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'Udupa' is the one of the rare surname of Bramhins which can be found only in coastal region of Karnataka State. That too in a place called 'Kandavara' in Kundapur Taluk of Udupi District. First of all I declare the there is no connection between the city Udupi and the surname Udupa. The word 'Udupa' is derived from a Dravidian word 'Udu', which means 'snake'. Hence we can say that the word 'Udupa' means, "the devotee of snake" .In evidence to this, Udupas consider Lord Subramanya of Kandavara as their Kuldeva. According to some history, all Bramhins in the coastal region of Karnataka are believed to be invited by Mayura Varma of Kadamba dynasty, as there was only very less population of Bramhins in his Empire. It is believed that all those Bramhins are taken from a village called 'Ahikshetra' which is around 250 km from Delhi. Unlike other Bramhins, Udupas are the races who were not migrated from any other places. Before the enter of Ahikhsetra Bramhins there were only very few races like Udupa, Hebbara, Paatal,etc. (Except Udupas, other Bramhins now called as "Staanik Bramhins" which means the "races which are the original Bramhins of that land".) Some of the readers may knowing "Barkur Samstaan", which is located in village Barkur in Udupi Taluk. A small ruler(I don't know his name correctly) who is under the "Vijayanagar empire" was ruling this Barkur Samstan, joined Jainism,and decided to take Sanyas. So he distributed all his wealth to others. in turn, Udupas also got acres of land which made them wealthier . After many years, as told, the Ahikshtrian Bramhins came to coastal region of Udupi, they treated other 'Staanik Bramhins' like second category people, since Ahikshtrian Bramhins had some political powers. Still 20th century,"Staaniks" did not had any rights to learn Veda, and didn't allowed to sit along with other Ahikshtrian Bramhins while "Bramhan Samaaradhanas" But unlike other "Staanik Bramhins", Udupas were wealthier so they did not ready to have conflict with Udupas, so the Ahikshtrian Bramhins have joined Udupas to their group, so now no Udupas are called "staaniks" rather they are included in Shivalli Bramhins (which is the on of group of Bramhins who settled in Shivalli or Udupi)
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