KSHATRIYAS

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SURNAMES OF KSHATRIYAS :
 
The surnames of Andhra Kshatriyas were created or formed during the 12th, 13th and 14th Centuries (AD). Prior to that, there were only Gotras (clans) but no surnames. Marriage alliances were being made between persons of different Gotras but not with persons of the same Gotras. At the time of formation of surnames, the villages where persons were residing generally became their surnames.
Surnames were based on village names,based on Chivalry names, based on nature and based on other ways. For some families the names of their famous and prominent ancestors became their surnames. 
For example - Gadi Raju, Sayyapa Raju, Bhupathi Raju, Byrraju, Ganapathi Raju, Gokaraju, Kunappa Raju, Nallappa Raju, Rudra Raju, Uddaraju, Yarakaraju (Yarakaraju/Yerukaraju, Yeruka meansWell Known in telugu) etc. The surname based on nature - Sardhaka namam (One who is rightous) - is Sagi.
Gotra (clan), Vamsam means heredity. 

The Vamsams are of two types:
Janma Vamsam (based on Birth)
Vidya Vamsam (based on Education)
Those Kshatriyas who were educated under certain Sages (Rishis) became their Vamsiyas. They belong to the respective Vidya Vamsams.
Sage Apastamba wrote a book named Apastamba Sutramulu incorporating the traditions of persons wearing the sacred thread (Dvija). All the traditions and ceremonies of Andhra Kshatriyas are based on these sutras.

Dhananjaya is a gotra found among members of the Raju community who have their origins in the Indian region now known as Andhra Pradesh. Other Raju gotras include Kasyapa, Vasista,Kaundinya, Atreya, Viswamitra, and Pasupati which are the names of sages. Intermarriage between the various Raju gotras is common.


The Andhra Kshatriyas belonging to the five Gotras:
 
1. PASUPATI 
2. KASHYAPA
3. VASISHTA
4. DHANUNJAYA
5. KAUNDINYA

Pasupati is a branch of Kashyapa
Sage Kaundinya (Kundin) was the son of Vasishtha and nephew of Agastya. 
Dhanunjaya is a branch of Vishwamitra.
Most surnames in Andhra Pradesh come from the family's town of origin so some of the surnames are found in other Andhra communities. Some of the Kshatriya names are actually the same but due to regional pronunciation differences they are spelt differently.

PASUPATI	KASHYAPA	VASISHTA	DHANUNJAYA	KAUNDINYA
Alugunuru	Balaraju	Adduri	Addala	Addepalli
Ayyapuraju	Bellamkonda	Alluri	Byrraju	Ayanampudi
Anantharaju	Chiruvella	Angaraju	Bhupathiraju	Chitraju
Anjiraju	Eedarapalli	Balaraju	Champati	Dintakurthi
Balaraju	Gorinta	Bejawada	Chekuri  (Sekuri)	Ede
Bayalraju	Gobburi	Bhetalam	Chintalapati	Inampudi
Betharaju	Kanumuri	Byrraju	Dandu	Jampana (Varnata)
Bogaraju	Kakkera	Buddharaju	Dantuluri (Thantaluri)	Kalidindi
Buttamraju	Katari	Chamarthi	Dasaraju	Kundaraju
Chamarthi	Kadimella	Dhenuvakonda	Datla (Thatla)	Mudunuri
Chejerila	Lakamraju	Dendukuri	Gadiraju	Muthundi (Mudundi)
Chennapaya	Mandapati	Erraguntala	Gandraju	Saripalli
Chennamraju	Mungara	Gadiraju	Gokaraju	Vemulavada
Chevooru	Namburi	Ganapathiraju	Gottumukkala	Vemulamanda
Chinnanagannagari	Pathapati	Godavarthi	Guntimadugu	Yamanamanda
Chinnanarasiahgari	Saidu	Gurjala	Gunturi
Chokkaraju	Sayyaparaju	Gundraju	Jampana (Kota)
Cibyala	Sirivella	Immadiraju (Immalaraju)	Kallepalli
Daasanapu	Solaraju	Indukuri (Indukoori)	Kammela
Dakshiraju	Solanki	Isukapalli	Kankipati
Dalavayi	Uppalapati	Kakarlapudi	Kanteti
Gadi	Mullapati	Kutcherlapati	Kasi
Gouripuram		Manthena (Manthana)	Kopperla
Govindarajulu		Mulagapati	Kokkerlapati
Gundlapalli		Muppalla	Konduri
Hasthi		Mungapati	Koppella
Inkula		Nadimpalli	Kothapalli
Jagadaabhi		Nagaraju	Kunaparaju
Kanchiraju		Pusapati (Poosapadi)	Kamparaju
Katri		Pericherla (Pericholi)	Nallaparaju
Kocherla		Pinnamaraju	Pakalapati (Pagalapati)
Konduru		Potturi	Patsamatla (Patchamatla)
Lingaraju		Rajasagi	Penumatsa (Penumathsa)
Medidaraju		Sagi	Penmatsa, Penmetsa
Nandyala		Sakhineti	Pusampudi
Nimmaraju		Sagiraju	Rudraraju
Padmaraju		Samantapudi	Sagiraju
Patarapalli		Siravuri	Sujjuri
Peddiraju		Vadapalli	Thotakura
Penugonda		Vatsavai (Vathsvaya)	Thirumalaraju
Posaladeevi		Valivarthi	Uddaraju/Vuddharaju
Raghava		Vegesana (Vegesina)	Vadlamudi
Rayadurgam		Vetikuri	Vanapala
Reddicherla		Penmatsa	Vegiraju
Sangaraju		Pakalapati	Vempalli
Solaraju		Siruvuri (Siroovuri)	Vetukuri
Tipparaju			Yallamraju
Ummalaraju			Nandimandalam
Valavarthi			Yarakaraju
Vanipanta			Aarveti
Vankeraju			Saluva
Veligandla
Venkataraju
Yadavalli
Yellatooru
Yerramraju

Kaushika Gotra: Kausika was one of the names of Visvamitra.
Dalavai  
Siddiraju 
Pocharaju 
Simhadri
casthuri 
Timmaraju
Varadaraju

People belonging to Kaushika (Kaushik/Kousika/Kousikasa/Koushika/Kausika)
Gotra take Rajarishi Kausikaas their root.11 Royal clans of 96 clan of Marathas belong to Kaushik gotra including the illustrious house of Shivaji and Rashtrakutas.
2 more clans belong to theVishvamitra gotra.


Modern community 
After the Independence of India, Zamindari was abolished. During this time many Raju Zamindars donated their property and land liberally for the upliftment of poor and Education. Vizianagaram is the oldest and largest Hindu Princely State of Andhra Pradesh (Samsthanam). Maharaja PVG Raju donated his Royal State to Republic of India. He also donated enormous wealth, Khazana, Land, Gold, Diamonds, Properties, Palaces to Korukonda Sainik school, Andhra University, Mansas Trust and to poor and needy for schools, colleges and hospitals. Rajus of Andhra are designated as forward caste. Most of Rajus are doing well in Education, Information Technology and other fields. Despite sizeable population of Rajus being economically backward, Andhra Kshatriya Rajus never asked for reservation. 

Andhra Kshatriya Customs: 
Some traditional ceremonies that are performed by the Kshatriya community of Andhra Pradesh known as Rajus are

Punya-kavachanam

Things Required
1. Flowers
2. Betel leaf, haldi, kumkum
3. Blouse pieces

On the eleventh day after birth there are purification rituals to cleanse away the pollution (Janama Sutaka) caused by childbirth. The mother and the child, who are till then secluded from the family, re-enter the household. A priest performs a pooja, recites the appropriate mantras and sprinkles sacred water all over the house, thereby purifying it. 

Naam-karan/Barasala 
Things Required
1. Rice
2. Tray
3. Gold ring
On the eleventh day after birth, the child is given a name. It is during this ceremony that for the first time relatives and close friends see the child. It is a small ceremony where invitees sing songs and celebrate the arrival of the child. The name is written on rice spread on the floor or on a tray. The child's maternal uncle takes a golden ring and keeps it on the child's mouth. The mother and both the grandmothers give gold to the child (either a chain or a bangle)


Uyyalalo-veyadam/(Cradle-Ceremony) 

Things Required
1. Flowers
2. New silk cloth
3. Cradle
An auspicious time is chosen on the evening of the 21st day after childbirth. Usually a new silk cloth is put in the cradle and it is decorated with flowers. At the auspicious time, the mother or the paternal grandmother places the child in the cradle. This is known as Uyyalalo Veyadam.

Kesa Khandan
The Head-shaving (Tonsure) and ear piercing ceremony, also known as the Mundan ceremony. These ceremonies are not celebrated on a grand scale and are usually small events within the family. Kesakhandan is performed at a temple along with ear piercing for the female child. 

Anna-prasanam
Things Required
1. Rice and milk
2. Silver bowl
3. A book
4. A gold chain
5. A pen
6. A knife
7. A small wooden table
The initiation of the child to solid food is known as Annaprasan. Food is first offered to God. Then the paternal grandmother mixes rice and milk in a silver bowl and feeds the child. Then a book, gold chain, pen and a knife are placed on a small wooden table. The child is then left free 15 yards (14 m) away from the table. As the child moves towards the table, he or she is believed to become associated with whichever of the four articles that he or she touches.
The qualities attributed to the four articles are:
1. Pen - Academician, Writer, Scholar
2. Book - Studious
3. Knife - Boldness
4. Gold - Wealth and Prosperity.


Vidyarambham/start of education
Things Required
Usual pooja samagri such as kumkum, rice, water, flowers and fruits, incense etc The initiation of a child into the formal learning process is usually done between the 3rd and the 5th year of the child. A priest is asked to preside over the ceremonies. The child participates in the Saraswati pooja as the priest recites the mantras. The child is then made to write the first two alphabets and is guided by the father in doing this. Children of the same age group and the child's friends are invited for lunch on this occasion. Sometimes the teacher of the school where the child would be educated is also invited and gifts are given. The children are gifted with slates and chalk, and shloka and poetry books 

Upanayanam
Things Required 
1. In the past Mundan or shaving the head was essential before this sanskar. Today many just get a hair cut before the sanskar.
2. Mekhla - Thread to tie around the waist.
3. Kopin - Loincloth about six inches wide and one and a half feet long.
4. Dandi - Wooden stick.
5. Thread for Yagyopaveet, which should be dyed yellow.
6. New clothes to be worn by the persons performing the ritual.
7. The Veda, which signifies knowledge. If the Veda is not available, any other holy book should be wrapped up in a cloth and should be kept on a raised pedestal.
8. Three mounds of rice grains to be kept on this pedestal for worshipping Gayatri, Saraswati and Savitri.
Upanayanam or the sacred thread ceremony is performed for the male child at the age of seven years (if this is not possible then in any odd year). This is when the boy is initiated into the Gayatri Mantra. The upnayanam ceremony in modern practice is performed just before marriage. Traditionally it was a long ceremony with elaborate rituals:
It is one of the most important rituals in a Hindu's life.