Pattusali

Pattusali or Pattushali or PathaSali is a Telugu and Kannada weavers' caste or social group found largely in the state of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka particularly in Hyderabad, Srikakulam, Vizag, Vijayanagaram, Godavari, Prakasam, Anantapur Districts, Keralapura, Hassan, Mysore, and Bangalore in India. They are identified by different names in various regions through out India.

Major Centers of the population are Srikakulam, Chirala in Prakasam district, Vutukuru in Nellore district, Dharmavaram in Anantpur district in Andhra Pradesh. Bangalore,Chennai,Mayiladuthurai,Ayyampet, Patteswaram and Pondichery are the other major centers.

Ponduru located in Srikakulam district is known for Khadi,it is Famous for fine Handloom clothes,which are produced by hand made fine count spining of cotton threads and weaven by expert weavers on Maggam(Weaving machine)

Origin

Saali means spider in Telugu. Probably, symbolising the weaving activity with the spider's web, this word was coined for weavers. In Tamil, it's Saalikan or Saaliyan. In Kannada, it's Shaaliga or Shaaliya. In Malayalam, Chaaliyan. Pattu is the Telugu word for Silk. The weaving community that specializes in silk weaving might have become a separate segment and community.

Oral history also says that Pattusali community is also called Saurashtra or Saurashtra Brahmin.

Food habits are different as per the region they are hailing from. Mostly Non Vegetarian diet except for the people hailing from Srikakulam.

Community people originating from Srikakulam are also settled in Orissa and West Bengal.

Community people originating from Prakasam,Nellore and Ananthpur districts are also settled in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Most of the conmmunity is Hindu and Vaishnavite. There is a significant proportion of Shivites also.

Community temples in Chirala and Dharmavaram are known for their Vaishnav celebrations each year which are deemed Town events,

History