Telaga

Telaga is a land-owning agrarian community primarily found in the Coastal Andhra region of India. Telaga is a subcaste of the Kapu community, with both terms often used interchangeably. They are classified as a Forward caste. Historically, they were a warrior caste known for their honour and bravery.

The origins of the Telaga community are linked to the Telugu Choda dynasties, particularly the Velanadu chiefs (1076–1216 CE), who ruled Coastal Andhra and gradually came to be identified as Telagas. The community commonly uses the titles Naidu and Dora. The Balija and Ontari communities are closely related to the Telagas.

In the erstwhile districts of East and West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, and Visakhapatnam, the Telagas have long identified as Kapus, while in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts, they are still known as Telagas to differentiate them from the unrelated caste of Turpu Kapus who are also present in the same districts.