Gomantak Maratha Samaj

Gomantak Maratha Samaj

Regions with significant populations
Primary populations in: Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka & Deccan Diaspora populations in: Anglosphere
Languages
Konkani, Marathi & others
Religion
Hinduism

Gomantak Maratha Samaj is a Hindu community found in the Indian state of Goa. ^[1] They are known as Nutan Maratha Samaj in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra and Naik Maratha Samaj in Maharashtra, Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, also Telangana respectively.

Origin

Gomantak Maratha is a relatively new ameliorative name. ^[2] adopted by a community of traditional Hindu temple servants. They were previously known by the following names: ^[3]

Kalavantin/ Kulambini

• Those who participated in music or singing and Dancing were known as ‘Kalavantini’ and Kalavant , literally meaning an artiste,’ they enjoyed a high status in the community and considered as upper castes. They were beauties with high Intelligence with vast knowledge of Hinduism, traditional puranic stories, honesty, and high devotion. Earlier they meant to remain celibate and provide music and dance for their Deity. They used to sing and dance in front of palanquin too during ritual ceremonies of their temple. ^[2]

Devli and Bhavin

Etymologically Devli, the word Devali is derived from the word Devul or Dev meaning God. Devli ( Male ) and Bhavin ( Female ) are synonymous works. So Devlis are those who were dedicated or devoted to the temple or to God. The duties of Devli males (Jyotkar) included lighting the temple lamps and mashal (torch), hold Devdanda, act as temple attendants (kathkar), also some were temple architects (Nayak) and play the ritual musical instruments like Mahavadya, Panchavadya, Ranavadya.

• Those Females who maintained the temple lamps, Palanquin , and held Chamara (Chavar in Konkani) were known as Bhavins, literally a pious lady.

Farzand

A third sub-caste which is largely included in the Gomantak Maratha caste is the Chedwa Chede or Bandi or Naik (Not to be confused with Naik Bhandari community of Goa, which is different) or Farzand. There is no problem in assuming that all the above words are synonymous. This sub-caste was not associated with the temples but with the mansions of the landlords. These Zamindars or Bhatkars were mostly Saraswats. They needed men and women for many tasks such as felling trees, lighting lamps, washing dishes, doing wedding work, taking care of animals in the cowsheds, cutting edge, and this need was met in a different way than by having paid servants or maids. In the premises where the Bhatkar's house was located, the Bhatkars built houses for the men and women who worked as housekeepers, and the dependents of the Bhatkars used to live in those houses.But this naming must have a deeper meaning. Many 'Chedwa' who have come of age at the palace, She used to walk around and fill the eyes of Bhatkar's young sons. It had the same effect. Some of the girls in this caste were married, but some girls fell in love or infatuated with these young Bhatkars and accompanied them for life as their concubines. This matter was not hidden in the house and no one complained about it. Because their fathers also used to do the same business. The daughters who were born to these concubines worked in the palace in the next generation. The women of the palace were aware that these girls were the seed of their family and hence they were probably called 'Chedwa' (girls) in this sense.Campbell wrote the following about him in the Ratnagiri Gazetteer."Pharjans literally children..... are found in the south of the district. In former times it was, and still to a less extent is, the practice for the rich to keep female servants, kunbins, to attend on the women of the family and as concubines. The children of these maidservants form the class of pharjans. They are almost all huscandmen and except that they hold a lower position, marrying only in their own class differ little from Marathas and Kunbis. ^[2]

Perni

Their main occupation was acrobatics. They used to perform Jagar (a form of acrobatics) as the main source of their livelihood and held a higher status in the community.

Gomantak Maratha Term

So, This Gomantak Maratha Samaj is formed by combining the three Main sub - groups and Minor group Perni given above. Gomantak is not to be taken in the regional sense of the word or place, but in the sense of a native adjective. It means that Gomantak Maratha is not some Maratha caste of Gomantak, but it is to be taken to mean that this caste is having origin of the community which is in Goa , under the people's living there. As the old vast Gomantak extended from Kankavali to Gangavali, all the three sub - Groups of Above Mentioned were spread in this ancient Gomantak. ^[2]

History

The Devdasi system of temple servants had been prevalent in Goa since times immemorial. ^[4] The Kalawantin community finds references throughout Goan history. ^[5] In Goa, devdasis were known as Kalavanta and naikins. They claimed their origin from the celestial apsarar and gandharvas whose duty was to entertain gods. They are depicted on hero stones and are seen dancing and serving god.They are divided into two kalavants and bhavins.From ancient times, Hindu upper-caste widows originally sought shelter in the temples if they did not commit Sati after the husband's death. ^[5] These widows would then become the mistresses of the Brahmins. Any resulting daughters from the relationship would either be sold by their mothers to become mistresses of Brahmins or become temple servants and entertainers. The sons would also become temple servants and musicians. The inscription of Goa provided references to presence of devdasis families who accorded a high status and position in the courts of kings. The Marathi stone inscription from Veluz records the grant of three and half tanka per annum to a bhavin. Thus we see that they were termed as bhavin , probably a fee paid to her for the services rendered to the temple.The Rattaraja inscription of Shilahara refers to devdasi families given along with the grant and were referred to as dhanika. The Kadamba inscription refers to courtesans who served the king. The Tambur inscription records that there were streets meant for courtesans and they were called Suligere. In the Dharwad inscription of Jayakeshi they were called ganika and were treated with respect. Shilahara king Arikesari und Goa Kadamba king Shasthadeva II visited Somnath and saw the devdasis in the temple In the temples of Goa, Most celebrated kalavants served the temples of Saptakoteshwars, Mahalasa Narayani, Mangueshi,Shantadurga. ^[6]

The Portuguese called them bailadeiras (dancers). In 1598, the Viceroy Francisco da Gama  [ pt ] passed a law on behalf of King Philip I of Portugal that prohibited members of the community from entering the Velhas Conquistas on the grounds that the community members "perform many obscene dances, sing dirty songs and do all sorts of things that only reflect a diabolic state." ^[7]

During British colonial rule, many Kalawantin community members moved for economic reasons to the city of Bombay and other areas of British India. Most of these emigrants followed Hindustani classical music gharanas to improve their art and talent.From the beginning of the current century, when the women of the Devadasi community started moving to Mumbai, they came into contact with the Gujarati Shethiyas and Bhatias there. This wealthy class wanted a place of relaxation in the busy commercial life. The Gomantakiya courtesans loyalty to their hosts, modesty, charm, singing skills, artfulness, intelligence, elegance of behavior and high-class lifestyle made the rich merchant class eager to have marrital relationships with young Gomantak courtesans. It is well-known that Revathi, the heroine of Deval's play 'Samshaykallol', was conceived by the writer from a woman belonging to a family of Gomantakiya Devdasi artistes in Mumbai. ^[2] Those who remained in Goa began organizing themselves after the Portuguese First Republic period. In 1910, Rajaram Painginikar started Kalawantin Movement from Poinguinim village in Goa. In 1917, Maratha Gayan Samaj (Maratha Singers Society) was formed in Kakode. In 1925, the Gomantak Maratha Samaj (G.M.S.) was formed under the leadership of Rajaram Panginikar. ^{[8] [9]}

Notable members

• Mangeshkar Family ^[8]
• Mogubai Kurdikar ^[8]
• Kishori Amonkar ^[8]
• Dayanand Bandodkar ^[8]
• Shashikala Kakodkar ^[8]
• Kesarbai Kerkar ^[8]
• Moghubai Kurdikar ^[8]
• Anjanibai Malpekar ^[10]
• Raghunath Mashelkar ^[8]
• Rattan Bai Wairikar ^[11]
• Vithal Nagesh Shirodkar ^[8]

See also

• Konkani people
• Devadasis
• Harijans

References

1. Gracias, Fatima da Silva. Kaleidoscope of women in Goa, 1510–1961. p. 80.
2. "Gomantak Prakruti ani Sanskruti" by B.D.Satoskar
3. Gracias, Fatima da Silva. Kaleidoscope of women in Goa, 1510-1961. p. 80.
4. Sinai Dhume, Anant Ramkrishna (1986). The Cultural History of Goa from 10000 B.C. to 1352 A.D. University of Michigan. pp. 310–311.
5. Mitragotri, Vithal Raghavendra (1999). A Socio-cultural History of Goa from the Bhojas to the Vijayanagara. Panjim: Institute Menezes Braganza.
6. Satoskar, B. D. (1979). Gomantak Prakruti ani Sanskruti. Pune: Shubhada Saraswat Prakashan.
7. de Mendonça, Délio (2002). Conversions and citizenry: Goa under Portugal 1510–1610. Concept Publishing Company. pp. 425–427. ISBN   978-81-7022-960-5.
8. Goa world book review Archived 5 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine
9. Radhakrishnan, Waman (1998). Purushartha. Panjim: Rajhauns.
10. Mário Cabral e Sá (1997). Wind of fire: the music and musicians of Goa. Promilla & Co. pp. 163–164. ISBN   978-81-85002-19-4.
11. "About – Gomantak Maratha Samaj – Goa" . Retrieved 25 May 2024.