The first picture is of H.H. the Maharaja of Sounda (Sundem), Goa, with his wives. The Sonda Nayakas are believed to be the descendants of the Kadambas. They are Kannada Lingayats and the last royal family of Goa.


Goa was under the rule of Kannadiga dynasties for most of the past 2 millenia. In the first millenia it was under Kadambas, Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas. In the last millennium it was ruled by the Kannadiga Shilaharas followed by the Kadambas of Goa before the Bahamani Sultanate took it \~1350 A.D. 

We find evidence of the Kanarese rule of Goa in Portugese records \~1650 that speak of an Arasu, lord of Salcete, who won over the kings of the entire Konkan (probably Shilahara?) and his Nayaka, Gowda and Setti sons (common Kannadiga administrative titles). His descendants are believed to have settled at Arossim and interestingly enough the ancestors of the Chardos (Goan Catholics who claim to be Kshatriya converts) of this Arossim has the Gadd (Gowda), Naik (Nayaka) and Chatim (Setti) titles.

Vijayanagar rulers wrested control of Goa from the Bahamanis. This time bringing a new wave of Kannadiga ruling elites, empowering the local Konkani Brahmins and  reducing the power of the Konkani Kshatriyas/Chardos. Portugese records specify how this class corresponding to the Nairs of Kerala was not armed as Goa never had native rulers and was always subject to outsiders. Some Chardos were even sold into slavery by the Portugese.

The Kannadiga Bankapur chiefs who came into prominence \~1450 were a branch of the Saluvas of Gersoppa. Thimmayya Nayaka (Timoja/Timoji), the famous privateer and pirate who served the Vijayanagara Empire and the Portuguese belonged to this family. 

Like every wave of Kannadiga conquest, Vijayanagar too left some nobles in Goa who converted to Christianity and became were absorbed into the local Konkani population. While Timmayya died of opium poisoning in the Vijayanagar capital his family are believed to have settled in Goan villages like Calata, Navelim, Carmona and Betalbatim and absorbed into the Chardo population. Records again show that the old Gaunkars, the ancestors of the Chardos of these places all had Kannada titles like Gadd (Gowda) and Naik (Nayaka). 

Some Marathas have tried to claim Timoji was a Maratha. But as the details show he was a Kannadiga and a relative of the Saluvas of Gersoppa (Honnavar). While there are Chardos who are Maratha converts with Maratha surnames, these seem to be of Kannadiga origin. The Chardos seem to have adopted the "Maratha" identity when Shivaji became prominent and many are of Vani (merchant class) origin too. 

Calling Timoja or the chiefs of Bankapur Marathas would be akin to calling the Sisodias of Mewar Maratha because Shivaji is descended from them.

References not already mentioned in the images:

Karnataka State Gazetteer: Uttara Kannada district

Gazetteer of the Union Territory Goa, Daman and Diu

Articles written by the Konkani historian Tensing Rodrigues







The Kannadiga rule of Goa - Shilaharas to Sonda Nayakas