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Ramaraja Kshatriyas ('Rama Kshatriya') are a Kannada/Konkani speaking brahmanical community of former royal army officials/caretaker-administrators of forts who mainly hail from the region of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Shimoga, and Districts of Karnataka and Kasaragod, Kanhangad areas of Kerala, and in the area of Goa bordering with Karnataka. Other communities refer to them by various synonyms, such as, 'Shervegar',' Koteyar', 'Kote Shervegar/Kote Kshatriya' etc. As per the document, 'Castes & Tribes of South India by Thurston - 1909', they are also present in Bellary to some extent. They are called 'Koteyavaru' because 'Kote' in Kannada means 'Fort' and 'Koteyavaru' means 'people belonging to fort (Killedara)'. Alternatively they are also called 'Shervegars' because 'Sherve' means 'military' in Kannada and 'Shervegar' means 'military person'. The title 'Servaikaran/Servaigaran' (meaning 'commander or captain of the military') is also found in Tamil Nadu (source: Castes and Tribes of South India by Thurston). The word 'Servai' also denotes 'Service' (perhaps service under royalty / military service) according to the same book. The word 'Ramaraja Kshatriya' is more used in Mangalore, Udupi and Kasaragod areas, since Lord Rama has been referred by the community more respectfully as 'Ramaraja', meaning 'Lord Rama'. In olden days, RK community used to live in and around forts serving royalties in military and administration, e.g. Bekal Fort, Mirjan Fort, Chandragiri Fort etc. They were also local chieftains and clansmen of local kings. Their mother-tongue is Kannada. In Uttara Kannada district, their mother-tongue is both Kannada and Konkani. 'Rao (Raaya)' is a widely used surname in Ramakshatriya community. Other surnames are Naayak meaning Leader / Captain (many times wrongly spelt as Naik or Naika), Shervegar (and its incorrect variants like Sheregar, Sherigar, Seregar), Sara/Shara (in olden days), e.g. Thimma Sara, Bhaira Shara etc. Some other surnames are Kothwal (Kotepala), Dafedar, Killedar, Havaldar, Hoblidar, Patel, Shanbhag, Hegde, Shroff, Patvala (Pattevala) etc. Rarely some families have Sawant, Sayil as their surnames in Uttar Kannada district. Many of these surnames represent military or administrative titles. In olden days, names of men of this community used to end with -Aiyya, -Annayya, -Appayya, -Appa, -raaya (denoting a high social status), e.g. Naagappa, Jannappa, Baalayya, Devappayya, Annappayya, Devaraaya, Subbaraya etc. and names of women used to end with -Amma. However, like Saraswats, majority of the community members do not add surnames to their names. Instead, they add names of their ancestral places/family names to their name, e.g. Bekal, Kumble, Jeppu, Bolar, Kundapur, Uppoor etc. In some cases, the surname is place-name with the added word 'kar', e.g. Bekalkar, Chandarvarkar, Hospattankar, Kanakonakar etc. ==Origins== Rama Kshatriyas trace their origins/lineage in Raghu Kula or the family to which Lord Rama belonged. As per this belief, they are Raghuvanshi Kshatriyas. The community was part of land-owning aristocracy in Maharashtra / Goa and was migrated to south by Kings who entrusted them with military / administrative responsibilities in southern parts of their kingdoms, i.e. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Kerala/Tamil Nadu. Among this community, the groups which settled in Konkan/ Kanara Region (Goa, Konkan Region of Mahrashtra, South Kanara/North Kanara in Karnataka and Kasaragod in Kerala) identified themselves as Rama Kshatriyas. As per existing records, the present Ramakshatriya community is said to have its origins in Maharashtra (Vijayadurg fort region), migrated first to Goa Region and subsequently to Uttara Kannada/Dakshina Kannada, Shimoga districts of Karnataka and Kasaragod/Kanhangad districts of Kerala more than three and a half centuries ago. In an early historic record (i.e. letter written to Shringeri Mutt in the year 1633), they have referred to themselves as Ramakshatriyas of Vijayadurga Fort. It is said that Maharashtrian Kings who owned forts in South, sent this community to guard and administer these forts. Traditionally this community had preference for Military and Police Department jobs in particular and Government service in general. Unlike other communities, Ramakshathriyas do not have a traditional occupation linked to them, except being associated with Military/Police/Government posts and with Village administration as Patel/Shanbhog/Ugrani (Village Headman, Secretary, Storekeeper respectively). Late Bhikshu Lakshmanananda Swamiji was a buddhism-inspired monk from this community who played a role in developing a spirit of 'community' in Ramakshatriyas. The Swamiji was a medical doctor, spiritual seeker, freedom fighter and social reformer. He was also an associate of Lokamanya Tilak. Late Bekal Rama Nayak was a noted Kannada writer, hailing from Ramakshatriya community. He has researched this community and written a book on the subject. Two other authors, i.e. Late Mr. S. K. Nayak and Late Mr. K. L. Shilahar (Lakshman Kumble) also have written books on the history and roots of this community. Mr Shilahar is of the opinion that Ramakshatriyas are descendants of Shilahar royal dynasty. There is also a mention in website that Ramakshatriyas were found in Madurai also serving Nayaka dynasty of Madurai. It is also said that a ramakshatriya was the General of the king Madurai Vishwanatha Nayaka. RKs have been a progressive and cosmopolitan community from a long time. Unlike other communities, the practice of shaving widow's head never existed in this community. Late Mr Bekalkar from our community took a very progressive and bold step in marrying a child-widow when widow remarriage was unheard of in the society. Ramakshatriyas family GOD is " Sri Dodda Mallikarjuna Swami ( Load Shiva)" 1000-year-old temple at Gaondongri, near Cancona of Goa State. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Ramakshatriya」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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