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Andhra, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu — the spread

A chapter that records, state by state, where the Padmasaliyar live, under what names and in which languages.

Chapters (15)
  1. Who are the Padmasaliyar?
  2. Bhavana Rishi and the Padmasaliyar tradition
  3. The puranic tradition of origin
  4. Lotus, Padma and the weaving tradition
  5. Ancient homeland and migration
  6. Andhra, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu
  7. The weaving trade and contribution to society
  8. Padmasaliyar in the age of kings
  9. Temples, religion and culture
  10. Social structure, gotras and divisions
  11. The tradition of the curse — a separate section
  12. The colonial period and its records
  13. Padmasaliyar in modern times
  14. The community around the world
  15. Conclusion
Chapter 6

Andhra, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu — the spread

The Padmasaliyar are not a community that lives in one state only. Centred on the Telugu-speaking regions, they are spread over many states. In each region the language, the name and the government classification differ a little.

  • Living community tradition
  • Written evidence
  • Yet to be collected

State by state

General records mention Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Gujarat. This chapter looks at the first four.

Government classification in Tamil Nadu

Languages

RegionLanguages generally recorded
Andhra Pradesh, TelanganaTelugu
KarnatakaKannada, Tulu, Telugu
Tamil NaduTamil; many speak Telugu at home
Maharashtra, GujaratMarathi, Gujarati

Related weaver groups

Names that appear in the records as connected with the Padmasaliyar: Pattusali (associated with silk weaving), Devanga, Pattariyar, Saliyar. Each of these is known as a separate community; in some places the names occur mixed with one another.

Local information by region

Next chapter

7. The weaving trade and contribution to society — handloom, silk, trade, and the community’s part in education.