Holeya are a scheduled caste of India, mainly belonging to present day Karnataka State,[1] Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and also Madhya Pradesh.
[3] In Medieval period of India History, they were the warrior classes of fallen Kingdoms, hence were made & treated as, out-caste, commonly an agricultural labor.
In British India, Holeyas lived in Canara, Coorg Province and Mysore.
They were one of the lowest class, a partial slave, who could be sold by the owner of the estate in which they were located.
Among Dhers there were three principal class of slaves[verification needed] called Holiyas, Yemaru and Paleru.