implies that they were the old infantry or the foot - soldiers. Hale paika namadhari means Halu Kshatriyas ( milk Kshatriyas). They affix the title Näik to their names , though they generally go without any appellation . In a few places , the title ' Gauda ' is added to the names of this people. The Hale Paikäs of Mysore speak both Canarese and Tulu. So also had the Thiyyars of North Malabar formed a military class in former times , and there was a Thiyyar Regiment of a thousand soldiers at Thalassery with men of their own caste, who held high and responsible posts and distinguished themselves by the most conspicuous gallantry and fidelity in East india Company. bridegroom and their friends on their marriage occasions, namely, a pointed helmet on their heads, the kacha, i.e., cloth worn round the loin, a knife stuck in the girdle and drawn swords and shields in the hands of the bride groom and his two friends. The sword and shield dance were the indispensable accompaniments until lately, all denoting a warlike career. There is a legend that one of their ancestors be came Commanders of the Vijayanagar army, and was made ruler of a State and given a village named Hale Paika as a jagir ( hereditary assignment of land). The martial Halepaiks took to agriculture in peacetime and down the centuries were left with small landholdings, a condition which led to them being downtrodden and marginalized. Until recently Halepaiks were known for their status as resident cultivators (Gross-crop sharing), that is working on lands passed on by heredity on the condition of parting with a portion of produce. This system is known as geni paddati (tenure system) in Kannada. There are two versions, Moola geni (protected tenant with certain rights; similar to Bhoomidar of Uttar Pradesh) being the hereditary one and Chala geni (tenant at will; ex Sirdars and Asamis of U.P) given on a contract lasting 4–5 years. Halepaiks became almost synonymous with the Moolageni system. With the undergoing changes at the socio-political level and the onset of lenders the condition became such that over the last century every family which was poor to own land by themselves took to the above said system irrespective of caste, creed and community. From Brahmins to Muslims they were at it for livelihood. Most became resident cultivators in their own land due