Castes and Tribes of Southern India/Nādava

by Edgar Thurston

Nādava. — "This," Mr. H. A. Stuart writes,*^[1] "is a caste of Canarese farmers found only in South Canara. The Nādavas have returned four sub-divisions, one of which is Bant, and two of the other three are sub-divisions of Bants, the most important being Masādi. In the case of 33,212 individuals, Nādava has been returned as sub-division also. I have no information regarding the caste, but they seem to be closely allied to the Bant caste, of which Nādava is one of the sub-divisions." The name Nādava or Nādavaru means people of the nādu or country. It is one of the sub-divisions of the Bants.

1. * Madras Census Report, 1891.