The Telugu Warriors were mostly found in the Vijayanagara kingdom of Andhra Pradesh. Known as the socially backward caste, Ayyarakas are the Kshathriya Rajput community of South India. During the earlier times, Ayyarakas were the rulers and warriors with a significant population. Later on, the community diminished in numbers which made them come under the Backward class category of South India.
Ayyaraka caste is a combined version of terms ayya and rikam which means ‘The act of being a respectable person’.
Who are Ayyaraka Caste pathrulu?
The original Ayyaraka Caste and pathrulu were two separate communities. After there were matrimonial alliances taking place between the two subcastes, it resulted in the combination of the name.
The mediaeval history witnessed all military and agricultural communities being categorised as Kshathriya. The pathurulu were the soldiers and administrators who later on took good positions in Vijaynagaram Dynasty. They were good warriors and knew the exact skills to defend the forts.
The Ayyaraka Caste had similar traits because they were also involved in defending the kingdom and the fort of Golconda.
There were women who used to dress like soldiers in order to showcase their act of gallantry.
The community used to wear silver bangles as per the order of the king. Hence, the two different communities Ayyaraka and pathurulu have two different lineages but are still named together.
Ayyaraka culture and religious norms
The warrior caste is known to be the ardent follower of Lord Vishnu and a Hanuman. The main characteristic of these two deities is that they are always war-ready. The kshathriya clan of Hindus believe that it is Lord Ram in blue colour who is reincarnated as Lord Vishnu. The Ayyarakas were followers of dharma and its subjects. They held a good position in the previous medieval ancient eras.
Culture of Ayyaraka Caste
The Ayyaraka culture mainly reflects its rich South Indian origins. They use Telugu as their mother tongue and mostly celebrate festivals like Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Diwali and Holi along with their heritage dance festivals. The tribal communities are mostly involved in organising pomps and shows during certain seasons of the year. They also like to celebrate festivals by preparing special South Indian dishes and dressing up in their traditional Hyderabadi sari.
The Ayyaraka Caste now
The timeless culture of Andhra Pradesh still reflects in the Community of Ayyaraka. The individuals are now provided with special government arrangements to participate in higher educational institutions and apply for reputed government jobs. Such individuals can speak more than one language and are technically advanced than their previous generations.
Some of the community members residing in the rural area still prefer to follow their ancestral traits. The ones who take rural settlement have regional influences in their dialect and culture more often.
Final words
The Ayyaraka caste members are uniquely identifiable. They have all the impact of the culture in their day to day activities and trade management. Known for their special craftsmanship, it would not be wrong to say that the community is born with special skills. They mostly form a part of traditional South Indian culture which keeps the charm and culture of the state alive.