Balija

Balija is a Sub Caste and a division of the Kapu caste found in the state of Andhra Pradesh,Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and primarily concentrated in the Rayalaseema Region of Andhra Pradesh. Balija is the only Subcaste of Kapu which bears both the titles Setty and Naidu.

Sub Castes

The Geographical Names of Balija are

• Kapu
• Munnuru Kapu
• Telaga
• Turpu Kapu
• Ontari
• Naidu
• Please refer to Kapu for more details about the Community.

Origins

The Balijas were primarily traders and warriors who have served as army general/leaders(Nayak)and feudal landlords from ancient periods.During the time of peace they are into trading and agriculture.They formed many trading guilds during the Kakatiya and Vijayanagara Periods.They have evolved during time and got diversified into areas like agriculture, trading, IT, films etc.

Primarily traders by occupation during the time of peace and they seem to have been formed by a small social change that seem to have occurred among some sections of the Kapu community. According to some historians, the original Balijas seem to have migrated from the Balijipeta, Vizianagaram District.

Most of the Balijas refer to themselves as Kapu/Telaga in Andhra and as Munnuru Kapu in Telangana.In Rayalaseema area they call themselves Balija/Setty Balija/Balija Naidu.Here Kapu refers to Kapu(Reddy) community which have branced themselves out from the Kapu community which was not confirmed.

Balija Branches

• Setty BalijaThese were powerful merchants in the Kakatiya dynasty. There was mention of some very old trading guilds concentrated in Bellary in Karnataka[1]. In fact historians suggest this was the first branch in Balijas.
• Balija Naidu Balija Naidu is followed with Naidu title. This sub caste seems to have formed during the Kakatiya dynasty times.The Naidu title is derived as they are mainly warriors who are army generals/leaders(Nayak/Naidu)during Chola/Kakatiya times.
• Gajula Balija/Sugavansi Balija(Pure) Myth is that Siva’s wife Parvati made a penance in order to look beautiful for Siva and the person that brought her bangles was the ancestor of the Gajula Balija. This division of community is particularly into bangle makers and sellers.
• Kavarai(Kavara Balija Naidu or Gavara Balija Naidu)."Kavarai is the name for Balijas(Telugu trading caste), who have settled in the Tamil country" as per Thurston of Castes and Tribes of Southern India.Kavarais call themselves Balijas. They use the titles Naidu or Setti. Gajula Balija is the largest sub-division of Kavarais. Gajula Balijas attained this name as they were involved in manufacturing and selling bangles initially though they made their mark in various other fields later.
• Rajamahendravaram Balija or Musu Balija (Named after a special ear ornament worn by women)
• Gandavallu or Gundapodi Vandlu (Supposed to have originally Komatis)
• Anamala
• Linga
• Panchama
• Thota
• Ralla
• Pusa
• Andey
• Racha
• Vyasa
• Gopati Balija
• Mulaka
• Miriyala
• Nemilli
• Pagadala
• Pakanati
• Oppanakkaran (Trader)

Balijas are concentrated throughout Andhra and Rayalseema Region.

* Excerpts from Thimmamba Charithra (Eddula Nandi Reddy) & Penukonda Charitra (Puttaparthy Narayana Charyulu) & Rallapalli Ananta Krishna Sharma in Andhra Prabha on Research Papers on Penukonda Charithra

Sri Timmamba[2] great women belongs to Balija cast took sathi after her husband died, she belonged to Gangarajula family around 14th century. There is temple and world famous baniyan tree called Timmamma Marrimanu (its recorded in Guinniess Book) " Originally part of the great Telugu migrations southward into the Tamil country in the 15th and 16th centuries, Balija merchant-warriors who claimed these nayaka positions rose to political and cultural power and supported an ethos that emphasized nonascriptive, heroic criteria in legitimizing political power. The Balijas were proud of their Sudra status, in a world previously dominated by a classical Sanskritic varna scheme that insisted that kings had to be Kshatriya (two castes higher than Sudras). The new egalitarian ethos made it easier for claimants from a variety of communities to succeed to political control"as per Encyclopedia of World history. According to R.V.Russell's "The Tribes and Castes of Central Provinces of India" and Edgar Thurston's "Castes And Tribes of Southern India" the kings of Vijayanagar,Madurai and Thanjavur dynasties belonged to Balija Naidu caste. According to Kante Narayana Desayi's "Balijakula Charithra"the kings of Vijaya nagar,Madurai,Thanjavur,Khandi(Kandy)and Thundeera (Gingee/Chenchi) belonged to Balija caste and they were interrelated.

Note Perika Balija, Surya Balija (Kalavantula),Vaada Balija (Matsyakarlu), Ediga Balija (Goud)are not part of Balija or Balija Naidu Caste. Often there is a great confusion with these Communities the name Balija was adopted by these communities to exalt their social Status

See List of Balijas for more information on prominent Balijas/Kapus

See also

• Forward Castes
• Other Backward Classes

References & Sources

Important information about Kapu origins can be obtained from Balijapuranam in the Chennai library.

• Castes And Tribes of Southern India (Edgar Thruston)
• Andhrula Sanghika Charitra (Suvarnam Pratapa Reddy)
• Caste & Class Articulation of Andhra Pradesh
• Genetic Evidence on Caste Origins
• Caste politics in the North, West and South India before Mandal
• Social Changes among Balijas (by Vijaya Kumari and Sepuri Bhaskar)
• Andhrula Sankshiptha Charitra (E. Balarama Murthi)
• Religion in Vijaya nagara Empire (Konduri Sarojini Devi)
• - History in Telugu
• - History in English
• - All about kapu community
• Balijakula Charithra (by Kante Narayana Desayi)