MarioStpierre at 16:21, 6 March 2026

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{{redirect|Havyaka|the dialect|Havigannada dialect}}
{{more citations needed|date=May 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox ethnic group
| group = Havyaka Brahmins
| popplace = [[India]]n state of [[Karnataka]]
| langs = [[Havigannada|Havyaka Kannada]], [[Sanskrit]]
| rels = [[Hinduism]]
}}

'''Havyaka Brahmin''', originally called '''Havika Brahmana''', is a [[Hindu]] [[Brahmin]] community native to the districts of [[Shimoga|Shivamogga]], [[Uttara Kannada]], [[Dakshina Kannada]], [[Kodagu_District|Kodagu / Coorg]],[[Kanara|coastal Karnataka]] and the [[Kasaragod]] district of [[Kerala]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hegde |first=Leena |title=Havyaka Heritage |url=https://www.havyaka.in/heritage |access-date=2024-12-24 |website=Havyaka |publisher=Havyaka.in (created by Leena Hegde)}}</ref> Havyakas fall under the [[Pancha-Dravida]] Brahmin category. They are primarily followers of the [[Yajurveda]], but some of them follow the [[Rigveda]] and [[Samaveda|Samaveda Shakas]] as well. They follow the [[Advaita Vedanta|Advaita philosophy]] of [[Adi Shankara]]charya.

== Etymology and origin ==
{{unreferenced section|date=June 2023}}
The word, as attested by linguist Sediyapu Krishna Bhat, is derived from ''[[Ahichchhatra|Ahichchatra]]''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Havyaka Heritage |url=https://www.havyaka.in/heritage |access-date=18 Feb 2025 |website=Havyaka}}</ref> ''Brāhmaṇa''. It was changed to ''Ahika'' and then ''Havika'', and was agreed upon by scholars like Sediyapu and Nadahalli Ranganatha Sharma. The term ''Ahichatra Brāhmaṇa'' is mentioned in inscriptions. Another etymology that is popular for Havyaka is argued to have derived from the Sanskrit word havya, which means "sacred oblation". Thus, ''Havyaka'' could mean "performer of Havana rituals". However, according to Shri Sediyapu Krishna Bhat, the word "Havyaka" is a [[Sanskritisation (linguistics)|Sanskritization]] of Ahika-Havika. They are referred to as "Haviga" in colonial-era documents by British ethnographers. Some variations of this name are "Haiga" and "Havika"; "Haiga" is also the name of the region that is centered around Gokarna and is bounded by [[Tulu Nadu]] to the south; this region is also called ''Parashuramakshethra'', ''Gorastradesha'' or ''Gokarnamandala''. Sanskrit scholar Mahamahopadhyaya Nadahalli Ranganatha Sharma rejects the ''Havya'' + ''kavya'' derivation as grammatically incorrect. The word ''Havyaka'' was not used in official records until 1928, including mathas.

Havyakas are descended from Brahmins brought from Ahichchatra by King [[Mayurasharma]]n who founded the [[Kadamba dynasty]] in [[Kuntala country|Kuntala]]. These Brahmins were originally from the Ahichchatra kingdom near the modern-day [[Ramnagar, Bareilly|Ramnagar]] village in the modern-day [[Bareilly district]] in [[Uttar Pradesh]]. They were brought in order to perform [[Vedic rituals]] especially the [[Ashvamedha|Ashwamedha]] and were originally housed in ''Talagunda Agrahara'' near [[Soraba]] and [[Shiralakoppa]] towns where the inscription attesting to this fact is found. [[Banavasi]], which is 24 kilometers from [[Sirsi, Karnataka|Sirsi]] was the capital but Mayuraverma was born in the Talagunda Agrahara. From there, they spread out in the nearby regions primarily following areas which were suitable for areca nut plantations, which they have historically been involved in {{Cite book |last=Thimmappa Kalasi |first=Vidwan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PBicoAEACAAJ |title=Havyakara Itihasa |date=2012 |language=kn |trans-title=The history of Havyakas}}

Some claims suggest that the Havyakas originated from the Banavasi region and migrated to Ahichachtra (present-day Uttar Pradesh) in response to the threat posed by non-Vedic sects. Centuries ago, Kadambara Mayuravarman, the founder of Karnataka's first royal family, struggled to carry out his religious rituals due to the lack of Brahmins in those days. Therefore, he invited Havyaka families from Ahichachtra to perform Ashwamedha, provided shelter to some villages, and facilitated their settlement. When the Havyakas were concerned about their protection when they came to the Kadamba kingdom, the Kadamba king gave the Haigunda region of the Sharavati shore, which is an island in the midst of the Sharavati River, to the Havyakas so as not to disturb the Vedic works. Sri Ramachandrapura Mutt, one of the most famous gurupeeths, has recently taken charge of Haigunda temple, renovated it under the guidance of Sri Sri Raghaveshwar Bharati Swami, and performs religious programs on special occasions like Navratri.

== Geographic distribution ==
Havyakas are native to the [[Soraba]] (ancient town of Surabhipura), Sagara in [[Shimoga]], [[Uttara Kannada]] and the [[Dakshina Kannada]] districts of Karnataka and the [[Kasaragod district]] of Kerala. A smaller percentage can also be found in the Hosanagara, Shivamogga and Thirthahalli taluks in [[Shimoga district|Shivamogga]], [[Chikmagalur district|Chikmagalur]] and [[Kodagu district|Kodagu]] districts. They are found in Sirsi, Siddapura, Yellapura, Kumta and Honnavar in [[Uttara Kannada]]; in [[Puttur, Karnataka|Puttur]] and [[Sullia]] in Dakshina Kannada and in the northern parts of the Kasaragod district such as Kumbla {{Cite book |last=Thimmappa Kalasi |first=Vidwan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PBicoAEACAAJ |title=Havyakara Itihasa |date=2012 |language=kn |trans-title=The history of Havyakas}}.

== Notable people ==
{{See also|List of Havyakas}}


* [[Asha Bhat]], Indian actress, model and the winner of the Miss Supranational 2014 pageant.
* [[Raghuram Bhat]], Ex-Cricketer, President [[Karnataka State Cricket Association]]
* [[Vishweshwar Bhat]], Journalist, ex-Editor-in-chief Kannada Prabha, Rajyotsava Awardee.
* [[Urimajalu Ram Bhat]], Politician/MLA, Educationist, Co-founder of [[Vivekananda Degree College]], ex-Chairman of [[Campco]]
* [[Anantkumar Hegde]], Indian politician and Member of Parliament for Uttara Kannada constituency.
* [[Chittani Ramachandra Hegde]], Yakshagana artist. [[Padma Shri]], [[Rajyotsava Prashasti]] awardee.
* [[Keremane Shivarama Hegde]], Yakashagana artist/dancer, Sangeet Natak Academy Awardee, 1st Yakshagana artist to win [[Rashtrapati Award]]
* [[Ramakrishna Hegde]], former [[Chief Minister of Karnataka]].
* [[Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri]], Indian politician and 22nd speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly.
* [[Shashidhar Kote]], Singer, Musician, Teacher.
* [[Thimmappaiah Madiyal]], former Director-General and Inspector-General of Police
* [[Diganth Manchale]], Actor.
* [[Ramakrishna (Kannada actor)|Neernalli Ramakrishna]], Actor.
* [[Abhaya Simha]], film director and screenwriter
* [[K. V. Subbanna]], Founder of [[Ninasam]], [[Padma Shri]], Sahitya Academy, Sangeet Natak and Ramon Magsasay Awardee.
* [[Anant Krishna Shastry]], Indian historian and Professor.

== Rituals ==
Males undergo the Upanayana to initiate their Vedic studies.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/upanayana | title=Upanayana | Hindu ritual | Britannica }}</ref> It is also known as ''Brahmopadesha''. The key ritual during Upanayana is that of putting a sacred thread called ''yajnopavitha'' or ''janivaara'' consisting of three cotton strands across the left shoulder to the right waist of the boy. The initiate is called a dvija "twice-born" and is expected to perform the Sandhyavandana at least twice daily. Yajnopavitha has a special knot in it which is called as "Brahma Gantu". Havyaka Brahmins also undergo the Upakarma, where the sacred thread is changed.

In old Vedas, it is mentioned that after Upanayana, the boy enters the stage of Brahmacharya ashrama, leading a celibate and austere life of a student in his teacher's home and eating from handouts given by the neighbours. When he has accomplished his studies of the Vedas, he enters the Grahastha ashram, as a married man, becoming head of his household. During the wedding, the groom wears two janivaaras at the same time to signify his marriage.

== Language ==
{{unreferenced section|date=June 2023}}
{{Main|Havigannada dialect}}
The Havyakas are united by their language, known as Havigannada, which is a dialect of [[Kannada]]. There are two distinct dialects of the Havyaka language. One in [[Uttara Kannada]] and [[Shimoga district|Shivamogga]] districts and another in [[Dakshina Kannada]] and [[Kasaragod district|Kasaragodu]] districts. The dialect differs from mainstream Kannada; non-Havyakas who understand and speak Kannada cannot usually understand Havigannada.

Most Havyakas also understand mainstream [[Kannada]] (particularly, the Havyakas living in Bangalore, who speak [[Bangalore Kannada]] outdoors and Havigannada at home); the Havyakas who are native to [[Dakshina Kannada]] also understand [[Tulu language|Tulu]] and those from Kasaragod speak Havigannada at home and [[Malayalam]] outdoors. Havyakas who are settled in Goa and Karwar understand and speak Konkani. Apart from this, many of them, especially those living in metropolitan cities, can speak Hindi and English.

== Havyaka cuisine ==
{{unreferenced section|date=June 2023}}
The Havyakas follow a [[Lacto vegetarianism|lacto-vegetarian]] diet. Compared to the cuisines of other communities of [[South India]], Havyaka cuisine is milder and less spicy. [[Rice]], [[curds]], [[buttermilk]] and [[vegetables]] are the staples used in Havyaka cuisine. [[Coconut]] is used in a lot of dishes. Some popular Havyaka dishes include:
* [[Thambuli]]: A dish of chopped vegetables with curd or buttermilk and a seasoning of spices fried in oil.
* Sasime: A dish prepared with the ground paste of any vegetable along with curd and a seasoning of spices fried in oil.
* Appe huli: A sour and tangy watery soup made from unripe mangoes and chilly.
* [[Patrode]]: A dish made of colocasia leaves.
* Melara: Mild coconut-yogurt curry which can be made using various vegetables.
Curries are prepared from unripe jackfruits, the ripe jackfruit is used to cook items such as dosas and halvas.

== See also ==

*[[Shivalli Brahmins]]
*[[Gaud Saraswat Brahmin|Gowda Saraswat Brahmins]]

== References ==
<references />

=== Sources ===
* {{Cite book |last=Thimmappa Kalasi |first=Vidwan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PBicoAEACAAJ |title=Havyakara Itihasa |date=2012 |language=kn |trans-title=The history of Havyakas}}
* {{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/Tulunadu/page/n3/mode/2up |title=Tulunadu - Samajika Chariteyalli ondu samshodhanatmaka Vivechane |language=kn |trans-title=Talanadu - A Research Discipline in Social Behavior}}
* {{Cite book |last=Anand Saletore |first=Bhasker |url=https://archive.org/details/218431AncientKarnatakaHistoryOfTuluvaVolI |title=Ancient Karnataka History Of Tuluva |publisher=Oriental Book Agency |year=1936 |volume=1 |language=en}}
* {{Cite book |last=Ramesh |first=K. V. |url=https://archive.org/details/AHistoryOfSouthKanara |title=A History Of South Kanara |date=1970 |publisher=[[Karnatak University]]}}
* {{Cite book |last=Saletore |first=B. A. |url=https://archive.org/details/VaishnavismInVijayanagaraBASaletore_201603 |title=Vaishnavism In Vijayanagara, BA Saletore |date=1940 |id=1111006599313}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.havyakamahasabha.com/ Official Havyaka Mahasabha site]
* [http://www.havyak.com/ Official Havyaka Association of Americas site]
* [https://www.quora.com/Who-are-Havyaka-Brahmins Origin of the name]
[[Category:Kannada Brahmins]]
[[Category:Mangalorean society]]
[[Category:Brahmin communities of Karnataka]]

Havyaka Brahmins - Revision history

MarioStpierre at 16:21, 6 March 2026