Nethakani

Nethakani, also known as Netkani,sub-caste of Sale, is a Telugu caste of cotton weavers and labourers.These people were migrated from Maharashtra and spread over middle India and southern parts of Indian. In Maharashtra Nethakanis are known as Netkani Caste people. Traditionally they have been associated with the occupation of weaving (netha neyuta means "weaving" in Telugu), but they have now largely moved to cultivation and agricultural labour; with a few of them being small land-owners. According to Bhadravathi Kalyana Natakamu, a folk-drama which hasbeen published, the Nethakani are one among the four sections of Padmasaliyulu who are the sons of one Bhavana Rushi. The Four sections mentioned in this drama are Padmiyulu, Padmasakhiyulu, Padmasalikulu and Padmapulindulu. Padma-pulindulu was the Original Name of the Nethakani. From Padmapulindulu, the name became Chenethakanivaru, which in course of time changed to the present form, Nethakani. Most of the people related to this caste are located in the northern region of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh in the districts of Adilabad, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Khammam and Warangal. Nethakanis also migrated to Maharashtra and distributed throughout, they speak Marathi in Maharashtra & Adilabad bordering MH. Nethekanis are classified as a scheduled caste (SC) in India,^[1][2][3] Nethakani's are among the smaller SC castes in Andhra Pradesh; a study estimated their population to be around 80,000, constituting about 1% of the state's total SC population.^[4]

The Nethakanis are distinguished by their custom of tying their head cloth in a roughly square shape, and by their loin cloths, which are worn very loose and not knotted.^[2][5]

Importet thing is that the most of the Nethakanis are merged, and merging into the Mahar and Mala, as per the "A- 10 STATE PRIMARY CENSUS ABSTRACT FOR INDIVIDUAL SCHEDULED CASTE - 2001" population of Nethakani '114,562'and 10 -13 pesentage increased per every 10 years as pe CENSUS 2001.

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