintain that after the decline of the Ganga power they reverted to Hinduism retaining certain Jain practices.
The Gangadikara Vokkaligas have as many as 40 ''kulas'', exogamous clans, known in Kannada as ''Bedagu''.
Morasu Vokkaliga
The border regions of Karnataka around modern-day Bangalore, Tumkur and Hosur was known as Morasu-nadu and was dominated by Morasu Vokkaligas.
The chief endogamous divisions of the Morasu Vokkaligas are Morasu proper, Musuku, Palyada sime and Reddy. They speak both
Kannada
Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...
and
Telugu
Telugu may refer to:
* Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India
*Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India
* Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language
** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode
...
. Telugu is restricted to the two sections of Reddy and Palyada Sime.
The usual caste titles are
Gowda for the Kannada section and
Reddy
Reddy (also transliterated as ''Raddi'', ''Reddi'', ''Reddiar'', ''Reddappa'', ''Reddy'') is a caste that originated in India, predominantly settled in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. They are classified as a forward caste.
The origin of the ...
for the Telugu section.
Many Palegars belonged to the Musuku group. The Palegars of Devanhalli, Dodballapur, Yelahanka, Magadi, Hoskote, Kolar, Anekal and Koratagere were Morasu Vokkaligas. The famous
Kempe Gowda I
Kempe Gowda I, locally venerated as Nadaprabhu Kempe Gowda, or commonly known as Kempe Gowda, was a chieftain under the Vijayanagara Empire in early-modern India. He is famous for founding the present-day southern Indian city of Bangalore.
E ...
, the founder of Bangalore City, was the most distinguished of the Palegars of Magadi.
The family of Kempe Gowda migrated from Kanchi in the 15th century.
The
Devanahalli Fort was built by Malla Bhaire Gowda to immortalise Bhaire Gowda, the headman of one of the seven clans that migrated from
Kanchi
Kanchipuram ('; ) also known as ''Conjeevaram,'' is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu in the Tondaimandalam region, from Chennaithe capital of Tamil Nadu. Known as the ''City of Thousand Temples'', Kanchipuram is known for its templ ...
.
Burton Stein noted a link between Morasu Vokkaligas and the
Thondaimandala Vellala
Thondaimandala Vellalar is a high-ranking Caste system in India, subcaste of the Vellalar caste in the state of Tamil Nadu, India who tend, to adopt the title of ''Mudaliar'' and they have been traditional "landlords, warriors, and officials of ...
.
Kunchitiga Vokkaliga
Kunchitiga
The Kunchitigas (also known as Kunchatiga, Kanchitiga, Kanchitigar, Kunchitigar, Kunchidigar, Kunchigar, Kunchu Okkaliga, Kunju Okkaliga, Kurichigar, Kunchiliyan, Kappiliyan) are a community of people from Karnataka, India. They are mostly conc ...
s are concentrated mostly in Tumkur, Chitradurga, Bangalore and Mysore. They are also found in Salem, Coimbatore and Theni districts of Tamil Nadu.
They were traditionally agriculturists and were known for being a successful and enterprising group.
[:"A good proportion of them are also educated and occupy a responsible place in society. They call themselves Kunchitigas or Kunchati Vokkalu"]
Namdhari Vokkaligas
The Namdhari Vokkaliga is the oldest and second largest Vokkaliga sub-group
and are concentrated in
Malenadu
Malnad (; Malēnādu) is a region in the state of Karnataka in India. Malenadu covers the western and eastern slopes of the Western Ghats or Sahyadri mountain range, and is roughly 100 kilometers in width.
Malnadis a region of Karnatak ...
. The Namdharis were
Jains
Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...
who converted to Vaishnavism along with their
Hoysala King Vishnuvardhana and are followers of
Sri Ramanujacharya
Ramanuja ( Middle Tamil: Rāmāṉujam; Classical Sanskrit: Rāmanuja; 1017 CE – 1137 CE; ; ), also known as Ramanujacharya, was an Indian Hindu philosopher, guru and a social reformer. He is noted to be one of the most important exponents ...
.
The Hoysalas were possibly of Namdhari Vokkaliga origin. Historians refer to the founders of the
Hoysala dynasty as natives of Malenadu based on numerous inscriptions calling them ''Maleparolganda'' or "Lord of the Male (hills) chiefs" (''Malepas'').
[Rice B.L. in Kamath (2001), p123][Keay (2000), p251][Quotation:"The home of the Hoysalas lay in the hill tracts to the north-west of Gangavadi in Mysore" (Sen 1999, p498)][Thapar (2003), p367][Stien (1989), p16][Natives of south Karnataka (Chopra 2003, p150 Part 1)] Some historians believe Hoysala originated from Sosevuru (Modern Angadi,
Mudigere taluk).
[The Hoysalas originated from Sosevuru, identified as modern Angadi in Mudigere ]taluk
A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...
(Kamath 2001, p123)[An indigenous ruling family of Karnataka from Sosevuru (modern Angadi) (Ayyar 1993, p600)] Hoysalas also strongly supported Kannada language.
[Ayyar (2006), p. 600][Pollock (2006), p. 288–289][However by the 14th century, bilingual inscriptions lost favor and inscriptions were mostly in the local language (Thapar 2003, pp393–95)] The early Hoysala chiefs had alliances with the
Western Ganga Dynasty
Western Ganga was an important ruling dynasty of ancient Karnataka in India which lasted from about 350 to 1000 CE. They are known as "Western Gangas" to distinguish them from the Eastern Gangas who in later centuries ruled over Kalinga (m ...
[Seetharam Jagirdhar, M.N. Prabhakar, B.S. Krishnaswamy Iyengar in Kamath (2001), p123] and claimed to be heirs to the Gangas. Several of the major feudatories of the Hoysalas were Vokkaligas.
Hallikkar Vokkaliga
Hallikkar Vokkaligas or Pallikar Vokkaligas are a subsect of Vokkaligas. They were mainly engaged in the rearing of cattle.
According to
M. N. Srinivas
Mysore Narasimhachar Srinivas (1916–1999) was an Indian sociologist and social anthropologist. He is mostly known for his work on caste and caste systems, social stratification, Sanskritisation and Westernisation in southern India and the ...
, the Hallikar were related to the
Gollas and
Kuruba
Kuruba is a Hindu caste native to the Indian state of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. They are the third-largest caste group in Karnataka. Traditionally, they were agriculturalists and cattle farmers. The origins of kuruba i ...
s. The
namesake
A namesake is a person, geographic location, or other entity bearing the name of another.
History
The word is first attested around 1635, and probably comes from the phrase "for one's name's sake",
which originates in English Bible translations ...
is the best in the far-famed
Amrit Mahal
The Amrit Mahal (Kannada:ಅಮೃತ ಮಹಲ್) is a breed of cattle that originated from the erstwhile state of Mysore in Karnataka, India. They originated from the Hallikar and closely related breeds, ''Hagalavadi'' and ''Chithradurg''. ...
cattle.
[:"Hallikara Vokkaligas.—This is a section that is mainly engaged in the rearing of cattle. The breed of that name is the best in the far-famed Amrut Mahal Cattle."]
Tulu and Kodagu Vokkaliga
Tulu and Arebhase Gowda (Gauda) are the subsect of the Vokkaliga community located primarily in the South Canara District, Kodagu District, Indian state of
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO 15919, ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reor ...
and
Bandadka village of Kasaragod, Kerala State. They are said to have 10 Kutumba and 18 Bari as their primordial root families, from which a Nūru Mane or "hundred families" arose.
Jogi (Jogi Vokkaliga)
Jogi Vokkaligas are mostly found in parts of Chitradurga, Shivamogga, Tumkur and Mandya districts. They worship
Bhairava
Bhairava ( Sanskrit: भैरव ) or Kala Bhairava is a Shaivite and Vajrayāna deity worshiped by Hindus and Buddhists. In Shaivism, he is a powerful manifestation, or avatar, of Shiva associated with annihilation. In Trika system ''B ...
. They were the teachers (mattpati) of
Adichunchanagiri matt during its early days. The Jogi are disciples of
yoga
Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciou ...
and traditionally wear saffron-colored clothing.
Nonaba Vokkaliga
They were residents of the ancient Kingdom of Nonambavadi which was ruled by the Pallavas up till 10th century A.D. The Pallavas also called themselves as Nonambadhi Raja, Nonamba Pallava, Pallavadhi Raja, etc. This section of the Vokkaligas are
Lingayat
Lingayatism or Veera Saivism is a Hindu denomination based on Shaivism. Initially known as ''Veerashaivas'', since the 12th-century adherents of this faith are known as ''Lingayats''. The terms ''Lingayatism'' and '' Veerashaivism'' have bee ...
s by faith. In most respects, they follow the same customs as the Gangadhikara Vokkaligas.
Sadars
They are Vokkaligas found chiefly in the Shimoga and Chitradurga Districts. They were originally Jains, though many converted to the
Lingayat
Lingayatism or Veera Saivism is a Hindu denomination based on Shaivism. Initially known as ''Veerashaivas'', since the 12th-century adherents of this faith are known as ''Lingayats''. The terms ''Lingayatism'' and '' Veerashaivism'' have bee ...
and Hindu faiths. The Hindus worship both Siva and Vishnu, while the Jains worship the Jain Tirthankaras and Hindu Gods as well. The non-Lingayats, are divided into
Huvvinavaru ("Those of flowers") and Hongeyavaru ("Those of the
Honge Mara"). Sadas had a high social status due to their strict vegetarianism and total abstinence. They have the usual Kattemane form of caste organization. The use the caste title Gowda.
Varna Classification
The
varna system of
Brahmanic
The historical Vedic religion (also known as Vedicism, Vedism or ancient Hinduism and subsequently Brahmanism (also spelled as Brahminism)), constituted the religious ideas and practices among some Indo-Aryan peoples of northwest Indian Subco ...
ritual ranking never really took hold in South Indian society. The two intermediate
dvija varnas—the Kshatriyas
[:”In addition the three way ' caste division (Brahman, non - Brahman, Untouchable) seems particularly prominent here. There are no recognized 'Ksatriya' jatis anywhere in the south, and the three states (in contrast to the more inequalitarian hierarchies of Tamil Nadu and Kerala) are characterized by the dominance of large peasant jatis with landholding rights who historically supplied many of the zamindars and rulers but remained classed remained classed as 'Shudra' in the varna scheme.”][:”In the Madras Census Report, 1891, it is recorded that “the term Kshatriya is, of course, wholly inapplicable to the Dravidian races, who might with as much, perhaps more, accuracy call themselves Turks.”] and Vaishyas—did not exist.
James Manor said that
There were essentially three classes: Brahmin, non-Brahmin and Dalit.
[:"Aside from Brahmans and Rajputs, few actual caste groups could be readily correlated with varna distinctions and few of these castes could be found across wide parts of India. Dominant caste groups in most regions were specific to those regions, as for example the Marathas of Bombay, the Vellalars of Madras, and the Vokkaligas of Mysore. Even the assumption that occupational differentiation provided both the most ready key to caste distinction and the most usable measure of caste significance for imperial purposes flew in the face of the recognition that formal caste titles only rarely indicated true occupation"] Vokkaligas were considered non-Brahmin upper-castes.
[:"Urs also reduced the proportion of upper caste Lingayat and Vokkaliga aspirants to the state government of the Congress ticket"][:"Women belonging to upper caste like Kshatriya, Lingayats, Vokkaliga caste groups are increasingly represented in modern occupations "][:"The Shudra castes like Kamma and Reddy (Andhra Pradesh), Vokkaliga and Lingayat (Karnataka), Thewar and Vanniyar (Tamil Nadu), Maratha (Maharashtra) and Patels (Gujarat) are described as upper castes."]
Quoting
Gail Omvedt
Therefore Vokkaligas along with other ruling castes like Bunts, Marathas and Nairs were classified as "Upper shudra"/"Sat shudra" during the British Raj.
This ritual status was not accepted by the Vokkaligas
and was misleading
as historically, dominant land-holding castes like the Vokkaligas, Vellalars and Reddys belonged to the ruling classes
and were analogous to the
Kshatriyas
Kshatriya ( hi, क्षत्रिय) (from Sanskrit ''kṣatra'', "rule, authority") is one of the four varna (social orders) of Hindu society, associated with warrior aristocracy. The Sanskrit term ''kṣatriyaḥ'' is used in the c ...
of the Brahmanical society.
Economy
Before the 20th century Vokkaligas were the landed gentry and agricultural caste of Karnataka.
Despite the community enjoying the status of chieftains and zamindars, there were also a lot of small landholding farmers. They, along with the Lingayats, owned most of the cultivated land in the state. Therefore they were considered forward castes
and dominant-majority communities. In 1961, Karnataka passed a new Land Reforms Act under the then Revenue minister and idealist
Kadidal Manjappa (a Vokkaliga). This was followed by another Land Reform Act passed in 1973 by Ex-Chief Minister
Devaraj Urs
Devaraj Devaraj Urs (20 August 1915 – 6 June 1982) was an Indian politician who served two terms as the eighth Chief Minister of Karnataka (1972–77, 1978–80), a state in southern India. He is also the longest serving Chief Minister of Ka ...
. These acts redistributed land from the Vokkaliga landlords to the landless and land-poor.
Notable People
Notable people belonging to Vokkaliga community:
Agriculture
*
M. H. Marigowda
M. H.. Marigowda(Maragowdanahalli Hombegowda marigowda) is also known as Father of Horticulture in India.
Dr Marigowda, a horticultural expert, born in a Vokkaliga family, had dedicated his life for the development of Horticulture in Karnata ...
, Indian horticulturist
Business
* R. Dayananda Sagar, Indian Businessman from Karnataka
* Raja Bagmane, Indian Businessman from Karnataka
*
V. G. Siddhartha (born 1959), Indian Businessman from Karnataka
Film
*
Akshara Gowda
Akshara Gowda (born Harini Gowda in Bangalore, Karnataka) is an Indian actress who has appeared in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films.
Personal life
In April 2011, Akshara Gowda was linked to Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh. However, Gowda ...
(born 1991), Indian actress from Karnataka
*
Ambareesh
Malavalli Huchchegowda Amarnath (29 May 1952 – 24 November 2018), known by his screen name Ambareesh, was an Indian actor, media personality, politician from the state of Karnataka. Alongside Rajkumar and Vishnuvardhan, he is counted i ...
(born 1952 as Huche Gowda Amarnath) Indian politician and actor from Karnataka
*
Bhavya Gowda
Bhavya Gowda is an Indian-born model.
Career
She was a finalist of the Miss England Earth in 2009. She was also Miss India Personality in 2002 and Miss Commonwealth International 2010 finalist for Asia Pacific.
She has appeared in a music v ...
(born 1983), Indian model from Karnataka
*
Devaraj (born 1953), Indian Actor from Karnataka
*
Ere Gowda
''Ere Gowda'' ( kn, ಈರೇಗೌಡ) is a Kannada film director known for his award-winning Kannada movie ''Balekempa''. He was also the screenwriter of the award-winning Kannada film Thithi (film), ''Thithi'' directed by Raam Reddy.
He is also ...
, Indian Kannada film director from Karnataka
*
Jaggesh
Jaggesh is an Indian politician, actor, director and producer, who mainly works in the Kannada film industry. He is a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka since 2022 and the spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnat ...
(born 1963 as Eshwar Gowda), Indian Kannada actor from Karnataka
*
K. C. N. Gowda
K. C. Nanjunde Gowda (c. 1928 – 4 October 2012) was a businessman and one of the top Kannada film producers, exhibitors, financiers and distributors. He is credited with producing some of the classic films in the annals of Kannada film in ...
( 1928–2012), Indian Kannada film producer and film distributor
*
Pallavi Gowda
Pallavi Gowda (born 20 September 1990) is an Indian Television, Indian television and Film actress, who mainly works in Malayalam, Kannada and Telugu language, Telugu Television show, Soaps. She is known for her portrayal of roles in Pasupu Kumk ...
(born 1993), Indian actress from Karnataka
*
Rachita Ram
Bindhya Ram , known by her stage name Rachita Ram, is an Indian actress who is primarily known for her work in Kannada films. Rachita made her film debut with the 2013 film ''Bulbul'' as the lead opposite Darshan S.
Early life
She is a t ...
, Indian actress from Karnataka
*
Ramya (actress)
Divya Spandana (born 29 November 1982), better known by her screen name Ramya, is an Indian actress and politician. She served as the Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha from Mandya, Karnataka. She primarily works in Kannada, alongside Tam ...
(born 1982), Indian actress & politician from Karnataka
*
Ravishankar Gowda
Ravishankar Gowda (born 26 August 1973) is an Indian actor who works in the Kannada film industry. He is known mostly for his comic roles in television and films. He shot to fame as Dr. Vittal Rao, in the sitcom ''Silli Lalli'' which aired on ...
, Indian actor from Karnataka
*
Sheela Gowda (born 1957), Indian artist from Karnataka
*
Vajramuni (born 1944), Indian actor & producer from Karnataka
*
Yash (born Naveen Kumar Gowda), Indian actor from Karnataka
Historical Figures and Rulers
*
Kempe Gowda I
Kempe Gowda I, locally venerated as Nadaprabhu Kempe Gowda, or commonly known as Kempe Gowda, was a chieftain under the Vijayanagara Empire in early-modern India. He is famous for founding the present-day southern Indian city of Bangalore.
E ...
(1510–1569), Founder of Bengaluru & feudatory ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire, now Karnataka, India
Law
*
Venkate Gopala Gowda
Venkate Gowda Gopala Gowda (born 6 October 1951) is a retired judge of the Supreme Court of India. A former Chief Justice of Orissa High Court.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gowda, Venkate Gowda
1951 births
Living people
Justices of the S ...
(born 1951), Indian Supreme court judge
Literature
*
H. L. Nage Gowda
H.L. Nagegowda (11 February 1915 – 22 September 2005) was a prominent Kannada folklorist and author. He received a number of awards in his lifetime, both for his writing and for his work in conserving and propagating folk traditions.
...
(1915–2005), Indian Kannada folklorist and author
*
Kuvempu
Kuppali Venkatappa Puttappa (29 December 1904 – 11 November 1994), popularly known by his pen name Kuvempu, was an Indian poet, playwright, novelist and critic. He is widely regarded as the greatest Kannada poet of the 20th century. He wa ...
(born 1904), Indian poet from Karnataka
*
Shilpi Somaya Gowda
Shilpi Somaya Gowda is the award-winning, ''The New York Times, New York Times'' and internationally bestselling Canadian author of ''Secret Daughter, The Golden Son,'' and ''The Shape of Family.'' She lives in California with her family.
She ...
(born 1970), Canadian novelist
*
Poornachandra Tejaswi (born 1938), Indian writer and novelist from Karnataka
Politics
*
C. T. Ravi
Chikkamagaravalli Thimme Gowda Ravi (born 18 July 1967) is an Indian politician who is the current National General Secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party and four-time legislator from Chikmagalur (Vidhana Sabha constituency), Chikmagalur Constitue ...
, Indian politician from Karnataka
*
C. P. Yogeshwara
Chakkere Puttamade Gowda Yogeshwara is an Indian Politician and Actor from the state of Karnataka who served as the Minister of Tourism, Environment and Ecology Department of Karnataka from 21 January 2021 to 26 July 2021. He is a member of t ...
, Indian politician from Karnataka
*
D. B. Chandre Gowda
Daradahalli Byregowda Chandregowda (born 26 August 1936), is a former Speaker of Karnataka Legislative Assembly, three-term Member of the Legislative Assembly (India), MLA, one-term Member of the Legislative Assembly (India), MLC, and Member of ...
(born 1936), Indian politician from Karnataka
*
D. K. Shivakumar (born 1962), Indian politician from Karnataka
*
D. V. Sadananda Gowda (born 1953), Indian politician from Karnataka
*
H. D. Deve Gowda
Haradanahalli Doddegowda Deve Gowda (; born 18 May 1933 in) is an Indian politician from the state of Karnataka. He served as the 11th prime minister of India from 1 June 1996 to 21 April 1997. He was previously the 14th Chief Minister of Karn ...
(born 1933), Indian politician from Karnataka
*
H. D. Kumaraswamy
Haradanahalli Deve Gowda Kumaraswamy, (born 16 December 1959) known among followers as Kumaranna (''Kumar, the elder brother''), is an Indian politician and businessman who served as the 18th Chief Minister of Karnataka from 23 May 2018 to 23 ...
(born 1959 as Haradanahalli Devegowda Kumaraswamy Gowda), Indian politician from Karnataka
*
Javare Gowda
Devegowda Javaregowda (6 July 1915 – 30 May 2016), known as De Ja Gou or simply Javaregowda, was an Indian Kannada writer, folklorist, researcher, scholar and academic. He was disciple of authors T.N. Srikantaiah and Kuvempu. His literary c ...
(1915–2016), Indian Kannada author
*
Kadidal Manjappa (born 1908), Indian politician from Karnataka
*
K. Chidananda Gowda, Indian computer scientist
*
Kengal Hanumanthaiah
Kengal Hanumanthaiah (14 February 1908 – 1 December 1980), also spelt as Kengal Hanumanthaiya, was the second Chief Minister of Karnataka (then, Mysore State) from 30 March 1952 to 19 August 1956. He contributed to the construction of Vidhana ...
(born 1908), Indian politician from Karnataka
*
Krishna Byre Gowda
Krishna Byre Gowda (born 4 April 1973) is an Indian politician who served as the Minister of Rural Development, Law and Parliamentary Affairs in the cabinet of H D Kumaraswamy. He was the Minister of Agriculture in the Cabinet of Siddaramaiah ...
(born 1973), Indian politician from Karnataka
*
M. J. Appaji Gowda (died 2020), Indian politician
*
Maritibbe Gowda
Marithibbe Gowda (born 1 July 1959) is an Indian political leader who was the Karnataka Legislative Council, Deputy chairman of Karnataka Legislative Council from 1 August 2015 to 21 June 2018 (after death of Vimala Gowda) and he is current Me ...
, Karnataka politician
*
N. H. Gouda
Narayan Holiyappa Gouda (1938–1992) was a Member of the Legislative Assembly (India), M.L.A to the Karnataka state Legislative Assembly, Bangalore from 1985-1989. He was elected from the Janata Dal. At that time Ramakrishna Hegde from the J ...
, (1938–1992), Indian politician from Karnataka
*
Narayana Gowda
Doctor (title), Dr. Chikkegowda Narayanagowda is an Indian social activist, politician who is currently serving as Minister (government), Minister of Sericulture, Youth empowerment and sports of Karnataka from January 2021.
Early life
Naray ...
, Indian politician from Karnataka
*
R. Ashoka
Jalahalli Ramaiah Ashoka (born 1 July 1957) is an Indian politician serving as the Minister of Revenue of Karnataka from 20 August 2019. He is also the Vice-Chairman for the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority and the district in-ch ...
, Indian politician from Karnataka
*
Rajeev Gowda
M. V. Rajeev Gowda is an Indian politician and academician. He is a former member of parliament in the Rajya Sabha and a national spokesperson for the Indian National Congress. He also currently serves as Chairman of the "Congress Research Depa ...
, Indian politician and academic from Karnataka
*
Ramachandra Gowda
Ramachandra Gowda (Kannada:ರಾಮಚಂದ್ರ ಗೌಡ) is a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka, India., Gowda took to social-political activities during his school days having been inspired by the Rashtriya ...
, Indian politician from Karnataka
*
Sadananda Gowda
Devaragunda Venkappa Sadananda Gowda (born 18 March 1953), is an Indian politician who served as the union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers of India in the Second Modi ministry from 14 November 2018 to 7 July 2021. He also served as the ...
, Indian politician from Karnataka
*
Shantaveri Gopala Gowda
Shantaveri Gopala Gowda (14 March 1923 – 9 June 1972) was a socialist politician who was thrice elected to Karnataka Vidhanasabha, the Legislative Assembly of Karnataka, in 1952, 1962 and 1967.
Gopala Gowda was born in Sagara, Karnataka to ...
(1923–1972), Indian politician from Karnataka
*
S. M. Krishna (born 1932), Indian politician from Karnataka
*
Tejashwini Gowda
Dr. Tejaswini Gowda (born 11 November 1966) was a member of the 14th Lok Sabha (2004-2009) from Kanakapura (Lok Sabha constituency), Kanakapura in Karnataka (India), representing Congress Party. This seat morphed into Bangalore (Rural) seat, an ...
(born 1966), Indian politician from Karnataka
*
Tulsi Gowda, Indian environmentalist
*
K. Venkatagiri Gowda (born 1923), Indian Economist & politician from Karnataka
Sports
*
Girisha Nagarajegowda (born 1988), Indian Paralympic athlete known as Girish N. Gowda
*
Vikas Gowda
Vikas Shive Gowda (born 5 July 1983) is an Indian discus thrower and shot putter. Born in Mysore, he grew up in Frederick, Maryland in the United States. His father, Shive Gowda, coached the 1988 Indian Olympic track team. Vikas Gowda is a Padm ...
(born 1983), Indian athlete
See also
*
Kannada people
*
Adichunchanagiri Hills
References
{{reflist
Hindu communities
Social groups of Karnataka