The Alupa dynasty was an ancient ruling dynasty of India. The kingdom they ruled was known as Alvakheda Arusasira and its territory spanned the coastal districts of the modern Indian state known as Karnataka. The Alupas in their prime were an independent dynasty, centuries after reigning due to the dominance of Kadambas from Banavasi, they became feudatory to them. Later they became the vassals of the Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Hoysalas with the change in political scenario of Southern India. Their influence over coastal Karnataka lasted for about 1200 years. There is evidence that the Alupas followed the law of matrilineal inheritance (Appekatt/Aliyasantana) since the Alupa king Soyideva was succeeded by his nephew Kulasekhara Bankideva. The legendary king who is credited with introducing matrilineality in Alva Kheda|Tulu Vishaya Kheda is named Bhuta Alupa Pandya The descendants of this dynasty still survive to this date and have spread in the karavali region and they are widely referred to as the Bunt. The Bunts follow Matrilineality instead of the common Patrilineality, and are said to be Nagavanshi Kshatriyas by their maternal origin. They can be identified with their surnames such as Shetty, Rai, Hegde, Alva, Chowta etc. Even though most Bunt are Hindus by faith now, The sizeable section of the community still follows Jainism and they are called Jain Bunt The last Alupa king to have ruled is Kulasekharadeva Alupendradeva whose inscription dated 1444 CE have been found in Mudabidri Jain Basadi.

Tulu Nadu or Tulunad is a region and a proposed state on the southwestern coast of India. The Tulu people, known as 'Tuluva', speakers of Tulu, a Dravidian language, are the preponderant ethnic group of this region. South Canara, an erstwhile district and a historical area, encompassing the undivided territory of the contemporary Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts of Karnataka State and Kasaragod district of Kerala state forms the cultural area of the Tuluver.