Kuruba
| Kuruba | |
|---|---|
| Religions | Hinduism |
| Languages | Kannada, Kuruba language, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil |
| Populated States | Southern India |
Kuruba (also known as Kuruma, Kurumbar or Kuruba Gowda) is a Hindu caste whose traditional occupation was that of shepherding and farming. The community is present in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. They are known by different names such as Dhangar,[1] Hatkar and Telwar Lingayat in Maharashtra.
Some sources connect them to Pala, the shepherd dynasty of the Ahirs and suggest that Kuruba is a Dravidian name for Ahir.[2]
Etymology
The term kuruba is derived from kuri, meaning sheep; kuruba means shepherd.[1]
History
The Kurubas are said to have been connected to the Yadu or Yadava lineage mentioned in Puranas. Traditional sources claim that the Kurubas founded the Sangam dynasty and the Vijayanagara Empire.[3]
According to Ramchandra Chintaman Dhere, a scholar of the religious traditions of Maharashtra, <templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" />
The history of South India shows clearly that all the southern royal dynasties who arose from pastoralist, cowherd groups gained Kshatriya status by claiming to be Moon lineage Kshatriya, by taking Yadu as their ancestor and by continually keeping alive their pride in being "Yadava". Many dynasties in South India from the Pallavas to Yadurayas were originally members of pastoralist, cowherd groups and belonged to Kuruba lineages.[3]
See also
References
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External links
- Karnatakakurubarasangha.com - Kuruba Gowdas Sangha
