We frequently struggle to imagine past events because our views are typically centred on the current surroundings. Many people find it difficult to understand the concept of migrations because they envisage an entire, colossal population moving from one location or region to another on the size they see today.
It will be helpful to imagine the scope of migrations that took place in the previous history by thinking about one minor occurrence from relatively recent history.
The Nadava migration
Five Nadava families from Kundapur Taluk relocated to the Ankola-Gokarna region of Uttara Kannada District about 500 years ago after leaving their ancestral homeland owing to conflicts with the local population. They travelled about 100 km north, crossing many coastal rivers.After five centuries, the Nadava community in the Ankola-Gokarna region now numbers more than 10,000 people.
The migrated Nadavas of present-day Uttara Kannada have undergone substantial changes in their language, culture, and beliefs over the past five centuries. Their current “Nadava Kannada” language differs little from the current “Kundapur Kannada” language. Minor adjustments have been made to their beliefs as well: Lord Tirupati Venkataramana’s local influence has replaced the cult of spirit worship. While the “moolasthana” notion is all but gone, the “bari” concept has evolved into the “balli” concept. The Bommayya devaru celebration has evolved from the Bermer cult.
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