Havyaka Brahmins are the Hindu Pancha Dravida Vedic Brahmins from the Indian state of Karnataka. Havyakas profess the Advaita philosophy propounded by Adi Shankaracharya. Most Havyakas can trace their immediate ancestry to either Sirsi, Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada or Kodagu districts of Karnataka and Kasaragod district of Kerala. Etymology The word Havyaka according to a linguistically correct derivation by Shri Sediyapu Krishna Bhat comes from Ahichchatra Bhrahmana: the community coming from Ahichchtra to Talagunda/Banavasi brought by Kadamba king Mayura Verma. According to Sediyapu, the word "Havyaka" is a Sanskritization of Ahika-Havika. This is supported by inscriptions. Sanskrit scholar Mahamahopadhyaya Nadahalli Ranganatha Sharma rejects Havya+Kavya derivation as grammatically incorrect. The word Havyaka was not used in official records until 1928 including in mutts and there is no basis for it in inscriptions. The name "Haiga", "Havika", "Haveeka" persists in Havyaka lexicon. The word Havyaka might also be derived from the place named Haigunda. That region of Karnataka which has been inhabited by Havyakas from ancient times is also called Parashuramakshethra, Gorastradesha, Gokarnamandala. Anaghaa is a summit. Origin of Havyakas Exact facts about Havyaka's origin are hard to come by since there is very little research available. However, the scientific school of thought places the date of Havyaka's immigration back to about 1300 years ago i.e.around 9'th A.D. The Kadamba king Mayooravarma-2'nd of 9'th A.D. was instrumental in bringing the first Brahmin families. It is believed that the second Kadamba dynasty brought many Brahmins in to perform the royal rituals and the related functions of the empirical government from a place called Ahikshetra. Thus the first few families were settled in Banavasi (Sirsi),the capital of the Kadambas and the place adored by Pampa. King Mayooravarma -2'nd act of inviting Brahmins to Banavasi has been inscribed on a stone stab (Shilashasana), which now lies near the village of Varadahalli in Sagara. It is now assumed and claimed that these Brahmin families brought from ahichchathra might be those of present-day havyaka families. Present day Havyakas today are guided by Advaita philosophy of Shankaracharya. Havyakas derive their last names from the jobs that they perform rather than by their origin. They usually have their names end with either Bhat, Shastri, Hegde, Upadhyaya, Madhyastha. Till recently Havyakas were primarily engaged in Vedic professions or they were in agriculture especially growing betel nut, paddy, banana, coconut, etc. A few decades ago they also started entering