The Badaganadu are a Brahmin community that mainly reside in Karnataka, and now due to the advent of globalisation they are spread throughout the world. The community is one of the three main streams of adherents to the Advaita Vedanta propounded by Adi Shankara and are followers of the Smarta tradition.
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Origins
Literally, Badaganadu means the northern land, probably originating from badaga (north). Referred to the community, it might mean people from the northern parts, who were brought to perform pujas in Sanskrit language. The mother tongue of Badaganadu community has been Kannada.
The main deity of some of the Badaganadus is Venkateshwara or Ahobila Lakshmi Narasimha and for some it is Mylaralingeshwara or Malatesha of Devaragudda or Mailara near Ranebennur in Haveri District, the last three located in northern parts of Karnataka. And for some Badaganadu Brahmins the main deity is Nanjundeshwara of Nanjanagudu, Mysore, South Karnataka. Badaganadus celebrate most of the South Indian Festivals like Ugadi, Navaratri, Deepavali and Gowri Ganesha.
Culture
Though most of the Badagandu community are Smarthas, there is a large Badaganadu sect amongst Madhwas; some say that Madhwas were originally advaitins but chose to profess Madhwacharya's Dwaita teachings due to reasons of losing in religious debate or were overcome by the influence of the new thought.