kurumba gounder people

Kuruba

Kurubas or Kurumas are Hindus concentrated mainly in the southeren states ofKarnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Unofficial population estimate in these two states is about 16 million. They are also known as Yadavas, Gollas in Andhra Pradesh and Dhangars in Maharashtra.

Kuruba
Classification:	Caste/Dhangar
-	Significant populations in:	Northern India,Western India,Southern India, and Central India
Language	Hindi and its dialects,Punjabi,Gujarati,Marathi but primarily Kannada
Religion	Hinduism

Etymology

The word Kuruba has a powerful meaning, It means 'warriors' and 'trustworthy people'. The word "Kuru" means "do or seek" in Sanskrit, and "Kuruhu" means "trust" inKannada. "Kuruba" can be inferred to mean "doers" or "trustworthy (male person)". Kuruba can also be inferred to mean Seeker of Knowledge, Kuru (seek), Bha (Knowledge, Light).

History

The Kuruba community is one of the oldest existing communities of India, tracing its history back to Mahabharata times. People of the Kuruba community have long essayed a variety of professions, and have not been confined to their traditional (and still predominant) occupation as shepherds and farmers. They have sprung several ruling dynasties, most recently the Holkars of Indore; It has also been surmised by some scholars that the Hoysala dynasty may have hailed from this community. Undeniably, a very large section of rural gentry in Karnataka, and many chieftains and feudal barons in past eras, have belonged to the Kuruba community.

Prominent Kurubas have been Hakkaraya and Bukkaraya, founders of Vijayanagara Empire, Hoysalas, Pallavas, Rashtrakutas, Holkars,Sangolli Rayanna, Mauryas, Yadavas etc. Kurubas have also been social thinker and poets. Great poets like Kalidasa, Kanakadasa are Kurubas.

Culture

Kurubas are Hindus who follow Halumatha. Halumatha is also referred to as palamatha in some parts of India. Religion of the Palakas. Worshiping Almighty Source in stone (Linga) form might have originated from Halumatha. Stone is the source for the soil. Soil is the source for the plants. Plants are the source for the animals. This may be the reason for worshiping Almight in Stone. Through the ages, this stone worship tradition might have lead to worshiping Shiva(Pashupati) as Beeralingeswara, Mailara Linga, Malladevaru,Mahadeshwara, Nanjundeswara, Mallappa, Mallara, Mallikarjuna, Junjappa etc. Even the worshiping of shakti as Yellamma, Renuka, Chowdamma, Kariyamma, Chamundi, Bhanashankari, Gullamma etc... might have come from this tradition. Even today ancestoral worship as deities is very common. The worship of ancestors like Revanasidda, Rama, Hanuman, Krishna,Keshava, Ranganatha, Eera Thimmanna, Tirupati Thimmappa, Venkateswara, Kalidasa, Siddarama, Kanakadasa etc... as Devaru very much exists in Kuruba traditions.

Beeralingeswara temples have "Balaga" with Gowda, Buddhivanta, Bandari, Kolkara etc. Generally priets in Beeralingeshwara and Milaralingeshwara temples are kurubas. Kurubas were great warriors and had established many ancient kingdoms such as the Hoysalakingdom in Karnataka and Pallava kingdom in present day Tamil Nadu; they reached their zenith of prosperity between AD.1300 & AD.1600 under the great Vijayanagara Empire.

Other Names

Kurubas are known by different names in different regions of the country. In some locations in Karnataka, People from the Kuruba Community use Naiker as surname. It means the same as Gowda (A leader of village or temple).
*Andar
*Ahiyaru
*Ahirs
*Bharavadaru
*DoddiGowda
*Dhangars
*Gaddi
*Gadri
*Gollavadu
*Gowda
*Halumatha
*Heggades
*Idyar
*Kuruba Gowda
*Kurumba Goundar
*Kurumbar
*Kalavar
*Kuruma
*Kurumavaaru
*Kurkhi
*Kurupu
*Naikers
*Palaru
*Paalakyatriya
*Poduvar
*Yadavalu

Kuruba Kingdoms

*Pallavas
*Rashtrakutas
*Hoysalas
*Vijayanagar Empire
*Holkars

Sub-Castes

*Kadu Kuruba
*Jenu Kuruba
*Betta Kuruba
*Gonda Kuruba
*Hosa Kuruba
*Hale Kuruba

Tribal communities

These may be part of kuruba communities. There may be more than 500 bedagus in kuruba community.
*Heluva
*Sudagadu Sidda
*Gidabudaki
*Jogi

Kurubas Today

Traditionally warriors and farmers, Kurubas were late to take up modern education, but have made rapid progress in many fields. They are today developing into a vibrant and dynamic community coming out of the inferiority complex imposed on them since the fall ofVijayanagara empire. The community is ably led by many politicians and social thinkers who are today not only leading the kuruba community but also all deprived sections of the society. Kurubas today have become the voice of all the deprived communities of the society grouped under Backward Castes. More work has to be done to help the vast majority of Kuruba Gowdas living in the villages to come out of the inferiority complex and make a life for themselves.

Traditions

Traditionally Kuruba Gowdas celebrate most Hindu festivals. They have their own costumes, songs, ballads and plays in praise of god like
* Kamsale - Sung in praise of Mahadeshwara
* Dollu Kunitha
* Kurubara Kunitha
* Oggu Kathas
* Lingada Birana Kunitha
* Goravayyalu of Andhra Pradesh.

Kuruba Epics

* Halumatha Kuruba Purana - Story of Kuruba Gowdas
* Epic of Katamaraju - Telugu Epic
* The Story of Mahadeshwara

Some famous Kuruba Gowdas

*Hakka Raya - Founder of Vijayanagara Empire
*Bukka Raya - Founder of Vijayanagara Empire
*Krishna Deva Raya - Greatest Ruler of Vijayanagara Empire
*Hoysalas of Karnataka
*Pallavas of Tamil Nadu
*Holkars of Indore
*Sangolli Rayanna - Freedom Fighter
*Junje Gowda - Builder of Male Mahadeshwara Temple
*Kalidasa - Greatest Sanskrit Poet
*Kanakadasa - Greatest saint of Haridasa Movement
*Saukar Angatahalli MuddaBasavaiah - Famous Zamindar Of Erstwhile Mysore State
*Niligiri Sanjeevaiah - Famous Zamindar and Philantropist Of Erstwhile Mysore State
*Shri Beerendra Keshava Tarakananda Puri Swamiji - Head of the Kaginele Kanaka Guru Peetha
*T.Mariappa - Former Finance Minister-Erstwhile Mysore State
*D.K.Naiker - Former KPCC president.
*Siddaramaiah - Former Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka
*K.S.Eshwarappa - BJP Leader
*H.Vishwanath - Former Minister
*Dr Y.Nagappa - Social Justice Minister
*N.Nagaraja(M.T.B.) - Successful Industrialist/Politician
*Kempaiah - Famous IPS officer
*Dr D.S.Ashwath - Famous IAS officer
*Rajesh - Film Actor
*Arjun Sarja - Film Actor
*Kapil Sibal - Union Minister
*Jagdish Tytler - Former Union Minister.
*A.V.Ravi - Famous Body Builder and Ex-Mr World
*Dr Chandre Gowda - Famous Forensic Medicine Professor
*Kaka Nayaka - of Kakanakote fame.
*Kancha Ilaiah - Social Activist and writer
*Kuruba Representatives in Karnataka
*General Sri Nagesh
*Kollur Mallappa- Former MP of Raichur
*Bandaru Dattatreya - Former Union Minister

Other Famous Kuruba Gowdas

Link to Famous Kuruba Gowdas

Movies

Kuruba Gowdas are a favourite topic for movies, since the community has produced so many great persons who are legendary hsitorical figures and have become house old names. The following is the link to the movies made of famous Kuruba Gowdas and their life style.Link to Kuruba Movies

See also

*Dhangar
*Kurmi
*Kunbi

References

*

External links

* Website
* Pallavas
* The Vijayanagar Empire