The community of Brahmin people who initially stepped in Shivalli before being scattered into 31 different villages is termed as the Shivalli group. The Shivalli Brahmins are also known as Tulu Brahmins. The Shivalli Brahmin community adheres to two different schools of religious philosophy. Some Shivalli Brahmins are the descendants of the Dwaita religious philosophy.

The person behind the establishment of this philosophy is Madhvacharya, who is one of the most famous personalities associated with Vaishnavism. To pay homage to the founder, the people who belong to this community are often called the Shivalli Madhwa Brahmins.

All the people of the community of the Shivalli Brahmins do not have belief in the religious doctrines of Madhva. Some Shivalli Brahmins are ardent followers of the Advaita religious philosophy and are termed Shivalli Smarta Brahmins.

One of the most famous ceremonies that are associated with the cultural life of the Shivalli Brahmins is the Brahmopadesham or the Upanayana. The young boys who belong to this Brahmin community of South India have to take part in this ceremony. The people belonging to the Shivalli Madhwa Brahmin community take part in another important ceremony of the community, which is called the Upakarma ceremony.

The major language that is in use among the Shivalli Brahmins of Mangalore is a variant of the Tulu language. The language that they speak is quite different from the regular Tulu language that is spoken by the other people of South India. One of the most important reasons for which the name of the Shivalli Brahmins has become very popular in the region is the concept of Udupi-style restaurants. These restaurants provide good-quality vegetarian food of South Indian cuisine.

Last Updated on 21 September 2011