Badaganadu Brahmins
The Badaganadu are a Brahmin community that mainly reside in Karnataka, and now due to the advent of globalization they are spread throughout the world. Badaganadu Community is one of the three main streams of adherents to the Advaita Vedanta propounded by Sri Shankaracharya and are followers of the Smarta tradition (known as Smartism). Smarta is derived from 'Smrithi' a Sanskrit word with the meaning of one who "remembers or reveres their teacher/Guru".
Origins
Literally, Badaganadu means the northern land, probably originating from badaga (north). Referred to the community, it might mean people from the northern parts, who were brought to perform pujas in Sanskrit language. The mother tongue of Badaganadu community has been Kannada, and are largely spread around the northern parts of Karnataka, Bellary, Cuddapah,Guntur, Prakasam and Anantapur districts, Bangalore, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Davanager, Chitradurga, Holenarasipura, Madhugiri, Tumkur and other parts of Karnataka.
Badaganadu Community emphasises a strong education, thus most of the community members are well educated and are Engineers, doctors, Officers etc. The main deity of some of the Badaganadus is Lord Venkateshwara or Ahobila lakshmi Narasimha and for some it is Lord Mylaralingeshwara or Lord Malatesha of Devaragudda or Mailara near Ranebennur in Haveri District, the last three located in Northern parts of Karnataka. And for some Badaganadu Brahmins the main deity is Lord Nanjundeshwara of Nanjanagudu, Mysore, South Karnataka. Badaganadu's celebrate most of the South Indian Festivals like Ugadi, Navaratri, Deepavali and Gowri Ganesha festivals.
There are many Badaganadu organizations spread all over Karnataka, like The Badaganadu sangha in Bangalore, Badaganadu Balaga in Mysore, Badaganadu Seva Balaga in Mandya etc.
Culture
One can find Badaganadu people hailing from around Mysore, Mandya and even Coimbatore. Badaganadu subsect of Niyogi Brahmins are also residing in Cuddapah,Guntur and Prakasam districts of Andhra Pradesh and are having surnames such as Amperayani,Ravinuthala, Vasiraju, Samiraju, Abbaraju, Nagaraju, Hariyapuraju, Lingaraju, Pakala, Andugulapati, Parli, Pantangi etc. Though Badaganadu people adhere to AdiShankara's teachings and are advaitins. They celebrate almost all festivals and vrathas be it pertaining to please Shiva or Krishna or Rama or Narasimha or Ganesha or any other deity / God. Truly cosmopolitan Hindu outlook is shown by this community. Though most of the Badagandu community are Smarthas, there is a large Badaganadu sect amongst Madhwas; some say that Madhwas were originally advaitins but chose to profess Madhwacharya's Dwaita teachings due to reasons of losing in religious debate or were overcome by the influence of the new thought. Whatever it might be, this community truly blends well without any show off of ego or fanfare. Nanajanagoodu shrikanteshwara is the main deity for most of the Badaganaadu Brahmins.