Banga Arasa (original) (raw)

Banga Arasa or Banga Raja is the dynastic title of a medieval ruling family of coastal Karnataka, India. The word Banga is the name of a clan and a surname of the Bunts and the word Arasa or Raja means a ruler in the Tulu language. The dynasty followed the Bunt custom of matrilineal inheritance (Aliyasantana). The Banga Arasas claimed descent from the ancient Alupas and the rulers bore the Alupa royal title Pandyapparasa. The Banga Arasas were said to have been given control of 15 sub-divisions (Magane) of Southern Tulu Nadu by the Hoysala Ballal Emperor, Vira Narasimha. The Banga Arasas ruled from 1224 C.E until the conquest of South Canara by the British in 1799 CE. Descendants of the dynasty survive. However, the family seems to have stopped the coronation ritual after 1889 CE. Since th