Nag, (in sanskrit, means MOUNTAIN) Naga or Nageswara, occurs in the name or a sept or gotra of various classes in Ganjam and Vizagpatanam e.g. Aiyarakulu, Bhondari, Bhumina, Bottada, Domb, Gadaba, Konda Dora, Medara-Muka Dora, "Nagaralu", Omanite, Pojroja, Rena and Samantiya. Members of the Nagabense of the Odiya claim to be descendants of Nagamuni, the serpent rishi. Naga is further gotra or sept of Kurnis and Toreyas of whom the latter, at their weddings worship at anthill, which are often the home of cobras. It is also a sub-division of Gazula Kapus and Koppala velmas.

The Nagaralu are cultivating caste in Vizagapatanam, concerning whome is recorded in Madras census report, 1901, that 'Nagaralu' means the dwellers in 'Nagarams' or city, and apparently this caste was originally a section of the Kapus, which took to town life, and seperated itself off from the parent stock. They say their original occupation was ayurvedic medicine, and a number of them are still physicials and druggists, though the greater part are agriculturalists.

The caste is further divided into three sections or gotras, viz; Nageswara (Cobra), Kurmasa (Tortoise), and Vigneswara or Mushika (Rat). It is further divided into exogamous septs or intiperulu, such as Sampathi (Riches), Chakravarthi (King or ruler), Majji etc.

The menarikam system, according to which a man should marry his maternal uncle's daughter, was in force. Girls were usually married before puberty, and a Brahmin officiates at marriages. The marriage of widows was not permitted.

The dead are burnt and the Chinna and Pedda roju death ceremonies, where at a brahmin officiates, are celebrated.

Some members of the caste have acquired a great reputation as medicine men and druggists.

The usual caste title is Patrudu, indicating those who are fit to deserve a gift.

Mr. Edgar Thurstone C.I.E. once superintendent of the Museum of Masras and the greatest anthropologist of his age, in the monumental treetise, "Castes & Tribes of South India" at pages 124 and 134 stated categorically that 'Nagaralu' originally hailed from Ganjam and Vizagapatnam districts, alpng with the other communities, viz. Bhumia Bottada, Gadaba, Konda Dora, Mukka Dora, Omnaite, Paroja, Rona etc; then classified as Scheduled Tribes according to him, in the Madras Census Report, 1901, it had been recorded that 'Nagaralu' meant dwellers in the Nagaram or the city , apparently seperated itself off their parent stock and were reputed as medicine men and druggists.

Taking this scientific hypothesis as basis, a close observation and study of customs previaling in the communities of Ronas or Renas and Bagatas inhabiting in the parts or regions, where from 'Nagarau' hail, gives deduction that 'Nagaralu' and Ronas had their origin in a common ethnic stock due to the commonness of the customs prevailing in both, discussed in the detail in the following paras

The places of residences of Nagaralu are Majjivalasa, Bypalli Siridapalli, Jogam palli, in Visakhapatnam agencies and also in Araku region and Paredu where Bagatas and Ronas also reside in abundance.

'Nagaralu', have surnames like Majji, Samantula, Gurumahantina, Pilla, Potina, Marupilla, Bypilla, Kamudilli, Illipilla, Kanchupilla, Jagupilli, which also find an equal place among Ronas. The caste title of Nagaralu is Patrudu where as that of Ronas is Patro. This quiet positively shows that nagaralu and Ronas are more akin to each other than to any other communities. Without any alternative , It is clear that the two communities of 'Nagaralu' and the Ronas had been originated from a common stock and each had been seperated from teh other by the divergent ways and means of like one had to take by the force of events.

There are two subsections among Bagatas viz. Pedda Bagatas and Reddi Bagatas, alike in Ronas namely mana Rona and Kottiya and similarly in Nagaralu, namely Nagaralu and Kanchala Nagaralu.

The two divisions of bagatas dine in each other's houses but subject to different formalities. Pedda bagatas, after dining in the houses of Reddi Bagatas do not remove the dining leaves and the latter remove the same and latter clean the hands of Pedda Bagatas. Likewise Ronas, Maharonas do not take the meat of domestic pig whereas Kottiyas, the other sect of Ronas take the same. Likewise the two sections of Nagaralu follow different ways of taking food which shows that there are differences of similarities between nagaralu and the other two sister communities namely, Bagatas and the Ronas. nagaralu like Ronas, offer non-vegetarian food to the relatives during the death ceremonies.

All the three communities served thr Zamindars of Jaipur and others of Visakhapatanam region at one and the same time in different capacities. Ronas were warriors and bagatas soldiers. Doctors were called Patros. Each were called after their profession.

History never revealed that as Ronas, inspite of having 'Patros' as their caste title ever took to medecine, and on the other hand affirmed that they served as soldiers only, the Patros that served the Zamindars as doctors must have been no other than the ancestors of nagaralu who were originally part and parcel of Ronas and who , after migration to cities or 'Nagarams', were called the name of 'Nagaralu' and who practised the Ayurveda-medicine in the cities also. This theory finds it's support and approval in the report of Mr. Edgar Thurston, in which it had been clearly and unambiguously laid down that Nagaralu means city dwellers who continued still to be physicians and druggists those migrated city dwelling nagaralu had their origin, as deduction from the logical basis made, in the Patros who served the Zamindars of Visakhapatanam region as doctors. In the city they are being called Patrudus when Teluguised.

Only such bagatas that are residing in Visakhapatnam agency in juxtapposition with the Ronas are having common surnames of the latter but not other Bagatas that live independent of Ronas in other parts of Visakhapatnam Agency including Chintapalli. This shows that the longer periods of neighbourhood between these two communities resulted in Bagatas taking or borrowing the surnames of Ronas. But the common surnames, like majji and etc., between Ronas and Nagaralu, still continue irrespective of their place of residence. this coupled with the hypothesis in the preceeding pars leaves no doubt that the parental stock of Nagaralu was none else but Ronas.