Settibalija

Settibalija (also Setti Balija, Setty Balija) refers to two distinct and completely unrelated communities in Andhra Pradesh, India. The term Setti Balija (or Chetty Balija) historically referred to a sub-caste of the Balija community.[1] These Setti Balijas were a prominent mercantile community of South India with a history dating back to the Vijayanagara Empire.[1] They are currently found in the Rayalaseema region and are classified as a Forward Caste.[2]

In 1920, as a part of Sanskritization process, the toddy-tapper community of Godavari districts — not related to the Balija caste and the historical Setti Balija trader community — changed their caste name from Ediga or Eendra to the more respectable name of Chettu Balija (Chettu meaning tree in Telugu), which transformed to Setti Balija over a period of time.[3][4] The Settibalijas of Godavari districts are related to the larger Goud community and are classified as a Backward Caste.[5]

Setti Balijas of Rayalaseema
Main article: Balija

Setti Balija (also known as Setty Balija, Chetty Balija, Balija, Kapu) is a subgroup of the Balija caste.[8] The community identifies itself as Setti Balija in Rayalaseema while in Coastal Andhra they prefer to call themselves Balija to avoid confusion with an unrelated community of the same name.[9] Their traditional occupation is trading.[1][10] These Setti Balijas, along with Komatis, were a prominent mercantile community of South India with a history dating back to the Vijayanagara Empire.[1]

In the present-day, they are landholders and are involved in agriculture, business, and trade in food grain.[7]: 16, 18  They are classified as a Forward Caste in Andhra Pradesh.[12] Setti Balija (sub-caste of Balija) is present all across Rayalaseema, and in smaller numbers in former Nellore and Prakasam districts.[9] The Setty Balijas of Rayalaseema are closely related to the landowning Kapu/Telaga community of Coastal Andhra.[13] They are completely unrelated to the Coastal Andhra community known as Setti Balija, who are a part of Goud community and changed their caste name from Ediga to Setti Balija in 1920 to attain social dignity.[17]

Settibalijas of Coastal Andhra

The Settibalijas (also known as Chettu Balija, Ediga, Eendra, Settiga, Settikula)[18] of Coastal Andhra mostly live in the erstwhile districts of East Godavari, West Godavari and in smaller numbers in Visakhapatnam and Krishna districts. Traditionally, they are a community of toddy tappers.[19][20] They are similar to other Telugu toddy tapping castes like Goud, Ediga, Yatha, Gamalla, Goundla, Segidi etc.[21][5][22]

The Settibalija community of Coastal Andhra is classified as a Backward Caste and is listed under BC-B in the Andhra Pradesh Backward Castes list.[24] They are completely unrelated to the Setty Balija community of Rayalaseema who are traders and landlords.[25]

History

In the early 20th century, toddy tappers of Godavari districts were looked down upon by the upper caste people due to their occupation and low economic status.[26][27] At the time, they were referred to as Ediga (ఈడిగ) or Eendra (ఈండ్ర) with the disparaging suffix -gadu added to the names of men.[30] They were also known as Chettu gallu (Chettu meaning tree in Telugu).[4]

On 25 September 1920, Dommeti Venkata Reddy (1853–1928), a rich merchant from the Eendra community organised a caste meeting in Bodasakurru, East Godavari district (now in Konaseema district) and passed the resolution that the Ediga/Eendra caste would henceforth only be referred to as Settibalija (Setti sounding similar to Chettu meaning tree or Chottu meaning tapping; and Balija meaning trader/businessman).[31]

Even though Edigas are unrelated to the Balija community, the word 'Balija' was added to their caste name as it was considered to be a respectable name.[32] Venkata Reddy urged his fellow Edigas to record their caste under their new name in land documents, censuses, and other government records.[33] He also resolved that -gadu would not be used for the names of toddy-tapper families in any manner and submitted a memorandum to the district collector on the same.[34] He also established a high school and undertook other initiatives for the educational development of his caste.[27][15]

In 2020, members of the community celebrated the 100th anniversary of the renaming of their caste from Ediga to Settibalija.[35][28]

References
  1. Paul, John Jeya; Yandell, Keith E. (2000). Religion and Public Culture: Encounters and Identities in Modern South India. Psychology Press. pp. 33–34. ISBN 978-0-7007-1101-7.
  2. Proceedings - Indian History Congress. Indian History Congress. 2006. p. 430. The Setty Balija community of the Rayalaseema region is basically a landholding community.
  3. Devi, Dr V. Vasanthi (3 May 2021). A Crusade for Social Justice: P. S. Krishnan: Bending Governence Towards The Deprived. South Vision Books. pp. 47–48. In some parts of Andhra Pradesh, the Idiga have assumed the name of "Setty Balija", which is felt as more respectable than the traditional name. But the socio-economic and educational conditions of the Idiga of Andhra Pradesh are now worse than that of Ezhava and Nadar. A large percentage of them continue to still work as toddy-tappers.
  4. Census of India, 1961. Part 6. Vol. 2. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. p. 13. For instance, Chetti Balija or Chettu Balija means a section of people engaged in economic activity whose main raw material base is trees. In other words, Chettu Balija is a section of people who are engaged in tapping the juice from trees particularly ....
  5. W. Chandrakanth (27 February 2004). "Gouda, Settibalija conference". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 18 January 2005. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
  6. Reddy, M. Atchi (1996). Lands and Tenants in South India: A Study of Nellore District, 1850-1990. Oxford University Press. p. 139. ISBN 978-0-19-563660-4.
  7. "NCBC Andhra Pradesh Bench Findings" (PDF). National Commission for Backward Classes. 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 February 2013.
  8. [1][6][7]: 12, 16 
  9. Singh, K. S. (1992). People of India: Andhra Pradesh (3 pts.). Anthropological Survey of India. ISBN 978-81-85579-09-2. (p. 281) The Setty Balija is a subgroup of the Balija. This community identifies itself as Setty Balija in the Rayalaseema districts, while the people in coastal Andhra prefer to call themselves Balija and Kapu.
  10. Singh, K. S. (1998). India's Communities. Vol. 6. Anthropological Survey of India. p. 228. ISBN 978-0-19-563354-2.
  11. Report of the Backward Classes Commission. Andhra Pradesh Backward Classes Commission. 1970.
  12. [2][11][7]: 20 
  13. [9][7]: 12, 18 
  14. Prasada Bhoopaludu (1939). Andhra Vignanamu. Vol. 3. The Razan Electric Press. p. 1382. ఈండ్ర లేక యీడిగ అని పిలువబడు కులజు లిటీవల సెట్టిబలిజెలు అనుపేరు పెట్టుకొని యున్నారు. కాని వీరలలో వీరి కెట్టి సంబంధమును లేదు.
  15. ఆహ్వానము (in Telugu), అఖిల భారత కల్లుగీత కులాల సమాఖ్య, 2018, retrieved 24 October 2022
  16. K. Narayana Desai (1937). Balija Kula Charitra (PDF) (in Telugu). pp. 10–11.
  17. [3][14][7]: 9–10, 18 [15][4][11]: 160, 169 [16]
  18. Singh, K. S. (1992). People of India: Andhra Pradesh (3 pts.). Anthropological Survey of India. p. 275. ISBN 978-81-85579-09-2.
  19. Proceedings - Indian History Congress. Indian History Congress. 2006. p. 430. Setti Balija / Gamalla / Gaundla are originally toddy tappers by profession, though a few work to cultivation.
  20. Somanaboina, Simhadri; Ramagoud, Akhileshwari (15 November 2021). The Routledge Handbook of the Other Backward Classes in India: Thought, Movements and Development. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-000-46280-7.
  21. Singh, K. S. (1992). People of India: Andhra Pradesh. Anthropological Survey of India. p. 692. ISBN 978-81-7671-006-0. The Idiga or Ediga are toddy-tappers and liquor vendors in the Rayalaseema area. They are referred to as Goundala and Kalali in Telangana and Gowda, Gamalla or Setti Balija in coastal Andhra.
  22. Balasubramanian, Rangaswamy (2001). Social and Economic Dimensions of Caste Organisations in South Indian States. University of Madras. p. 249.
  23. "Andhra Pradesh Backward Caste List". Srikakulam Online. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  24. [11]: 160, 169 [23][7]: 3–4 
  25. [14][11]: 160, 169 [7]: 9–10, 18 [16]
  26. Gudikadi Anjaneyulu Goud (2001). గౌడ పురాణం: పటం కథ - ఒక పరిశీలన [Gouda Puranam: Patam Katha - Oka Pariseelana] (in Telugu). Triveni Publications. p. 23.
  27. Gudikadi Anjaneyulu Goud (2001). గౌడ పురాణం: పటం కథ - ఒక పరిశీలన [Gouda Puranam: Patam Katha - Oka Pariseelana] (in Telugu). Triveni Publications. p. 24.
  28. Gubbala Satya Prasad (1 September 2019). ""శెట్టిబలిజ" కు నూరేండ్లు" (in Telugu). Bombay Andhra Settibalija Samajam.
  29. "ఆంధ్రభారతి నిఘంటు శోధన - ఈండ్ర". Andhra Bharati. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  30. [26][27][3][15][28][29]
  31. [27][4][15][28][3][7]
  32. [11][7]: 9–10, 18 [16]
  33. Gubbala Madhava Murty (30 September 2013). "First Settibalija Mahajana Sabha and its Resolutions" (in Telugu).
  34. [27][15][33][28]
  35. "నూరేండ్ల పండుగ" [Centenary Celebrations]. Bombay Andhra Settibalija Samajam. January 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
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