The Mulukanadu Brahmins are a sub-group of Telugu-speaking Vaidiki Smartha Brahmins. Variations of the name of the community include: Murikinadu, Muluknadu, Mulukanadu, Mulakanadu, Moolakanadu and Mulikinadu.
Etymology
The name Mulukanadu follows the usual conjoint formulation of Brahmin communities: the word Naadu means "country" in all the south Indian languages; this is suffixed to the country whence the community hails, being in this case "Muluka". Thus, Muluka+Naadu=Mulukanadu, "people of the Muluka land." Muluka or Mulaka is identified and it is also known as Moolaka or Moolaka desha along with Ashmaka in shatavahana regime. Aurangabad, Nashik, Jalna, Vashim are parts of Mulaka. Pratishthanapura or present day Paithan is the capital of Mulaka desh.
T. V. Venkatachala Sastry's study of caste genealogy and sociology titled Mulukanadu Brahmanar traces the genealogy of the Mulukanadu sect and its origins, customs and prevailing cultures.