Devanga

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Devanga community weavers.jpg
Hampi Hemakuta Gayathri Peeta Sri Sri Sri Dhayanadhapuri MahaSwamiji is the religious leader of Kannada Speaking Devanga people.

Devanga
Regions with significant populations
Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Odisha
Languages
Kannada,Telugu,Malayalam,Tulu,Konkani
Religion
Mostly Lingayat sect of Hinduism
Related ethnic groups
Padmashali
Dancer in Saree wearing Kuthampally silk

Devanga (also known as Devanga Chettiar)[1][2] is a Hindu caste from South India that traditionally followed the occupation of textile merchandise, weaving and farming[2] mostly found in the Indian states of Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Odisha.[3][4]

Origin and culture[]

The caste claims to be descended from Devala, an ancient Hindu sage.[4] They originated from Ujjain, Madhya pradesh and settled in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, and during the reign of the Vijayanagara Empire they migrated to Tamil Nadu.[5] Devanga is a word derived from Rig Veda (Div am ga),that interprets as first ever Brahmin. Devanga people have Sanskrit gotras for ages and practise gotra matching for every wedding. They don't have any local gotras, but they have sect names(Kulam) like kappelar, lathegar etc., coined based on their profession. Based on these sects, there comes vegetarians and non-vegetarians. 'Seda' derived from the word 'Sesha' or 'Seshan' is commonly used to call devanga people.

Devanga is a Sanskrit word that means "Body of the God". They follow orthodox hinduism[6]

Hiltebeitel, historian from George Washington University, has clearly mentioned that south Indian society recognised neither the kshatriyas nor vaishiyas. Since chaturvarna system was not clearly studied in south India during the British Empire, the veracity of any claim made on the caste status must be vindicated with other morbid facts such as strong evidences in native language literatures, analysis on the cultural group peers across various locations, stone carvings, etc.

Religion[]

There is a theory that the Devanga and Padmashali communities were once a single entity, with a split arising when the Devanga element took up Shaivite Lingayatism or Veerashaivism while the Padmashalis were Vaishnavs.[7][8] While some Devangas wear the yagnopaveetam or janivara, others consider the Viramustis as their traditional preceptors, from whom they take precepts and wear lingam.[4]

During the medieval period, the Veerashaiva weavers supported anti-caste movements such as that of Basava. However, that movement itself became consumed with caste superiority against other Veerashaivas and Brahmins (who were non-Veerashaivas). The weavers began claiming higher caste status and claim that in 1231 a king granted them rights that were traditionally accorded to upper castes, such as wearing the sacred thread, riding a palanquin, and displaying a flag.[8]

The main goddess of the Devanga people is Sri Ramalinga Chowdeshwari Amman in the South Karnataka, Andhra and Tamil Nadu regions.[9][3]

In the Central and North Karnataka regions the main goddess of the Devanga people is Sri Banashankari Amma Temple.[10]

Devanga Purana[]

Around 1532, Devangas of the Godavari requested the Telugu poet Bhadralinga Kavi to write their kulapuranam, or mythological history. He composed the Devanga Purana in the dasimatra-dvipadi style.[11] The Godavari Devangas also helped to Sanskrtize Devangas from eastern Andhra.[8]

Occupation[]

Most members of this community were professional artisans who were specialized in weaving silk apparels with motifs and specialized with brocade, damask and matelassé. They were accordingly primarily concentrated around major textile centres in the Godavari district.[7]

They were known for great craftsmanship in weaving clothes of silk and superfine quality cotton textiles. Weaving the loom is usually done by men whereas women dye the yarn and spin the thread and children assist tasks such as looming. They are also very good entrepreneurs and expert in marketing of clothes. Some of them are also engaged in farming.[4]

Notable people[]

Punishment for inter-caste marriage[]

In 2004, the Devanga leaders of a small village in Belagur, Chitradurga district, Karnataka, fined and socially excluded ten families from the community for marrying people outside the caste.[17] The decision was criticised and alleged to be unconstitutional[18] but a similar thing happened to five families in Shivani village, Ajjampura, Chikmagalur district in 2011.[19]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Gautham, Komal (30 April 2016). "MGR magic still spins votes from Coimbatore weavers". The Times of India. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  2. ^ a b Nainar, Nahla (21 March 2014). "Silence of the looms". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  3. ^ a b George, Anubha. "For 500 years, a Kannadiga community of weavers has produced Kerala's iconic white and gold saree". Scroll.in. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d Acharya, Prasant Kumar (2003). Sacred Complex of Budhi Santani: Anthropological Approach to Study Hindu Civilization (2003 ed.). New Delhi: Concept Publishing Company. pp. 240–246. ISBN 978-81-8069-049-5.
  5. ^ Ramaswamy, Vijaya (2014). "Mapping Migrations of South Indian Weavers before, during and after the Vijayanagar Period: Thirteenth to Eighteenth Centuries". In Hoerder, Dirk (ed.). Studies in Global History: Studies in Global Migration History. 15. Brill. p. 108. ISBN 978-90-04-27136-4.
  6. ^ Mysore State Gazateer: Govt of Mysore. page 111
  7. ^ a b Swarnalatha, P. (2005). "The Social World of the Weaver". The World of the Weaver in Northern Coromandel, c. 1750 - c. 1850. New Delhi: Orient Blackswan. p. 36, 37. ISBN 978-81-250-2868-0.
  8. ^ a b c Reddy, Prabhavati C. (2014). Hindu Pilgrimage: Shifting Patterns of Worldview of Srisailam in South India. Routledge. p. 183.
  9. ^ "A ritual of pain to connect with the past - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  10. ^ "Standing the test of Time". Deccan herald. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  11. ^ Swarnalatha, P. (2005). "The Social World of the Weaver". The World of the Weaver in Northern Coromandel, c. 1750 - c. 1850. New Delhi: Orient Blackswan. pp. 39–45. ISBN 978-81-250-2868-0.
  12. ^ Roy, Tirthankar (28 January 2020). The Crafts and Capitalism: Handloom Weaving Industry in Colonial India. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-000-02469-2.
  13. ^ "Once upon a time in Thyagaraya Nagar…". The Hindu.
  14. ^ "Wo are famous Kannada actors and their castes". www.quora.com. 16 March 2020.
  15. ^ "BJP fields K Narayan for bypoll for Karnataka Rajya Sabha seat". Deccan Herald. 17 November 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  16. ^ "BJP's K Narayan enters Rajya Sabha unopposed". The Times of India.
  17. ^ "Ten families facing 'social boycott'". The Hindu. 22 December 2004. Retrieved 3 May 2015.[dead link]
  18. ^ "Seer calls for end to social boycott". The Hindu. 23 December 2004. Archived from the original on 28 November 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  19. ^ Khajane, Muralidhara (29 January 2011). "Protection for 'social boycott' victims sought". The Hindu. Retrieved 3 May 2015.

Further reading[]

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