Wikipedia

Linga Balija

Linga Balija is a subcaste of the Indian Balija caste.

Linga Balija
Total population
15 Lakhs
Regions with significant populations
Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu,
Languages
Telugu, Kannada, Tamil
Religion
Hinduism
Related ethnic groups
Other Balija Subgroups

The Balija are a Telugu-speaking trading community primarily living in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and in smaller numbers in Telangana and Kerala.[1][2] Balijas are known as Banajigas in Karnataka.[3]

Linga Balijas (traders) are summed up in the Madras Census Report, 1901, as a Lingāyat sub-caste of Balija.[4]

Etymology edit

Variations of the name in use in the medieval era were Balanja, Bananja, Bananju, Banajiga and Banijiga, with probable cognates Balijiga, Valanjiyar, Balanji, Bananji and derivatives such as Baliga, all of which are said to be derived from the Sanskrit term Vanik or Vanij, for trader.[5]

Another etymological theory states that Balija is derived from the Sanskrit word Bali, a sacrifice made during 'Yagna' ritual and Ja meaning born. Therefore, Balija means "born from sacrifice".[6]

Balijas who followed Veerashaivism or Lingayatism called themselves Linga Balijas.

Origin edit

The following legendary account of the origin of the "Linga Bhojunnalawaru " is given in the Baramahal Records. Para Brahma or the great god Brahma created the god Pralayakala Rudra or the terrific at the day of destruction, a character of the god Shiva, and he created the Chatur Acharyulu or four sages named Panditaraju, Yekcoramalu, Murralaradulu, and Somaluradulu, and taught them mantras or prayers, and made them his deputies. On a time, the Asuras and Devatas, or the giants and the gods, made war on each other, and the god Pralayakala Rudra produced from his nose a being whom he named Muchari Rudra, and he had five sons, with whom he went to the assistance of the devatas or gods, and enabled them to defeat the giants, and for his service the gods conferred upon him and his sons the following honorary distinctions: —

  • A flag with the figure of an alligator (crocodile) portrayed on it.
  • A flag with the figure of a fish portrayed on it.
  • A flag with the figure of a bullock.
  • A flag with the figure of an eagle.
  • A flag with the figure of a bell.
  • A modee ganta, or iron for marking cattle.

The use of burning lamps and flambeaus in their public processions during the day. The use of tents. " On a time, when the god Pralayakala Rudra and Mochari Rudra and his five sons, with other celestial attendants, were assembled on the Kailāsa parvata or mountain of Paradise, the god directed the latter to descend into the Bhuloka or earthly world, and increase and multiply these species. They humbly prayed to know how they were again to reach the divine presence. He answered 'I shall manifest myself in the Bhuloka under the form of the Lingam or Priapus; do you worship me under that form, and you will again be permitted to approach me.' They accordingly descended into the earthly regions, and from them the present castes of Balijawaras deduce their origin.[7][8]

History edit

Beginning in the 9th century, references are found in inscriptions throughout the Kannada and Tamil areas to a trading network, which is sometimes referred to as a guild, called the Five Hundred Lords of Ayyavolu that provided trade links between trading communities in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.[9] From the 13th century, inscriptions referring to "Vira Balanjyas" (warrior merchants) started appearing in the Andhra country. The Vira Balanjyas, whose origins are often claimed to lie in the Ayyavolu, represented long-distance trading networks that employed fighters to protect their warehouses and goods in transit. The traders were identified as nanadesi (of 'many countries') and as swadesi ('own country').[10] The terms balanjya-setti and balija were also used for these traders, and in later times naidu and chetti.[11] These traders formed collectives called pekkandru and differentiated themselves from other collectives called nagaram, which probably represented Komati merchants. The pekkandru collectives also included members of other communities with status titles reddi, boya and nayaka.[12] They spread all over South India, Sri Lanka, and also some countries in the Southeast Asia.[13][14]

Velcheru Narayana Rao et al. note that the Balijas were first mobilised politically by the Vijayanagara emperor Krishnadevaraya.[15] Later, in the 15th and 16th centuries, they colonised the Tamil country and established Nayaka chieftaincies. At this time, Balijas were leaders of the left-hand section of castes. These Balija warriors were noted as fearless and some stories speak of them assassinating kings who interfered with their affairs.[15] Cynthia Talbot believes that in Andhra the transformation of occupational descriptors into caste-based descriptors did not occur until at least the 17th century.[16]

The classification of people as Balija was one of many challenges for the census enumerators of the British Raj era, whose desire was to reduce a complex social system to one of administrative simplicity using theories of evolutionary anthropology.[a] Early Raj census attempts in Madras Presidency recorded a wide variety of people claiming to be members of Balija subcastes but who appeared to share little in common and thus defied the administrative desire for what it considered to be a rational and convenient taxonomy. Those who claimed to be Chetty had an obvious connection through their engagement in trade and those who called themselves Kavarai were simply using the Tamil word for Balija but, for example, the Linga Balija based their claim to Balija status on a sectarian identification, the Gazula were bangle-makers by occupation, the Telaga had Telugu origins and the Rajamahendram also appeared to be a geographic claim based on their origins in the town of Rajahmundry. Subsequent attempts to rationalise the enumeration merely created other anomalies and caused upset.[17]

Dynasty edit

Rulers edit

Ananthapur, Bukkarayapatnam, Dharmavaram Linga Balijas of Hande Family.

  • Hande Hanumappa Nayudu (1569–1582)
  • Immadi Hampanaidu (1583–1595)
  • Malakappa Naidu (1595–1619)
  • Hampa Naidu (1619–1631) Hande Malakappa Naidu's (1595–1619) 4th Son
  • Siddappa Naidu (1631–1659)
  • Pavadappa Naidu (1659–1671)
  • Ramakka Naidu (1671–1690)
  • Siddappa Naidu (1690–1696)
  • Prasannappa Naidu (1696–1719)
  • Pavadappa Naidu (1719–1737)
  • Siddappa Naidu (1737–1740)
  • Ramappa Naidu (1740–1745)
  • Tadipatri and Poddatur. Hande Malakappa Naidu's (1595–1619) 1st Son Devappa Naidu and his descendents.
  • Bellari, Kurgodu and Surrounding Districts. Hande Malakappa Naidu's (1595–1619) 2nd Son Chinna Ramappa Naidu and his descendents.
  • Konderpi and Kanakal. Hande Malakappa Naidu's (1595–1619) 3rd Son Lingappa Naidu and his descendents.
  • Shivappa Nayaka (1645–1660)[21]
  • Chikka Venkatappa Nayaka (1660–1662)
  • Bhadrappa Nayaka (1662–1664)[22]
  • Somashekara Nayaka I (1664–1672)
  • Keladi Chennamma (1672–1697)
  • Basavappa Nayaka (1697–1714)[23]
  • Somashekara Nayaka II (1714–1739)
  • Kiriya Basavappa Nayaka (1739–1754)
  • Chenna Basappa Nayaka (1754–1757)
  • Queen Virammaji (1757–1763).[24]

Status edit

In the year 2019, representatives of the Telangana state Veerashaiva Lingayat Federation petitioned the National Commission for Backward Classes to include Linga Balija and Veerashaiva Lingayat in the central government's list of Other Backward Classes.[25] In 2022, Member of Parliament B. B. Patil met with the Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar Khatik to discuss the two subcaste's inclusion in the OBC list.[26]

Other Names edit

Family Names edit

Family Names of Linga Balijas

Notable peoples edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ The Raj theories of evolutionary anthropology, typified by the work of H. H. Risley, are nowadays considered to be scientific racism.

References edit

  1. ^ Jakka Parthasarathy, ed. (1984). Rural Population in Indian Urban Setting. B.R. Publishing Corporation. p. 52. ISBN 9788170181392. Balija are the chief Telugu trading caste , scattered ! throughout Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka and Tamil Nadu
  2. ^ Kumari, A. Vijaya; Bhaskar, Sepuri (1998). Social Change Among Balijas. MD Publications. p. 12. ISBN 9788175330726.
  3. ^ Thurston, Edgar. Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Vol. 4 of 7. p. 232.
  4. ^ Francis, W. (1902). Census Of India 1901 Vol.15 (madras) Pt.1 (report). p. 165.
  5. ^ Edgar Thurston, ed. (1909). Castes and Tribes of Southern India. VED from Victoria Institutions. p. 97.
  6. ^ Venkatesa Iyengar, ed. (1932). The Mysore Tribes and Castes. Vol. 2. Mittal Publications. p. 100.
  7. ^ Edgar Thurston, ed. (1998). Social Change Among Balijas: Majority Community of Andhra Pradesh. M.D. Publications Pvt. p. 9. ISBN 978-81-7533-072-6.
  8. ^ Venkatesa Iyengar, ed. (1932). The Mysore Tribes and caste. p. 105.
  9. ^ Stein, Burton; Arnold, David (4 February 2010). A History of India. John Wiley & Sons. p. 120. ISBN 978-1444323511.
  10. ^ Stein, Burton (2010-02-04). A History of India. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-1-4443-2351-1.
  11. ^ Talbot, Cynthia (2001). Pre-colonial India in Practice: Society, Region, and Identity in Medieval Andhra. Oxford University Press. p. 75. ISBN 978-0-19803-123-9.
  12. ^ Talbot, Cynthia (2001). Pre-colonial India in Practice: Society, Region, and Identity in Medieval Andhra. Oxford University Press. p. 81. ISBN 978-0-19803-123-9.
  13. ^ Sarma, M Somasekhara; Sōmaśēkharaśarma, Mallampalli (1948), History of the Reddi Kingdoms (circa. 1325 A.D. to Circa 1448 A.D.), Andhra University, p. 396
  14. ^ "Guild Inscriptions".
  15. ^ a b Rao, Velcheru Narayana; Shulman, David Dean; Subrahmanyam, Sanjay (1992). Symbols of substance: court and state in Nāyaka Period Tamilnadu. Oxford University Press. pp. 10, 74. ISBN 978-0-19-563021-3. These Balija fighters are not afraid of kings: some stories speak of their killing kings who interfered with their affairs.
  16. ^ Talbot, Cynthia (2001). Pre-colonial India in Practice: Society, Region, and Identity in Medieval Andhra. Oxford University Press. p. 86. ISBN 978-0-19803-123-9.
  17. ^ Baker, Christopher John (1975). "Figures and Facts: Madras Government Statistics 1880-1940". In Baker, Christopher John; Washbrook, D. A. (eds.). South India. Springer. pp. 222–223. ISBN 978-1-34902-746-0.
  18. ^ The quarterly journal of the Mythic society Vol.XI. Bangalore: The Mythic Society, Daly Memorial Hall. 1921. p. 47-48.:”Venkatappa. ruled from 1504 to 1551. His son Bhadrappa died before him. During his reign the Moghals under Ranadullakhan seized Ikkeri and set up a, viceroy there. Then Virabhadrappa Nayaka ascended the Gadi and -retiring to Bidarur ruled over his country more peacefully than before.* His rule lasted for 15 years from 1551 to 1566. During his reign the rule of Vokkaligas came to an end and was replaced by the rule of Banajigas”
  19. ^ Basavaraj S. Naika (2001). Keladi Nayakas - The Rebellious Rani of Belavadi and Other Stories. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. ISBN 9788126901272. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  20. ^ "Rulers of Keladi". Udupi Tourism. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  21. ^ Portuguese Studies Review (ISSN 1057-1515) (Baywolf Press) p.35
  22. ^ The quarterly journal of the Mythic society Vol.XI. Bangalore: The Mythic Society, Daly Memorial Hall. 1921. p. 47-48.:”Venkatappa. ruled from 1504 to 1551. His son Bhadrappa died before him. During his reign the Moghals under Ranadullakhan seized Ikkeri and set up a, viceroy there. Then Virabhadrappa Nayaka ascended the Gadi and -retiring to Bidarur ruled over his country more peacefully than before.* His rule lasted for 15 years from 1551 to 1566. During his reign the rule of Vokkaligas came to an end and was replaced by the rule of Banajigas”
  23. ^ A journey from Madras through the countries of Mysore, Canara, and Malabar Vol 111 – 1807 – Francis Buchanan -from page 254 "[1]"
  24. ^ Advanced Study in the History of Modern India 1707–1813 by Jaswant Lal Mehta p.458
  25. ^ "Include Balija caste in OBC list, demand Lingayats". The Hans India. July 9, 2019.
  26. ^ "Make Lingayat, Balija castes part of OBC Category: Zaheerabad MP". Telangana Today. September 13, 2022.
  27. ^ "Census Of India 1951" (PDF). Tamil Digital Library.
  28. ^ "Definition Kapu". Wisdom Library. October 25, 2021.
  29. ^ "Census Of India 1951" (PDF). Tamil Digital Library.
  30. ^ "Details Internet".
  31. ^ "1 year in office earns CM a snub". indiatoday. 2005. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  32. ^ "BJP president Nitin Gadkari refuses to yield BS Yeddyurappa over Karnataka leadership". economictimes. 25 February 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  33. ^ "The Tripwire Setters". Outlookindia. 6 April 2009. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  34. ^ Nels Anderson, ed. (1969). Studies in Multilingualism I of VII. p. 134.
  35. ^ The Indian Journal of Political Science. 1987. p. 583.
  36. ^ "Which way now for the Lingayats?". indiatoday. 8 March 2004. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  37. ^ Alessandro Monti; Marina Goglio; Esterino Adami, eds. (2005). Feeding the Self, Feeling the Way in Ancient and Contemporary South Asian Cultures. L'Harmattan Italia. p. 91. ISBN 978-88-7892-006-4.
  38. ^ Sameeksha Trust, ed. (1997). Economic and Political Weekly, Volume 32. p. 2348.
  39. ^ "J H Patel stoops, yet may not conquer". rediff. 2004. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  40. ^ "Rebel gives J H Patel a contest to remember". rediff. 3 September 1999. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  41. ^ "NewsKarnataka". NewsKarnataka. Archived from the original on 2019-08-26. Retrieved 2019-08-27.
  42. ^ Thomas Blom Hansen; Christophe Jaffrelot (2001). The BJP and the compulsions of politics in India. p. 176. The Lingayat votes had been important to the Janata Dal since 1978. Without Veerendra Patil (a member of the Banajiga jati), the long-standing difficulties of the national party president S. R. Bommai in appealing to voters beyond his Sadar jati (which has represent of other jatis gaining disproportionate share of spoils) became especially serious
  43. ^ Sameeksha Trust (1992). Economic & Political Weekly. p. 1270. Veerendra Patil belongs to Lingayat Banajiga
  44. ^ Bansy Kalappa; Naushad Bijapur (2019). "Stormy season ahead for BJP over rebel Karnataka MLA Umesh Katti's exclusion". New Indian Express.
  45. ^ Rishikesh Bahadur Desai (2019). "Decoding the political clout of Shettar". The Times of India.
  46. ^ Parliament mourns death of B.D. Jatti, adjourns. 2002. Sri Basappa Danappa Jatti Born in a Kannadiga Lingayat Banajiga family at Savalgi in Jamkhandi Taluk of Bijapur district, Jatti entered politics as a Municipality member at Jamakhandi in 1940 and later became its President. He was eventually elected to the Jamakhandi State Legislature
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