Reddy
Reddy is a caste found mainly in the state of Andhra Pradesh in southern India. They constitute about 11-15% of the Population of Andhra Pradesh. Though there are a number of Reddys with roots in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, they are predominantly a Telugu speaking farming community from the state of Andhra Pradesh.
Reddy Dynasty
Historian and researcher B.N. Shastry in his book Reddy Rajya Sarwaswam revealed the existence of the Reddy community was traced back to 11th and 12th Centuries. After the death of Musunuri Kaapaya Nayaka, Reddys, who were army commanders, established their own kingdoms. Reddy kings of Kondaveedu and Rajahmundry became independent and ruled coastal Andhra Pradesh from 1353 to 1448. The kingdom eventually declined due to incessant wars with Recharla (Velama) Chiefs and the Gajapathis of Orissa. The Reddys fled to the border districts of Adilabad and Karimnagar.
The Reddys were known for their fortifications and built several dams and lakes for farming and drinking purpose. Ratnagiri Fort was built by Reddys but was captured by the Muslims. Two major hill forts at Kondapally, 20 km north west of Vijayawada and another at Kondavidu, about 30 km west of Guntur bear testimony to the Fort building skill of the Reddy kings. The other fort which the Reddys were partially involved in building was the Khammam fort.
There is evidence that Reddy rulers had marital relationships with Kshatriyas. Mahamuni Kavya Kantha Ganapathi Shastry who wrote the foreword for Mr. Shastry’s book mentioned this. Raja Dantuluri Ganna Bhoopal gave away his daughter Surambika to Ana Vema Reddy in marriage. This was said to be the first marriage between Reddy and Kshatriya communities. Chandravanshi Maharaja Harihara Deva Raya married Hari Ramba the daughter of Kataya Vema Reddy. Bheema Raju, son of Bhakthiswara Choda who belonged to Suryavanshi married his daughter Vemabika to Allada Reddy.
- Prolaya Vema Reddy established The Reddy Dynasty with Addanki as the capital city of his Kingdom. Later it was shifted to Kondaveedu.
- Anavota Reddy (1335-1364 AD) became king of the Reddy dynasty and conquered many small kingdoms including Nidadavolu (Ruled by Vengi Chalukya's), Vundi (Ruled by Suryavanshi Kshatriya's), Korukonda (Ruled by Kondanayaka's), Pithapuram (Ruled by Kapus) before 1356 AD.
- Anavema Reddy (1364-1386 AD), brother of Anavota Reddy, was also an able ruler. His ruled his kingdom with Nirvajyapuram (Nidadavolu) as his capital city. During his rule he conquered Rajahmahendrapuram, Korukonda(Ruled by Kondanayaka's), Pithapuram(Ruled by Kapus) before 1356 AD, Kalingam and Simhachalam.
- Komaragiri (Kumaragiri) Reddy (1386-1402 AD) was the son of Anavota Reddy. There were internal disputes in the kingdom before he occupied the throne. Katayavema Reddy (Senapathi), chief of the army of Anavota Reddy and brother-in-law of Komaragiri Reddy and Peda Komati Vema Reddy were the root of all the internal disputes. The rulers of different parts of the kingdom announced their Independence and did not pay taxes. To suppress the revolt Kataya Vema Reddy and Anavota Reddy II visited Rajamahendrapuram.
- Kataya Vema Reddy (1395-1414 AD) ruled Rajahmundry for 19 years. He fought many wars against Peda komati Vema Reddy. He extended his kingdom up to Katam. He had one son, Komaragiri Reddy and two daughters, Anitally and Hariha Ramba.
- Allada Reddy (1414-1423 AD): Komaragiri Reddy was only 10 yrs old by the time Kataya Vema Reddy died (1414). Allada Reddy ruled the kingdom on his behalf. Unfortunately Komaragiri Reddy also died. Peda Komati Vema Reddy waged a war against the kingdom twice, but Allada Reddy defeated him both the times. Allada Reddy made a treaty with Kalingas and Vijayanagara Emperors.
- Veera Bhadra Reddy (1423-1448): Allada Reddy died in the year 1423 AD and Veera Bhadra Reddy became the ruler of the Reddy dynasty. Rajamahendravaram was his Kingdom. Devarayalu II conquered the Rajamahendravaram and Simhachalam forts. The Reddy kingdom's decline started due to the wars waged by the Recharla Velamas, Gajapatis of Kalingas and later by Vijayanagar kings.
Poets in the Reddy Court
- Errana was a poet in the court of Prolaya Vema Reddy. Errana is also known as Yellapregada or Errapregada. He was honored with the title Prabandha Parameshwara (Supreme lord of Prabandha). He belongs to the Kavitrayam (Trinity of poets) who translated the Mahabharata.
- Srinathudu, known as Kavi Sarva Bhowma, is probably the most famous Telugu poet. He was a poet in Peda komati Vema Reddy's court.
Reddy Poet
- Ana Vemana (Vemana, the greatest Telugu poet know for Vemana Padyalu) is a Reddy. However, C.P. Brown and Thurston, a noted authority in south Indian history, considered him a Kapu.
Role in politics
Reddys have played a significant role in Andhra politics and a vital role in the social and economic development of the state. They were one of the first non-Brahmin communities to actively participate in the new democracy. The population of Reddys is 15% in Andhra Pradesh but at one time they occupied up to 40% of the state legislative assembly seats (MLA). Out of the five Reddy chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh, one is Christian (YSR), two were actually from the Kapu caste (Janardhan Reddy and Kasu Brahmananda Reddy), one was of the Gudati sub-caste (Chenna Reddy), and one was of the Gone sub-caste (Anjaiah Reddy). Neelam Sanjiva Reddy belonged to Pakanati group.
Their percentage of seats occupied has been decreasing because of the many sub-castes and varying religious affiliations that divides the Reddy community and because more and more communities as getting involved in the democratic process and asking for their share of the pie.
In the Nehruvian era, most political institutions, formal and informal were sufficiently self-regulating and the Congress Party’s “cluster of regional political machines processed the substance and the reach to manage most of the social tensions that arose”. However, the erosion of that capacity since the late 1960s due to the crystallization of interest groups, (caste, community, student and women) that became increasingly assertive of their rights over resources, sharing power, claiming self-respect and articulating their political concerns in more organized ways, has made it difficult for the Central government to manage the demands on it.
Above all, the resentment against the authoritarian and personalized rule of the Congress leader, Indira Gandhi had serious implications for both the political fate of the Congress party and the political process in A.P. The post-Emergency debacle of the Congress in the parliamentary elections unsettled its role in national politics and ushered in coalition governments at the Centre. The return of the Congress Party for a brief period witnessed her assassination in the hands of her own security guards unleashing the accumulated anger of the Sikhs at the humiliation meted out to them by the Congress Party’s government at the Centre. In the meantime in Andhra Pradesh, politics took a different turn when the Telugu matinee idol NTR launched the Telugu Desam Party in March 1982.
In AP Indira Gandhi succeeded in removing the dominant leader (Brahma Ananda Reddy, of the Reddy caste) and replaced him with Narasimha Rao, a Brahmin compromise candidate with no independent electoral base (Srinivasulu 1999). Rao sought to strengthen his position by forming an alliance outside of the Reddy and Kamma groups (Reddy 1990; Vakil 1990). This strategy received the high command's support in the larger, national game of securing Indira Gandhi's dominance by sidelining the dominant castes trying to destabilize her (represented, for instance, by the Syndicate, of which the Reddy leader Sanjeeva Reddy was a part).
For instance, Bernstor (1973) wrote an article entitled “The Eclipse of Reddy Raj?”. Randa (1972) notes that 60% of Congress tickets in the 1972 state elections were given to women, backward classes, SCs, STs, youth, and labor, and a third of the sitting members of the Andhra Assembly were retired. In Rao's 26-member ministry, there were only 9 dominant castes (Brahmins, Reddys, and Kammas).
Srinivasulu (1999) writes: “In pursuit of his political survival in the political context dominated by the Reddy, Kamma, and Velama castes (three major land-owning castes), Rao sought to forge a social bloc consisting of backward castes, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and minorities by giving them political berths in the Cabinet, greater representation to this bloc, and reducing the Reddy preponderance in the 1972 assembly election. Corresponding to this, measures like the AP Land Ceiling Act of 1972 and the launching of anti-poverty programs, more than their reactive implementation played a catalytic role in furthering the social polarization within the Congress. While on the one hand it led to the closing up of ranks among the landed gentry, it contributed in a significant way to the rise of awareness among the backward communities on the other.” [1], [2]
Trivia
- First Chief minister of Andhra Pradesh: Neelam Sanjiva Reddy (1-11-1956 –10-1-1960)
- First Chief Minister of Karnataka: Sri Kyasamballi Chengalaraya Reddy (25-10-1947 30-03-1952)
- First Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu: O P Ramaswamy Reddiyar [3] (March 23, 1947 April 06, 1949)
Faith
The overwhelming majority of Reddys are Hindus but a sizeable amount has converted to Christianity. The first conversion of Reddys to Christianity took place at Madigubba in Anantapur District in 1850 where Thumma Hanumanth Reddy got converted as Thumma Rayapa Reddy. The Catholic Reddy women wear Talibottu and Bottu (Tilak). They wear Mettalu and follow Telugu traditions and customs. There are few marriages of Catholic Reddys with the people of other castes. It is common for Catholic Reddys to have many Hindu relatives. Catholic Reddys are treated as a Forward caste by the government as they are landlords and enjoy their position in villages.
Immigration of community
Indira Gandhi's land reform policy in 1969 affected the rich landlords. Other economic changes during the 1960's and 70's triggered the migration of the community to North America.[4]
A survey by the American Medical Association in United States revealed that 4% of the practicing physicians in the USA had Reddy as their Last Name [5]. Many work in the Information Technology fields and there is a significant Reddy community in Academia and Research in American Universities. Reddys and the Andhra communities as a whole are a very influential and affluent group among the immigrated South Asian communities of North America. The Andhra community has been recently ranked as the second wealthiest minority community in the United States. The TANA and ATA associations have provided a vehicle for NRI Andhras to maintain their cultural affinity towards India.
The Reddy Name
Reddys use a surname followed by a given name and then a caste name, which is a common practice in all the communities of Andhra Pradesh. For example Kotla Vijaybhaskar Reddy. Kotla is his surname, followed by his given name and ending with his caste name. Many Reddys and members of Andhra community living outside of India all have adopted the practice of omitting the caste name or using it as a middle name and use their actual family name as their last name. Some others have chosen to eliminate Reddy altogether from their name. For example if K.V. Reddy were to have grown up in the US he probably would have his name as Vijay Bhaskar Reddy Kotla or Vijay Bhaskar Kotla.
Surnames are generally from the names of villages and professions. Regarding gotras there are several versions about their formation. Once feeding cows and looking after them was the main profession to the majority of society. The community that looks after cows (Govulu) was named after the head of the community. In this way Gotra has formed. There are approximately 10,000 surnames & gotras in the Reddy community.
For more information on Indian naming conventions see Indian family name
Notable Reddys
The List of Famous Reddys gives the names of several Reddys, born in India and abroad, who have become renowned figures in their lifetimes. Most of them however are known only among Telugu speaking people.
Notes
- ^ http://www.dailypioneer.com/indexn12.asp?main_variable=VOTE_2004&file_name=vote983.txt&counter_img=983
- ^ {http://www.odi.org.uk/livelihoodoptions/papers/wp179.pdf#search='caste%2C%20class%2C%20and%20social%20articulation'}
- ^ A Manual of the Kurnool state in the Presidency of Madras by Narahari Gopalakrishnamh Chetty , Government Press, Madras, 1886) p.139
- ^ Some were elected more than once.
- ^ Reddys in Tamil Nadu are called as Reddiyars as a courtesy of High respect.
- ^ Even though Reddy is the name of the Caste in the Hindu system, Reddy is taken as the last name in India and as the middle name in North America. Read the Reddy Name confusion section.
- ^ {http://www.vepachedu.org/castemore.htm.
References
- Abstract from Indian Caste systems, Kingdoms, Rulers by Tom Baker, Oxford University, 1897
- Abstract from South Indian Princely states, George Barnard, Oxford University, 1877
- Abstracted from the History of Rajahmundry by Aacharya Betavolu Ramabrahmam
- Adapted from History and evolution of Caste systems in India, Telugu University.
- Abstract from Hindu caste system, Pandit Vendanta Sharma & Michel Vincent, University of Delhi, 1923