Idiga
Encyclopedia
Idiga or Ediga is a Hindu community of people concentrated in south central areas of Karnataka
. Idigas are involved in soma
and Ayurvedic medicine developers in ancient days who are classified as Somavanshi Kshatriyas. In some parts of Karanataka they also called deevaru which means islanders. Their main profession were toddy tapping, brewing arrack etc., but now few people do their traditional job.
is influenced by teachings of Saint Sree Narayana Guru. Though Ary Idiga leaders have officially acceted guru as their spiritual guru, the influence seems to be limited to certain pockets. Guru followers have many asramas in Karnataka
. Brahmashree Narayana Guru Ashrama in Shimoga is in forefront of spreading Sree narayana Guru
's messages across karnataka
. Some of the organizations associated with this ashrama are District Brahmashree Narayana Guru Arya Idiga Association, Brahmashree Narayana Guru Arya Idiga Women's Association etc.
they are known as Goud
s , Idigas or Idigas,Settibalija, and Srisayana. They mostly are identified as Idigas or Idigas living in the Rayalaseema area, but use Gouda, Goud,Idiga, or Idiga as their middle name. They are also called Goud, Goundala and Kalali in the Telangana area, and Gamalia and Setti Balija in the rest of Andhra Pradesh. They consider gangamma/yellamma as their community deity. In Tamil Nadu
, the Idiga are also known as Iluvar, Naidu, Vadugan, Idiga Balija and Gavara. They use Naidu as their title. Naidu, Vadugan, Idiga Balija and Gavara migrated from Andhra Pradesh, while Iluvars are indigenous or of Keralite origin. They have a village council headed by a leader from the Mudaliar community in the area. In Kerala they are called Ezhava
, Thiyya or Billava (Kasarkode District). In Sri Lanka
they are called Nalavar or Durava.Jaiswal community in North India also is similar caste.
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
. Idigas are involved in soma
Soma
Soma , or Haoma , from Proto-Indo-Iranian *sauma-, was a ritual drink of importance among the early Indo-Iranians, and the subsequent Vedic and greater Persian cultures. It is frequently mentioned in the Rigveda, whose Soma Mandala contains 114 hymns, many praising its energizing qualities...
and Ayurvedic medicine developers in ancient days who are classified as Somavanshi Kshatriyas. In some parts of Karanataka they also called deevaru which means islanders. Their main profession were toddy tapping, brewing arrack etc., but now few people do their traditional job.
Idigas today
Idigas are the group based in Karnataka, traditionally involved in toddy tapping, liquor sales, Ayurvedic medicine and farming.Population and religious belief
They mainly live in Bangalore, Chikmagalur, Chitradurga, Shimoga, Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Hassan and Tumkur districts. Their subgroups are Mudde Idiga, Swaswe Idiga and Arya Idiga based on their past occupations.They consider Yellamma as their community deity. The temples of Devi Yallamma also known as Shree Renuka Devi is situated on a hill near Soundatti Taluka in Belgaum District & on Chandragutti hill in Soraba Taluka in Shimoga District of Karnataka.Notable people
- Dr.Raj kumar - Legend Kannada Actor
- S.Bangarappa- Ex CM of Karnataka
- Shivaraj Kumar
- K.N.Hari Kumar- Former Editor-in-Chief of Deccan HeraldDeccan HeraldThe Deccan Herald is a leading English-language daily newspaper distributed in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is published by the Printers Private Limited and has a number of editions in Bangalore, Hubli, Mysore, Mangalore and Gulbarga....
& PrajavaniPrajavaniPrajavani is a leading Kannada-language newspaper in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is a sister publication of the Deccan Herald. , it had a circulation of 364,000, making it the second-largest-circulation newspaper in Karnataka , and the largest-circulation Kannada-language newspaper in the... - K.N.Shantha Kumar-Editor-in-Chief of Deccan Herald & Prajavani from 2001 to 2007
- Puneet RajkumarPuneet RajkumarPuneeth Rajkumar is an Indian film actor who acts in Kannada films and the youngest son of Kannada superstar Dr Rajkumar and the younger brother of leading KFI star Shivaraj Kumar. As a child artist, he appeared in 12 films...
- SumanSumanKabir Suman is a Kolkata-based modern Bengali singer-songwriter, musician, poet, journalist, politician, TV presenter, and occasional film actor...
south Indian actor - Vijay RaghavendraVijay RaghavendraVijay Raghavendra is an Indian Kannada actor who won a National Award as a child for acting in a film called Chinnari Mutha .He is the son of famous producer of Kannada cinema S.A.Chinne Gowda...
film actor - R L Jalappa
Kagodu Satyagraha
Kagodu Satyagraha was an agrarian movement launched in parts of Sagar taluk of Shimoga district in the early Fifties, was a spontaneous protest against the exploitation and oppression of poor tenants and by the Idiga .The movement was in support of the poor and oppressed tenants. People from the Deevaru (Idiga) community participated in it in large numbers.The protest, which started on a small scale, gained momentum with the active participation of veteran socialists such as Ram Manohar Lohia, Jayaprakash Narayan and Gopala Gowda. It was said that social impact of the movement was such that it resulted in the enactment of the Land Reforms Act in the early Seventies by the then Chief Minister, D. Devaraj Urs, which proclaimed that "the tiller is the owner of the land.Brahmashri Narayana Guru and Community
Idiga community under certain pockets in south coastal KarnatakaKarnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
is influenced by teachings of Saint Sree Narayana Guru. Though Ary Idiga leaders have officially acceted guru as their spiritual guru, the influence seems to be limited to certain pockets. Guru followers have many asramas in Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
. Brahmashree Narayana Guru Ashrama in Shimoga is in forefront of spreading Sree narayana Guru
Narayana Guru
Sri Nārāyana Guru , also known as Sree Nārāyana Guru Swami, was a Hindu saint, sadhuand social reformer of India. The Guru was born into an Ezhava family, in an era when people from backward communities like the Ezhavas faced much social injustices in the caste-ridden Kerala society...
's messages across karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
. Some of the organizations associated with this ashrama are District Brahmashree Narayana Guru Arya Idiga Association, Brahmashree Narayana Guru Arya Idiga Women's Association etc.
In neighboring states
In Andhra PradeshAndhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
they are known as Goud
Goud
The Goud are caste found mostly in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Orissa and Maharastra. Gouds were involved in soma development in ancient days.-Origin:...
s , Idigas or Idigas,Settibalija, and Srisayana. They mostly are identified as Idigas or Idigas living in the Rayalaseema area, but use Gouda, Goud,Idiga, or Idiga as their middle name. They are also called Goud, Goundala and Kalali in the Telangana area, and Gamalia and Setti Balija in the rest of Andhra Pradesh. They consider gangamma/yellamma as their community deity. In Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, the Idiga are also known as Iluvar, Naidu, Vadugan, Idiga Balija and Gavara. They use Naidu as their title. Naidu, Vadugan, Idiga Balija and Gavara migrated from Andhra Pradesh, while Iluvars are indigenous or of Keralite origin. They have a village council headed by a leader from the Mudaliar community in the area. In Kerala they are called Ezhava
Ezhava
The Ezhavas are a community with origins in the region presently known as Kerala. They are also known as Ilhava, Irava, Izhava and Erava in the south of the region; as Chovas, Chokons and Chogons in Central Travancore; and as Tiyyas, Thiyas and Theeyas in Malabar...
, Thiyya or Billava (Kasarkode District). In Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
they are called Nalavar or Durava.Jaiswal community in North India also is similar caste.
See also
- Narayana GuruNarayana GuruSri Nārāyana Guru , also known as Sree Nārāyana Guru Swami, was a Hindu saint, sadhuand social reformer of India. The Guru was born into an Ezhava family, in an era when people from backward communities like the Ezhavas faced much social injustices in the caste-ridden Kerala society...
- Namadhari naikNamadhari naikNamadhari naik is a Hindu Vaishnava community predominantly found in Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Daksina Kannada District of Karnataka State in India and are numerically a majority community in the district . They are also known as Halepaika and are referred to as the same in most of the literature...
- BillavaBillavaThe Billava, or Ilava people make up one of the largest Hindu communities of the Tulu ethnic group in India. They are also found in the Kannada-speaking Kundapura region of Karnataka and some parts of Kerala, including Kasaragod district...
A Tulu - GoudGoudThe Goud are caste found mostly in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Orissa and Maharastra. Gouds were involved in soma development in ancient days.-Origin:...
A TeluguTelugu peopleThe Telugu people or Telugu Prajalu are an ethnic group of India. They are the native speakers of the Telugu language, the most commonly spoken language in India after Hindi and Bengali...
community - EzhavaEzhavaThe Ezhavas are a community with origins in the region presently known as Kerala. They are also known as Ilhava, Irava, Izhava and Erava in the south of the region; as Chovas, Chokons and Chogons in Central Travancore; and as Tiyyas, Thiyas and Theeyas in Malabar...
or Thiyya A Malayalam community. - IluvarIluvarThe Illuvar are a caste of people from Tamil Nadu or Kerala. They are also known as Iluvar, Ezhuvar, Ezhuva, Izhuva, Illathar...
A TamilTamil peopleTamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
speaking keralaKeralaor Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
community of Tamil Nadu - Durave A Srilankan Ezhava community who speaks simhala