REDDY COMMUNITY IN KARNATAKA:

A SOCIO-CULTURAL STUDY

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Item Type Article

Authors RENUKA MALLIKARJUN REDDY; LAXMAN KAWALE

Publisher Ashok Yakkaldevi

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Indian Streams Research Journal
Volume 3, Issue. 5, June. 2013
Available online at www.isrj.net
ISSN:-2230-7850
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

REDDY COMMUNITY IN KARNATAKA: A

SOCIO-CULTURAL STUDY

RENUKA MALLIKARJUN REDDY AND LAXMAN KAWALE

Research Scholar , Department of Sociology Gulbarga University

GULBARGA: Karnataka.
Associate Professor , Dept of Sociology Government Degree College & PG Centre
GULBARGA: Karnataka.

Abstract:

Reddy is a community living in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The reddys

living in Karnataka are formed as Lingayats and devotees of Shiva, especially Srishail
Mallikarjun and Hemareddy Mallamma. Hemareddy Mallamma was a dedicated
devotee called Shivasharane in 15th century. Even though there are 18 subdivisions in
Reddy community, the people of four to five sub-divisions of Reddy community are living
in Karnataka. Majority of the Reddy people belonged to Lingayat reddy or Hemareddy.
The social culture and rituals of Hemareddy community are almost similar to that of the
Lingayats in Karnataka.

KEYWORDS:

Community , Socio-cultural , sub-divisions , Politicians.

INTRODUCTION:

In the history of many races and castes got great regard for their remarkable services rendered
services in education, religion, literature and fine arts. One among such castes is 'Reddy'. No other word in
India has got such a detailed and convincing history as the word 'Reddy'. Reddy's are farmers, they are
Kings, they are Journalists, they are Poets, they are Patriots who stood in front row in the freedom fight, and
they are Writers, Politicians.
The term 'Reddy' means 'King' and the terms Raja (King), Rathi, Kapu, Velama were also used to
denote Reddy people (Hanakuni, 2009). Majority of the Reddy people are farmers and earlier a few of them
were rulers.
Reddy is an elite social group or caste of India, predominantly inhabiting Andhra Pradesh. They are
enlisted as a forward caste by the government (Kimberly, 1997). Traditionally, they are a high-caste
community of nobility, warriors and cultivators (Burton, 1989). According to academics, they were a
warrior caste in the remote past and later became feudal overlords and peasant proprietors (Frykenberg,
1965). Historically they have been the land-owning aristocracy of the villages (Karen, 2007). Their
prowess as rulers and warriors is well documented in Telugu history (Sanjay, 2001). The Reddy dynasty
(1325–1448) ruled coastal and central Andhra for over a hundred years (Ludden, 1999). The origin of the
social group of Reddy's has been linked to the Rastrakutas (Chopra, 2003).
Initially, the rising kingdoms of Vijayanagara and the Reddy kingdom were locked up in a
territorial struggle for supremacy in the coastal region of Andhra. Later, they united and became allies
against their common archrivals – the Bahmani sultans and the Recherla Velamas of Rachakonda who had
formed an alliance. This political alliance between Vijayanagara and the Reddy kingdom was cemented
further by a matrimonial alliance. Harihara II of Vijayanagara gave his daughter in marriage to Kataya
Vema Reddy's son Kataya. The Reddy rulers of Rajahmundry exercised a policy of annexation and invasion

Title : REDDY COMMUNITY IN KARNATAKA: A SOCIO-CULTURAL STUDY

.Source:Indian Streams Research Journal [2230-7850] RENUKA MALLIKARJUN REDDY AND LAXMAN KAWALE yr:2013 vol:3
iss:5
 REDDY COMMUNITY IN KARNATAKA: A SOCIO-CULTURAL STUDY

of Kalinga (modern day Orissa). However, the suzerainty of Kalinga rulers was to be recognized. In 1443
CE, determined to put an end to the aggressions of the Reddy kingdom, the Gajapati ruler Kapilendra of
Kalinga formed an alliance with the Velamas and launched an attack on the Reddy kingdom of
Rajahmundry. Veerabhadra Reddy allied himself with Vijayanagara ruler Devaraya II and defeated
Kapilendra. After the death of Devaraya II in 1446 CE, he was succeeded by his son, Mallikarjuna Raya.
Overwhelmed by difficulties at home, Mallikarjuna Raya recalled the Vijayanagara forces from
Rajahmundry. Veerabhadra Reddy died in 1448 CE. Seizing this opportunity, the Gajapati ruler Kapilendra
sent an army under the leadership of his son Hamvira into the Reddy kingdom, took Rajahmundry and
gained control of the Reddy kingdom. The Gajapatis eventually lost control of coastal Andhra after the
death of Kapilendra. The territories of the Reddy kingdom eventually came under the control of the
Vijayanagara Empire.
The Reddys continued to be Chieftains, village policemen, tax collectors and farmers in the
Telangana region, throughout Turkish rule and under the Nizams. The Reddy landlords styled themselves
as Desais , Doras and Patel. Several Reddys were noblemen in the court of Nizam Nawabs. During the
communist led Telangana people's movement against the Nizam state in the 1940s many Reddys actively
took part in the struggle.
It can be summarized from the above discussion that the Reddys were rulers since Rastrakutas
period. Later, during the British rule, many of the reddys were played a significant role in freedom
movement over Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

REDDY COMMUNITY IN KARNATAKA:

Majority of the Reddys in Karnataka are purely vegetarians and devotees of Shiva. On the other
hand, Reddys of Andhra Pradesh are devotees of Sri Venkatesh of Tirupati and they are also non-
vegetarians. Hence, there is clear division between the Reddy community in Andhra Pradesh and
Karnataka.
Majority of the Reddy community living in Karnataka belongs to Lingayats called Hemareddy
and a few of sub-divisions of Reddy communities such as Motati Reddy, Chitta Mitta Reddy and Vellamma
Reddy are also living in Karnataka. These communities are entirely different from the Reddy community
of Andhra Pradesh. Majority of the Lingayat Reddys are devotees of Hemareddy Mallamma, Shivasharane
(devotee of Srishail Mallikarjun in 15th Century) and Srishail Mallikarjun. Reddys in Karnataka are also
followers of Shivasharanas such as Basavanna, Akkamahadevi, etc.
There is a story for the term 'Hemareddy'. That is, a farmer named Aliyareddy with the blessings
of Srishail Mallikarjun, began converting water and such other materials into gold and also used to give to
the poor people. In this way, he was become rich and popular and built Kondaveedu town and become King
of the Kondaveedu kingdom. The term 'Hema' means Gold and as Aliya reddy was developed through
Gold, his clan was become popular as 'Hemareddy'. In this clan, Hemareddy Mallamma, a great devotee of
Srishail Mallikarjun was born. She was dedicated devotee and made many miracles for the welfare of the
people and society. It has said that she got boon from Srishail Mallikarjun that the Reddy community
should not suffer from any of the economic difficulties and always lead rich life.
The social culture of the Reddy is also slightly different from other castes of the region such as
Lingayats. The marriage rituals begin with a promise made by both families to each other that a wedding
will be solemnized. After consultations with an astrologer, an auspicious day and time are fixed for the
marriage ceremony and both the concerned parties draw up written contracts. These contracts are then
placed in yellow cloth bundles along with betel leaf, turmeric, nuts and fruits and blessed by an officiating
'pujari'. In present days marriages between Subdivisions are allowed. The Marriage Card (Lagna Patrika),
Nischitartha, Vara Puja, Saptapadi, etc rituals performed by the Reddy community during the marriage.
Seemantha or pulikudi is performed when a woman is six months pregnant. On an auspicious day,
after applying home-made Ayurvedic oil with massage, a customary bath is carried out with the help of the
elderly women in the family and then the family deity is worshipped, by invoking all the gods and
goddesses. After that, a concoction of herbal medicines prepared in the traditional way is given to the
woman. The woman will be dressed up in new clothes and ornaments used for such occasions. The family
then offers a feast to all the relatives. The woman continues with the prescribed medicines until the child
birth. Jananam accompanies the birth of a child. The new born is bathed. Gold rubbed on a stone with honey
with 'vayampu' (a herbal medicine) is applied on the tongue of the newborn as the first food.
Generally the culture of the Reddy's is impacted by locality and groups in the Reddy community.
It is noted that like other communities, the women are having secondary status in the family. Even though,
the Reddy people are rich and males in the community are highly educated, the education of the female is
not considered as significant among the Reddy community. Now-a-days, only the women in urban areas

Indian Streams Research Journal • Volume 3 Issue 5 • June 2013 2

 REDDY COMMUNITY IN KARNATAKA: A SOCIO-CULTURAL STUDY

from Reddy communities are getting higher education.

REFERENCES:

I.Burton, Stein (1989): Vijayanagar. Cambridge University Press, 1989.

II.Chopra, Pran Nath (1982): A Comprehensive History of Ancient India. New Delhi: Sterling Publishers
Pvt. Ltd.
III.Frykenberg, Robert Eric (1965): Guntur District, 1788-1848: A History of Local Influence and Central
Authority in South India. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1965.
IV.Hanakuni, Amruthareddy Hasareddy (2009): Reddy Jananga mattu Hemareddy Mallamma. Bidar:
Hemareddy Mallamma Prakashan, 2009.
V.Karen Isaksen Leonard (2007): Locating Home: India's Hyderabadis Abroad. New York: Stanford
University Press, 2007.
VI.Kimberly Chung (1997): Identifying the Food Insecure: The Application of Mixed Method Approaches
in India. International Food Policy Research Institute, 1997.
VII.Ludden, David E (1999): An Agrarian History of South Asia.Cambridge University Press, 1999.
VIII.Reddy Community: http://www.reddy.com
IX.Sanjay Subrahmanyam (2001): Penumbral Visions: Making Polities in Early Modern South
India.University of Michigan Press, 2001.

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