The term Vokkaliga was used to refer to Canarese cultivators. Vokkaliga community has several sub-groups within its fold such as Gangadhikara, Namdhari Vokkaliga, Morasu Vokkaliga,
Kunchitiga, Halikkar(Palikkar) Vokkaliga, Reddy Vokkaliga, Gounder, etc.
Lingayat converts of the various Vokkaligas are categorised as Lingayats. Exogamy at the family/clan level is strictly controlled by using the idiom of Mane Devaru (the patron god of the given exogamic clan) which dictates that the followers of same
Mane Devaru are siblings and marriage is thus forbidden, allowing marital alliances only with another clan and not within.
Gangadikara Vokkaliga The Gangadikara Vokkaligas, also known as the Gangatkars are numerically the largest among the Vokkaliga. The Gangadikaras are mostly found in the Mysore, Mandya, Chamarajnagar, Hassan, Bangalore, Ramanagara and Tumkur districts of Karnataka. Gangawadi was the name for the area covering these districts, ruled over by the
Western Ganga Dynasty and Gangadikara is a contraction of the term Gangawadikara (A man of Gangawadi). The Gangadikara Gowdas claim to be descendants of the erstwhile Ganga rulers. The administrative setup of Gangas vested power in the Ooru Gauda, Nadu Gauda, Pergade (archaic for Hegde, Pergade->Peggade->Heggade) and so on, at various levels of administration and apart from administrative duties, the Gauda was expected to raise militia when called for. The Gangadikaras and other Vokkaligas were considered analogous to the
Vellalar Chieftains of Tamil Country. They are Deccan Kshatriyas corresponding to
Marathas of Maharashtra. In fact, the word
Konga is the Tamil equivalent for
Ganga. The Gangadikaras have two primary sections – the Bujjanige (or Dhaare Shastradavaru) and the Pettige (or Veelyada Shastradavaru) based on differences in rituals performed during the wedding ceremony. They can be Shaiva or Vaishnava in religious affiliation (called Mullu and Dasa sects). Cheluru Gangadikaras (also called Chelaru), another small sub-sect, are said to be strictly vegetarian, a vestige of the times when the Gangas followed Jainism. Oral traditions of the people maintain that after the decline of the Ganga power they reverted to Hinduism retaining certain Jain practices.
Morasu Vokkaliga The border regions of Karnataka around modern-day Bangalore, Tumkur and Hosur was known as Morasu-nadu and was dominated by Morasu Vokkaligas. The Morasu Vokkaliga have four endogamous groups, namely the Morasu Vokkaligar, the Hosa Devara Vokkaligar, the Bellu Kodu Vokkaligar and the Musugu Vokkaligar. They speak both
Kannada and
Telugu. Telugu is restricted to the two sections of Reddy and Palyada Sime. The usual caste titles are
Gowda for the Kannada section and
Reddy for the Telugu section. Many Palegars belonged to the Musuku group. The Palegars of Devanhalli, Dodballapur, Yelahanka, Magadi, Hoskote, Kolar, Anekal and Koratagere were Morasu Vokkaligas. The famous
Kempe Gowda I, the founder of Bangalore City, was the most distinguished of the Palegars of Magadi. Burton Stein noted a link between Morasu Vokkaligas and the
Thondaimandala Vellala. They were traditionally agriculturists and were known for being a successful and enterprising group.
Namdhari Vokkaligas The Namdhari Vokkaliga is the oldest and second largest Vokkaliga sub-group They use the surnames 'Hegde' and 'Gowda'. and are followers of
Sri Ramanujacharya. The Hoysalas were possibly of Namdhari Vokkaliga origin. Historians refer to the founders of the
Hoysala dynasty as natives of Malenadu based on numerous inscriptions calling them
Maleparolganda or "Lord of the Male (hills) chiefs" (
Malepas). Some historians believe Hoysala originated from Sosevuru (Modern Angadi,
Mudigere taluk). Hoysalas also strongly supported Kannada language. The early Hoysala chiefs had alliances with the
Western Ganga Dynasty and claimed to be heirs to the Gangas. Several of the major feudatories of the Hoysalas were Vokkaligas. Many Vokkaligas migrated into Tamil Nadu under Hoysala rule. Some of the Malenadu Vokkaligas took to Lingayatism. The
namesake is the best in the far-famed
Amrit Mahal cattle. They are also called Servegars as they were chief herdsmen in the Amrit Mahal Department. They use
Gowda and
Nayak as surnames.
Tulu and Kodagu Vokkaliga Tulu and Arebhase Gowda (Gauda) are the subsect of the Vokkaliga community located primarily in the South Canara District, Kodagu District, Indian state of
Karnataka and
Bandadka village of Kasaragod, Kerala State. They are said to have 10 Kutumba and 18 Bari as their primordial root families, from which a Nūru Mane or "hundred families" arose.
Nonaba Vokkaliga They were residents of the ancient Kingdom of Nonambavadi which was ruled by the Pallavas up till 10th century A.D. The Pallavas also called themselves as Nonambadhi Raja, Nonamba Pallava, Pallavadhi Raja, etc. This section of the Vokkaligas are
Lingayats by faith. In most respects, they follow the same customs as the Gangadhikara Vokkaligas.
Sadars They are Vokkaligas found chiefly in the Shimoga and Chitradurga Districts. They were originally Jains, though many converted to the
Lingayat, called
Sadar Lingayats and Hindu faiths. The Hindus worship both Siva and Vishnu, while the Jains worship the Jain Tirthankaras and Hindu Gods as well. The non-Lingayats, are divided into Huvvinavaru ("Those of flowers") and Hongeyavaru ("Those of the
Honge Mara"). Sadars had a high social status due to their strict vegetarianism and total abstinence. They have the usual Kattemane form of caste organization. The use the caste title Gowda. ==Varna Classification==