Kapu (caste)

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Kapu (Telugu:కాపు)is a community found mainly in the Southern Indian State of Andhra Pradesh they are also concentrated in States like Tamil Nadu,Karnataka and Orissa.The term Kapu / Kaapu in Telugu means Protector.The community is primarily an Agragarian Community They are also referred to by their caste titles Naidu and Setty[1] and make up about 22% of the state's population.

Contents

[edit] Origins

Since it is a large, diverse and geographically well spread with multiple divisions there is no one root or origin but the most prevalent theories of their origin are mentioned below.

  • Kapu seem to be the earliest inhabitants of the Deccan region who migrated from the North and cleared Forests for Agriculture and built Towns in the Deccan.They are considered to be the Original Aryan Descendants who migrated to South India.
  • Kapu Community seems to date back to the Pre-Christ era and are believed to be the descendants of migrants of the Kaampu tribe from Kampilya (near Ayodhya) and were one of the earliest inhabitants of South India who took to clearing the forests and starting agriculture in the Deccan and of the current day Andhra Pradesh.
  • They are also referred to as the Kaampu tribe in the Ancient Texts, which was also referred to as the Kossar tribe, who some historians believe established the Satavahanas and other ancient dynasties.
  • Kapu Community share a similar history to the Kurmi, Kunbis and Maratha castes.
  • Kapu Community primarily served as Protectors of villages from Bandits who later took to other Professions like Village heads and Farmers during times of peace.
  • During times of war thay also served as Soldiers, Governors (Nayaks), Commanders in many of the Andhra Dynasties.
  • Kapu is a Dominant middle caste [2]
  • Modern day Kapu Community is predominantly are an Agrarian community diversified into Business, Industry, Films, Academia, and IT etc.

[edit] Sub Castes

There are many sub castes within the Kapu community but most of them prefer to be simply called Kapu.

[edit] Kapu

The Kapu community is primarily concentrated in the Coastal Districts of Andhra.

They were also referred to as Kaampu (Kossar) in the ancient texts. They were probably the earliest settlers of the Deccan and Andhra region who came in and cleared the forests and started agriculture. References to this particular caste or grouping can be traced back to the Satavahana dynasty. It is probably the oldest middle caste in Andhra and forms the bed rock of the state.

They are heavily concentrated in the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh. The Mackenzie Manuscript suggests that Kapu Community are the Descendants of the many of the Ancient Kingdoms of Coastal AP.

Colin Mackenzie was the Surveyor General of India who did extensive research from the available manuscripts of documented Indian history.

Origin

  • Kapu in the Pre Kakatiyan period referred to soldiers and agriculturists.
  • Some of the occupations or responsibilities that “Kapus” had in the medieval period:
  1. Village defence committees (Kapu)
  2. Administration (Pedda Kapu)
  3. People responsible for protecting the farms from bandits and those protecting livestock were (Panta Kapu).
  • The term Kapu has become synonymous with Agriculturists.

Kapu Branches

  • Pappula
  • Saladi
  • Kondamuri
  • Gollapalli
  • Chinta(Also found in Kamma)
  • Gorantlla(Also found in kamma)
  • Bellamkonda
  • galidevara
  • golakoti
  • Dhulipudi
  • Mekala (Also found in Kamma, Boya, Chenchus)
  • Mogili (Also found in Yerukulas)
  • Motati
  • Mungaru
  • Thota
  • Nerati or Neravati (Also found in Reddy)
  • Pakanati or Pakinadu (Eastern territory) (Also found in Reddy, Golla, Kamsala, Mala, and Tsakala)
  • Oruganti (Also found in Mudiraju)
  • Nagaralu / Patrulu
  • Chalukya Kapu
  • Challa
  • Uggina
  • Koraganji
  • Mutyala (Also found in brahmins, vysyas)
  • Arja

Nagaralu means the dwellers in a nagaram (City). This caste was originally a section of the Kapus which took to town life and separated itself off from the parent stock. They are mainly agriculturists but are also into medicine. A number are Physicians and Pharmacists.

Kapu as a term is used to refer to Landowning or Peasant Communities in Andhra Pradesh. Today the Land Owners are called Kapu by the Agricultural Laborers, and those who served as village heads were given the title of Reddy. This is the reason the title Reddy is found among the Kapu and Reddy castes.

[edit] Balija

Balijas are concentrated throughout Andhra and Rayalseema Region,Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Origins

This is the only Subcaste of Kapu which bears both the titles Setty and Naidu

Balija is Primarily a Trading community by Occupation they seem to have been formed by a small Social Change that seem to have occurred among some sections of the Kapu community the Original Balijas seem to have migrated form the Baleejipeta, Srikakulam District According to some Historians.

Veera Balaingyas were mentioned in Kakatiya inscriptions. They were powerful and wealthy merchants who were highly respected in Kakatiyan society. The Balijas had the title Setty and were primarily Tax collectors and Merchants. Most of the Balijas refer themselves as Kapu/Telaga in Andhra and as Munnuru Kapu in Telangana. But in Rayalaseema Area they call themselves Balija/Setty Balija/Balija Naidu here Kapu refers to another Community.

Balija Branches

  • Setty Balija These were the Rich and Powerful Traders and Merchants of the Kakatiya Dynasty. There was mention of some very old Trading Guilds concentrated in Bellary in Karnataka[3].In fact Historian's suggest this was the first branch in Balijas.

Popular Surnames

  • Perisetty, Polisetty, Pothamsetty, Sennamsetty, Sirivisetty, Gangisetty, Nagisetty,.etc
  • Balija Naidu Balija Naidu is a derivation of the term Balija Nayakulu. This sub caste seems to have formed during the Kakatiya times primarily to protect the Balija / Setty trading caravans from being attacked by bandits.The current Anantapur Dt and Nellore Dt were ruled by Balija Naidu Kings/Families.
  • Kota Balijasthe Araveedu dynasty of Vijayanagar Empire was from this lineage so are the Madurai Nayaks and the Tanjavore Nayaks.
  • Gajula Balija/Sugavansi Balija(Pure) Myth is that Siva’s wife Parvati made a penance in order to look beautiful for Siva and the person that brought her bangles riding a donkey was the ancestor of the Gajula Balija.
  • Kavarai(Kavara Balija Naidu or Gavara Balija Naidu)."Kavarai is the name for Balijas(Telugu trading caste), who have settled in the Tamil country" as per Thurston of Castes and Tribes of Southern India.Kavarais call themselves Balijas(Born from fire).They use the titles Naidu,Nayakkan ,Chetti or Setti and Nayak.Gajula Balija is the largest sub -division of Kavarais. The equivalent name for Gajula Balija in Tamil is Valaiyal Chetti.(The meaning of Tamil name Valaiyal in Telugu is Gajulu(Bangles).Gajula Balijas attained this name as they were involved in manufacturing and selling bangles initially though they made their mark in various other fields later.
  • Rajamahendravaram Balija or Musu Kamma Balija(Named after a special ear ornament worn by women)
  • Gandavallu or Gundapodi Vandlu (Supposed to have originally Komatis)

Refer to Balija for further Information

[edit] Munnuru Kapu

Munnuru Kapu's are primarily concentrated in Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh. By Occupation they are Farmers. The name Munnuru seems to be of a recent origin, which means three hundred. They were a part of the Telaga community and were the Imperial guard of the Tanjore Nayaks. The Nawab of Hyderabad requested the Tanjavore Nayaks to send a battalion of his best infantry and cavalry for his personal security. The Tanjore Nayak dispatched three hundred Telaga men and their families. The descendants of these three hundred families are now called Munnuru Kapu.

There also seems to be a Traditional Rivalry that existed between the Mudiraj community and the Munnur Kapu community. The Munnuru Kapu's have always been associated with one Kingdom or the other in the form of Interior Palace Guards like Tanjavore Nayaks,Devarakonda,Nizam etc.

Refer to Munnuru Kapu for further Information

[edit] Telaga

The Origin of the Telagas can be traced back to the Western Chalukyan Expansion into Andhra region which happened in the 6th century A.D. Telagas are the most ancient Warrior/Agricultural clans of the Deccan and South India who are specialised in warfare.

The term Telaga was a derivation of the word Telingana.[4] Andhra was referred to as Telingana in the ancient texts as it was the area that had three major Shivinsa-Aramas, thus was called Tri-Linga', and the people living there were called Telugus and the language spoken by the people there was called Telugu.The Telagas have served as Nayakulu (Governors),commanders and vassals of the Western Chalukya rulers under Pulakesin. These commanders were also called Telugu Nayakulu from which the community name might also have been derived Telaga.

They formed the bulwark of Ancient armies of the Deccan and South India like Cholas,Pallavas,Chalukyas,Kakatiyas etc.They seem to have a connection with the Eastern Chalukyas. The Vassals of Chalukyas entered into Matrimonial Alliances and ultimately established the Chalukya - Chola Dynasity.The Telugu Cholas are in fact the Telagas. They seem to have a connection with the Eastern Chalukyas. Also the Telugu Cholas(Velanati Cholulu) of Palnadu War who supported Bramha Naidu in his war against the Nalagam Raju.So were the other Telugu Chola Dynasities like Renati Cholas, Konidena Cholas,Nannuru Cholas, Nellore Chola Kings.

Refer to Telaga for further Information

[edit] Ontari

Ontari community is concentrated mainly in Coastal Andhra.They have the title Naidu and Dora. Ontari Kapu's used to be soldiers/ Special Forces in Andhra Kingdoms. They are different from the Ontaris (Bunt -Individual hand to hand fighters). The Ontari-Kapu community was primarily specialized in individual weapons like a sword or a spear and was primarily used for special operations. Their surnames always start with weapons like Kattula (Knife), Tupakula (Pistol), Kommula etc.

[edit] Turpu Kapu

Turpu in Telugu means east. The Kapus living on the eastern frontier of Andhra Pradesh called themselves Turpu Kapus. There have been some rulers of coastal kingdoms from this community. They are hard working poor and middle farmers with a BC-D backward caste reservation in Andhra Pradesh and OBC status in india. they are majority community especially in Vizianagaram District but many of them still show their feudal loyalty to erstwhile Zamindars of Bobbili and Vizianagaram etc. Off late however the political awakening of this Caste pushed some representatives of this caste group to be more Politically Active.

Popular Surnames

  • Revalla, Botsa,Yeddu, mandala, gorle, bevara, buridi, Talari,Reddy,Pushpala,Allada,Katreddi,Thota,Kanna,Mekala,yazzavarapu,.etc

[edit] Dynasties

The following are some ruling clans associated with Kapu (Balija) community.

  • Telugu Chodas
  • Kona Kings
  • Koppula Chiefs
  • Musunuri Nayaks
  • Korukonda Nayaks
  • Madurai Nayaks
  • Tanjavur Nayaks
  • Vijayanagar- Araveeti Dynasity
  • AnandaGotrikas
  • C.P. Brown mentioned that the Poligars of Anantapur belonged to the Balija Naidu community.
  • The Current Nellore was also ruled by Balija Naidu's.
  • Etukuri Bala Rama Murthi in "Andhrula Samkshiptha Charithra" Cholas gradually came to be called as Kapu and Telaga.

The surnames Chaladi, Chode, Chodapaneedi, Chodasetty, Chodepala, Konidena and Chodavarapu show link to the Telugu Cholas(Choda) Dynasties with the Kapus. Even some of their gotra [4](is a patrilineal classification and identification of a caste) is referred as "CHOLLA" or "Chola". These Kings were from the Chaturtha Kulamu (Source Palanati Veera Charitra) and Kasyapa as their Gothram.

  • Balijakula Charithra", the Kotikam Kaifiyat says as follows:

" _ _ _ _ _Sree Manmahaa mandaleshwara Achyuthadeva Mahaa Raayalayya vaaru Daivaprasaada labdavasaath chethanu, karunatho goodi Balija Varna Garikepaati Vamsamuna Kalgina Sree Sree Viswanatha Naayaka gariki Paandya mandalaadhiraaju ane rendunnara koti dravya Raajyaanku sasthrothkamuga pattaabhisekham Vijayanagaramandu Cheyinchiri.

  • "Garikepati" is the last name of Madura Balija Kings."Alluri" is the last name of Thanjavur Balija Kings.
  • "Chinthalapudi" is the last name of Khandi (Ceylon) Balija kings. Vijaya Bhupala Naidu who ruled Khandi was the brother-in-law of Kumara Krishnappa Naidu of Madurai Balija Dynasty.

There were matrimonial alliances between Kapu community and major Dynasties like Eastern Chalukyas, Telugu Chodas, Kakatiya, Vijayanagar,Madurai and Thanjavur Kingdoms. Some inscriptions belonging to the Eastern Chalukyan King Bhima Raja, who was the Ancestor of Raja Raja Narendra, point to a possible link between the Chalukyan Dynasties and the Kapu Community of Coastal Andhra. The following are some of the interesting matrimonial alliances among Balija/Kapu Dynasties of Vijayanagar, Madura, Thanjavur and Kakatiya.

  • Vijayanagar emperor Sri Krishna Deva Raya’s half brother was emperor Achyuta Deva Raya. Achyutha Deva Raya's wife Thirumalamba's own sister Murthimamba (Achyuta Deva Raya's sister-in-law) was married to Thanjavur king Alluri Sevappa Naidu.
  • One of the members of Thanjavur king Sevappa Naidu was married to Madura king Garikepati Thirumala Naidu.
  • Thanjavur King Vijaya Raghava Naidu's daughter and Sevappa Naidu's great Grand daughter Mangamma was married to king Chokkalinga Naidu, the grand son of the celebrated Thirumala Naidu of Madura dynasty.
  • Queen Sri Ranga Devi, sister of Veera Narasimha Rayalu of Narapathi dynasty was married to king Bhuvanaika Malla of Kakatiya dynasty.(Note: Narapathis are also called Chalukyas. Araveeti families come under Genealogical tree of Narapathis. Vijayanagar emperor Sri Krishna Deva Raya's son-in-law Rama Rayalu belongs to Araveeti family of Kapu caste. According to Vijaya Kumari and Sepuri Bhaskar In "Social Changes among Balijas" the famous Vijayanagar King Sri Krishna Deva Raya belonged to Kapu caste.)
  • The Kona Kings were Descendants of Haiheya and had Kasyapa as their Gothram found in the Kapu Community.
  • The Vijayanagar Araveeti line of Kings called themselves as Chalukya Prince's and were descendants of these Haiheyas and can also be found in History as Arayeti during Eastern Chalukyan Rule and had Atreya as their Gothram which is found in the Kapu communities.

Despite inscriptional evidence of the Chalukyas claiming Kshatriya status, off late this has become questionable. Historian Suravaram Pratapa Reddy hypothesizes that though Raja Raja Narendra called himself a Kshatriya this was done to justify his rule and subsequent legacy. He may have even gotten the Kshatriya classification through matrimonial alliances.

[edit] Kapu Names

Some of the very common Gothrams found in the Kapu community are Janakula,Paidipaala,Raghukula,Kasyapa,Dhanunjaya,Athreya,Achyuta to name a few and there are lots of other Gotrams[5]

  • Naidu in Andhra refers to the Kapu/ Telaga/ Balija/ Ontari/ Turpu Kapu community.
  • Balijas have the title Naidu and Setty
  • In Tamil Nadu and Karnataka they are called Balija Naidu.
  • In Southern T.N Districts Balijas have the title Naicker
  • Munnuru Kapu's have the title Rao and Reddy in Telangana.
  • Kapu/Balija/Telaga/Munnuru Kapu communities have the title Setty in their Surnames who served as Traders during the Kakateeya and Viajayanagar Empires..

(Indicating their Ancestors established Powerful Trading Guilds Surnames like Polisetty,KaliSetty,Muthamsetty,Kamisetty,Rangisetty,Singamasetty etc)

  • Telaga/Kapu Community also has the title Reddy in their Surnames in Coastal Andhra Region.

(Indicating some of their ancestors were village heads. Maddireddy, Muthareddy, Kunapareddy, Katreddy, kasireddy, rayapureddy, dharapureddy, peddireddy etc..)

  • Some Kapu/Telaga Surnames end with the title Neni which is a derivation of Senani.

(Indicating the Ancestors of these families served as Commanders under the Kakateeya Dynasity. Samineni,Lakkineni,Padalaneni,Vallabhaneni,Chitikineni,Kasineni etc)

  • Kapu and Telaga community have the title Rayudu in Coastal and Rayalseema Regions which is a legacy of the communities association with the Vijayanagar Empire.
  • Chola-Chalukyas used titles Udayar or Odeyar for certain period of time.

Naidu meant:

  1. Native captain or headman
  2. Title of honour among Hindus in the Deccan. "The kings of Deccan also have a custom when they will honor a man or recompense their service done, and raise him to dignity and honour. They give him the title of Nayak." -Linschotaen

It evolved in the following manner during different phases of history.

Nayaka-->Nayudu-->Naidu-->Naicker-->Naidoo

Many people with the Naidu surname had some remote ancestor who was a soldier that was promoted to "Nayaka". It is equivalent to a Baron. They served as Nayaks under the Chalukyas, Kakatiyas and Vijayanagar Emperors. The Kakatiya Dynasty had many prominent Nayakas, of which several were from a Kapu background. The Vijayanagar kings also had several Nayakas of Kapu, Telaga and Balija background.

Reddy

The Reddys were included in the broad category of Kapus (which generically refers to those involved in kapudanam, meaning farming) in the 1921 Census. because of the same profession. The Telagas, Balijas, and Munnuru Kapus were listed as separate castes for some reason. Reddys of Rayalseema are addressed as Kapu because it is generic term for Landlord as well as a Caste name.

Naidus, especially of Kapu background, have migrated to several countries like South Africa, Mauritius, United States etc. They are active in the local Telugu and Tamil associations.

[edit] Prominent Kapu Personalities

This page contains a list of Modern day Eminent Kaapu [6] Personalities from Andhra Pradesh and South India.

[edit] See also

[edit] References & Sources

Important information about Kapu origins can be obtained from Balijapuranam in the Chennai library.

  • Castes And Tribes of Southern India (Edgar Thruston)
  • Andhrula Sanghika Charitra (Suvarnam Pratapa Reddy)
  • Caste & Class Articulation of Andhra Pradesh[7]
  • Genetic Evidence on Caste Origins[8]
  • Caste politics in the North, West and South India before Mandal[9]
  • Social Changes among Balijas (By Vijaya Kumari and Sepuri Bhaskar)
  • Andhrula Sankshiptha Charitra (E. Balarama Murthi)
  • Religion in Vijaya nagara Empire (Konduri Sarojini Devi)
  • - History in telugu
  • - History in english
  • - All about kapu community
  • Balijakula Charithra(By Kante Narayana Desayi)
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