GANIGA TELI VAISHYA , गनिगा तेली वैश्य

Ganiga or Gandla is not caste it is kulakasubu (profession) of some people of India, and it has nothing subcaste, community like shivajyothi, nagarajyothi, lingayutha, somak shathriya, etc doing in this profession for money. If another communities like okkaliga, lambani, bramhana would did this profession then people would have called them as okkaliga ganiga, lambani ganiga, bramhana ganiga.

person drives gana (oil press) is a ganiga (oil monger) who form any community.

Social and Government mentioned ganiga as a caste by mistakely.
Ganiga's are basically oil merchants. Ganiga is a vaishya bania teli caste. Hundreds of very small villages in andhra and karnataka which have only Gandla people.

Origin

From ancient time in India, vegetable oils were obtained by crushing oil seeds in village, using an oil-press - or Ghana. A ganiga is a person who extracts oil using a ghana.

In Sanskrit literature of about 500 BC there is a specific reference to an oil-press, or Ghanis, although it was never described (by Monier-Williams, M. 1899. A Sanskrit-English dictionary, Delhi, India, Motilal Banarsidass. Reprinted 1963).

As per Manu dharma sastra there are four varnas - Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vysya & Shudra. The brahmins were priests in temples and interpreters of vedas, sashtras and puranas. There were acting as advisers to rulers and people on dharma, astrology etc. and also as record keepers in villages (Karnams). Kshatriyas were the rulers and aristocrats, land lords. The vysya were the merchants and business people. All the other people engaged in various vocations i.e., carpenters, potters, gold smiths, iron smiths, washer men, barbers etc. and who did not belong to other three varnas like Reddy, kapus, Kamma, Balija were also called Shudra. The schedule castes who were considered untouchables in olden times and the schedule tribes also fall in the broad varna of Sudra.

Ganiga is a profession known in Karnataka State of South India. They are some communities involve in this profession and they were called with profession name ganiga such as Somakshatriya Ganiga, Ganiga Shetty, Jyothinagara Ganiga, Jyothipana Ganiga, Ontettu Ganiga, Jodettu Ganiga, Veerashaiva Ganiga, Vijayanagara Ganiga etc. The name Ganiga is derived of Gana the traditional oil press used by them. In Sanskrit literature of about 500 BC there is a specific reference to an oil-press, or Ganis, although it was never described (by Monier-Williams, M. 1899. A Sanskrit-English dictionary by Motilal Bnarasidas of Delhi, India, Reprinted in1963).

This community of oil extractors is known by different names in different States in India. They are known as Gandla (deva gandla, sajjana gandla), in A.P; as Vaniya Chettiar or Vaaniga vysya in Tamil Nadu ; as Teli in Maharashtra and in North India.

All castes in Sudra varna were not considered as equals. Castes enjoyed different status and privileges in the society depending on their profession. Gandla community were extracting oil from ground nut, gingley, castor seeds and also preparing ghee (oil with preservatives made by melting butter). They were not only extracting oil but also selling it. They were economically better compared to other castes like carpenters, barbers, washer men potters, etc. As producers and sellers of oil they enjoyed higher status in society.

In olden times oil was extracted by crushing and grinding oil seeds in a wooden drum usually of 1 meter diameter on which a heavy cylindrical wooden log is placed for rotation. This log is attached through a shaft to which an ox was harnessed. The ox moves in circles and rotates the heavy log in the drum. In this process the oil seeds are crushed and ground and the oil oozes from the seeds and gets collected at the bottom of the wooden drum. This extracted oil comes out of the wooden drum through a wooden canal which is fixed to the hole at the bottom of the drum. Some were using one ox and some two oxen for harnessing the mill.

There are sub castes within Gandla. People using one ox (yedhu) were called one ox (yedhu) gandla and those using two ox (yedhu) were called the double ox (yedhu) gandla. Among the gandla some are known as Deva (pious) Gandla and others were Sajjana (commoners) gandla. There is no definite criteria for this classification. However gandla in Punganur village of Chittor district, A.P. were called as Deva Gandla. Gandlas of Bellary, Krishnagiri (Tamil Nadu) , Venkatagiri, Rompicherla, Vayalpadu and other parts of Chittor are known as Sajjana gandla.

At present In A.P. Gandla community is officially recognized as a Backward community. They are entitled to reservations in government educational institutions and government jobs.

Traditionally for gandlas in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka Sri.Panditaaradhya Samba Murthy of Nellore, A.P.was the Kula guru. He was a brahmin. He and his ancestors were maintaining genealogy table of many gandla families. Sri.S.P. Balasubramanyam and Smt.S.P.Sailaja, famous playback singers are his children. In olden times people were seeking blessings of this Kula guru on important occasions like naming ceremonies, Aksharabhyasam ( ceremony of initiation of education), marriages, gruha pravesham (ceremony of entering a new house). After the death of Sri.Panithaaradhya Samba Murthy, Sri.Mallikarjuna Sharma of Tenali, Guntur District of A.P. is considered as Kula Guru.

In Andhra Pradesh, a society called as Akhila Gandla Sabha was formed for the welfare of the poor and economically weak gandlas of Andhra Pradesh. Late Sri.Kothapalli Ramakrishna Chetty, Late Sri.Bachala Venkatasubbaiah, Late Bachala Balaiah, Sri.Obulampalli Gopalakrshnan, Sri.Avula Chengappa, Dr.I.L.Narasaiah, Sri.Prof. Nanjappa were the founding members of this society. At present Sri. Grosu Gopalaiah(MK group) of Nellore, Mr.V.Muniratnam, Mr.Umapathi, Mr.A.Chengappa are some of the important persons who are working for the society. Currently Mr.Paluri Ramakrishnaiah is the President A.P.Gandla Telikula Sangham.

All Ganigas does not come under Shudras: Ganigas (Jyothi Nagaras) in Karnataka, Andhra, Tamil Nadu have Rushi Gothram and can be considered as Vaishyas. They wear Janivar the sacred thread and are eligible for recitation of Gayathri and have rituals of Vysyas and Brahmins. The Noted persons of this community is Sree Doddanna Shetty in Bangalore who have built SLN Charities (Sree Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Charities) which is opposite to Fort Bangalore(Market) and has Famous Kote Anjaneya Temple in front premises. The Other Institute is in Mulbagal Sree Sharadha Vidya Peeta built by Shapoor Krishnayya Shetty.

The Ganiga Caste today

Ganiga People speak Kannada, Telugu, Tulu as their mother tongue. Ganigas worship Lord Venugopalakrishna and the ancient temple which was installed during 12th century is there in Barkur village near Udupi. This temple is managed by the Ganiga Community and has a Marriage hall is also available at Barkur temple premises.

Ganiga people mainly live in different parts of Karnataka. In South Karnataka Ganiga people mainly speak Kannada Language. Ganiga people are living the following districts of Karnataka, India - Bijapur, Bagalkot, Belgaum, Bangalore, Mangalore, Bhadravati, Chikamagalur, Chintamani, Gulbarga, Hassan, Haveri, KGF, Kolar, Mulbagal, Mandya, Mysore, Shimoga, Tumkur, Tiptur Udupi, Uttara Kannada,Punganur punganur. also live in AP (all dists) and Tamil Nadu (dharmapuri,krisnagiri,salem)

Besides Karnataka, Ganiga community settled in some parts of Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad and many other cities in India.

In overseas countries members of Ganiga Community have settled in the USA, Canada, Japan and UAE.

A majority of Ganiga community continue to remain backward economically due to mechanisation of oil crushing which slowly took away their livelihood in the 1950s. Deprived of this age old profession continued for generations, Ganiga community found their way in business such as setting up of shops, hotels etc. Enterprising Ganiga entrepreneurs set up many Udupi Hotels in Bangalore and other prominent cities in Karnataka. Others took up odd jobs to meet both the ends. Having been remained economically backward even after 60 years of independence due representations were made from time to time to the successive Governments.

The ganiga community people can marry any subcastes of chettiars.

Govt.of Karnataka, Social Welfare Department, on 30 March 2002 issued Order No. SWD 225 BCA 2000 dated notifying Ganiga community as an Economically Backward Class under Category - II (A) Sl. No. 78. Castes listed under this category are (a) Ganiga, (b) Teli.

In Maharashtra Ganiga community has been granted OBC (Other Backward Caste) Certification by the Govt. of Maharashtra in 2005.

In the different states of India, they are called in different names -

In Andhra, Ganigas are known as Gandla, and in which they are called devagandla or Sajjanagandla.

In Kerala, Ganigas are known as Chekkala nair and Vaniya Chettiar

In Tamil Nadu, They are known as Vaniya Chettiar. There is no relation between Reddy gandla and ganiga, as reddy gndla is a sub caste of reddy group

In Gujarat, They are known as Gaanchi Mr Narendra Modi PM of INDIA is member of this community.

Ganiga Associations at other locations in Karnataka, India

KARNATAKA GANIGARA SAMRAKSHANA SAMITHI® 
Reg # SOR/RJR/S-96/14-15
Head office : # 34/1, 3rd floor, kalidasa marga, near sagar theatre, Gandhi nagar Bangalore 560009.
President : Anand K Ganiga
Vice President : Shekar Ganiga Chandra Shekar,
Secretary : Harish B S Ganiga
Treasurer : Avinash shree Ganiga,

* South Kanara District (Udupi) Somakshathriya Samaj, Moodukeri,Barkur President: K. Gopal.

* Hassan Ganiga Sangha - President: H.L.RangaShetty. Owner of SreeGopalKrishna Oil Mill, President of ShivaJyothi(Ganiga) Kalyana Mantapa, AdLee-maney, Hassan

* Somakshathriya Ganiga Samaj, Kundapur - President: Ramesh Ganiga Kollur

* Shimoga District Ganiga Sangha, Shimoga - President: H. Subbiah

* Ganiga Samaj, Bhadravati - President: U. Govind, 
Dr. T.A. Prasanna ,Phd.Economics, Prof. Kuvempu University, Shimoga-Bhadravati.India
Gopalakrishna Yuvaka Sangha Bhadravati (Youth Wing)

* Somakshathriya Yuvaka Sangha,(Youth Wing) Gangoli (Udupi Dist.)

* Utttara Kannada District Ganiga Seva Sangha, Sirsi - President: S.P. Shetty (Previously headed by Mr. Madhav Narayan Shetty, Honnavar for more than a decade).

* karnataka ganigara sangha bangalore.

*Kolar,tumkur,chittur(Ap) president: Amarnath Ganig * sln students union bangalore * D B Kalashetty, State Bank of Hyderabad, Secretary, SBH staff Association, Gulbarga

Somakshathriya Vaishnava Samaja, Bangalore-India

President: B.N. Narasinhamurthy In Bangalore Ganigas are also known as 'Somakshatriyas' and are very actively performing tasks of developing the community, the 'Samparka' challenge cup has recently celebrateed the decennial celebrations and Prathiba Sambhrama is organised in November and December where the children from the Ganiga community of Udupi district and those who have settled in Bangalore actively participated in the sports and cultural events.

Leaders in Community Development Initiatives at Bangalore:.
Mr.Rajashekhar Birthi 
Vyasa Rao (Kamat Group of Hotels)

B.A. Narasimha Moorthy (Abhinaya Group of Hotels)

Shankar N. Rao (President: Shree Venugopalakrishna Co-op. Credit Society)

Neelavar Sanjeev Rao (Hotel Hallimane)

Janardhana Rao (SeaRock Hotel)

U. Sundar Rao Janardhana Rao (Roti Ghar) G. Ananda Rao T.K. Ramakrishna..

Ganiga Samaj, Mumbai-India

In Mumbai Ganiga Samaj was formed in 1996 to bring together Ganiga community living in and around Mumbai under the leadership of N.S. Balimane (Founder President). The Ganiga Samaj Mumbai has completed 10 years in September 2006. Office Bearers of Ganiga Samaj Mumbai: Past Presidents - Ganiga Samaj

N.S. Balimane * Krishna Ganiga

current Office Bearers * Jagannath Ganiga - President * M. Bhaskar Ganiga - Vice President * B. Vasudeva Rao - Vice President * Shankar H - Secretary * Madhav Ganiga - Jt. Secretary * Chandrashekhar Ganiga - Treasurer

Members, Managing Committee: * K. Ramachandra * Smt. Tara Bhatkal * Vijayendra Ganiga * Anant N. Ganiga * Sanjeev R. Ganiga * P.N. Ganiga * Balakrishna Ganiga Tonse * Vasudeva U.B. * Harish Tonse * Sadanand Kallianpur * Chandrashekar R.Ganiga (Panvel) * Narasimha Ganiga (Kalamboli) * Gangadhar N. Ganiga * Sitaram M.R. * Mohan N. Rao

Office address: Ganiga Samaja Mumbai 34/668 Adarsh Nagar Prahadevi Worli Mumbai 400 030

KALABURGI ZILLA GANIGA SAMAJ, GULBARGA

SRI. Apparao M Patil, HON'LE PRESIDENT SRI.Sursh Sajjan, PRESIDENT SRI.R B Malipatil, GENERAL SECRETARY SRI.D B Kalashetty, SECRETARY SRI.Siddaanna Sajjan, TREASURER SRI Shivayogeappakalashetty, ASST.TRESURER SRI MANGAL JYOTI SHARAN GANADA KANNAPPA USTAV SAMITI, GULBARGA

PRESIDENT - Sri.Suresh Sajjan VICE PRESIDENT - Rajeshekhar Yankanchi SECRETARY - Sri.D B Kalahetty ASST.SECRETARY - Sri. Mallanna Manga TREASURER - Siddanna Sajjan Well known Ganigas

Yakshagana Actors:

Mr. Haradi Rama Ganiga * Mr. Haradi Krishna Ganiga, * Mr. Haradi Narayana Ganiga * Mr. K. Ananda Ganiga from Udupi region. * Mr. Birthi Balakrishna * Mr. Gopala Ganiga, Heranjal * Mr. Vishwanatha Ganiga, Kodi-Kundapura * Mr. Sarva Ganiga, Haradi

Leading Maddale player Late Suragikatte Basava Ganiga.

Engineers/IT Professionals:

Mr. Raghavendra Gangia , Solution Architect, HCL Technologies. * Mr. Ananth Prasad Gangia , Consultant , Singapore * Mr. Prakash Gangia , Consultant , Bangalore * Mr. Raghavendra U Gangia , Software Engineer , Capgemini Consulting India Pvt Ltd, Bangalore * Mr. Naveen Gangia , Software Engineer , Bangalore * Mr. Venkngouda. A.Patil.Software Engineer , Bluestar HP Ltd, Bangalore * Mr. Ravi C Hangargi, Senior Software Engineer , SRA India Pvt Ltd, Bangalore. * Mr. Y J Patil Senior Verification Engineer, Genesisi Microchip, Canada * Mr. Ravichandra.A.Patil Software Engineer , SASKEN Technologies, Bangalore * Mr. Satish Yearva. Software Engineer , SASKEN Technologies, Bangalore
Mr.Sanjay D.Hortikar-Project Analyst,TATA CMC Limited,bangalore belongs to Umadi,Tal-Jath,District Sangli[Maharashtra], * Mr. Kallappa.M. Kadimani Horti (Tq-Indi Dist-Bijapur), Software Engineer, IBM India Pvt Ltd, * Mr. Prasad Gandla Thogarcheedu, (Kurnool Dist-AP), Software Engineer, IBM, Bangalore India Pvt Ltd, * Mr. Jagadish Bomma Vempenta, (Kurnool Dist-AP), Software Consultant, Daimler AG, Stuttgart, Germany * Mr. Sateesh.M. Pasodi Shirashyad, Who belongs to the Ganiga, * Mr. Praveen Adavesh Ghaniger, Software Engineer

Politicians:

* Mr.V.R. Sudarshan, a three-time MLC, & ex Chairman of the Legislative Council, Karnataka Govt, hailing from Vemgal, KOLAR Dist.

Government

Mr. B.J. Puttaswamy who belongs to the Ganiga caste had been nominated to the Council in 1982 by then the Chief Minister, R.Gundu Rao. also Mr. B.J.Puttaswamy was ex cooperative minister & present MLC

* Mr Laxman savadi ex co operative minister & present MLA of Athani constituency.

* Mr. Busnur and Mr. Anjutagi belong to the predominant Ganiga community from Bijapur, District Karnataka. Mr. Anjutagi was defeated in the 1994 Assembly Election.

* Mr. P.C. Gaddigoudar, three time MP from Bagalkot(LS), Karnataka. also he was a former MLC and the chief of party's Bagalkot district unit. He belongs to Ganiga Caste.

* Mr. S.B. Nyamagouda, MLC, Karnataka. also he was a former MP & Central Minister and the chief of party's Bagalkot district unit. He belongs to Ganiga Caste.

* Mr. G.S. Nyamagouda, Well know person in jamkhandi taluk. He belongs to Ganiga Caste.

* Mr. B.G. Patil Halasangi, MLC who belong to the Ganiga sub-sect of the Lingayats, 2003.

* Mr. Ganapa Ganiga, Contestant for Legislative Assembly of Karnataka from Baindur, Near Mangalore udupi, in June 1998, Bye-elections.

* Mr.Apparao.M.Patil (Atnoor), Youngest APMC CHAIRMAN in INDIA.Hails from gulbarga district's Atnoor village. He is one who organised GANIGA samaj in Gulbarga and north karnataka.

* Mr. GS Amarnath Ganiga from Narsapura, ZP member of Kolar district

*Mr. Pramod first corporator in community for cottenpet ward, Bangalore.

Bussiness:

* Mr. Venu Vaishya, Executive Vice President, Covansys Corporation, USA, IIT Kanpur Alumni

Banking: 

* D B Kala shetty,Sate Bank of HYderabad,Gulbarga (Karnataka)

Geology: 
* Dr. J V Subbaraman , Ex Chief Geologist, BGML

Education:

* Mrs. Rama Mani Vaishya , Directress, Montessori School, Michigan, USA * Dr. T.A. Prasanna , Prof. Kuvempu University, Shimoga-Bhadravati.India

Medicine:

* DR Vijayalakshmi Balekundri Heart surgeon in Jayadeva cardiology hospital bangalore.

* Dr. Gundmi Praveena Kumara MD General Medicine, Asst Prof. KMC MANIPAL

* Dr. Pradeep Ganiga,Asst. Prof, K V G Medical College, Sullia, Obstetrics & Gynaecology

* Dr. Manohar Babu KV, MS ortho, MRCSEd Edinburg UK.
* Mohan Ganiga, Respiratory Technician, C/o. Kapadia F N. MD, FRCP Consultant Physician & Intensivist, Hinduja National Hospital, Mahim, Mumbai

* Dr Arun G Patil, MD General Physician Nizamabada(Andhrapradesh)

* Mr. Birthi Radhakrishna, was the Registrar and chief protocol officer of Delhi High Court

* Mr. Pundalika Ganiga . recipient of National Best Teacher Award

Clinical Researcher / Pharmacist:

* Mr. Sathya Prakash R J, Master of Pharmacy (Pharmacology). Rank holder in M.Pharm, Clinical Research Associate, ICON Clinical Research Limited, Bangalore.

Lady officers of community : 

Dr. Vasanthi amar 
Joint commissioner of BBMP,,
Smt Kavitha mannikeri
Secretary for women's commission, Bangalore,,
Dr. Anitha Arun 
Superindentant of Vijayapura jail..

Hotel and Restaurant:

* Mr. R.Prabhakar Ganiga, is rightly called the Darshini Brahma. He started the concept of Darshini and made the cost of food affordable to the general public. He started with Upahara Darshini, later on Dosa camp, Pavithra, Rotigar, cool joint, nammoora hotel, Hallimane and the list keeps growing. Now he has formed an organisation for fighting against adulteration of food in hotels under the banner Hotel Grahakara Sangha

* Mr. B.S.Manjunath , is proprietor of "Hotel Vaibhav " 

* Mr. B.A.Narasimhamurthy , is proprietor of "Abhinaya Group of Hotels"