Kalingi

Kalingi (also spelt as Kalinga & Kalinji) is a caste residing in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh[1] and Odisha. They are found mainly in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Vishakapatnam, and are also found on the borderland between the districts of Ganjam and Visakhapatnam.[1]

They are an endogamous population. These people wear sacred threads (yagnopavita) across the shoulders. The same class of people are known as the Kalinjis in the country north of the Vamsadhara river. There are two groups of Kalingas today, Buragam and Kinthali, distinguished by the sacred threads (yagnopavita) worn across the shoulders. Kinthali Kalingas wear the sacred thread while buragam Kalingas do not. For this reason, kinthali

Kalingas consider themselves to be the direct descendants of the former rulers of the region who fought with Ashoka. [2]In the Telugu parts they are called Kalingis and in the Oriya country they are known as Kalinjis.[2] The Kalinjis do not wear the sacred thread. Both Kinthala and Buragam Kalingas are categorized as Other Backward Classes (OBCs) by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. [3] Kinthala widows are permitted to remarry if they have no male heir, but Buragam widows are not. [2]These Kalingis are not found south of Chipurupalle in the Vizianagaram district. These were the original people that gave their name to the region; most of them are now found confined to the south of Ganjam district, but some are found scattered all over the Oriya country along the coast.[4]