- Bunts
It seems the word Bunt is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Bhata' meaning powerful man, the Tulu equivalent is 'Bunte' or 'Bunteru' which means protector. Bunts are also referred to as 'Nayaka', 'Shetray' and 'Nādava' which means leader, nobility and landlord respectively in Tulu. The word Bunt was universally accepted during the 1940’s to give a united face and a common identity embracing different surnames and geographical locations.