{{Short description|Traditional office and title of village accountants}} '''Karanam''' or '''Karnam''' was an office and title native to the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Traditionally, Karanam was an official who maintained the accounts and records of the villages and collected the taxes.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PiULAQAAIAAJ&q=karanam |title=Andhra Pradesh District Gazetteers |date=2000 |publisher=Government of Andhra Pradesh |pages=185, 186 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Charles Philip |author-link=Charles Philip Brown |date=1903 |title=A Telugu-English Dictionary |url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/app/brown_query.py?qs=%E0%B0%95%E0%B0%B0%E0%B0%A3%E0%B0%AE%E0%B1%81&searchhws=yes |access-date=9 April 2023 |website= |via=Digital South Asia Library |edition=2nd}}</ref> Karanam was one of the two village-level administrative posts that existed in Andhra along with 'Munasabu' (Munsiff). The Karanam kept an elaborate system of village accounts.<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 November 2019 |title=Karanam, Munisif system to return: CM YS Jagan Mohon Reddy |url=https://www.thehansindia.com/andhra-pradesh/karanam-munisif-system-to-return-cm-ys-jagan-mohon-reddy-585892 |access-date=9 April 2023 |website=The Hans India |language=en}}</ref>
The position of Karanam was traditionally held by Niyogi Brahmins.<ref name="Chatterjee2011"> {{cite book |author=Partha Chatterjee |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LH69yzkGZWQC&pg=PA56 |title=Lineages of Political Society: Studies in Postcolonial Democracy |date=29 November 2011 |publisher=Columbia University Press |isbn=978-0-231-52791-0 |pages=56– |quote=Rao and Subrahmanyam also stress that this specific genre of niti texts was composed and read by the group of scholar-bureaucrats whom they refer to broadly as karanam. These were usually Niyogi Brahmins or Kayasthas who worked as ministers or advisers to minor princes or feudatories in Andhra, Karnataka, and Orissa.}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Pandey |first=Alpana |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qtxlCgAAQBAJ&dq=karanam+andhra&pg=PT34 |title=Medieval Andhra: A Socio-Historical Perspective |date=2015 |publisher=Partridge Publishing |isbn=978-1-4828-5017-8 |language=en}}</ref> In the Godavari districts, Kapus held the position as well,<ref>Satish Kumar, Ch. (2014), ''Caste Mobilisation Processes and Political Power: A Study of Kapus in Andhra Pradesh'', University of Hyderabad. pp. 10, 14, Chapter 5.</ref> while in other regions, it was sometimes occupied by Golkonda Vyapari Brahmins, Deshastha Brahmins, and Karans.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sachchidananda |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EKhxpLqX9bsC&pg=PA34 |title=Social Change in Village India |date=1988 |publisher=Concept Publishing Company |isbn=978-81-7022-206-4 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Bhavani Raman |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gjkeAQAAMAAJ |title=Document Raj: Scribes and Writing Under Early Colonial Rule Madras, 1771-1860 |publisher=University of Michigan |year=2007 |page=85}}</ref> The title "Karanam" is comparable to "Kulkarni" in North Karnataka and Maharashtra and "Shanbhaug" in Karnataka.<ref name=":9">{{cite book |author=Trimbaka Nārāyaṇa Ātre |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QNnuAAAAIAAJ |title=The Village Cart: Translation of T.N. Atre's Gaav Gada |publisher=Popular Prakashan |year=2000 |isbn=9788171548637 |page=49 |quote=The last word has probably come to the North from South India since, in Kannada (language), a peasant is called kul and kulkarni is called karnam.}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite book |author1=Ruedi Baumgartner |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ndRjDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT530 |title=In Search of Sustainable Livelihood Systems: Managing Resources and Change |author2=Ruedi Hogger |date=10 August 2004 |publisher=SAGE Publishing India |isbn=9789352802661 |page=530 |quote=The term Reddy, though it has a connotation of caste to it, also meant the headman. The Kannada equivalent is Patel or Gauda. Likewise the traditional village accountant, referred to in Telugu as Karnam or as Shanubhog in Kannada, was responsible for all record keeping.}}</ref>
In 1985, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N. T. Rama Rao, abolished the hereditary Karanam system and replaced it with the Village Revenue Officer (VRO) post.<ref name=":4">{{Cite book |last1=Jaffrelot |first1=Christophe |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tDN0MinxMigC&dq=karanam+abolished+ntr&pg=PA294 |title=Rise of the Plebeians?: The Changing Face of the Indian Legislative Assemblies |last2=Kumar |first2=Sanjay |date=2012 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-136-51661-0 |pages=294 |language=en}}</ref>
== History == The origin of village officers like Karanam is traceable to the evolution of Zamindari system.<ref name=":7">{{Cite journal |last=Eashvaraiah |first=P. |date=1985 |title=Abolition of Village Officers: Revolutionary on the Surface |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/4374153 |journal=Economic and Political Weekly |volume=20 |issue=10 |pages=393–395 |jstor=4374153 |issn=0012-9976}}</ref> Zamindars and Jagirdars appointed the village officials who were traditionally known as 'Karanam' and 'Munasubu' (Munsif) in Andhra region. The Munsiff maintained law and order while Karanams maintained land records and collected taxes.<ref name=":7" /> Karanams were skilled in writing administrative documents, accounting and file-keeping.<ref name=":8">{{Cite book |last1=Blackburn |first1=Stuart H. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2N046vzK824C&dq=karanam&pg=PA163 |title=India's Literary History: Essays on the Nineteenth Century |last2=Dalmia |first2=Vasudha |date=2004 |publisher=Orient Blackswan |isbn=978-81-7824-056-5 |pages=149, 150 |language=en}}</ref> Many Karanams were reported to be polyglots. They possessed knowledge of land use, dispute settlement, and local history. The more successful Karanams became 'Mantris' (ministers).<ref name=":8" /> In late medieval era, Niyogi Brahmins dominated as Karanams in Andhra, while in Telangana areas of Golkonda kingdom, Vyapari Brahmins were Karanams.<ref name=":3" />
In 1985, then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N. T. Rama Rao (NTR), abolished the hereditary offices of Karanam, Munasubu and instead replaced them with the Village Revenue Officer (VRO).<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite book |last=Kumar |first=Ashutosh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iTIlDwAAQBAJ&dq=karanam+abolished+ntr&pg=PA371 |title=Rethinking State Politics in India: Regions Within Regions |date=2016 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-1-315-39145-8 |pages=341, 371 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |date=17 August 2019 |title=MROs' power to reduce under new Revenue Act |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/telangana/2019/aug/17/mros-power-to-reduce-under-new-revenue-act-2020038.html |access-date=9 April 2023 |website=The New Indian Express |quote=During the then Chief Minister NT Rama Rao’s regime, the nomenclature of ‘Karanam’ was changed to ‘VRO’.}}</ref> The move was initiated in pursuance of the recommendations of the Unnitan Committee of 1964 and Narsimha Rao Committee.<ref name=":7" /> It was noted that NTR's decision to abolish the Karanam system in revenue administration was one of the reasons for the OBC communities to rally behind his party, Telugu Desam Party (TDP).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gali Nagaraja |date=2 November 2022 |title=2024 AP polls: Jagan woos OBCs to counter TDP's Kamma-Kapu caste coalition |url=https://thefederal.com/states/south/andhra-pradesh/2024-ap-polls-jagan-woos-obcs-to-counter-tdps-kamma-kapu-caste-coalition/ |access-date=9 April 2023 |website=The Federal |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Similar posts == The title ''Karanam'' is similar to Kulkarni in North Karnataka and Maharashtra and ''Shanbhaug'' in Karnataka.<ref name=":9" /><ref name=":0">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VO4eAQAAMAAJ |title=Community Development and Panchayati Raj Digest, Volumes 3-5 |publisher=National Institute of Community Development |year=1971 |page=334 |quote=Patwari / Karanam shall be the additional secretary to the gram panchayat for keeping the record concerning lands}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{cite book |author=A. Rā Kulakarṇī |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qxJWAAAAYAAJ |title=Marathas and the Marathas Country: Medieval Maharashtra |publisher=Books & Books |year=1996 |isbn=9788185016481 |page=28 |quote=On the basis of English records, he gives an elaborate account of the village officials like Karnam (village accountant), the role of the Deshastha brahmans etc . which can be compared with similar officials and castes in Maratha country.}}</ref>
Samprati or Sthala Karanam, who was a counterpart of Karanam at higher level, was usually held by Deshastha Brahmins.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TQpDAAAAYAAJ |title=Itihas Volume 5 |publisher=Director of State Archives, Government of Andhra Pradesh |year=1977 |page=65}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Robert Eric Frykenberg |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IUs1AQAAIAAJ |title=Guntur District, 1788-1848:A History of Local Influence and Central Authority in South India |publisher=Clarendon Press |year=1965 |page=15}}</ref> The post of Sthala Karanam, who was the district revenue official was sometimes replaced by Deshpande. Deshpande post was usually held by Deshasthas and also sometimes by Velamas.<ref>{{cite book |author=Ravula Soma Reddy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J_LZAAAAMAAJ |title=Studies in the Socio-economic History of Medieval Andhra Desa |publisher=Research India Press |year=2007 |page=180}}</ref>
== Karanam Telugu == Karanam Telugu was a variety of Telugu language patronized by Karanam writers.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Bhushan |first1=Nalini |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FCYlDwAAQBAJ&dq=karanam+telugu+pandit&pg=PT33 |title=Minds Without Fear: Philosophy in the Indian Renaissance |last2=Garfield |first2=Jay L. |date=2017-05-26 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-067299-7 |language=en}}</ref> There was also the Pandit's language which was the language variant used by scholars (Pandits) in literary texts.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Raman |first=Bhavani |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gjkeAQAAMAAJ&q=karanam+telugu+pandit |title=Document Raj: Scribes and Writing Under Early Colonial Rule Madras, 1771-1860 |date=2007 |publisher=University of Michigan. |pages=118 |language=en}}</ref> Both varieties enjoyed similar social status.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Raveendran |first=P. P. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VcCpEAAAQBAJ&dq=karanam+telugu+pandit&pg=PT68 |title=Under the Bhasha Gaze: Modernity and Indian Literature |date=2023 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-269944-2 |language=en}}</ref> The language of the Karanams was more suitable for day-to-day affairs. The balance between the two variants was changed when western missionaries started using Pandit's language for printing purposes. Also, instrumental were Paravastu Chinnaya Suri's disciples who monopolised Telugu instructor posts and editor roles at major publishing houses. They preferred Chinnaya Suri's Pandit style, and Karanam Telugu used for writing prose was rejected by them as non-standard.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Blackburn |first1=Stuart H. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2N046vzK824C&dq=karanam&pg=PA163 |title=India's Literary History: Essays on the Nineteenth Century |last2=Dalmia |first2=Vasudha |date=2004 |publisher=Orient Blackswan |isbn=978-81-7824-056-5 |pages=153–155 |language=en}}</ref> In opposition to this, Gidugu Ramamurthi fought for a language closer to Karanam Telugu (which he called ''vyavaharika'').<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Blackburn |first1=Stuart H. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2N046vzK824C&dq=karanam&pg=PA163 |title=India's Literary History: Essays on the Nineteenth Century |last2=Dalmia |first2=Vasudha |date=2004 |publisher=Orient Blackswan |isbn=978-81-7824-056-5 |pages=161, 162 |language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}} Category:Indian feudalism Category:Indian words and phrases Category:Telugu-language surnames