Bunt (community)
| Classification: | Caste/Kshatriya | |
| Significant populations in: | Karnataka and Kerala | |
| Language | Kannada and Tulu | |
| Religion | Hinduism and Jainism | |
Bunt is a Tulu/Kannada-speaking class found mainly in Southern coastal Karnataka.
The Bunt people
The origins of the Bunts is not clealry known. Whether they were indigenous or immigrants to Tulu Nadu(coastal Karnataka) is shrouded in mystery. The community of Bunts (anglicized from Buntas), also referred to as Nadavas, form an important and integral part of the socio-economic culture of Tulu nadu.
The Etymology of "Bunt"
The word Bunta in Kannada implies hired soldier or bodyguard. This is derived from the Sanskirt word Bhata again meaning 'a mercenary' or 'a hired soldier'. The Tulu equivalent is Bunte or Bunter(plural).
Geographic distribution
Bunts are mostly found in the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts of Karnataka, the Kasaragod district of Kerala and in Mumbai. They share Tulu nadu with other prominent religious, caste and ethnic groups like the Billavas, Mogeras, Brahmins, Konkanis, Catholics and Jains. The southern Bunts inhabiting Dakshina Kannada, northern Kasaragod and Udupi and Karkala taluks of Udupi districts are Tuluvas. Bunts in Kundapura speak a dialect of Kannada called Kundagannada.
Bunt Subdivisions
The Bunts community is made up of several subcastes. The chief among them include Bantaru, Nadavaru, Jain Bunts, Masaadika, Parivaara, Setru, Halarusetru, Baraga, Ullaye, Dokkaludethi, Kartharu, Palavaru and Ikkelakalu.
- Maasaadika Bunts are Tulu-speaking Bunts settled in the southern part of Tulu Nadu (Udupi, Mangalore and Kasargod).
- Naadavas or Nadabunts are Kannada-speaking Bunts settled in the northern parts of Tulunadu, i.e from Brahmavar to Byndoor. They are also known as Badakayeedagulu in Tulu.
- Parivaara Bunts are similar to remaining Bunts, but do not marry outside the division.
- Jain Bunts are Bunts who converted to Jainism but still maintain Bunt surnames like Hegde, Ajila, Ballal.
Bunt Society
Rituals and Worship
Bunts usually follow the traditional rituals of ''Bhuta Kola'' or the spirit worship and ''Nagaradhane'' or snake-worship. Bunt households in the villages had earmarked spaces for Bhootada Gadi or the rest space for spirits. During ''Bhuta Kola'', the eldest male member of the family will be called by name by the Darshan Paathri (the person who invokes the spirit),in the presence of villagers and prasadam will be given.
Matrilineal System
Bunts historically followed matrilineal system like Nairs of Kerala. It was called Aliya Santana (Kannada). The Gotras or bari were passed from mother to children.
Paād-danāas
Paād-danāas are songs rendered in Tulu language, describing the origin and the deeds of the holy spirits. Paād-danāas are an integral part of Bunt culture and are sung during the Bhuta Kola ceremony. Some of the well known spirits worshipped by the Bunts include Panjurli, Jumādi, Pilichāndi, Ullalthi, Vishnümurthy etc.
Cuisine
The cuisine of Bunts is famous all over Tulu Nadu. Bunts specialise both in vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Among non-vegetarian dishes, Kori Rotti and Kane Gasee are well known. Vegetarian dishes include Gullāa Chutney and Pāthrode.
Typical last names
Bunts have more than 90 surnames as listed below;
- ADAPA
- ADASU
- ADYANTHAAYA
- AJILA
- AJIRI
- ALVA
- ARAS
- ARIGA
- ATHAARA
- ATHIKAARI
- ATHRE
- BAARI
- BAITHANI
- BALLAL
- BANGA
- BHANDARY
- BHOJA
- BINNAGE
- BRAANA
- BUDAALE
- BUNNAALA
- BUNTA
- CHOWTA
- DORE
- GHAMBHEERA
- HEGDE
- HORUVA
- KAAJAVA
- KAAVA
- KADAMBA
- KAKVA
- KAMBALI
- KANTHEEVA
- KARIYAL
- KAYYA
- KILLE
- KONDE
- KOTTAARI
- KUDRE
- KUNDADE
- KUNDAHEGGADE
- MAADA
- MAANA
- MAANAAY
- MAARDI
- MARLA
- MAARALA
- MADDALA
- MALLAALA
- MALLI
- MARTHE
- MELAANTA
- MELANT
- MENAVA
- MENDA
- MUDYA
- MUKKAALA
- MUNDA
- MURAYA
- NAADAVA
- NAANAYA
- NAIK
- NAAYARA
- NONDA
- PAALA
- PAANDI
- PADYAAR
- PAKKALA
- PALAAYI
- PATLASHETTY
- PAYYADDE
- PEGDE
- PERGADE
- POONJA
- POOVANI
- RAAJA
- RAI
- SAMAANI
- SAAMANTHA
- SAANTHA
- SANKAYA
- SEMITHA
- SERVEGAARA
- SHEBA
- SHEKHA
- SHENAVA
- SHETTIVAALI
- SHETTY
- SOODA
- SORAPA
- SULAAYA
- THOLAARA
- VAALA
- VARMA
Some of these surnames could be seen among Jain and other caste population too.
Famous Bunt personalities
- Sundarram Shetty Founder Vijaya Bank
- Sandeep Chowtha: Bollywood music director
- BM Hegde: Author and public speaker
- K.S. Hegde: Former Supreme Court judge, M.P., and former Speaker of the Lok Sabha (lower house of the Parliament of India)
- Shashwath Hegde: Technology and Management Guru
- Aishwarya Rai: Bollywood actress
- Kayyara Kinjanna Rai: Kannada nationalist and poet
- Devi Prasad Shetty: Heart surgeon
- Shamita Shetty: Bollywood actress
- Shilpa Shetty: Bollywood actress
- Sunil Shetty: Bollywood actor
- Gurukiran : Kannada Music Director
- Manmohan Shetty: Adlabs Films Pvt. Ltd.
- Ganesh Hegde : Bollywood Choreographer
- Prakash Rai/Raj: Leading South Indian Actor
- Vinod Alva: Leading Telugu Actor
- B Raghuram Shetty: CEO & MD of New Medical Center, Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Abu Dhabi Indian School and President, Abu Dhabi Cricket Council & Managing Director, Abu Dhabi Cricket Control Board.
- Muthappa Rai: Ex-mafia don.
External links
 | This Hinduism-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This India-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |