Telugu people

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Telugus
Telugu people:
Saint Tyāgarāja  • Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
 • P. S. Kumaraswamy Raja  • Tanguturi Suryakumari  • Neelam Sanjiva Reddy  • N.T. Rama Rao • Jiddu Krishnamurti • Sameera Reddy • Pullela Gopichand • V S Ramadevi • Dronavalli Harika •
Total population
75,000 000[1]
Regions with significant populations
 India
 Malaysia 350.000
 France 10,000
 South Africa
 USA
 Australia
 UK
 Canada
 Myanmar largest Burmese Indian group [2]
Languages

Telugu
Religion

Hinduism · Islam · Christianity · Buddhism · Judaism
Related ethnic groups

Dravidian · Brahui · Gondi · Kalinga · Kannadiga · Malayali · Tamilian · Tuluva

Telugu people refer to the group of people who natively speak the Telugu language. They are one of the most ancient ethnic groups found in India, existing prior to the writing of the Vedas and mentioned in the Ramayana and Mahabharat epics. They are also the largest of the Dravidian groups by population. Telugu, which falls in the central Dravidian language group, is the most spoken of the Dravidian languages and the second most commonly spoken language in India after Hindi. Telugu are spread throughout India and abroad, but the state of Andra Pradesh is their homeland. The most significant populations outside of Andhra Pradhesh are found in Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Chattisgarh and Orissa.

Countries in North America, Europe, Africa, Australia, Mauritius, Fiji, Réunion and Malaysia also have significant populations. In the Americas they have two large associations called TANA [1] (Telugu Association of North America) and ATA [2] (American Telugu Association).

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] People of Andhra Pradesh

Telugu/Andhra/Kalinga are all terms which refer to the native inhabitants of Andhra Pradesh. The ethnic composition of the people of Andhra Pradesh can be geographically categorised into 3 main regions: North-west, North-east and Southern. Racially, the early people of the Deccan Plateau (north-west Andhra Pradesh) were a hybrid race - a mixture of Dravidians, Scythians (Sakas), Parthians (pahlavas), and Greeks (Yavanas)[3]. The people of North-east Andhra Pradesh, are predominantly a mixture of Aryans and Dravidians. The term Kalinga (India), has been historically relevant to this region, incorporating north-east Andhra Pradesh and modern day Orissa. People from the Kalinga region were responsible for colonizing Sri Lanka, spreading Bhuddism and are ancestors to a large portion of the Singhalese population. The inhabitants of Southern Andhra Pradesh are predominantly descendants of the Dravidian people, with mild admixture with the Aryan race.


Sanskrit writings from the 7th century bc describe the Andhra people as Aryans from the north who migrated south of the Vindhya Range and mixed with non-Aryans. They are mentioned again at the time of the death of the great Mauryan King Ashoka in 232 bc. This date has been held to be the beginning of the Andhra historical record. Various dynasties have ruled the area, including the Andhra (or Satavahana), Shakas, Ikshvakas, Eastern Chalukyas, Vijayanagar, the Qutb Shahis, and the nizams (princes) of Hyderābād.[4]


The people of Andhra Pradesh were also called Andhri.[5] In certain times they ruled over Magadha, Anga, Asmaka, Mulaka and Kalinga.[6][7][8][9][10]

They are also mentioned in the Vayu and Matsya Purana.[11] In the Mahabharata the infantry of Satyaki was composed of a tribe called Andhras, known for their long hair, sweet language, and mighty prowess.[12] They lived along the banks of the Yamuna river. Andhras and Kalingas supported the Kauravas during the Bharata war. Sahadeva defeated the kingdoms of Pandya, Dravida, Odhra, Chera, Andhra, and Kalinga while performing the Rajasuya yajna. Chanoora was killed by Krishna in Madhura. Hari Vamsa Purana corroborates the fact that Chanoora was the king of Karoosa Desa (on the north side of Vindhya and on the north banks of the Yamuna river) and was an Andhra. Buddhist references to Andhras are also found. [13]

[edit] Ancient Territory

Andhras were nomads for several centuries. Some tribes migrated and others did not and remained in their older settlements. Apastamba Rishi states that around 700 BC some Andhra tribes inhabited Salvadesa on the banks of the Yamuna River. Apastamba sutra has been widely practiced among Andhra Brahmin families and continues to be followed even today. A single Rishi was the teacher (acharya) of each tribe. Apastamba was one such teacher. Apastamba wrote these rules in Salva Desam on the banks of Yamuna river. After Apastamba's death the Andhra tribes crossed the Vindhya mountains, reached the south, and merged with the other Andhra tribes. Atreya Brahmana tells us that Andhras lived on the south side of Vindhya along with Pundra, Pulinda, Sabaras, Mootibas.

Some of those Andhras who came to the south settled on the west side of Vindhya mountains (present Northern regions of Hyderabad). Another tribe crossed the Eastern Ghats over Orissa and reached the Kalinga Desam. Serivanijo Jataka tale explains that Andhras built the Andhaka-puram on the banks of Tel river.

Jataka tales were written during 200-250 BC. Tel river is a subriver of Mahanadi in Orissa. The people in this tribe are Kalingas. The books cited above describe the Andhras and Kalingas as two different branches of a single tribe. Sometimes these two words (Andhras and Kalingas) are used as synonyms.

Andhra tribes established relationships with Naga, Yaksha, and Dravida tribes of Vindhya mountains who already were living there. In Tamil and Kannada Ten means south side and Tenugu is a person travels to the south. The name Tenugu transformed into Telugu. From Telugu, words like Telagalu, Telangana, and Teligiri originated. A tribe called Tailang in Burma is proposed to be related to Telugu people.[3]

[edit] Satavahanas

The first great Andhra empire was that of the Satavahanas,[14] who came to power when the last Kanva emperor Sisuman, was assassinated by his prime minister Sipraca, of the Andhra tribe. They reigned for 450 years and the last was Puliman or Puloma the pious, who after conquering India put an end to his life by drowning himself in the holy waters of the Ganges, after the example of his grandfather. From this king, India was called by the Chinese Poulomeun-koue, the country of Puliman. While in the west the inhabitants of the Gangetic provinces were denominated Andhra Hindus[citation needed]. The Satavahana rulers are said to have been held in the highest veneration all over India[citation needed]; and their fame was extended to the peninsulas of Malaya, the Maharaja of India being a favorite subject of Malayan poetry[15].

[edit] Language

Main article: Telugu language

In Ancient times Telugu the language of the Andhras, seems to have been spoken as far north as the mouth of Ganges. This appears both from the geographic limits which the Greeks have assigned, to the territory of the Andhra race and from many of the names and places mentioned by Ptolemy up to that delta being found to be Telugu. Telugu is a name mentioned by the Greek geographers as that of a nation dwelling on or near the Ganges. In respect to antiquity of culture and glossarial copiousness, it is the oldest of Dravidian languages, but this has been disputed as it has a large Sanskrit influence and has a different structure to that of other Dravidian languages. It is also named as the "Italian of the East" as most words in Telugu end in a vowel, as in Italian.

[edit] Culture

Kakateeya Sculpture at warangal

[edit] Literature

Main article: Telugu literature
  • Padya Sahithyam and Gadya Sahithyam
  • Bhagavatam by Sri Bammera Pothana
  • Ramayanam by Rayana Baskara
  • Ramayanam by Kummari Molla
  • Maha Bharatam by KaviTrayam (Nannaya, Yerrapragada and Tikkana)
  • Sataka Sahityam by Vemana, Baddena, Marana Venkana, Yenugu Lakshmana Kavi, Seshappa Kavi, Dhoorjati, and Bhakata Ramdas
  • Telugu Chatu Padhyalu
  • Tenali Ramalinga Kavi
  • Kavi Sarvabhouma Srinathudu
  • Telugu Vaggeya Karulu
  • Annamayya
  • Tyagaraju
  • Kshetrayya

[edit] Food

Ravva Dosa served at a Hotel in Guntur.

Some common Telugu foods are:

  1. Paravannam
  2. Aavakaaya Pachadi
  3. Maagaya Pachadi
  4. Chintakaya Pachadi
  5. Gongoora pachchadi
  6. Korivi Karam
  7. Vankaya Kura
  8. Pootha Rekulu
  9. Madata Kajalu
  10. Gor Meetilu
  11. Ariselu
  12. Boorelu
  13. Gaarelu
  14. Bobbatlu (bhakshaalu in Rayalaseema)
  15. Jentikalu
  16. Chakkilaalu
  17. Ulava Chaaru
  18. Pacchi Pulusu
  19. Bommidaila Pulusu
  20. Vadiyalu
  21. Attu (dosa)
  22. Pappu
  23. Rasam
  24. Charu
  25. Sambaru
  26. Pulihora

[edit] Traditional Dress

Uma Muralikrishna, a very talented Kuchipudi dancer performing at IIM Bangalore
  • Male
  1. Uttareeyam (Angavastram or veil)
  2. Jubba (Kurta) The top portion
  3. Pancha (Dhoti)
  4. Lungi (Casual or Worker dress)
  • Women
  1. Cheera (Sari)
  • Girls
  1. Parikini
  2. Langa Oni (Half Saree)

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Top 30 languages
  2. ^ Kernial Singh. Indian Communities in Southeast Asia. p. 588. http://books.google.com/books?id=TeExjdWUmJYC&pg=PA915&d. 
  3. ^ http://www.4to40.com/discoverindia/index.asp?article=discoverindia_satavahana
  4. ^ http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761580539/Andhra_Pradesh.html
  5. ^ Ramanlal Chhotalal Mehta, Studies in Musicology, Indian Musicological Society (1983)
  6. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=79w9AAAAMAAJ&q=andhra+race&dq=andhra+race&lr=&pgis=1
  7. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=IfQQ6hWz37EC&pg=PA81&dq=andhra+race&lr=&sig=KDaZpybQCK1RL2-xnJTFdNSUzVM#PPA81,M1
  8. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=GrUFAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA33&dq=andhra+race&lr=#PPA33,M1
  9. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=x40BAAAAMAAJ&q=andhra+race&dq=andhra+race&lr=&pgis=1
  10. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=-tpDAAAAIAAJ&q=andhra+race&dq=andhra+race&lr=&pgis=1
  11. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=9PdzBZegtvMC&q=andhra+race&dq=andhra+race&lr=&pgis=1
  12. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=EmIMAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA2-PA20&dq=andhra+race&lr=
  13. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=wRAhAAAAMAAJ&q=andhra+race&dq=andhra+race&lr=&pgis=1
  14. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=Sae4q93tSGkC&q=andhra+race&dq=andhra+race&lr=&pgis=1
  15. ^ Josiah Conder, The Modern Traveller: A Popular Description, Geographical, Historical, and ... v. I, India, (1828), p.139

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telugu_people"
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