The Bhatrazus, Mr. W. Francis writes, [134] "are also called Bhats or Magadas. They have two endogamous sub-divisions, called Vandi, Raja or Telaganya, and Magada, Kani or Agraharekala. [Some Bhatrazus maintain that Vandi and Magada were individuals who officiated as heralds at the marriage of Siva.] Each of these is again split up into several exogamous septs or gotras, among which are Atreya, Bharadwaja, Gautama, Kasyapa and Kaundinya. All of these are Brahmanical gotras, which goes to confirm the story in Manu that the caste is the offspring of a Vaisya father and a Kshatriya mother. Bhatrazus nevertheless do not all wear the sacred thread now-a-days, or recite the gayatri. [135] They employ Brahman priests for their marriages, but Jangams and Satanis for funerals, and in all these ceremonies they follow the lower or Puranic instead of the higher Vedic ritual. Widow marriage is strictly forbidden, but yet they eat fish, mutton and pork, though not beef. These contradictions are, however, common among Oriya castes, and the tradition is that the Bhatrazus were a northern caste which was first invited south by King Pratapa Rudra of the Kshatriya dynasty of Warangal (1295-1323 A.D.). After the downfall of that kingdom they seem to have become court bards and panegyrists under the Reddi and Velama feudal chiefs, who had by that time carved out for themselves small independent principalities in the Telugu country. As a class they were fairly educated in the Telugu literature, and even produced poets such as Ramaraja Bhushana, the author of the well-known Vasu-Charitram. Their usual title is Bhat, sometimes with the affix Razu or Murti."
Of the Bhatrazus in the North Arcot district, Mr. H. A. Stuart states [136] that "they now live by cultivation, and by singing the fabulous traditions current regarding the different Sudra castes at their marriages and other ceremonies, having probably invented most of them. They profess to be Kshatriyas. But it is known that several are Musalmans or members of other castes, who, possessing an aptitude for extempore versification, were taken by Rajahs to sing their praises, and so called themselves Bhatturazus. They resemble the Razus in their customs, but are said to bury their dead." In the Gazetteer of Anantapur, the Bhatrazus are described as touring round the villages, making extempore verses in praise of the principal householders, and being rewarded by gifts of old clothes, grain, and money. It is stated in the Kurnool Manual that "the high-caste people (Kammas) are bound to pay the Batrajulu certain fees on marriage occasions. Some of the Batrajas have shotriems and inams." Shotriem is land given as a gift for proficiency in the Vedas or learning, and inam is land given free of rent.