Hoysala Karnataka Brahmin

Community of Smartha Brahmins

Ethnic group
Hoysala Karnataka Brahmins
Hoysala Empire emblem at Chennakeshava Temple, Belur
Regions with significant populations
Karnataka
Languages
Kannada, Sanskrit
Religion
Hinduism

Hoysala Karnataka Brahmins are a community of Smarta Brahmins, native to what is now the state of Karnataka.[1] Their association with the Hoysala Empire, which flourished from the 10th to the 14th centuries[2], has led them to adopt the prefix 'Hoysala' to their community name.[3]

Diet

The community has traditionally followed a strict vegetarian sattvic diet consisting of seasonal fruits and vegetables (except onions and garlic), whole grains, dairy, nuts, seeds, and oil. A typical breakfast item is uppittu (a thick semolina porridge with seasonings and vegetables). A typical dinner may include saaru (a thin soup made with lentils, tamarind, tomatoes, and spices) with rice, vegetable palya, and curd rice.[4]

Other Hoysala Karnataka dishes include:[5]

  • Badanekayi-aloogedde gojju, a curry[6] made with eggplant and potatoes
  • Bili holige, similar to the rice flatbread akki rotti but softer and suppler
  • Gulpavate, a sweet made with dried fruit, ghee, jaggery, and toasted wheat flour
  • Mysuru kootu, a Karnataka-style lentil and vegetable stew
  • Nucchina unde, quenelle-shaped lentil dumplings

Titles and surnames

Common titles of community members include Bhat and Jois, which are also used as surnames. Rao is another common surname.[7]

Associations

The Hoysala Karnataka Sangha formed in 1908 but eventually disbanded.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ Singh, Kumar Suresh (2003). People of India: Karnataka. Anthropological Survey of India. ISBN 978-81-85938-98-1.
  2. ^ Agrawal, Chitra (21 March 2017). Vibrant India: Fresh Vegetarian Recipes from Bangalore to Brooklyn [A Cookbook]. Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed. ISBN 978-1-60774-734-5.
  3. ^ Anantarāmu, Ṭi Ār, ed. (2022). Karnatakadalli Smarta Brahmanaru: nele-hinnele. Bengaluru: Harivu Buks. ISBN 978-81-963111-3-1.
  4. ^ Chitra Agrawal. Vibrant India: Fresh Vegetarian Recipes from Bangalore to Brooklyn [A Cookbook]. pp. 6–8.
  5. ^ "Cooking Hoysala Karnataka Food with Three Sisters". 15 April 2020.
  6. ^ The Bloomsbury Handbook of Indian Cuisine. p. 193.
  7. ^ K. S. Singh. Communities, Segments, Synonyms, Surnames and Titles. p. 1784.
  8. ^ Ramesh Bairy. Being Brahmin, Being Modern: Exploring the Lives of Caste Today. pp. 179–180.