A large number of Telugu speaking people from various parts of Andhra Pradesh started migrating towards Tamil Nadu during the 16th century and when the Nayak rule flourished in Madurai, they started settling in this part of the state as these rulers appointed them to various posts in their administration.
Professor T S Giriprakash, former head of the department of Telugu and comparative literature, Madurai Kamaraj University says that today, 40% out of the total population of Madurai has its origins in Andhra Pradesh. They are distinguished by various castes such as Naidus, Reddiars and Arya Vysyas and collectively known as the Arava Telugus. But they have no common association to link them at present. According to Professor Giriprakash,he made an attempt to bring them under a single umbrella by forming the Telugu Cultural Association, way back in the year 1983, "but it died a slow death due to the lack of interest among the people, in a span of just six years," he says.
People from this community are fluent in both Telugu and Tamil and have become so integrated with the local society that most of them follow many rituals and customs as the Tamils. They came in large numbers during the initial migration and were assigned all types of jobs from the top most posts in the armed forces to even doing small jobs, like cleaning and sanitation. It is said that people from Andhra Pradesh helped the people in these parts to take up well irrigation for agriculture and tide over the drought situation.
Dr Prajna of a reputed city hospital says that the community had become very integrated with the local Tamil culture over the last 400 years and do not have many connections with their original Andhra Pradesh roots. "When we get patients from Andhra Pradesh, I talk to them in Telugu only to have them say that they do not understand Tamil, that is the extent to which our Telugu has changed from its original version," he said.
Lakshmi Naidu, a sanitary worker says that though he has lived in Tamil Nadu for many years, he learnt to speak his mother tongue as it was the language spoken at home. He adds that he knows other people in this job who also speak Telugu even without any connection with Andhra Pradesh today.
But some festivals are still celebrated with a lot of fervour. The Reddiars have their Ugadi and the Arya Vysyas participate in their form of celebration for the New Year. The 'Varalakshmi nombu' is something that the women celebrate without fail with all its religious zeal. "I invite my neighbours for the prayers, where we make our own idol of the goddess as the local non Brahmins do not celebrate it," said L Kala.
People from this community enjoy spicy foods as per their genetic set up. "I would give anything for a good spicy Hydrabadi biryani and always have a green chilli with my lunch," says Kumar, a Telugu speaker. It is very difficult to differentiate these people from the local Tamils and they have performed wonders for the growth and development of Madurai.
Source - TOI
Professor T S Giriprakash, former head of the department of Telugu and comparative literature, Madurai Kamaraj University says that today, 40% out of the total population of Madurai has its origins in Andhra Pradesh. They are distinguished by various castes such as Naidus, Reddiars and Arya Vysyas and collectively known as the Arava Telugus. But they have no common association to link them at present. According to Professor Giriprakash,he made an attempt to bring them under a single umbrella by forming the Telugu Cultural Association, way back in the year 1983, "but it died a slow death due to the lack of interest among the people, in a span of just six years," he says.
People from this community are fluent in both Telugu and Tamil and have become so integrated with the local society that most of them follow many rituals and customs as the Tamils. They came in large numbers during the initial migration and were assigned all types of jobs from the top most posts in the armed forces to even doing small jobs, like cleaning and sanitation. It is said that people from Andhra Pradesh helped the people in these parts to take up well irrigation for agriculture and tide over the drought situation.
Dr Prajna of a reputed city hospital says that the community had become very integrated with the local Tamil culture over the last 400 years and do not have many connections with their original Andhra Pradesh roots. "When we get patients from Andhra Pradesh, I talk to them in Telugu only to have them say that they do not understand Tamil, that is the extent to which our Telugu has changed from its original version," he said.
Lakshmi Naidu, a sanitary worker says that though he has lived in Tamil Nadu for many years, he learnt to speak his mother tongue as it was the language spoken at home. He adds that he knows other people in this job who also speak Telugu even without any connection with Andhra Pradesh today.
But some festivals are still celebrated with a lot of fervour. The Reddiars have their Ugadi and the Arya Vysyas participate in their form of celebration for the New Year. The 'Varalakshmi nombu' is something that the women celebrate without fail with all its religious zeal. "I invite my neighbours for the prayers, where we make our own idol of the goddess as the local non Brahmins do not celebrate it," said L Kala.
People from this community enjoy spicy foods as per their genetic set up. "I would give anything for a good spicy Hydrabadi biryani and always have a green chilli with my lunch," says Kumar, a Telugu speaker. It is very difficult to differentiate these people from the local Tamils and they have performed wonders for the growth and development of Madurai.
Source - TOI
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