Uppara

Traditionally, Upparas are involved in salt making and salt selling activities (Shetty Uppara Kula).[2][5][6][7] In the past, their occupation also involved the extraction of salt, known in Telugu and Kannada as uppu and hence, they came to be called Upparas.[5][3][8]

Occupationally, Lonia of North India are considered the equivalents of Upparas.[5]

According to Francis Buchanan-Hamilton, the most important occupation of the Telugu Upparas was making of salt.[3]

Mysore Census Reports of early 20th century noted about Upparas as follows: "This caste is divided into the Telugu and Karnataka sub-divisions. The well-to-do section of the caste further undertake public works on contract, and some of them are good architects of ordinary Hindu houses. There are also agriculturists and traders among them."[3]

The one-man Anantha Raman commission constituted by the Government of Andhra Pradesh in its report in 1968 made certain observations and recommendations regarding the Uppara community. Some of the points mentioned in the report are as follows:

• Upparas were previously engaged in manufacturing salt.
• When private manufacture of salt was forbidden during the British rule, the people of the community turned to other occupations. Losing their caste-based occupation as salt makers, they tuned to agriculture and allied activities.

Kumar Suresh Singh noted in 1998 that Upparas have considerably lost tradition of salt-making and are primarily involved in agriculture.[9] Upparas are the descendents of Suryavamshi Sagara Chakravarthy (Sagara Uppara Kula).[10]

Some members of the caste are Vaishnavites and others Saivites. They also worship various village deities, which vary according to the place of residence. Upparas celebrate a Rajarshi Bhagiratha Jayanti on Ganga Saptami every year as even declared by the Government of Karnataka.

This Hindu community is represented by Shrimad Jagadguru Chinmuladri Shilapuri Suryasimhasana Bhagiratha Peeta Mahasamatana Math, Brahmavidyanagar Sukshetra, Hosadurga, Chitradurga, Karnataka.

The Chinnappa Reddy Report (1990) indicates that the Uppara make up about 1.18 percent of the population of Karnataka.