Kapu/Telaga/Balija/Naidu

Kapu Names in different areas

Some of the very common Gothrams found in the Kapu community are Janakula, Paidipaala, Raghukula, Kasyapa, Dhanunjaya, Athreya, Achyuta to name a few and there are lots of other Gotrams

• Naidu in Andhra refers to the Kapu/ Telaga/ Balija/ Ontari/ Turpu Kapu community.

• Balijas have the title Naidu and Setty

• In Tamil Nadu and Karnataka they are called Balija Naidu.

• In Southern T.N Districts Balijas have the title Naicker

• Munnuru Kapu's have the title Rao and Reddy in Telangana.

• Kapu/Balija/Telaga/Munnuru Kapu communities have the title Setty in their Surnames who served as Traders during the Kakateeya and Viajayanagar Empires..

(Indicating their Ancestors established Powerful Trading Guilds Surnames like Polisetty, KaliSetty, Muthamsetty, Kamisetty, Rangisetty, Singamasetty, Chennamsetty etc)

• Telaga/Kapu Community also has the title Reddy in their Surnames in Coastal Andhra Region.

(Indicating some of their ancestors were village heads. Maddireddy, Muthareddy, Kunapareddy, Katreddy, kasireddy, rayapureddy, Siddireddy, dharapureddy, peddireddy etc..)

• Some Kapu/Telaga Surnames end with the title Neni which is a derivation of Senani.

(Indicating the Ancestors of these families served as Commanders under the Kakateeya Dynasity. Samineni, Lakkineni, Padalaneni, Vallabhaneni, Chitikineni, Kasineni etc)

• Kapu and Telaga community have the title Rayudu in Coastal and Rayalseema Regions which is a legacy of the communities association with the Vijayanagar Empire.

• Chola-Chalukyas used titles Udayar or Odeyar for certain period of time.

Naidu meant:

1. Native captain or headman

2. Title of honour among Hindus in the Deccan. "The kings of Deccan also have a custom when they will honor a man or recompense their service done, and raise him to dignity and honour. They give him the title of Nayak." -Linschotaen

It evolved in the following manner during different phases of history.

Nayaka-->Nayudu-->Naidu-->Naicker-->Naidoo

Many people with the Naidu surname had some remote ancestor who was a soldier that was promoted to "Nayaka". It is equivalent to a Baron. They served as Nayaks under the Chalukyas, Kakatiyas and Vijayanagar Emperors. The Kakatiya Dynasty had many prominent Nayakas, of which several were from a Kapu background. The Vijayanagar kings also had several Nayakas of Kapu, Telaga and Balija background.

Reddy

The Reddys were included in the broad category of Kapus (which generically refers to those involved in kapudanam, meaning farming) in the 1921 Census. beacase of the same profession. The Telagas, Balijas, and Munnuru Kapus were listed as separate castes for some reason. Reddys of Rayalseema are addressed as Kapu because it is generic term for Landlord as well as a Caste name. The confusion also arises because the Reddys are still called Kapu in certain regions of Andhra, and the Kapu Community still retains the title Reddy as an indication of their traditional profession.

Naidus, especially of Kapu background, have migrated to several countries like South Africa, Mauritius, United States etc. They are active in the local Telugu and Tamil associations.

Labels: History