Chalavādi (Chalawadi, Chalwadi, Chelvadi, Chelavadi) is a dravida community, mainly belonging to

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

, "who are generally called formerly as

Adi Dravida Adi Dravida (or Adi Dravidar) is a term that has been used since 1914 by the state of Tamil Nadu in India to denote Paraiyars. At the time of the 2011 Census of India, they made up about half of Tamil Nadu's Scheduled Caste population. Origin ...

(Balagai), Channaiah or Channayya"(Bidar, Belgaum, Bijapur and Dharwad districts), Toti, Byagara, Whalliaru or Whallias, Holia's or Mha'rs (Belgaum side) ( Synonym's: Holar) is the servant of the right-hand, or eighteen-caste section of the community, and the custodian of its symbol, namely, the bell and the ladle (Gandadabatlu). These are made of

brass Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other with ...

and are connected together by a chain of the same metal, and sometimes they are placed before Sangameshwara gaddige and Pūjā made to them. The members use, among themselves, the term Balagai as they are classed among the eighteen castes that form the right-hand section of the community in Dravida countries. Chalavadi's are well dressed and stands with a blanket under his arm. He carries a brass image of

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

seated on a

bull A bull is an intact (i.e., not castrated) adult male of the species ''Bos taurus'' (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the females of the same species (i.e., cows), bulls have long been an important symbol in many religions, includin ...

. The image is overshadowed with the hood of a snake and is fixed to the upper end of a brass spoon. A brass bell hangs from the handle of the spoon to the Chelvadi’s knee in front. From time to time, the Chelvadi sings hymns in honour of

and rings the bell.

Origin

Chalvadi is said to be disciples of

Basava Basaveshwara, colloquially known as Basavanna, was a 12th-century CE Indian statesman, philosopher, poet, Lingayat social reformer in the Shiva-focussed bhakti movement, and a Hindu Shaivite social reformer during the reign of the Kalyani Chal ...

. They came with the Maharaja of the

Vijayanagar empire The Vijayanagara Empire, also called the Karnata Kingdom, was a Hinduism, Hindu empire based in the region of South India, which consisted the modern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa and some parts of Telangana an ...

and settled in different districts. they are considered as the right-hand caste as opposed to the left-hand who are the Madars or Madiga. Chalavadi's were

agricultural labourer A farmworker, farmhand or agricultural worker is someone employed for labor in agriculture. In labor law, the term "farmworker" is sometimes used more narrowly, applying only to a hired worker involved in agricultural production, including harv ...

s during the 17th century to 18th century and were divided into ''Kuliyalugalu'' (hired labourer's) and ''Muladalugalu'' or ''Mulada Holeya'' (hereditary

serfs Serfdom was the status of many peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to manorialism, and similar systems. It was a condition of debt bondage and indentured servitude with similarities to and differences from slavery, which developed ...

) depending on nature of employment in

agrarian society An agrarian society, or agricultural society, is any community whose economy is based on producing and maintaining crops and farmland. Another way to define an agrarian society is by seeing how much of a nation's total production is in agriculture ...

Subdivision

Karnataka

The important sections of Holeyas were the Pombada (Bhuta dancers), the Bakuda or Mundala, the Holeya or Mari Holeya, the Koragar (basket maker) & Nalke (Bhuta Dancers). but only Holeya or Mari Holeya considered Chalavadis, not others.

References

{{Reservation in India Dalit communities Scheduled Castes of Karnataka