Nayak

From Open Encyclopedia

For other uses of "Nayak", see Nayak (disambiguation).

A Nayak (also Nayaka, Nayaker/Naicker (Tamil) or Nayadu/Naidu (Telegu) or Nair (Malayalam) Nayake/Naike (Sinhala) or Naik (Marathi) ) is the title of a government official, equivalent to a provincial governor or viceroy, in the Telugu kingdoms of southern India, including the Kakatiya kingdom of Warangal (11th-14th centuries) and the Vijayanagara kingdom (14th-16th centuries). The Nayak system was dominant from the fifteenth to the early seventeenth century. The Nayaks were key state administrators, functionaries, and revenue collectors and as such were liable to be transferred. Although they played a very important administrative role, there are no detailed studies on them except those on some big families like Kanaka Nayaka (Kanakadasa), Madhakari Nayaka, D.K.Naiker, Periyar etc. After the collapse of the Vijayanagara Kingdom in the 16th century, Nayaks of some of the kingdom's former provinces became de facto independent rulers, and established hereditary dynasties. Nayaks ruled Madurai, Thanjavur, Chitradurga, and Keladi until the 18th century. The Beda(means Hunters), Talavar (means Natives) also use Nayak as the last names.Now Beda and Talavar communities are identified as Nayaks. Like Kanaka dasa (Kanaka Nayaka), D.K. Naiker who are Kuruba Gowdas who has Nayaka or Naiker surnames.

Nayak is also a surname of Gaud Saraswath Community. Spelled as 'Naique' during Portuguese rule in Goa, The Nayaks are basically the landlords and traders by profession. Kumble Nayak Family of Kumble town between Mangalore and Kasaragod were a great trading family in export of Rice and other commodities during 1700 A.D. to Maldievs, China etc.

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