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Telugu people

2023-02-11T11:57:10Z

2402:8100:30AD:105B:88E7:A735:A798:48B0:

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}{{Use Indian English|date=June 2016}}
{{Infobox ethnic group
| group = Telugu people
| native_name = తెలుగువాళ్లు
| native_name_lang = te
| image = Telugu talli bomma.JPG
| image_caption = [[Telugu Thalli]], the personfication of Telugu people
| population = '''{{Circa|85 million|lk=yes}}'''<ref name="census india"/><ref name="ethnologue">{{cite news|url=https://www.ethnologue.com/language/tel|title=Telugu population figure worldwide|date=August 2019|newspaper=[[Ethnologue]]}}</ref>
| region1 = {{flag|India}}
| pop1 = 83,127,740 (2011)
| ref1 = <ref name="census india">{{cite web|title=Scheduled Languages in descending order of speaker's strength - 2011|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011Census/Language-2011/Statement-1.pdf|publisher=[[Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India]]}}</ref>
| region2 = Other
| pop2 = See [[Telugu diaspora]]
| region4 =
| regions = [[Andhra Pradesh]] [[Telangana]]
| langs = [[Telugu language|Telugu]]
| religions = '''Majority''': [[File:Om.svg|15px]] [[Hinduism]] '''Minority''': {{hlist|[[File:Star and Crescent.svg|15px]] [[Islam]], [[File:Dharma Wheel.svg|15px]] [[Buddhism]], [[File:Christian cross.svg|9px]] [[Christianity]]}}
| related = Other [[Dravidian peoples]]:{{hlist|[[Kannada people|Kannadigas]]|[[Tamils]]|[[Chenchu people|Chenchus]]|[[Gondi people|Gonds]]|[[Kurukh people|Kurukh]]|[[Brahui people|Brahuis]]}}
}}
'''Telugu people''' ([[Telugu language|Telugu]]: తెలుగువాళ్లు, [[ISO 15919|Romanization:]] Teluguvāḷlu), also rendered as '''Telugus''', are one of the four major and the largest [[Dravidian peoples|Dravidian]] ethnolinguistic groups in terms of population native to the Indian states of [[Andhra Pradesh]], [[Telangana]] and [[Yanam district]] of [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]]. A significant amount of Telugus also reside in the surrounding Indian states of [[Karnataka]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[Gujarat]], [[Maharashtra]], [[Chhattisgarh]], [[Kerala]] and [[Odisha]], also in the [[union territory]] of [[Andaman and Nicobar Islands]]. The Telugus like some other [[South Asian ethnic groups|South Asians]], are largely descend from a varied mixture of Pre-Dravidian tribes, Dravidian and Indo-Aryan people. The earliest Telugu identity associated with are the [[Andhras]], a tribe from whom the Telugus inherit their [[ethnonym]] from, were known to have migrated from the banks of [[Yamuna|River Yamuna]] in the North to the banks of [[Krishna River|Krishna]] and [[Godavari River|Godavari]] in the South-East of the [[Indian subcontinent|Subcontinent]] right in the Telugu-heartland postulated to be of [[Indo-Aryan peoples|Indo-Aryan]] in speech and culture.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/ancientmedievalh0000ragh|title=Ancient and medieval history of Andhra Pradesh|work=P. Raghunadha Rao|publisher=Sterling Publishers, 1993|year=1993|isbn=9788120714953|page=iv|access-date=9 June 2014|url-access=registration}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=History of Andhra Pradesh|work=[[Government of Andhra Pradesh]]|agency=Associated Press|url=http://www.aponline.gov.in/quick%20links/hist-cult/history.html|url-status=dead|access-date=22 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716182646/http://www.aponline.gov.in/quick%20links/hist-cult/history.html|archive-date=16 July 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Sailendra Nath Sen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wk4_ICH_g1EC&pg=PA172|title=Ancient Indian History and Civilization|publisher=New Age International|year=1999|isbn=9788122411980|pages=172–176|access-date=29 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170323134904/https://books.google.com/books?id=Wk4_ICH_g1EC&pg=PA172|archive-date=23 March 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

During the boon of [[Āstika and nāstika|Nastika]] Schools of [[Buddhism]] and [[Jainism]] in the region, Telugus along with most of India saw reformation of its traditional high society. It is supposed among here where the embryogenesis of [[Mahayana|Mahayana Buddhism]] sprung from, which would later go on to become the largest [[Schools of Buddhism|Buddhist tradition]] in the World.<ref>Guang Xing. ''The Concept of the Buddha: Its Evolution from Early Buddhism to the Trikaya Theory.'' 2004. pp. 65–66 "Several scholars have suggested that the Prajñāpāramitā probably developed among the Mahasamghikas in Southern India, in the Andhra country, on the Krishna River."</ref><ref>Williams, Paul. ''Mahayana Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations 2nd edition.'' Routledge, 2009, p. 47.</ref><ref>Drewes, David, ''Early Indian Mahayana Buddhism I: Recent Scholarship'', Religion Compass 4/2 (2010): 55–65, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-8171.2009.00195.x</ref><ref>"The south (of India) was then vigorously creative in producing Mahayana Sutras" – Warder, A.K. (3rd edn. 1999). ''Indian Buddhism'': p. 335.</ref>

[[Telangana|Telangani]], another term referring to a Telugu or a resident in the land inhabited by Telugus was coined during the 14th century CE, which ultimately derives from the Sanskrit "[[Trilinga Kshetras|Trilinga]]" signifying the three [[Lingam|lingas]] that are positioned in a Tri-angle across the Telugu-land.<ref>{{citation|last=Parpola|first=Asko|title=The Roots of Hinduism: The Early Aryans and the Indus Civilization|page=167|year=2015|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|isbn=978-0190226923|author-link=Asko Parpola}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last1=Rao|first1=Raja M. Bhujanga|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xwXx7LB-ai4C&pg=PA55|title=A History of Telugu Literature|last2=P. Chenchiah|publisher=Asian Educational Services|year=1988|isbn=978-81-206-0313-4|page=55}}</ref><ref>{{citation|last=Brown|first=Charles P.|title=Madras Journal of Literature and Science|volume=X|page=53|year=1839|chapter=Essay on the Language and Literature of Telugus|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZhkYAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA53|publisher=Vepery mission Press.|author-link=Charles Phillip Brown}}</ref><ref>{{citation|last=Caldwell|first=Robert|title=A Comparative Grammar of the Dravidian or South-Indian Family of Languages|url=http://gretil.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil_elib/Cdw856__Caldwell_ComparativeGrammarDravidian.pdf|page=64|year=1856|location=London|publisher=Harrison|author-link=Robert Caldwell}}</ref> Present two Telugu States with their names of [[Telangana]] and [[Andhra Pradesh]] came to be officially later on, although they mean the same idea overlapping each other.

Indian diaspora of [[Telugu diaspora|Telugu]] origin are found widespread, especially in the [[Telugu Americans|USA]], [[Burmese Indians|Myanmar]], [[Malaysian Telugu|Malaysia]], [[Indian South Africans|South Africa]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ANDHRA PEOPLE IN SOUTH AFRICA|url=http://www.amssa.org.za/about-amssa/history-amssa/|access-date=2021-02-05|website=Andhra Maha Sabha of South Africa|language=en-US}}</ref> [[Indian Australians|Australia]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Indian population in Australia increases 30 per cent in less than two years; now the third largest migrant group in Australia|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/language/english/indian-population-in-australia-increases-30-per-cent-in-less-than-two-years-now-the-third-largest-migrant-group-in-australia|access-date=2021-02-05|website=SBS Your Language|language=en}}</ref> and [[Indo-Canadians#Language|Canada]], mostly around the [[Anglosphere]]. [[Telugu language|The Telugu language]] is the 4th most spoken in the [[India|Republic of India]]<ref name="spoken">{{cite news|title=Nearly 60% of Indians speak a language other than Hindi|work=The Times of India|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Nearly-60-of-Indians-speak-a-language-other-than-Hindi/articleshow/36922157.cms}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=What Languages Are Spoken in India?|url=https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-most-widely-spoken-languages-in-india.html|access-date=2021-02-04|website=WorldAtlas|language=en-US}}</ref> and the 15th most spoken language in the world.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ltd|first=Libros Media|title=15 most spoken languages|url=https://www.rocketlanguages.com/blog/the-15-most-spoken-languages-in-the-world|access-date=2021-02-05|website=Rocket Languages|language=en}}</ref>

==History==
{{Main|Telugu language}}

[[File:Y haplo H.png|thumb|[[Haplogroup H (Y-DNA)|Haplogroup H]] originated about 45,000 years ago in South Asia, and is only found among people of South Asian descend.]]The Telugu people and other [[South Asian ethnic groups]] are of primarily indigenous South Asian (AASI) ancestry. Indigenous South Asians (AASI) form their own genetic lineage, not closely related to populations outside of South Asia.<ref name=":0" />[[File:Population genome tree (SAsia or AASI).png|thumb|The indigenous South Asians ("SAsia") form their own genetic lineage and are not closely related to populations outside of South Asia.]][[File:Most-of-the-extant-mtDNA-boundaries-in-South-and-Southwest-Asia-were-likely-shaped-during-the-1471-2156-5-26-11.jpg|thumb|Distribution of indigenous South Asian (AASI), West-Eurasian, and East Asian/Oceanian lineages.]] The AASI originated within South Asia and were genetically isolated from other populations more than 45,000 years [[BCe]]. Indigenous South Asian (AASI) ancestry forms the primary ancestry for modern South Asians (between 50% to 70%), next to recent West-Eurasian and East-Eurasian components. The AASI are however not distantly related to the [[Andamanese peoples]], as proposed before. In contrary, the Andamanese (Onge) are closer to various Oceanic groups and received some geneflow from South Asia and East Asia respectively. AASI-like geneflow towards [[Aboriginal Australians]] was also detected (up to 30%) and further supports migration waves from South Asia to Oceania.The Paniya people are, next to the Irula and the Soliga, the best proxy for indigenous South Asian ancestry.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last1=Yelmen|first1=Burak|last2=Mondal|first2=Mayukh|last3=Marnetto|first3=Davide|last4=Pathak|first4=Ajai K|last5=Montinaro|first5=Francesco|last6=Gallego Romero|first6=Irene|last7=Kivisild|first7=Toomas|last8=Metspalu|first8=Mait|last9=Pagani|first9=Luca|date=August 2019|title=Ancestry-Specific Analyses Reveal Differential Demographic Histories and Opposite Selective Pressures in Modern South Asian Populations|journal=Molecular Biology and Evolution|volume=36|issue=8|pages=1628–1642|doi=10.1093/molbev/msz037|issn=0737-4038|pmc=6657728|pmid=30952160}}</ref>

Telugu is a South-Central [[Dravidian languages|Dravidian language]] primarily spoken in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, India, where it is the official language. The oldest inscriptions with Telugu words date to 400 B.C.E found at [[Bhattiprolu]] in [[Guntur district]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|date=2007-12-20|title=Telugu is 2,400 years old, says ASI|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/Telugu-is-2400-years-old-says-ASI/article14898202.ece|access-date=2020-10-08|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Other early inscriptions with more refined language were found in Kantamanenivarigudem, [[Guntupalle, West Godavari district|Guntupalli]] in [[West Godavari district|West Godavari]] district and Gummadidurru and [[Ghantasala, Krishna district|Ghantasala]] in [[Krishna district]]. The earliest inscription completely written in Telugu dates to 575 CE found at Kalamalla village in Kadapa district.<ref name=":0" /> The earliest Telugu literature dates to 11th century CE with [[Nannayya|Nannaya]]'s [[Andhra Mahabharatam]].

In the sixth century BCE, Assaka was one of the Sixteen Mahajanapadas. After the Mauryas, parts of [[Andhra Pradesh]], [[Telangana]] were variously ruled by dynasties either ethnically Telugus. It was succeeded by the [[Satavahana dynasty]] (230 BCE-220 CE), who built the city of [[Amaravathi (village), Guntur district|Amaravati]]. The kingdom reached its zenith under [[Gautamiputra Satakarni]]. At the end of the period, the Telugu region was divided into [[Realm|Kingdoms]] ruled by lords. In the late second century CE, the [[Andhra Ikshvaku]]s ruled the eastern region along the Krishna River. The [[Vishnukundina dynasty|Vishnukundina Dynasty]], [[Eastern Chalukyas]], [[Kakatiya dynasty|Kakatiya Dynasty]] and [[Reddy Kingdom|Reddy dynasty]] were some of the many Major Telugu Kingdoms and Dynasties Ruling the Region.

During the fourth century, the [[Pallava dynasty]] extended their rule from southern Andhra Pradesh to [[Tamilakam]] and established their capital at [[Kanchipuram]]. Their power increased during the reigns of [[Mahendravarman I]] (571–630) and [[Narasimhavarman I]] (630–668). The Pallavas dominated the southern Telugu-speaking region and northern Tamilakam until the end of the ninth century.

Between 1163 and 1323 the [[Kakatiya dynasty]] emerged, bringing the Telugu region under unified rule. During this period, the [[Telugu language]] emerged as a literary medium with the writings of [[Tikkana]], Eranna, Nannaya, Pothana etc., are the converters of the great Hindu epics like Ramayana, Mahabharatha, Bhagavatha etc.,.

In 1323 the [[sultan]] of [[Delhi]], [[Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq]], sent a large army commanded by Ulugh Khan (later, as [[Muhammad bin Tughluq]], the Delhi sultan) to conquer the Telugu region and lay [[Siege of Warangal, 1323|siege to Warangal]]. The fall of the [[Kakatiya dynasty]] led to an era with competing influences from the Turkic kingdoms of Delhi, the [[Chalukya Chola]] dynasty (1070–1279) in the south and the Persio-Tajik sultanate of central India. The struggle for Andhra ended with the victory of the [[Musunuri Nayaks]] over the Turkic [[Delhi Sultanate]].

The Telugu achieved independence under [[Krishnadevaraya]] of the [[Vijayanagara Empire]] (1336–1646). The [[Qutb Shahi dynasty]] of the [[Bahmani Sultanate]] succeeded that empire. The Qutub Shahis were tolerant of Telugu culture from the early 16th to the end of the 17th centuries.

The arrival of Europeans (the French under the [[Marquis de Bussy-Castelnau]] and the English under [[Robert Clive]]) altered polity of the region . In 1765, Clive and the [[Tribal chief|chief]] and council at [[Visakhapatnam]] obtained the [[Northern Circars]] from [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] emperor [[Shah Alam]]. The British achieved supremacy when they defeated Maharaja Vijaya Rama Gajapati Raju of Vizianagaram in 1792.

Andhra's modern foundation was laid in the struggle for Indian independence under [[Mohandas Gandhi]]. [[Potti Sriramulu]]'s campaign for a state independent of the [[Madras Presidency]] and [[Tanguturi Prakasam]] Panthulu and [[Kandukuri Veeresalingam]]'s social-reform movements led to the formation of [[Andhra State]], with [[Kurnool]] its capital and freedom-fighter Pantullu its first chief minister. A democratic society, with two stable political parties and a modern economy, emerged under the [[Chief Ministership of N. T. Rama Rao]].

[[Independence of India|India became independent]] from the United Kingdom in 1947. Although the Muslim [[Nizam of Hyderabad]] wanted to retain independence from India, but was [[Operation Polo|forced]] to cede his kingdom to the [[Dominion of India]] in 1948 to form [[Hyderabad State (1948–56)|Hyderabad State]]. Andhra, the first Indian state formed primarily on a linguistic basis, was carved from the Madras Presidency in 1953. In 1956, Andhra State was merged with the Telugu-speaking portion of [[Hyderabad State]] to create the state of Andhra Pradesh. The [[Lok Sabha]] approved the formation of [[Telangana]] from ten districts of Andhra Pradesh on 18 February 2014.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Menon|first=Amamath K.|date=1 June 2014|title=Telangana is born, KCR to take oath as its first CM|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/telangana-braces-to-celebrate-its-birthday-celebrations-kcr/1/364724.html|magazine=India Today|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111151025/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/telangana-braces-to-celebrate-its-birthday-celebrations-kcr/1/364724.html|archive-date=11 November 2014|access-date=15 September 2016}}</ref>

==Culture==
[[File:A Kuchipudi dance by two Hindu girls.jpg|thumb|Two Kuchupudi dancers from Andhra Pradesh, 2011]]
{{Main|Culture of Andhra Pradesh}}
{{Main|Culture of Telangana}}

===Literature===
{{Main|Telugu literature}}

===Arts===
Kuchipudi is a famous Classical Indian dance from Andhra Pradesh.
* [[Kuchipudi]]
* [[Vilasini Natyam]]
* [[Perini Shivatandavam]]
* [[Oggu Katha]]
* [[Burra katha|Burra Katha]]
* [[Andhra Natyam]]
* [[Telugu cinema|Telugu Cinema]]
* [[Kalamkari|Kalankari]] - The art [[Kalamkari]] is pronounced as Kalankari (కలంకారి) in Andhra Pradesh

===Clothing===
* '''Male'''
# Uttareeyam ([[Uttariya]]) or Pai Pancha ([[Angvastra]]m or veil)
# Pancha ([[Dhoti]])
# Jubba ([[Kurta]]) The top portion
# [[Lungi]] (Casual dress)
*
* '''Female'''
# [[Langa Oni]] (Half [[sari]])
# [[pattu pavada]]
# [[sari|Cheera]] (sari)

===Festivals===
{{See also|List of festivals in Andhra Pradesh}}
Important festivals celebrated by Telugu people include:
* [[Makar Sankranti|Bhogi, Makara Sankranti, Kanuma]] in January. (The exact date may vary as per the [[Hindu calendar]].)
* [[Maha Shivaratri|Maha Sivaratri]] in February/March. (The exact date may vary as per the [[Hindu calendar]].)
* [[Ugadi]] or the Telugu New Year in March/April. (The exact date may vary as per the [[Hindu calendar]].)
* [[Sri Rama Navami]] celebrated in March/April, 9 days after [[Ugadi]]. (The exact date may vary as per the [[Hindu calendar]].)
* [[Bonalu]] celebrated in [[Ashada masam]] (July/August). (The exact date may vary as per the [[Hindu calendar]].)
* [[Hanuman Jayanti]] in March/May/June. (The exact date may vary as per the [[Hindu calendar]].)
* [[Vaikuntha Ekadashi|Vaikunta Ekadasi]] in December /January . (The exact date may vary as per [[Hindu calendar]].)
* [[Varalakshmi Vratam]] in August. (The exact date may vary as per [[Hindu calendar]].)
* [[Krishna Janmashtami]] in August. (The exact date may vary as per [[Hindu calendar]].)
* [[Vinayaka Chaviti]] in August. (The exact date may vary as per the [[Hindu calendar]].)
* [[Bathukamma]] celebrated for nine days during Durga [[Navratri]].
* [[Vijayadashami|Dasara]] in September/October. (The exact date may vary as per the [[Hindu calendar]].)
* [[Atla Tadde]] 3rd day in bright half of [[Ashvin|Ashviyuja]] month (falls in September/October in Gregorian calendar). However, the exact date may vary according to the [[Hindu calendar]].
* [[Deepavali]] date may vary as per the [[Hindu calendar]].)
* [[Nagula Chaviti]] in October/November. (The exact date may vary as per the [[Hindu calendar]].)
* [[Ramadan]], [[Eid Al Adha]], [[Eid Al Fitr]], [[Moharram]], [[Vesak Day]], [[Easter]], [[Thanksgiving]] and [[Christmas]] are among the minorities.

==Population==
===Distribution===

Telugu is the fourth most spoken language after [[Hindi]], [[Bengali language|Bengali]] and [[Marathi language|Marathi]] in India.<ref name="spoken"/> [[Andhra Pradesh]] and [[Telangana]] are the principal resident states for Telugu people.

Telugu people form the majority speakers in South India with over 75 million speakers in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. This is followed by 3.7 million in [[Karnataka]] and [[Tamil Nadu]] making them the second largest language groups in those neighbouring states.<ref name="toi">{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-04-15/chennai/27759074_1_telugus-punjabis-bengalis |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111113162926/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-04-15/chennai/27759074_1_telugus-punjabis-bengalis |url-status=dead |archive-date=2011-11-13 |title=Kannadigas outnumber Malayalis 2:1 in Tamil Nadu |date=2008-04-15 |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=2018-03-06}}</ref>

In [[Tamil Nadu]], Telugu people who migrated during the [[Vijayanagara]] period have spread across several northern districts and constitute the majority of the population in [[Chennai]] city. In [[Karnataka]], Telugu people are predominantly found in the border districts with majority in [[Bangalore]] city.

In [[Maharashtra]] the Telugu population is over 1.4 million, followed by 0.7 million in [[Odisha|Orissa]]. Other states with significant populations include West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat with 200,000, 150,000 and 100,000 respectively.<ref name="toi"/>

The overseas Telugu [[diaspora]] numbers more than 800,000 in the United States, with the highest concentration in Central New Jersey, Texas, and California.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}}

There are around 300,000 [[Malaysian Telugu|Telugu people in Malaysia]].<ref>{{ cite journal | title = Proceedings of the Indian History Congress Vol. 69 : Telugu Diaspora in South East/West Asia, 1871-1990 | first = Adapa | last = Satyanarayana | year = 2008 | publisher = Indian History Congress}}</ref>

==Notable Telugu people==
{{main|List of Telugu people}}

==See also==
* [[Telugu states]]
* [[List of people from Andhra Pradesh]]
* [[List of people from Telangana]]
* [[Telugu development]]
* [[Telugu cuisine]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Telugu people|position=right}}
* [http://www.thulika.net/index.html Translations of Telugu fiction and articles]

{{Andhra Pradesh}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Telugu People}}
[[Category:Telugu people| ]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in India]]
[[Category:Telugu-language literature]]
[[Category:Telugu society| People]]
[[Category:Dravidian peoples]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Kerala]]

Telugu people

2023-02-11T11:55:14Z

2402:8100:30AD:105B:88E7:A735:A798:48B0: /* Distribution */

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}{{Use Indian English|date=June 2016}}
{{Infobox ethnic group
| group = Telugu people
| native_name = తెలుగువాళ్లు
| native_name_lang = te
| image = Telugu talli bomma.JPG
| image_caption = [[Telugu Thalli]], the personfication of Telugu people
| population = '''{{Circa|85 million|lk=yes}}'''<ref name="census india"/><ref name="ethnologue">{{cite news|url=https://www.ethnologue.com/language/tel|title=Telugu population figure worldwide|date=August 2019|newspaper=[[Ethnologue]]}}</ref>
| region1 = {{flag|India}}
| pop1 = 83,127,740 (2011)
| ref1 = <ref name="census india">{{cite web|title=Scheduled Languages in descending order of speaker's strength - 2011|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011Census/Language-2011/Statement-1.pdf|publisher=[[Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India]]}}</ref>
| region2 = Other
| pop2 = See [[Telugu diaspora]]
| region4 =
| regions = [[Andhra Pradesh]] [[Telangana]]
| langs = [[Telugu language|Telugu]]
| religions = '''Majority''': [[File:Om.svg|15px]] [[Hinduism]] '''Minority''': {{hlist|[[File:Star and Crescent.svg|15px]] [[Islam]], [[File:Dharma Wheel.svg|15px]] [[Buddhism]], [[File:Christian cross.svg|9px]] [[Christianity]]}}
| related = Other [[Dravidian peoples]]:{{hlist|[[Kannada people|Kannadigas]]|[[Tamils]]|[[Chenchu people|Chenchus]]|[[Gondi people|Gonds]]|[[Kurukh people|Kurukh]]|[[Brahui people|Brahuis]]}}
}}
'''Telugu people''' ([[Telugu language|Telugu]]: తెలుగువాళ్లు, [[ISO 15919|Romanization:]] Teluguvāḷlu), also rendered as '''Telugus''', are one of the four major and the largest [[Dravidian peoples|Dravidian]] ethnolinguistic groups in terms of population native to the Indian states of [[Andhra Pradesh]], [[Telangana]] and [[Yanam district]] of [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]]. A significant amount of Telugus also reside in the surrounding Indian states of [[Karnataka]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[Maharashtra]], [[Chhattisgarh]], [[Kerala]] and [[Odisha]], also in the [[union territory]] of [[Andaman and Nicobar Islands]]. The Telugus like some other [[South Asian ethnic groups|South Asians]], are largely descend from a varied mixture of Pre-Dravidian tribes, Dravidian and Indo-Aryan people. The earliest Telugu identity associated with are the [[Andhras]], a tribe from whom the Telugus inherit their [[ethnonym]] from, were known to have migrated from the banks of [[Yamuna|River Yamuna]] in the North to the banks of [[Krishna River|Krishna]] and [[Godavari River|Godavari]] in the South-East of the [[Indian subcontinent|Subcontinent]] right in the Telugu-heartland postulated to be of [[Indo-Aryan peoples|Indo-Aryan]] in speech and culture.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/ancientmedievalh0000ragh|title=Ancient and medieval history of Andhra Pradesh|work=P. Raghunadha Rao|publisher=Sterling Publishers, 1993|year=1993|isbn=9788120714953|page=iv|access-date=9 June 2014|url-access=registration}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=History of Andhra Pradesh|work=[[Government of Andhra Pradesh]]|agency=Associated Press|url=http://www.aponline.gov.in/quick%20links/hist-cult/history.html|url-status=dead|access-date=22 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716182646/http://www.aponline.gov.in/quick%20links/hist-cult/history.html|archive-date=16 July 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Sailendra Nath Sen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wk4_ICH_g1EC&pg=PA172|title=Ancient Indian History and Civilization|publisher=New Age International|year=1999|isbn=9788122411980|pages=172–176|access-date=29 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170323134904/https://books.google.com/books?id=Wk4_ICH_g1EC&pg=PA172|archive-date=23 March 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

During the boon of [[Āstika and nāstika|Nastika]] Schools of [[Buddhism]] and [[Jainism]] in the region, Telugus along with most of India saw reformation of its traditional high society. It is supposed among here where the embryogenesis of [[Mahayana|Mahayana Buddhism]] sprung from, which would later go on to become the largest [[Schools of Buddhism|Buddhist tradition]] in the World.<ref>Guang Xing. ''The Concept of the Buddha: Its Evolution from Early Buddhism to the Trikaya Theory.'' 2004. pp. 65–66 "Several scholars have suggested that the Prajñāpāramitā probably developed among the Mahasamghikas in Southern India, in the Andhra country, on the Krishna River."</ref><ref>Williams, Paul. ''Mahayana Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations 2nd edition.'' Routledge, 2009, p. 47.</ref><ref>Drewes, David, ''Early Indian Mahayana Buddhism I: Recent Scholarship'', Religion Compass 4/2 (2010): 55–65, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-8171.2009.00195.x</ref><ref>"The south (of India) was then vigorously creative in producing Mahayana Sutras" – Warder, A.K. (3rd edn. 1999). ''Indian Buddhism'': p. 335.</ref>

[[Telangana|Telangani]], another term referring to a Telugu or a resident in the land inhabited by Telugus was coined during the 14th century CE, which ultimately derives from the Sanskrit "[[Trilinga Kshetras|Trilinga]]" signifying the three [[Lingam|lingas]] that are positioned in a Tri-angle across the Telugu-land.<ref>{{citation|last=Parpola|first=Asko|title=The Roots of Hinduism: The Early Aryans and the Indus Civilization|page=167|year=2015|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|isbn=978-0190226923|author-link=Asko Parpola}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last1=Rao|first1=Raja M. Bhujanga|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xwXx7LB-ai4C&pg=PA55|title=A History of Telugu Literature|last2=P. Chenchiah|publisher=Asian Educational Services|year=1988|isbn=978-81-206-0313-4|page=55}}</ref><ref>{{citation|last=Brown|first=Charles P.|title=Madras Journal of Literature and Science|volume=X|page=53|year=1839|chapter=Essay on the Language and Literature of Telugus|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZhkYAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA53|publisher=Vepery mission Press.|author-link=Charles Phillip Brown}}</ref><ref>{{citation|last=Caldwell|first=Robert|title=A Comparative Grammar of the Dravidian or South-Indian Family of Languages|url=http://gretil.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil_elib/Cdw856__Caldwell_ComparativeGrammarDravidian.pdf|page=64|year=1856|location=London|publisher=Harrison|author-link=Robert Caldwell}}</ref> Present two Telugu States with their names of [[Telangana]] and [[Andhra Pradesh]] came to be officially later on, although they mean the same idea overlapping each other.

Indian diaspora of [[Telugu diaspora|Telugu]] origin are found widespread, especially in the [[Telugu Americans|USA]], [[Burmese Indians|Myanmar]], [[Malaysian Telugu|Malaysia]], [[Indian South Africans|South Africa]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ANDHRA PEOPLE IN SOUTH AFRICA|url=http://www.amssa.org.za/about-amssa/history-amssa/|access-date=2021-02-05|website=Andhra Maha Sabha of South Africa|language=en-US}}</ref> [[Indian Australians|Australia]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Indian population in Australia increases 30 per cent in less than two years; now the third largest migrant group in Australia|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/language/english/indian-population-in-australia-increases-30-per-cent-in-less-than-two-years-now-the-third-largest-migrant-group-in-australia|access-date=2021-02-05|website=SBS Your Language|language=en}}</ref> and [[Indo-Canadians#Language|Canada]], mostly around the [[Anglosphere]]. [[Telugu language|The Telugu language]] is the 4th most spoken in the [[India|Republic of India]]<ref name="spoken">{{cite news|title=Nearly 60% of Indians speak a language other than Hindi|work=The Times of India|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Nearly-60-of-Indians-speak-a-language-other-than-Hindi/articleshow/36922157.cms}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=What Languages Are Spoken in India?|url=https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-most-widely-spoken-languages-in-india.html|access-date=2021-02-04|website=WorldAtlas|language=en-US}}</ref> and the 15th most spoken language in the world.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ltd|first=Libros Media|title=15 most spoken languages|url=https://www.rocketlanguages.com/blog/the-15-most-spoken-languages-in-the-world|access-date=2021-02-05|website=Rocket Languages|language=en}}</ref>

==History==
{{Main|Telugu language}}

[[File:Y haplo H.png|thumb|[[Haplogroup H (Y-DNA)|Haplogroup H]] originated about 45,000 years ago in South Asia, and is only found among people of South Asian descend.]]The Telugu people and other [[South Asian ethnic groups]] are of primarily indigenous South Asian (AASI) ancestry. Indigenous South Asians (AASI) form their own genetic lineage, not closely related to populations outside of South Asia.<ref name=":0" />[[File:Population genome tree (SAsia or AASI).png|thumb|The indigenous South Asians ("SAsia") form their own genetic lineage and are not closely related to populations outside of South Asia.]][[File:Most-of-the-extant-mtDNA-boundaries-in-South-and-Southwest-Asia-were-likely-shaped-during-the-1471-2156-5-26-11.jpg|thumb|Distribution of indigenous South Asian (AASI), West-Eurasian, and East Asian/Oceanian lineages.]] The AASI originated within South Asia and were genetically isolated from other populations more than 45,000 years [[BCe]]. Indigenous South Asian (AASI) ancestry forms the primary ancestry for modern South Asians (between 50% to 70%), next to recent West-Eurasian and East-Eurasian components. The AASI are however not distantly related to the [[Andamanese peoples]], as proposed before. In contrary, the Andamanese (Onge) are closer to various Oceanic groups and received some geneflow from South Asia and East Asia respectively. AASI-like geneflow towards [[Aboriginal Australians]] was also detected (up to 30%) and further supports migration waves from South Asia to Oceania.The Paniya people are, next to the Irula and the Soliga, the best proxy for indigenous South Asian ancestry.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last1=Yelmen|first1=Burak|last2=Mondal|first2=Mayukh|last3=Marnetto|first3=Davide|last4=Pathak|first4=Ajai K|last5=Montinaro|first5=Francesco|last6=Gallego Romero|first6=Irene|last7=Kivisild|first7=Toomas|last8=Metspalu|first8=Mait|last9=Pagani|first9=Luca|date=August 2019|title=Ancestry-Specific Analyses Reveal Differential Demographic Histories and Opposite Selective Pressures in Modern South Asian Populations|journal=Molecular Biology and Evolution|volume=36|issue=8|pages=1628–1642|doi=10.1093/molbev/msz037|issn=0737-4038|pmc=6657728|pmid=30952160}}</ref>

Telugu is a South-Central [[Dravidian languages|Dravidian language]] primarily spoken in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, India, where it is the official language. The oldest inscriptions with Telugu words date to 400 B.C.E found at [[Bhattiprolu]] in [[Guntur district]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|date=2007-12-20|title=Telugu is 2,400 years old, says ASI|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/Telugu-is-2400-years-old-says-ASI/article14898202.ece|access-date=2020-10-08|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Other early inscriptions with more refined language were found in Kantamanenivarigudem, [[Guntupalle, West Godavari district|Guntupalli]] in [[West Godavari district|West Godavari]] district and Gummadidurru and [[Ghantasala, Krishna district|Ghantasala]] in [[Krishna district]]. The earliest inscription completely written in Telugu dates to 575 CE found at Kalamalla village in Kadapa district.<ref name=":0" /> The earliest Telugu literature dates to 11th century CE with [[Nannayya|Nannaya]]'s [[Andhra Mahabharatam]].

In the sixth century BCE, Assaka was one of the Sixteen Mahajanapadas. After the Mauryas, parts of [[Andhra Pradesh]], [[Telangana]] were variously ruled by dynasties either ethnically Telugus. It was succeeded by the [[Satavahana dynasty]] (230 BCE-220 CE), who built the city of [[Amaravathi (village), Guntur district|Amaravati]]. The kingdom reached its zenith under [[Gautamiputra Satakarni]]. At the end of the period, the Telugu region was divided into [[Realm|Kingdoms]] ruled by lords. In the late second century CE, the [[Andhra Ikshvaku]]s ruled the eastern region along the Krishna River. The [[Vishnukundina dynasty|Vishnukundina Dynasty]], [[Eastern Chalukyas]], [[Kakatiya dynasty|Kakatiya Dynasty]] and [[Reddy Kingdom|Reddy dynasty]] were some of the many Major Telugu Kingdoms and Dynasties Ruling the Region.

During the fourth century, the [[Pallava dynasty]] extended their rule from southern Andhra Pradesh to [[Tamilakam]] and established their capital at [[Kanchipuram]]. Their power increased during the reigns of [[Mahendravarman I]] (571–630) and [[Narasimhavarman I]] (630–668). The Pallavas dominated the southern Telugu-speaking region and northern Tamilakam until the end of the ninth century.

Between 1163 and 1323 the [[Kakatiya dynasty]] emerged, bringing the Telugu region under unified rule. During this period, the [[Telugu language]] emerged as a literary medium with the writings of [[Tikkana]], Eranna, Nannaya, Pothana etc., are the converters of the great Hindu epics like Ramayana, Mahabharatha, Bhagavatha etc.,.

In 1323 the [[sultan]] of [[Delhi]], [[Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq]], sent a large army commanded by Ulugh Khan (later, as [[Muhammad bin Tughluq]], the Delhi sultan) to conquer the Telugu region and lay [[Siege of Warangal, 1323|siege to Warangal]]. The fall of the [[Kakatiya dynasty]] led to an era with competing influences from the Turkic kingdoms of Delhi, the [[Chalukya Chola]] dynasty (1070–1279) in the south and the Persio-Tajik sultanate of central India. The struggle for Andhra ended with the victory of the [[Musunuri Nayaks]] over the Turkic [[Delhi Sultanate]].

The Telugu achieved independence under [[Krishnadevaraya]] of the [[Vijayanagara Empire]] (1336–1646). The [[Qutb Shahi dynasty]] of the [[Bahmani Sultanate]] succeeded that empire. The Qutub Shahis were tolerant of Telugu culture from the early 16th to the end of the 17th centuries.

The arrival of Europeans (the French under the [[Marquis de Bussy-Castelnau]] and the English under [[Robert Clive]]) altered polity of the region . In 1765, Clive and the [[Tribal chief|chief]] and council at [[Visakhapatnam]] obtained the [[Northern Circars]] from [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] emperor [[Shah Alam]]. The British achieved supremacy when they defeated Maharaja Vijaya Rama Gajapati Raju of Vizianagaram in 1792.

Andhra's modern foundation was laid in the struggle for Indian independence under [[Mohandas Gandhi]]. [[Potti Sriramulu]]'s campaign for a state independent of the [[Madras Presidency]] and [[Tanguturi Prakasam]] Panthulu and [[Kandukuri Veeresalingam]]'s social-reform movements led to the formation of [[Andhra State]], with [[Kurnool]] its capital and freedom-fighter Pantullu its first chief minister. A democratic society, with two stable political parties and a modern economy, emerged under the [[Chief Ministership of N. T. Rama Rao]].

[[Independence of India|India became independent]] from the United Kingdom in 1947. Although the Muslim [[Nizam of Hyderabad]] wanted to retain independence from India, but was [[Operation Polo|forced]] to cede his kingdom to the [[Dominion of India]] in 1948 to form [[Hyderabad State (1948–56)|Hyderabad State]]. Andhra, the first Indian state formed primarily on a linguistic basis, was carved from the Madras Presidency in 1953. In 1956, Andhra State was merged with the Telugu-speaking portion of [[Hyderabad State]] to create the state of Andhra Pradesh. The [[Lok Sabha]] approved the formation of [[Telangana]] from ten districts of Andhra Pradesh on 18 February 2014.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Menon|first=Amamath K.|date=1 June 2014|title=Telangana is born, KCR to take oath as its first CM|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/telangana-braces-to-celebrate-its-birthday-celebrations-kcr/1/364724.html|magazine=India Today|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111151025/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/telangana-braces-to-celebrate-its-birthday-celebrations-kcr/1/364724.html|archive-date=11 November 2014|access-date=15 September 2016}}</ref>

==Culture==
[[File:A Kuchipudi dance by two Hindu girls.jpg|thumb|Two Kuchupudi dancers from Andhra Pradesh, 2011]]
{{Main|Culture of Andhra Pradesh}}
{{Main|Culture of Telangana}}

===Literature===
{{Main|Telugu literature}}

===Arts===
Kuchipudi is a famous Classical Indian dance from Andhra Pradesh.
* [[Kuchipudi]]
* [[Vilasini Natyam]]
* [[Perini Shivatandavam]]
* [[Oggu Katha]]
* [[Burra katha|Burra Katha]]
* [[Andhra Natyam]]
* [[Telugu cinema|Telugu Cinema]]
* [[Kalamkari|Kalankari]] - The art [[Kalamkari]] is pronounced as Kalankari (కలంకారి) in Andhra Pradesh

===Clothing===
* '''Male'''
# Uttareeyam ([[Uttariya]]) or Pai Pancha ([[Angvastra]]m or veil)
# Pancha ([[Dhoti]])
# Jubba ([[Kurta]]) The top portion
# [[Lungi]] (Casual dress)
*
* '''Female'''
# [[Langa Oni]] (Half [[sari]])
# [[pattu pavada]]
# [[sari|Cheera]] (sari)

===Festivals===
{{See also|List of festivals in Andhra Pradesh}}
Important festivals celebrated by Telugu people include:
* [[Makar Sankranti|Bhogi, Makara Sankranti, Kanuma]] in January. (The exact date may vary as per the [[Hindu calendar]].)
* [[Maha Shivaratri|Maha Sivaratri]] in February/March. (The exact date may vary as per the [[Hindu calendar]].)
* [[Ugadi]] or the Telugu New Year in March/April. (The exact date may vary as per the [[Hindu calendar]].)
* [[Sri Rama Navami]] celebrated in March/April, 9 days after [[Ugadi]]. (The exact date may vary as per the [[Hindu calendar]].)
* [[Bonalu]] celebrated in [[Ashada masam]] (July/August). (The exact date may vary as per the [[Hindu calendar]].)
* [[Hanuman Jayanti]] in March/May/June. (The exact date may vary as per the [[Hindu calendar]].)
* [[Vaikuntha Ekadashi|Vaikunta Ekadasi]] in December /January . (The exact date may vary as per [[Hindu calendar]].)
* [[Varalakshmi Vratam]] in August. (The exact date may vary as per [[Hindu calendar]].)
* [[Krishna Janmashtami]] in August. (The exact date may vary as per [[Hindu calendar]].)
* [[Vinayaka Chaviti]] in August. (The exact date may vary as per the [[Hindu calendar]].)
* [[Bathukamma]] celebrated for nine days during Durga [[Navratri]].
* [[Vijayadashami|Dasara]] in September/October. (The exact date may vary as per the [[Hindu calendar]].)
* [[Atla Tadde]] 3rd day in bright half of [[Ashvin|Ashviyuja]] month (falls in September/October in Gregorian calendar). However, the exact date may vary according to the [[Hindu calendar]].
* [[Deepavali]] date may vary as per the [[Hindu calendar]].)
* [[Nagula Chaviti]] in October/November. (The exact date may vary as per the [[Hindu calendar]].)
* [[Ramadan]], [[Eid Al Adha]], [[Eid Al Fitr]], [[Moharram]], [[Vesak Day]], [[Easter]], [[Thanksgiving]] and [[Christmas]] are among the minorities.

==Population==
===Distribution===

Telugu is the fourth most spoken language after [[Hindi]], [[Bengali language|Bengali]] and [[Marathi language|Marathi]] in India.<ref name="spoken"/> [[Andhra Pradesh]] and [[Telangana]] are the principal resident states for Telugu people.

Telugu people form the majority speakers in South India with over 75 million speakers in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. This is followed by 3.7 million in [[Karnataka]] and [[Tamil Nadu]] making them the second largest language groups in those neighbouring states.<ref name="toi">{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-04-15/chennai/27759074_1_telugus-punjabis-bengalis |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111113162926/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-04-15/chennai/27759074_1_telugus-punjabis-bengalis |url-status=dead |archive-date=2011-11-13 |title=Kannadigas outnumber Malayalis 2:1 in Tamil Nadu |date=2008-04-15 |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=2018-03-06}}</ref>

In [[Tamil Nadu]], Telugu people who migrated during the [[Vijayanagara]] period have spread across several northern districts and constitute the majority of the population in [[Chennai]] city. In [[Karnataka]], Telugu people are predominantly found in the border districts with majority in [[Bangalore]] city.

In [[Maharashtra]] the Telugu population is over 1.4 million, followed by 0.7 million in [[Odisha|Orissa]]. Other states with significant populations include West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat with 200,000, 150,000 and 100,000 respectively.<ref name="toi"/>

The overseas Telugu [[diaspora]] numbers more than 800,000 in the United States, with the highest concentration in Central New Jersey, Texas, and California.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}}

There are around 300,000 [[Malaysian Telugu|Telugu people in Malaysia]].<ref>{{ cite journal | title = Proceedings of the Indian History Congress Vol. 69 : Telugu Diaspora in South East/West Asia, 1871-1990 | first = Adapa | last = Satyanarayana | year = 2008 | publisher = Indian History Congress}}</ref>

==Notable Telugu people==
{{main|List of Telugu people}}

==See also==
* [[Telugu states]]
* [[List of people from Andhra Pradesh]]
* [[List of people from Telangana]]
* [[Telugu development]]
* [[Telugu cuisine]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Telugu people|position=right}}
* [http://www.thulika.net/index.html Translations of Telugu fiction and articles]

{{Andhra Pradesh}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Telugu People}}
[[Category:Telugu people| ]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in India]]
[[Category:Telugu-language literature]]
[[Category:Telugu society| People]]
[[Category:Dravidian peoples]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Kerala]]