FORMATION OF REDDY IDENTITY IN SOUTHERN KARNATAKA 1900-2000 CE

FORMATION OF REDDY IDENTITY IN SOUTHERN KARNATAKA 1900-2000 CE

Reddy is the name of a socio-economically and politically dominant community found in Southern India. Today one of the largest single community grouping in south India in general and Andhra Pradesh in particular is Reddy community. They are generally considered traditional village headmen. They had a remarkable history since the period of shatavahanas of 2nd century BCE and the various people from this community have helped people in large way throughout the period and they are socially committed and economically enterprise. Historically the people of the Reddy community had appears some were very wealthy Landowners and Businessmen. Famous Kings, Awardees, Academics, Scientists & Civil Servants, Business Leaders & Entrepreneurs, famous Politicians, Entertainers & Film Professionals, Freedom Fighters, Activists & Philanthropists, Poets and Writers and many more. Though the community regarded their ancestors belongs Andhra Pradesh Telugu as their mother tongue, they assimilated with the regional culture of Karnataka and became proficient in Kannada language too. The community played major role in political arena and became one among the makers of modern Karnataka. Since 1900 their Political identity was expressed through political associations, Freedom movement, and backward class movement and pressurizing for establishment responsible government in Mysore region. Socially the community has been identified as an important caste in south India. The marriage ceremony is sanctified through the authorization of Brahmana, Dasayya. The community has the complex setup within itself because they are in large number. They have peculiar social practices of the appreciation of Brahmanical ideas and process of sankritization is rooted in the original beliefs of Reddy community, The Practice of bride price, widow remarriage, the Brahmin priest not invite to their marriage occasion by some sub castes and many more. The community extended its liberal attitude towards improving the status of women has resulted in arising of many women as industrialists, artists, scientists, physicians, realtors, sports persons and scholars. Economically they are committed to land and agriculture. Culturally the community has predominant followers of the Hinduism with Veerashaiva, Vaishnava and Shaktha sects as the most important faiths. Their annual pilgrimage is to the temple of Shrishaila Mallikarjuna. Yogi VemanaReddy and HemaReddy Mallama were as the legends. The Brahmanical idenitity is not observed and accepted by all denomination of Reddys. The ??Guru Paramapare also exists among the Reddy communities. Each sub caste has to pay their homage to their respective Gurus, who preside over the Matha. The festivals celebrated by the community like Bandi Devara Habba and Makkala Dyavaru are the most specific ones. It has to be accepted as liberation from some hierarchical control and assertion of a community attempting to carve a certain niche status which resulted in a form of monastic tradition or Gurupeeta tradition since the last two decade in Karnataka. Being the promoters of education and literature they established schools, colleges, training centers, hostels and study centers. They are socially advanced, economically developed, politically organized and culturally established. Thus they become influential factor in formation of social-political-economic identity in southern Karnataka.

K.R MUNIRAJU

History