Niyogi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Castes of India | |
| Niyogis | |
| Classification | Brahmin |
| Subdivisions | - |
| Significant populations in | Andhra Pradesh |
| Languages | Telugu |
| Religions | Hinduism |
Niyogis are a sect of Brahmins and are predominantly Telugu speakers.
Contents |
[edit] Theories of origin
There is a saying that they originated from a Brahmin community of the northern region, and 6000 highly intelligent who were also skilled in warfare and administration were chosen to help Kshatryias in desperate need in defending the country. Later they were migrated to various parts of the nation.
Most of the Brahmins in Andhra Pradesh belong to Smaarta Brahmin group, i.e., the followers of Smritis and followers of Adi Sankar Acharya. The Smaarta Brahmins follow Apastamba Smriti or Apastamba Sutra (not Manu Smriti). Apasthamba (~600 BC) was one of the earliest law makers of South India who lived on the banks of the Godavari river. Boudhayana, Parasara, Yajnvalkya Sutras etc.. were other important laws in the past, especially in the courts of Sri Krishna Deva Raya. The Smaarta Brahmins in Andhra Pradesh can be grouped into two major divisions formed about a thousand to 700 years ago (most probably during Kakatiya rule), Niyogi and Vaidiki.
Traditionally believed to have descended Lord Parasurama, Niyogi Brahmins are those Brahmins who are into various secular vocations including military activities and gave up religious vocation, especially the priesthood. The Satavahana Vamsam that is said to have given the name Andhra to the state was a Niyogi clan. Niyogi Brahmins depend on and emphasize modern education. They were minor-kings, zamindaars (landlords), ministers in the courts of kings and feudatories. Many of them were village heads like munsabs, talukdaars, patels, and accountants/clerks, Karanams (Andhra) or Patwaris (Telangana), until recently. [1].
[edit] Etymology
According to Jogendranath Bhattacharya, the word Niyogi is derived from Yoga, which means "religious contemplation" or "meditation", as opposed to Yaga, which means "religious sacrifice". Niyogin in Sanskrit also means "employed" or "appointed" and it is probable that Niyogis were given this name because they accept secular employment.
[edit] Subdivisions
Over the past millennium the Niyogis have been further divided further into various groups:
- Pradhamasakha/Kanveyulu/Yagnavalkyulu (The First Branch)
- Aruvela(6000) Niyogi
- Nandavarikulu
- Golkonda Vyaparulu
- Karanakamma Vyaparulu
- Sristikaranalu/Sistukaranalu/Sistakaranalu
- Kasalanatlu
- Pakanati
- Pranganati
The Pradhamasakha group which belongs to the Shukla Yajurveda School. In Maharashtra too, there is a group of Brahmins called Pradhamasakha. There are Marathas (warrior / land owner community) also known as Pradhamasakhi. Pradhamasakha Brahmins are also called a Yagnavalkyulu and Kanveyulu.
The Aruvela Niyogis are the largest Niyogi group. Different explanations exist for the coining of the phrase "Aruvela Niyogilu" or 6000 Niyogis. They, as well as the majority of Brahmins in Andhra Pradesh, belong to the Krishna Yajurveda School. Some part of Krishna Dist,Guntur Dist and the surrounding areas was called as "AAru vela naadu".As these people belong to that area,they were called so.
Another belief is that 6000 brahmins once left out some area in and around "vishakhapattanam and the surrounding Samsthanams".So they were called as Aaruvela niyogulu.
Another theory asserts that 6000 Brahmins left drought- and famine-stricken regions of present-day Maharashtra and traveled to coastal and riverine regions of Andhra. These Brahmin settlers and their descendants, who adopted secular vocations, were termed the 6000 (or Aruvela) Niyogi. Many surnames among Maharashtra Brahmins and Aruvela Niyogis are common (or similar): this fact is considered by many to support for this theory of migration.
According to Narasimha Shastry Nori, 6000 Brahmins were appointed as village heads and accountants and training imparted to them, way back in 13th or 14th century AD
Every Brahmin family will have Pravara . This means every family linked up with one or two or three origins or ancestors or Vamsa Parampara. Every brahmin family will have minimum three Rishis . For example ., Angirasa , Aayasha, Gargeysa. This is one parampara . These three people are origin for today's generation . Like that there are very prominent Rishis ( sages)like Vasista, Koundinyasa, Bhardwaja, Parasara, Gothamasa, Srivatsasa, and so on..,. Every family while celebrating either function or sraddha , they should utter three times this Pravara and start the function or ceremony.
[edit] Surnames (Family Names) of Niyogi Brahmins
Pradhamasakha Niyogi Brahmins:
- Adaalatu
- Adukuri
- Ainaparti
- Ainamprolu
- Akhandam
- Alapattu
- Aleti
- Alladi
- Ambadasu
- Ambarukhana
- Amruthavakkula
- Anantavarapu
- Andukuru
- Anipeddi
- Annavarpu
- Anumarlapudi
- Attota
- Atreyapurapu
- Ayinambrolu
- Ayinpura
- Ayyagari
- Bendapudi
- Birudavolu
- Bollapragada
- Bhavaraju
- Bhimavarapu
- Budharaju
- Chaganty
- Challa
- Chakilam
- Cheruku
- Chillara
- Chitrapu
- Chittem
- Dubagunta
- Durgaraju
- Damerla
- Desiraju
- Edlapalli
- Eedupalli
- Errapatruni
- Errapragada
- Gangaravula
- Gampa
- Gatraju
- Gaddapalli
- Gadidasu
- Ganapatiraju
- Ganugapati
- Gajulapalli
- Gadicharla
- Ghali
- Gorijavolu
- Jeedigunta
- Josyula
- Kanchikacharala
- Kanchugantala
- Kathari
- Kanakabhattula
- Kavulu
- Kavuluri
- Kakarlapudi
- Kakarlamudi
- Kamaraju
- Kanukollu
- Karinapati
- Karlapudi
- Kasarabada
- Kesharaju
- Koochi
- Kotamraju
- Komaravolu
- Korlimarla
- Kuppila
- Khandaladinne
- Lakkaraju
- Mannava
- Mocherla
- Matukumalli
- Mukkapati
- Mylavarapu
- Nadimpalli
- Nedunuri
- Nissankala
- Palepu
- Parimi
- Potula
- Poruri
- Regadamilli
- Rayabharam
- Rupanagunta
- Srikaram
- Sandepudi
- Sampatam
- Sambaraju
- Sambatur
- Sattenapalli
- Satram
- Sannikandlapadu
- Samudram
- Saripalli
- Savidi
- Somaasi
- Sthaanam
- Tammera
- Toleti
- Torthi
- Twarakavi
- Udayagiri
- Ullaganti
- Uppala
- Urakaranam
- Uta
- Uttaralingamakuntla
- Vaddiraju
- Vadduri
- Vadlamudi
- Vaduri
- Vahi
- Vallambhatla
- Valluri
- Vanam
- Vangipurapu
- Vonkamamidi
- Vankeswarapu
- Varagani
- Varahagiri
- Vareswaram
- Varkhola
- Vasa
- Vasiraju
- Veladi
- Velagapudi
- Vepachedu
- Vissamraju, etc.
Most of these families belong to "Kanva" or "Kanveeya" branch of Pradhamasakha. Many of these family names are unique to Pradhamasakha, and you may not find the same names in any other Brahmin caste, but some family names are found in various other Brahmin groups as well. Also, some of these family names may be found in non-Brahmin castes due to the fact that many of the family names are derived from the village names and/or due to inter-caste-mixing[2].
Aruvela Niyogi and Other Niyogi Brahmins
- Abburi
- Achanta
- Addanki
- Adimulam
- Adiraju
- Aditham
- Adivi
- Aduri
- Ajjarapu
- Akkanapragada / Akkinapragada / Akkenapragada (all are same - as they are proper nouns)*
- AkkaRaju
- Akkinepalli
- Akkiraju
- Akunuri
- Aluru
- Amancherla
- Andukuri
- Annapragada
- Annamraju
- Annavaram
- Aradhyula
- Arjarapu
- Avatapalli
- Ayyadevara
- Ayyagari
- Ayyalaraju
- Bakaraju
- Balabhadrapatruni
- Balanthrapu
- Balemarthy
- Balivada
- Ballijepalli
- Bapatla
- Bhadriraju
- Bharatham
- Bhattiprolu
- Bhogaraju
- Bhograj
- Bhupatiraju
- Bitragunta
- Bodapati
- Bollapragada
- Bommireddipalli
- Bondalapati
- Boyinepalli
- Buddhavarapu
- Budhiraju
- Budaraju
- Chadalawada
- Chakilam
- Challa
- Challapally
- Chamarthy
- Chandarlapati
- Chatrathi
- Chamaraju
- Cheemalamarri
- Chennapragada
- Chilakalapudi
- Chimakurthy
- Chinta
- Chintapalli
- Chittamuri
- choragudi
- Chitrapu
- Chitturi
- Chodavarapu
- Damaraju
- Dammalapati
- Danam
- Desabhatla
- Desabhatla
- Desiraju
- Devarabhotla
- Devulapalli
- Dinavahi
- Doddavarapu
- Dronamraju
- Duggaraju
- Duggirala
- Enjeti
- Gade
- Gadiraju
- Gaddamanugu
- Gandavarapu
- Gangaraju
- Ganjam
- Gollamudi
- Gollapudi
- Goparaju
- Goteti
- Govindaraju
- Gudipati
- Gudladona
- Gudlavalleti
- Gundimeda
- Gundlapalli
- Gundamaraju
- Gunnikuntla
- Gurazada
- Iduri
- Inugurthi
- Inumella
- Ippagunta
- Iragavarapu
- Ivaturi
- Jakkaraju
- Jeedigunta
- Jonnalagedda
- Jayagiri
- Kaasiraju
- Kalapatapu
- Kaligotla
- Kalugotla
- Kadambari
- Kamakolanu
- Kamaraju gadda
- Kambhammettu
- Kanala
- Kanchnepalli
- Kandukuri
- Kanukollu
- Kanukolanu
- Kanuparthy
- Karavadi
- Karanam
- Kasavaraju
- Kasturi
- Kasukurthi
- kesaanapalli
- Kavi
- Kallakuri
- Kesinapalli
- Khambhammettu
- Kocherlakota
- Koduri
- Koka
- Kolanu
- Kalluri
- Komaravolu
- Kona
- Konda
- Kondepudi
- Kondapally
- Konduri
- Konduru
- Konidena
- Korimilli
- Korrapati
- Korupolu
- Kotamraju
- Kotamarthi
- Kotaru
- Kotharu
- Kotichintala
- Kovuru
- Krovvidi
- Kummamuru
- Kurapati
- Lakkapragada
- Lakkaraju
- Lakkavajjula
- Lingamgunta
- Machavaram
- Machiraju
- Maddali
- Madiraju
- Malkapuram
- Mallapragada
- Malyala
- Manapragada
- Manchikalapati
- Manchikanti
- Manchiraju
- Mandapati
- Mangu
- Mannava
- Mantri
- Mantripragada
- Maramraju
- Marella
- Marripati
- Mattigunta
- Matukumalli
- Medikonduru
- Medukonduru
- Mittagunta
- Mooparti
- Moorthiraju
- Mukkamala
- Mulakaluri
- Mulugu
- Mulpur
- Mulpuri
- Munimanikyam
- Munipalle
- Muppalla
- Mynampati
- Mylavarapu
- Nadela
- Namburi
- Nandanavanam
- Nandiwada
- Nanduri
- Naraparaju
- Nadimpalli
- Navuluri
- Neelamraju
- Nellutla
- Nemalikanti
- Nidamarthi
- Nimushakavi/Nimishakavi
- Nissankala
- Pabbaraju
- Pagolu
- Palakodety
- Palivela
- Palutla
- Pamulaparthi
- Pamulapati
- Panamgipalli
- Panchalavarapu
- Panguluri
- Panthangi
- Paramatmuni
- Paramkusham
- Parimi
- Pegatraju
- Pathikonda
- Pemmaraju
- Penamakuru
- Penumudi
- Perala
- Petluri
- Pingali
- Pillutla
- Piduru
- Pindiprolu
- Pochiraju
- Poduri
- Poolla
- Polamraju
- Polavaram
- Poluri
- Ponduri
- Ponnada
- Poruri
- Pothapragada
- Potharaju
- Potturi
- Pragadaraju
- Pulijala
- Pulikanti
- Pulipaka
- Pullamaraju
- Punyamurthula
- Puttabakula
- Puvvada
- Rachapudi
- Racherla
- Rajasekharuni
- Ramajaru
- Ramaraju
- Rangaraju
- Ravinutala
- Ravulaparti
- Ravuri
- Rupanagunta
- Sambharaju
- Sandepudi
- Santapur
- Sambatur
- Sarraju
- Sarikonda
- Sarvepalli
- Sattiraju
- Saathamraju
- Satyavolu
- Seethamraju
- Seethimraju
- Siddiraju
- Singam
- Singampalli
- Singaraju
- Siripurapu
- Suraparaju
- Tadanki
- Tadakamalla
- Tadikonda
- Tallapragada
- Tallamraju
- Talluri
- Tanuku
- Tamvada
- Tanguturi
- Tadakamalla
- Tadinada
- Tadimeti
- Tamirisa
- Tatavarthy
- Tetali
- Thungathurthi
- Tummurugoti
- Timmaraju
- Turaga / Tvarakavi
- Turlapati / Turlapaty
- Unnava
- Uppaluri
- Vaddadi
- Vadlamannati
- Vadrevu
- Valluri
- Vajja
- Vakkalanka
- Vangipurapu
- Vankamamidi
- Varanasi
- Varahagiri
- Vedagiri
- Vedururu
- Veladi
- Velagapudi
- Velaparti
- Veldurthy
- Velichety
- Vempati
- Vemula
- Vemulakonda
- Vemuri
- Ventrapragada
- Venuturupalle
- Vepakomma
- Viriyala
- Volety
- Vurakaranam
- Wuriti
- Yabaloori
- Yallapragada
- Yandapalli
- Yarrapragada
- Yedida
- Yendluri
- Yerramilli
- Yerrapragada
- Yeddanapudi
- Wuppalapati / Uppalapati
- Vajja
[edit] Niyogis today
Niyogis are those brahmins, who took up various secular vocations including military ones like their counterparts in other states such as Chitpavans in Maharashtra, Mohyals in the Punjab, Tyagis in most parts of Northern India and the Pushpaka Brahmins of Kerala. For this many of them gave up religious occupations such as priesthood. Today you can see only hand-full of niyogi priests working in some temples. But still as brahmins, they are committed to follow individual/family level rituals required to be followed at their homes, even though they don't choose that as career outside. Hence, the Niyogis never either accept a religious gift or partake of Shraadha food (food given to Brahmins during death related rituals). In spite of living in modern age, most of them never give up their consciousness regarding their vedic heritage, but rather try to follow or understand them radically.
Niyogis depend and emphasize on modern education, administration (Niyogis have traditionally been well represented in the lower cadres of local administration in Andhra Pradesh), management etc. In the past, they were Zamindars, Talukdars, Munsabs, Minor kings, Ministers in the courts of kings and feudatories. Many of them were village accountants/clerks, Karanams (in Andhra) or Patwaris (in Telangana), until recently. A famous saying goes Yendu Niyogimpavalenanna Niyogimpadagina vaadu Niyogi - He who can be trusted for successful completion of task is a Niyogi.
Many of them were village accountants/clerks, karanams (Andhra) or patwaris (Telangana), until recently, as a heritage. However, these positions were abolished by the Telugu Desam Party Government during 1980s. As a result of this and other populist programs such as reservations and quotas for selected castes and tribes, Niyogi Brahmins had become economically weak till a generation back because of the sudden end to their vocation. Things have now changed for much better with the community members doing well and occupying senior positions in private sector and even have their own business establishments.
[edit] Famous Niyogis
- B.V.N.Rohan Chandra Kashyap
- Mahakavi Srinatha Sarvabhoumudu, (1385-1475AD) 14 nth century Great Poet
- Akkanna and Madanna , the ministers with Golconda nawabs
- Piduru Subbaiah
- Piduru Gurunadha Swamy
- Piduru Venkata Subba Rao, (1922-2004)
- Piduru Guru Prasad
- Piduru Devendra Kumar
- Piduru Venkata Krishna Kumar
- Piduru Madhusudana Rao
- Amanchanrla Gangadhar Rao, Retd. High Court Judge
- Kancharla Gopanna (Bhakta Ramdass)
- Mahamanthri Timmarusu
- Tenali Ramakrishnudu
- BAPU - Sattiraju Lakshminarayana
- Amruthavakkula Sesha Kumar
- Nanduri Subbarao- a famous poet who authored Yenki paatalu
- Nanduri Prasada Rao- a famous freedom fighter
- Gandavarapu Laxman Narayana- a famous freedom fighter from Poondla
- Mangal Pandey
- Swami Sahajanand Saraswati
- Adivi Bapiraju
- Mahapandit Rahul Sankrityayan
- Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
- V V Giri
- Basawon Singh Sinha
- Yogendra Shukla
- Siva Rama Prasad Korlimarla - Executive Director, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited.
- Sri Krishna Sinha First Chief Minister of the province of Bihar.
- P V Narasimha Rao - Former Prime Minister of India
- Sheel Bhadra Yajee
- Raya Mantri
- Bendapudi Annamantri [General and Administrative Minister in Kakatiya Kingdom]
- Turaga venkata kavi
- Kandukuri Veeresalingam
- Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar'|Ramdhari Singh Dinkar
- K L Rao distniguished Civil engineer and Cabinet Minister
- Tanguturi Prakasam
- Ram Briksh Benipuri
- General K. V. Krishna Rao
- Sri K Lakshmikanthananda yogi
- Ram Sharan Sharma eminent historian
- Prof. N.V. Subrahmanyam (Eminent Mathematician)
- Prof.N.V.Subba Rao(Professor in Organic Chemistry and Dean of Science,Osmania University)
- Ghali Latish Sudheer (Renowned software developer)
- Abhayanand promising IPS officer in Bihar.
- Mangu Sarathi Krishna
- PadmashriChandreshwar Prasad Thakur|Dr. Chandreshwar Prasad Thakur]]
- Canchupaty Venkatarao Venkasami Rao - MASTER C.V.V, the founder of new Yoga called Bhrukta Rahita Taraka Raja Yoga.
- Pandit Prakash Vir Shastri eminent Parliamentarian and scholar of Sanskrit.
- Rameshwar Thakur Present governor of Karnataka.
- Kailashpati Mishra Former vice-president of BJP and former governor of Rajasthan and Gujarat.
- Raghav Sharan Sharma engineer, mountaineer, writer. Editor of Swami Sahjanand Saraswati Rachanawali published by Rajkamal Prakashan.
- V. V. S. Laxman- Indian cricketer (Pradhama Sakha Niyogi)
- Pawan Kaasiraju - Chairman & Managing Director, Dhatri Advertising Private Limited
- Dr.Purnapragnabharathy
- Prajapathy Rao Gundavarapu ( Secretary Satavahana college, Vijayawada )
- "Vainika Sarvabhouma" Dr.Challapally Chitti Babu (Veena Maestro)
- Anil Gandavarapu
- Late Dr. D. Sivaramaiah (Erstwhile Principal of college of Technology, OU, Hyd)
- Dr.Yellapragada Subbarao
- Dr.Subrahmanya Siripurapu, Physician from Vizag
- Bhogaraju Pattabhi SitaramayyaFreedom Fighter &(Andhra Bank Founder)
- V. Rama Rao Governor of Sikkim
- SP Balasubramanyam , a great play back singer
- Smt s. Janaki , a play back singer
- Smt.P.Susheela, Famous playback singer
- Dr.Achanta lakshmipathi
- Sridhar Sunkaranam
- Chakilam Muralidhar Rao, a promising IFS officer
- Dr.B.V.Pattabhiram
- U.Subbaraya Sarma
- Valluru Sitaramiah
- Dammalapati Seshagiri Rao, Peetadhipathi, Bhuvaneswari Peetham, Gannvaram, Andhra Pradesh.
- Rajasekharuni Dikshitulu
- Mooparthi Sita Rama Rao,Sundarakanda Author(Pradhama Sakha Niyogi)
- Munimanikyam Narasimha Rao(kantham kathalu)(Pradhama Sakha Niyogi)
- Raj Gollamudi (Aaruvelu Niyogi)( BlueStream Ventures)
- Shama Rao
- Kandukuri Ramabhadra Rao - Eminent Telugu Poet & Literateur
- Dr. Turlapati A.V. Murthy ( Registrar, EFL Hyderabad )
- Shri Aluru Lakshmi Narasimha Rao, Chairman & chief Executive, Heavy Water Board.
- Pingali Suranna
- Pingali Venkayya
- Pingali Nagendrarao
- Late Sri Chakilam Srinivasa Rao, Ex M.P.Nalgonda
- Kodati Narayan Rao, Freedom fighter and Father of AP Library movement.
- Pingali Lakshmikantam* Neelamraju Ganga Prasada Rao - Eminent Agriculture Scientist
- Komaravolu Chandrasekharan - Emiritus scientist in Mathematics and natural science ( Ref-11)
- Late Sri Nanduri Bapiraju -Freedom fighter and A.P High Court Advocate
- Sudeep Desaraju - Eminent Lawyer, NSB and Australian Army Reserve Officer cadet
- Neelamraju Krishna Kishore Well known Banker and Film Critic
- varanasi venkata subba rao-majistrate,director in apcobank,
- Budaraju Radhakrishna, Journalist and great telugu writer.
- Varanasi Bhanu Murthy Rao(a poet and lyricist)
- singer sunitha
- sridhar--eenadu cartoonist
- kota srinivas rao--actor
- Kameswara Rao Pindiproli- Business Man and Philanthropist.
- Dr Grandhi Srinu (Intermediate) - CEO sonique solutions. Great man
- Veduru Paka GOD Garu, (Vijaya Durga Peethadhi Pathi)
[edit] References
- Brahmins of Andhra Pradesh
- Pradhamasakha Niyogi Brahmins [1]
- Andhra Viprula Gotramulu, Indla Perlu, Sakhalu, by Emmesroy Sastri.
- Hindu Castes and Sects, Jogendranath Bhattacharya.
- History and Culture of Andhra Pradesh, Rao PR.
- Brahmins
- Brahmins of Andhra Pradesh
- Poverty Stricken Brahmins
- Source: Vepachedu Educational Foundation Inc.
- Permission
11.http://www.oeaw.ac.at/oeaw_servlet/e_PersonenDetailsGeneric?id=10924 P.Susheela and S.Janaki, Duggaraju Murali Mohan,Bandaru Venkata Pavan Kumar,Bandaru Anannya,Anitha Venkatraman Names to be added to the list of eminent Niyogis...\
Dr.T.S.S.Lakshmi - Principal & superintendent of Osmania Medical college & General hospital, Andhra's first lady Dermatologist
Krisha Murty Tadinada - Eminent Chartered Accountant & Director Of National Film Development Corporation (NFDC)
"Bhimavarapu" initial is comes in to 6000 niyogulu not in pradhamashaka niyogulu
