The Karavali Tulunadu belt has numerous place names that are vestiges of ancient tribes that inhabited in the region. These tribal groups are known for migrations along and across the peninsular India during the historical space and time. In the process many of the tribes have undergone evolutionary changes in terms of their culture language and identity.
Kadaba
Kadaba is a town in Puttur taluk that retains the vestigial name of a tribal group. The Gadaba tribes are a part of the Munda tribes now predominantly distributed around the Chotanagapur region. The Kadaba tribes are not presently traceable in Tulunadu as they have been assimilated with the native population with passage of time. However, vestiges can be traced. The KaDamba is a surname among Jains of Tulunadu. The Kadamba kings of Banavasi in Sahyadri are said to be derived from a tribal group. Many of the Munda tribes were traditionally known to worship the Kaim/Kadamba tree which became insignia for the Kadamba dynasty. The Kadam surname can be traced further north in Maharastra.
Kadava
Shambaa Joshi traces journey of an ancient tribe of Karnataka known as Kadava(ru).They were physically strong, rustic tribes. Some of them migrated to Tamil areas where they were called Kalavar. Possibly, some of these tribes were involved in stealing that imparted the name Kalavar.
The Kalavar were a dynamic and enterprising group in Tamilnadu. With time they founded a dynasty known as Kalabhra. The Kalabhra were known in the history for introducing Aryan cultural elements in Tamilnadu. Similar Aryanization works were done by Kadamba in Karnataka.
Kalavar
The Kalavar tribes were also wandering in southern India. Some of them migrated to Karavali region and settled in places between Surathkal and Bajpe in Mangalore taluk. The Kalavara is now a village near MRPL petroleum complex on the Bajpe road. There is also another Kaalavara in Kundapur taluk.
The story of Gadaba /Kadaba- Kadamba-Kadam and Kadaba-Kadava- Kalavar- Kalabhra tribal successions might be a representative string that helps us to visualize the multiple layers of socio-cultural evolution in time and space in India.
®
A heritage blog by: Ravindra Mundkur & Hosabettu Vishwanatha
Gadaba have both Dravidian speaking and Austro-Asiatic sections among them.
ReplyDeleteBut it is indeed interesting to see connection between Austro-Asiatic tribes and ruling classes in South India. Probably, it all started with Satavahana kingdom in Central India. Munda model of ruling class could be again seen in Dravidian Gond kingdom during medieval times.
The existence of Gadaba1(Munda) and Gadaba2(Dravida)is one of the proofs in support of partial assimilation / transition of Munda to Dravida culture and langauges.Satavahana history if available in detail could throw more light on this.
ReplyDeleteShambaa Joshi! Here comes another Fake Brahmin Article. These Brahmins will never change until they become extinct like Adolf Hitler. Kadambas/Kardam/Kardamakas are the Saka(Scythians/Aryan) people who ruled Rajasthan Gujarat and Maharashtra as the Kshatrapas for The Kushans. They Later formed a Kingdom in Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra. They were Kings of Afghanisthan(Gandhara or Kandhara Region). Please Refer to Dr H. C. Ray Chaudhury and look for Western Kshatrapas or Kardamakas
ReplyDelete