The word, as attested by linguist Sediyapu Krishna Bhat, is derived from
Ahichchatra 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
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
Mayurasharman who founded the
Kadamba dynasty in
Kuntala. These Brahmins were originally from the Ahichchatra kingdom near the modern-day
Ramnagar village in the modern-day
Bareilly district in
Uttar Pradesh. They were brought in order to perform
Vedic rituals especially the
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 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 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 ==