Kannada Brahmin

Kannada Brahmins are Kannada-speaking Brahmins, primarily living in Karnataka, although a few of them have settled in other states like, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.[1][2] They belong to one of the three main sects/castes: Smartha brahmins, Madhva brahmins, and Sri Vaishnava brahmins and are followers of Shankaracharya, Madhwacharya and Ramanujacharya respectively.[3][4] Madhva brahmins are also called Sadh Vaishnavas. Sri Vaishnava brahmins are also called Iyengars and Ramanujas.[5]

Classification

Kannada Brahmins fall under the Pancha Dravida Brahmin classification of the Brahmin community in India.[6] Brahmins generally are further sub-divided into a number of Gotras and the Veda Shakha which professes to follow in the performance of the yagna and rites. In Karnataka, there are as many Rig Vedis as there are Yajur and Sama Vedis together. There are none apparently who acknowledge adhesion to the Atharva Veda. They are also further divided into those who follow the Apastamba Dharmasutra and those others who follow the Asvalayana Sutra. The latter seems to preponderate in the state. The smarthas are more than twice the strength of the Madhvas and Sri Vaishnavas put together. The three main sects contain nearly eighty recorded sub-divisions, distinguished by names that are mainly territorial or numerical in origin.[5]

The subsects included under Smartha and Madhva are Adi Saiva, Aruvattu-vokkalu, Aruvelu, Aruvelu Niyogi, Ashtasahasram, Badaganadu, Bhagavata Sampradaya, Bodhayana, Brihatcharana, Chitpavan, Daivadnya,[7] Deshastha, Devrukhe, Dravidulu, Halenadu Karnataka, Havyaka, Hoysala Karnataka, Kambalur, Kamme (Babburkamme, Kannada, Ulcha and Vijapura), Kandavara, Karhade, Karnataka, Kasalnad, Katyayana, Kavarga, Kilnad, Konkanastha, Kota, Koteshwara, Kusasthala (or Senve), Madhva, Mulukanadu, Nambudiri, Nandavaidika, Niyogi, Panchagrama, Prakand, Prathamasakhe (Kanva Shakha, Madhyanjana or Yajnavalkya), Sahavasi, Sankethi, Sarvarya, Sirnad, Sisuvarga, Shivalli, Sthanika, Sukla Yajussakhe Telaghanya, Totada Tigala, Tuluva, Uttaradi, Vadama, Vadhyama, Vangipuram Veginad, and Velanadu.[5]

Post Ramanuja period, Sri Vaishnava split into Thenkalai and Vadakalai sub-traditions. After a few centuries, the Vadakalai tradition split into Munitreyam, Ahobilam matha, and Parakala matha. Similarly, Thenkalai tradition split into Kandadais, Telugu Shrivaishnavas, Soliyar, and Sikkiliyar.[8] Today, the sub-divisions of Sri Vaishnava brahmin are Bhattaracharya, Embar, Hebbar (Melnatar), Hemmigeyar, Maradurar, Metukunteyar, Morasanad, Muncholi or Choli, Nallanchakravarti, Prathivadi-Bhayankarathar, Somesandal or Attan-Kutattar and Tirumalaiyar.[5]

References

Sharma 2000, p. 540.
N. Subrahmanian (1989). The Brahmin in the Tamil Country. Ennes Publications. p. 58. The Kannada speaking Brahmins ( Madhva Brahmins as they are known in Tamilnad ) are found in the bilingual border areas between the Mysore territory and Tamilnad;
P. P. Nārāyanan Nambūdiri (1992). Aryans in South India. Inter-India Publications. p. 76. ISBN 9788121002660. The Canarese or the Karnataka Brahmins The Canarese speaking or Karnataka brahmins are divided into two major sub-divisions, the Smarta and Madhwa with several sub- divisions under each.
Karnataka State Gazetteer: Mysore. Director of Print, Stationery and Publications at the Government Press. 1988. p. 157. All the Brahmins belong to one of the three sects, i.e., the Smarthas, the Madhwa and the Srivaishnava, followers of Shankaracharya, Madhwacharya and Ramanujacharya.
Rao, Hayavadana (1927). Mysore Gazetteer. Bangalore: Government Press.
Krishnaji Nageshrao Chitnis (1994). Glimpses of Maratha Socio-economic History. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. p. 95. ISBN 9788171563470.
Sharma 2000, p. 544.
Dutta, Ranjeeta (2015). "Reading Community Identities and Traditions: The History and Representation of the Shrivaishnavas of South India". Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences. 18 (1–2): 141–68. S2CID 161734042.

Bibliography

Sharma, B. N. Krishnamurti (2000). A History of the Dvaita School of Vedānta and Its Literature, Vol 1. 3rd Edition. Motilal Banarsidass (2008 Reprint). ISBN 978-8120815759.

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[FOOTNOTESharma2000540-1] Sharma 2000, p. 540.

[2] N. Subrahmanian (1989). The Brahmin in the Tamil Country. Ennes Publications. p. 58. The Kannada speaking Brahmins ( Madhva Brahmins as they are known in Tamilnad ) are found in the bilingual border areas between the Mysore territory and Tamilnad;

[3] P. P. Nārāyanan Nambūdiri (1992). Aryans in South India. Inter-India Publications. p. 76. ISBN 9788121002660. The Canarese or the Karnataka Brahmins The Canarese speaking or Karnataka brahmins are divided into two major sub-divisions, the Smarta and Madhwa with several sub- divisions under each.

[4] Karnataka State Gazetteer: Mysore. Director of Print, Stationery and Publications at the Government Press. 1988. p. 157. All the Brahmins belong to one of the three sects, i.e., the Smarthas, the Madhwa and the Srivaishnava, followers of Shankaracharya, Madhwacharya and Ramanujacharya.

[mysoregazetteer-5] Rao, Hayavadana (1927). Mysore Gazetteer. Bangalore: Government Press.

[6] Krishnaji Nageshrao Chitnis (1994). Glimpses of Maratha Socio-economic History. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. p. 95. ISBN 9788171563470.

[FOOTNOTESharma2000544-7] Sharma 2000, p. 544.

[:ranjeetadutta-8] Dutta, Ranjeeta (2015). "Reading Community Identities and Traditions: The History and Representation of the Shrivaishnavas of South India". Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences. 18 (1–2): 141–68. S2CID 161734042.