Korama community claims to originate from Kuru Vamsha. For the support of its claim, a mythological story relating to Dharma Raja, the exiled prince of Hasthinapura and his sincere lover who met him at the forest in disguise as a fortune-teller (Kuravanji) is quoted. The word “Kuru”. means fortune telling (Kani). Members of this community living in the regions of forest area are nomadic tribe which permeates throughout the length and breadth of India. They are now called by different names in different states. They are called Korama, Koramasetty. Koracha, Kunchi Korava and Bajentri in Karnataka Korava, or Kuravan, in Tamilnadu: Yerukula or Yerakavanalu in Andhrapradesh; Sidhanar in Kerala; and Kaikadi in Maharastra. All these people speak (at least know) one particular dialect called “Kulu” a mixture of Tamil and the local language. The four gotras common to this community are Kavadi, Satupadi. Myandragutti and Manpadi, the significance of which is explained infra. Their main professions in the early ages besides crude agriculture were basket making, fortune-telling and tatooing (pachaikutti). Some people of this community are invariably engaged in these old occupations even today. Later on, some sections of the people particularly in erstwhile Mysore preferred to settle down in village and they took to agriculture and merchandise when this community was scheduled under Depressed class by the then Maharaja of the Model Mysore State, bringing forth several ameliorative reforms. Those who had largely taken to merchandise in addition to agriculture are called Korama Setty. The people in old Mysore area are, comparatively more civilised and cultured than their brothers in New Karnataka area where they are not classified as scheduled caste. Consequently their main stay is piping (Bajentri), prophesing, mat-weaving, rope making. In Calcutta our community people have been traced practising as quack doctors whose specialty is curing piles and fistula. Nanchinad of Travancore was governed by a line of Kurava Kings called Nanchi Kuruvans.
The tribal people in the forest and hilly regions were excellent shikaris. The ruling kings and pallegars of those days prior to the British-Rule in India used these people to rob the neighbouring kingdoms of their war materials and to act as spies. The small trades carried on in groups were shattered by the advent of East India Company. As this class had no political backgrounds and also strength to resist, these people split into groups and migrated to different parts of the entire country to eke out existence… Economically and socially, the koramars today are very backward. In certain parts in Bellary district and in new Karnataka they are the most down-trodden neglected and class. In those days, the kormars are extremely superstitious. No widows, remarried women, women gone astray were allowed to join the wedding circle. The men folk were considered it a serious matter, if any of them returned home without an escort after sunset, The elders used to exercise strict moral discipline in the class.
In respect of matrimonial connections, there exist four Gotras Viz. (1) Kavadi (2) Satupadi (3) Myandragutti and (4) Manpadi, Formerly the alliance was restricted in some places to two gotras-Kavadi and Satupadi, treating. Myandragutti as sapinda of Kavadi and Manpadi as sapinda of Satupadi. This illusory notion entertained by a section of early people was cleared by the latest social reformer Kamenahalli Muniswamappa (my beloved father) who explained to the community people the existence of distinct four gotras whose functions are charec-terised by the significance of different connotations of the terms of Kavadi, Satupadi, Myandragutti and Manpadı. He also introduced, barring sapinda alliance, other social important reforms like 1. bringing marriage alliance among Koramars, Kora-chars. Bajentries 2. Stopping Kanya Sulka and Pavsarai 3. Ceasing the custom of gifting Kobari battalu (Gitaku) with Hurigandli in return to those who present muyyi to either bride or bride groom. These reforms are being adopted in and out of Karnataka now.
The significance of the names of these 4 gotras has a high spiritual force with a distinct division of labour. Before dawn both men and women used to take bath every day in the rivers, tanks or wells and keep themselves physically clean. The Kavadi gotraja men folk used to take water in two pots pendant at the ends of a bomboo pole (popularly called kavadi) and carry on their shoulders to the temples. They used to wash the temple and the god or god ss statue (Vigraha). The satupadi gotrajas used to adorn the diety with different kinds of flowers. The Myandragutti gotrajas used to adorn the god or goddess with ornaments and clothes (vastrabharna). Finally the manpadi gotrajas used to sing and dance.in praise of god or goddess. All the sects gathered in the temple used to take part in Bhajans and Kirtans in chorus and worship the deity seeking auspiciousness, peace and prosperity not only to them but also to the people of the world. They used to end their prayer as “Sarvejana Sukino Bhavanthu”
This custom was nityakarma in accordance with our ritualistic Karma enunciated in our vedas and Bhagavadgeetha. With this auspiciousness, the women folk used to go out to different villages nearby and call on the women and foretell (kani) what is in store to happen in the family. They used to get from the women ragi in murah, Sugandha Bathi and Camphor and begin to pray to diety Lakshmi or Parvathi by citing Astothara Nama and take in the right thumb a few grains of ragi and count the numbers according to the digits obtained, they used to tell what has happened or foretell what is happening and set the remedy by prescribing the women to take bath and do pooja sincerely to her Istadevata with a copper coin tied in yellow cloth (Mudipu) and pray for relief of the difficulties and sufferings and subsequently to tie the Mudipu on the forehand of the victim. This custom is being practised even today in rural parts in abiding faith. This custom establishes the fact that there is some truth in prophecy and persistence to invoke the blessings of Sree Lakshmi or Siva The Hindu Dieties. The prophecies predicted by Par-vathi Devi In Koravanji disguise to Kausalya Devi in Ramayana that she will beget an exquisitely beautiful Son-Avatar of Narayana himself; and Lord Srinivasa in Koravanji disguise that Srinivasa-Avatar of Sriman Narayana himself will woo princess Padmavathi, may be recalled to high light the sincerity and truth in transmitting supreme messages by Koravanji. Thus, the devotion to god, the Omnipotent-Omniscence, was instilled in the families to note that their end of human life is to obtain divinity by devotion.