Gowda (also known as Gauda, Goud, Gouda or Gonda [1] [2] ) is a surname native to Karnataka state of India. It is mainly found among the Vokkaligas in South Karnataka, Kuruba Gowda and the Lingayats in north Karnataka. [3] [4] It is also used by other communities like Namadhari Naiks, [5] Billavas. [6] Gowda was originally an honorific used by the administrative head of a village. Typically, such a head owned land and held political and social sway in the village. [7] Among Reddy, it was used to refer to the head of the community. [8] [9]
According to historian Suryanath U. Kamath, the word Gowda derives from Gavunda. [10] The German Indologist Gustav Oppert opined that the root of ‘Gowda’ is a Dravidian word meaning "mountain". [11] The term Gowda and its archaic forms in Old Kannada such as Gamunda, Gavunda, Gavuda, Gonda, appear frequently in the inscriptions of Karnataka. The Epigraphia Carnatica is replete with references to land grants, donations to temples, hero-stones (Veeragallu), stone edicts and copper plates dating back to the age of the Western Ganga Dynasty (est. 350 CE) and earlier. [12] The Gavundas were landlords that collected taxes and rendered military service to the Kings. [13] Noboru Karashima says the Gavundas had functions corresponding to that of the Chola Vellala Nattars. [14] While the majority of the gavundas were derived from the Vokkaligas; by the 10th century, the term gavunda also came to denote chiefship of a community or group and was adopted by the heads of other communities assimilated into the early medieval state. [9]
Notable people with the surname Gowda:
Arebhashe or Aregannada or Gowda Kannada is a dialect of Kannada mainly by Gowda communities in the region Madikeri, Somwarpet, and Kushalnagar taluks of Kodagu district, Sullia, taluks of Dakshina Kannada district; Bangalore and Mysore districts in the Indian state of Karnataka. As well as Bandadka, Kasaragod District in the Indian state of Kerala, Arebhashe is also called Gowda Kannada. The language was recognized by the Karnataka State government and formed an academy in 2011 to preserve the culture and literature of the Arebhahse Region which is named as Karnataka Arebhashe Samskruthi mathu Sahitya Academy supported by then Chief Minister D. V. Sadananda Gowda.
Kempe Gowda I locally venerated as Nadaprabhu Kempe Gowda, or commonly known as Kempe Gowda, was a governor under the Vijayanagara Empire in early-modern India. He is famous for the development of Bangalore Town in the 16th century. Kempegowda erected many Kannada inscriptions across the region.
Hegde or Heggade Pergade is a common surname found primarily in the Kanara, Tulu Nadu and Konkan regions of India. It is prevalent among various Hindu communities in these regions, including the Kuruba Gowda, Bunt, Saraswat Brahmins, Kannada Jain, Havyaka Brahmin, and Vokkaliga communities of Karnataka.
Western Ganga was an important ruling dynasty of ancient Karnataka in India which lasted from about 350 to 1000 CE. They are known as "Western Gangas" to distinguish them from the Eastern Gangas who in later centuries ruled over Kalinga. The general belief is that the Western Gangas began their rule during a time when multiple native clans asserted their freedom due to the weakening of the Pallava empire in South India, a geo-political event sometimes attributed to the southern conquests of Samudra Gupta. The Western Ganga sovereignty lasted from about 350 to 550 CE, initially ruling from Kolar and later, moving their capital to Talakadu on the banks of the Kaveri River in modern Mysore district.
Vokkaliga is a community of closely related castes, from the Indian states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Magadi is a town and taluk located in Bengaluru South district, Karnataka, India.
Cāmuṇḍarāya or Chavundaraya was an Indian Jain ruler. He served in the court of the Western Ganga dynasty of Talakad. A person of many talents, in 981 he commissioned the construction of the monolithic statue of Bahubali, the Gomateshwara, at Shravanabelagola, an important place of pilgrimage for Jainism. He was a devotee of the Jain Acharya Nemichandra and Ajitasena Bhattaraka and was an influential person during the reigns of Marasimha II Satyavakya, (963–975). Rachamalla IV Satyavakya, (975–986) and Rachamalla V (Rakkasaganga), (986–999).
Shivakotiacharya, a writer of the 9th-10th century, is considered the author of didactic Kannada language Jain text Vaddaradhane. A prose narrative written in pre-Old-Kannada, Vaddaradhane is considered the earliest extant work in the prose genre in the Kannada language. Scholars are, however, still divided about when exactly the text was written, with claims ranging from before the 6th century to the 10th century.
The History of Karnataka goes back several millennia. Several great empires and dynasties have ruled over Karnataka and have contributed greatly to the history, culture and development of Karnataka as well as the entire Indian subcontinent. The Chindaka Nagas of central India Gangas, Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta, Chalukyas of Vengi, Yadava Dynasty of Devagiri were all of Kannada origin who later took to encouraging local languages.
The Western Ganga Dynasty ruled large parts of southern Karnataka from the fourth century CE till the late tenth century CE with their regal capital initially at Kolar and later at Talakad in Mysore district, Karnataka. The origin of the Ganga clan prior to the fourth century is shrouded in legends and myths. Clarity into their history comes from such contemporaneous writings as Chavundaraya Purana in Kannada and Lokhavibhaga in Prakrit and from numerous inscriptions excavated in the Mysore, Bangalore and Kolar districts and Anantapur district. The Western Gangas played a pivotal role in the development of polity, culture and literature during their long rule in the region, at times as independent monarchs and at other times as subordinates of their larger neighbors: the Badami Chalukyas and later the Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta. Their patronage to literature in Kannada and Sanskrit, their achievements in architecture including the famous monolith of Gomateshwara, their Hindu temples in the southern Karnataka, and their Jain Basadi's of Shravanabelagola and Kambadahalli are testimony to the rich contribution they made to the region.
The Economy of Western Ganga kingdom refers to the economic structure that existed during the rule of this important ruling dynasty of ancient Karnataka. They are known as Western Gangas to distinguish them from the Eastern Gangas who in later centuries ruled over modern Orissa. The Western Ganga sovereignty lasted from about 350 to 550, initially ruling from Kolar and later moving their capital to Talakad on the banks of the Kaveri River in modern Mysore district. Later, they ruled as an important feudatory of larger empires, the imperial Chalukyas of Badami and the Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta.
The Western Ganga administration refers to the administrative structure that existed during the rule of this important dynasty of ancient Karnataka. They are known as Western Gangas to distinguish them from the Eastern Gangas who in later centuries ruled over modern Orissa. The Western Ganga sovereignty lasted from about 350 to 550, initially ruling from Kolar and later moving their capital to Talakad on the banks of the Kaveri River in modern Mysore district. Later they ruled as an important feudatory to the imperial Chalukyas of Badami and the Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta.
Karnataka, with a total population of 61,100,000, is one of the major states in South India. Kannada is the official state language, while other linguistic minorities in the state include Kodava, Konkani, Tulu and Urdu. Karnataka is also at the forefront of population control measures, with the first two birth control clinics in history opening in 1930 in the Mandya district.
Shantaveri Gopala Gowda was a socialist politician who was thrice elected to Karnataka Vidhanasabha, the Legislative Assembly of Karnataka, in 1952, 1962 and 1967.
Mandekolu is a village in the southern state of Karnataka, India. The nearest cities are Sullia, Adoor and Kasaragod. It is located near the Karnataka-Kerala border on the banks of River Payaswini(Chandragiri), at a distance of 86 km from Mangalore city. It is located in the Sullia taluk of Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka. Former chief Minister of Karnataka, D.V Sadananda Gowda hails from this village.
The Halakki-Vokkalu are an indigenous tribe of Karnataka, India. They are found predominantly in Uttara Kannada district and are distinct from Vokkaligas.
The Kunchitigas are a community of people from Karnataka, India. They are mostly concentrated in the Tumkur, Bangalore, Mysore, Ramanagara, Shivamogga and Chitradurga districts. They are also found in Tamil Nadu.
Tulu Gowda and Arebhashe Gowda (Gauda) are primarily found in South Canara District, Kodagu District, Indian state of Karnataka and Bandadka village of Kasaragod. They are officially considered a subsect of the Vokkaliga community but are culturally and linguistically different. They speak Tulu and Arebhashe.
The Atakur inscription dated 949-950 C.E. is an inscribed memorial stone in classical Kannada composition. It was discovered at the Chelleshvara temple at Atakur village, about 23 km from Mandya, Karnataka, India. The "motion packed" sculptured hero stone describes two events in poetic Kannada; the battle between "Kali" the hound and a wild boar, and the victory of Rashtrakuta Emperor Krishna III over the Chola dynasty of Tanjore in the battle of Takkolam. According to historians I. K. Sarma and Singh, memorial stones for warriors are common in medieval India, but one erected in memory of an animal is considered unique.
Tulsi Gowda is an Indian environmentalist from Honnali village. She has planted more than 30,000 saplings and looks after the nurseries of the Forest Department. Her work has been honoured by the Government of India and other organisations. In 2021, the Government of India awarded her the Padma Shri, the country's fourth highest civilian award. She is known as the "Encyclopedia of the Forest" for her ability to recognise the mother tree of any species of tree.
...Gowda (also spoken as Gonda colloquially)...
Gowdas, literary means a village headman usually from Vokkaliga community in Southern district of Karnataka and Lingayat in Northern part
According to Mr. Stuart, "each community of Kurubas, residing in a group of villages, has a headman or Gaudu. He acts the part of pūjāri or priest in all their ceremonies, presides over their tribal meetings, and settles disputes.. Page:Castes and Tribes of Southern India, Volume 4.djvu