From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Naidu. (Discuss)

Nayak, Nayaka, Nayar, Nair, Nayakar, Nayakkar, Naiker, Naicker, Naickan, Nayakkan, Naidu, Nayudu or Naidoo is a common title used by various caste and ethnic groups across India .

Contents 1 Etymology 2 Nayankara System (South India) 3 Communities 4 Famous Nayaka's/Naickars/Naidus/Nayak's 4.1 External links 4.2 Sources

[edit] Etymology

The term Nayankara is an abbreviation of Amaranayenkara, composed of three syllables, Amara, Nayaka and ara.

• Amara literally stands for a command of a thousand foot soldiers.
• Nayaka stands for the military chief who held land from the king.
• Kara probably means an office.

Thus the term Amaranayakara may be taken to refer to a military chief who was granted land, yielding a fixed revenue for the sovereign.

"Naik" or "Nayak", common in Maharastra, Orissa and North India are directly derived from the original Sanskrit.

In Tamil Nadu Tamil speaking communities use the title Naicker and the title Naidu is used to denote persons of Telugu or Kannada origins who moved into Tamil lands with the expansion of Vijayanagar empire. They were also referred to as Vadugar or Northerners. Both titles carry the same meaning.

The word Nair has been suggested to be the corruption of Nayak in Malayalam^[1][2].

[edit] Nayankara System (South India)

The first widespread use of the title Nayaka appeared during the Kakatiya period and was conferred to whoever served as a commander in the military. Its use spread throughout the Deccan during the expansion of the Vijayanagar Empire, the title was conferred upon individuals who served as commanders or governors. It was predominant during the seveteenth and eighteenth centuries in Vijayanagar dynasty in southern India

The provincial three level administration of the Vijayanagara empire consisted of:

1. Hereditary Kings
2. Imperial provinces: They were directly administered by the emperor through his representatives and were generally referred to as Rajas or Mandaleshwars or sometimes as Chavidis. The distinguished members of the royal family were appointed as governors. At times when suitable members were not found in the royal family or when a capable and trustworthy officer of the central government was required to administer a troubled area, such a person was appointed as governor. Generally the king used to appoint governors after consulting his ministers.
3. Vassal states: They were administered through the Nayakas (or Samantas).

The first division of administration was the royal family who held ultimate power. In the second type of provinces, the administration was done by the feudal vassals, variously called Samanta, Nayaka etc. The system of administration of the kingdom through these feudal vassals (Nayakas) is known as the Nayankara system in the Vijayanagara times. This system resembles somewhat the feudal system of medieval Europe. The king being the owner of the soil granted lands to some persons as a reward. They were called nayakas and ruled over the territory under their charge with great freedom. In return they had to pay a fixed amount as tribute to the king besides maintaining a prescribed number of troops for the service of the sovereign during war. On ceremonial occasions, these Nayakas offered the king great presents of money and costly gifts or presentations. Failure to conform to these obligations was liable for punishment.

The governors were required to submit regular accounts of the income and expenditure of their charges to the central government and render military aid in times of necessity. They maintained an agent at the imperial capital to keep themselves informed of the happenings at the court. In case of oppressive and tyrannical governors, the central government used to transfer them from one place to another. The autonomy enjoyed by these governors later led to the disruption of the empire under incompetent rulers.

The position of Nayaka was quite different from that of the Governor. He was merely a military vassal who had been assigned a district in lieu of certain military and financial obligations. He was not transferable and his office was personal but later on became hereditary, when the kings at the centre became weak. The Nayakas maintained two agents, one military and the other civil, representing their masters interests at the imperial city. The Nayankara system had its own merits and demerits. It was because of this system of administration, new settlements were formed, irrigation facilities were extended, new hands were brought under cultivation and Hindu culture and civilization was fostered and developed. However the amount of autonomy which the Nayakas enjoyed gave them sufficient opportunity to engage themselves in local wars and mutual feuds. They even defied at times the Central authority. In spite of its inherent weaknesses, it served its purpose tolerably well.

[edit] Communities

From Edgar Thurston's (Castes and Tribes of Southern India Vol. 5; p.138), the list of communities that use Nayaka, Naidu or "Nayudu" as a title:

Abroad

In South Africa a variant spelling Naidoo is used amongst its Telugu citizens. The usage does not denote Telugu ancestry any longer as intermarriages had diluted such identities. In Sri Lanka it is used amongst the Hill Country Tamils of Indian origin, and in Mauritius it is a common surname of Tamil populations. In Fiji, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana it is a surname of the broader Indian diaspora. In Malaysia it is used by Telugus to denote their Telugu ancestry. Amongst the Tamil citizens of South Africa a variant spelling Naicker is used. It is also used in Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius and Réunion as common surname amongst Tamil citizens of these countries. It is also used as a title amongst Indian origin Hill Country Tamils of Sri Lanka.

[edit] Famous Nayaka's/Naickars/Naidus/Nayak's