Gurav

Last updated

The Gurav are an occupational community comprising several castes. They are among the traditional service providers found in villages, for whom they are in a priest role, and are found in several states of India.[ citation needed ]

Contents

It derives from the Sanskrit plural of guru . The etymology and genealogy for the title Gurav can be derived from the Kannada word Gorava meaning a 'Shaiva mendicant'. [1] While known as Gurav (Shaiv Brahmin) in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, they are also called Gorava in Karnataka, " Tapodhan Brahmin "in Gujarat and " Dadhich Brahmin " in Rajasthan..

Function

Both Gurav women and men perform the traditional occupations of their community. [2] They are neither cultivators nor village officers but rather providers of a service deemed necessary for the functioning of the village, as with artisans. [lower-alpha 1] They traditionally serve as priests, maintainers and managers in temples devoted to Shiva, mostly in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Some act in a role similar to shamans, being intermediaries between the temple idol and the soliciting believer, and others also serve as priests to the families of the temple dancers. Their other traditional roles are also connected to Shaivite worship, such as musicianship and the sale both of leaf plates and symbolic flowers. [3] Local testimony suggests that the Gurav also act in a religious capacity outside temple grounds: at harvest time in the Mawal region, they are called upon to provide a symbolic sprinkling of water at threshing grounds [6]

Composition

The Bhavika, [lower-alpha 2] Lingayat and Saiva are the most prominent among the distinct endogamous castes that comprise the Gurav. These groups are in turn subdivided; for example, the Saiva Gurav have Nagari, Nilakantha and Swayambhu as subcastes, while the Lingayat Gurav are split into the Hugara, Jira and Malgara. [3]

Bhavika Gurav

The Bhavika Gurav are found mainly in the Konkan region of Maharashtra and comprise mostly members drawn from the Kunbi caste. Most of them are literate or formally educated even in their own rituals, and the temples that they serve are very rudimentary in style. [3]

Lingayat Gurav

The Lingayat Gurav are found mainly in the Konkan region and on the borders between Maharashtra and Karnataka . They do not know from which caste they originate but claim to have migrated to their present regions from Karnataka when they suffered persecution after the death of Basava, the founder of their sect. They are strict vegetarians and believe their high degree of devotion to Shiva makes them superior to other Gurav subgroups. It is this zeal that also causes them to disdain being grouped with other castes. [3]

Shaiva Gurav

According to Jayant Bhalchandra Bapat, a Hindu priest and academic, [7] although the Lingayat Gurav believe themselves to be superior among the various Gurav subgroups, it is the Shaiva Gurav who are most respected by the people of Maharashtra. As they belongs to Shaiva category. The members of this sub-community perform a sacred thread ceremony in accordance with Shaiva traditions. [3]

Mostly literate and educated, the Maharashtrian members of the Shaiva Gurav developed a myth of origin in the early 19th century and prefer to call themselves Shaiva. Their self-published research, in the form of a clan history known as a jatipurana , proposes a lineal connection with the sage Dadhichi through his son Sudarsana and thus a status. The legend says that Sudarsana was stripped of certain Vedic powers by an offended Shiva but was also granted the right to perform the puja rituals. The claims of the community to Brahminhood were accepted both by a sankaracharya (a respected authority and arbitrator of the Hindu faith) and colonial law courts but are not accepted in general Maharashtrian society, In Maharashtra Shaiva Gurav offers the first daily puja. to almost all Ganesha Tempel and Shiva Tempel. [3]

Socio-economic status

In areas other than Maharashtra, the Brahmin status of the Gurav is commonly accepted but they are considered to be upper cast in the social structure. [3] The sociologist M. N. Srinivas noted this peculiarity of low-status Brahminhood in particular regarding the Tapodhan of Gujarat. [8] [9] In Maharashtra they are considered to be a Shaiva community in the Hindu ritual ranking system known as varna . [10] [11]

It is probable that the Gurav were less, that's why considered among the various balutedhar communities. [12] They are not among those groups who have noticeably suffered historically from the effects of social degradation or lack of access to opportunity, although in Maharashtra they are listed among the Other Backward Classes under India's system of positive discrimination. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shaivism</span> Hindu tradition that worships Shiva

Shaivism is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Supreme Being. One of the largest Hindu denominations, it incorporates many sub-traditions ranging from devotional dualistic theism such as Shaiva Siddhanta to yoga-orientated monistic non-theism such as Kashmiri Shaivism. It considers both the Vedas and the Agama texts as important sources of theology. According to a 2010 estimate by Johnson and Grim, Shaivism is the second-largest Hindu sect, constituting about 252 million or 26.6% of Hindus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lingayatism</span> Shaivism sect founded in 12th century

Lingayatism is a Hindu denomination based on Shaivism. Initially known as Veerashaivas, since the 12th-century adherents of this faith are known as Lingayats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Basava</span> Indian philosopher and reformer (1131–1167)

Basava (1131–1167), also called Basavēśvara and Basavaṇṇa, was an Indian philosopher, poet, Lingayat social reformer in the Shiva-focused bhakti movement, and a Hindu Shaivite social reformer during the reign of the Kalyani Chalukya/Kalachuri dynasty. Basava was active during the rule of both dynasties but reached the peak of his influence during the rule of King Bijjala II in Karnataka, India.

Saraswat Brahmins are spread over widely separated regions spanning from Kashmir and Punjab in North India to Konkan in West India to Kanara and Kerala in South India. In places such as western and southern India, the claim of Brahminhood of some communities who claim to be Saraswat Brahmins is disputed. The word Saraswat is derived from the Rigvedic Sarasvati River.

Deshastha Brahmin is a Hindu Brahmin subcaste mainly from the Indian state of Maharashtra and North Karnataka. Other than these states, according to authors K. S. Singh, Gregory Naik and Pran Nath Chopra, Deshastha Brahmins are also concentrated in the states of Telangana (which was earlier part of Hyderabad State and Berar Division), Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh (Which was earlier part of Central Provinces and Berar) Historian Pran Nath Chopra and journalist Pritish Nandy say, "Most of the well-known saints from Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh were Deshastha Brahmins". The mother tongue of Deshastha Brahmins is either Marathi, Kannada or Telugu.

<i>Matha</i> Hindu monastery

A matha, also written as math, muth, mutth, mutt, or mut, is a Sanskrit word that means 'institute or college', and it also refers to a monastery in Hinduism. An alternative term for such a monastery is adheenam. The earliest epigraphical evidence for mathas related to Hindu-temples comes from the 7th to 10th century CE.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chitpavan Brahmins</span> Indian Brahmin sub-caste inhabiting Konkan region

The Chitpavan Brahmin or the Kokanastha Brahmin is a Hindu Maharashtrian Brahmin community inhabiting Konkan, the coastal region of the state of Maharashtra. Initially working as messengers and spies in the late seventeenth century, the community came into prominence during the 18th century when the heirs of Peshwa from the Bhat family of Balaji Vishwanath became the de facto rulers of the Maratha empire. Until the 18th century, the Chitpavans were held in low esteem by the Deshastha, the older established Brahmin community of Karnataka-Maharashtra region.

Karhaḍe Brahmins are a Hindu Brahmin sub-caste mainly from the Indian state of Maharashtra, but are also distributed in states of Goa, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khandoba</span> Hindu god

Khandoba, also known as Martanda Bhairava,, Malhari,Mylaralinga,Bandarada Odeya and Malhar, is a Hindu deity worshiped as a manifestation of Shiva mainly in the Deccan plateau of India, especially in the state of Maharashtra and North Karnataka. He is the most popular Kuladevata in Maharashtra. He is also the patron deity of some warrior, farming castes, shepherd community and Brahmin (priestly) castes as well as several of the hunter/gatherer tribes that are native to the hills and forests of this region. The sect of Khandoba has linkages with Hindu and Jain traditions, and also assimilates all communities irrespective of caste, including Muslims. The form of Khandoba developed during the 9th and 10th centuries from a folk deity into a composite god possessing the attributes of Shiva, Bhairava, Surya and Kartikeya (Skanda). He is depicted either in the form of a linga, or as an image of a warrior riding on a bull or a horse. The foremost centre of Khandoba worship is the Khandoba temple of Jejuri in Maharashtra. The legends of Khandoba, found in the text Malhari Mahatmya and also narrated in folk songs, revolve around his victory over demons Mani-malla and his marriages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arumuka Navalar</span> Sri Lankan Shaivism and Tamil language scholar, reformer, revivalist

Arumuka Navalar was a Sri Lankan Shaivite Tamil language scholar and a religious reformer who was central in reviving native Hindu Tamil traditions in Sri Lanka and India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vithoba</span> Hindu deity considered as a manifestation of Vishnu

Vithoba, also known as Vitthala, and Panduranga, is a Hindu deity predominantly worshipped in the Indian state of Maharashtra and Karnataka. He is a form of the Hindu deity Vishnu in his avatar: Krishna. Vithoba is often depicted as a dark young boy, standing arms akimbo on a brick, sometimes accompanied by his consort Rakhumai.

<i>Jangam</i> Shaiva order of wandering religious monks

The Jangam or Jangamaru are a Shaiva order of religious monks. They are the priests (Gurus) of the Hindu Shaiva sect, Gurus of Veerashaiva sect and are disciples of Shiva as mentioned in Basava Puranas. The meaning of word Jangam is 'moving linga'. Jangama is one who is endowed with true spirit of Agamic knowledge, and has sacrificed his life for giving Samskara (good) character building practices in all sections of the Hindu society.

Gaud Saraswat Brahmins (GSB), also known as Shenvis are a Hindu community of contested caste status and identity. They primarily speak Konkani and its various dialects as their mother tongue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daivadnya</span> Hindu caste

The Daivadnya,, is a community from Goa and Karnataka, who claim to have descended from Vishwakarma. Although they claim themselves to be Brahmin, but these claims are not accepted by others including local Brahmin castes. They are native to the Konkan and are mainly found in the states of Goa and Damaon, Canara, coastal Maharashtra, and Kerala. Daivadnyas in the state of Karnataka are classified by National Commission for Backward Classes as an Other Backward Class.

Padmasali is a Hindu caste residing in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. In coastal Karnataka they are called Shettigar. Their traditional occupation is weaving and clothes business. Its given license for the Padmashali people to keep talwars with them as they are originally business men and Self protected people since Satavahana empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culture of Maharashtra</span> Overview of the culture of Maharashtra (India)

Maharashtra is the third largest state of India in terms of land area and second largest in terms of population in India. It has a long history of Marathi saints of Varakari religious movement, such as Dnyaneshwar, Namdev, Chokhamela, Eknath and Tukaram which forms the one of bases of the culture of Maharashtra or Marathi culture. Maharashtrian culture had large influence over neighbouring regions under the Maratha Empire.

Marathi Brahmins are communities native to the Indian state of Maharashtra. They are classified into mainly three sub-divisions based on their places of origin, "Desh", "Karad" and "Konkan". The Brahmin subcastes that come under Maharashtra Brahmins include Deshastha, Chitpavan (Konkanastha), Saraswat, Karhade, and Devrukhe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hinduism in Karnataka</span>

Hinduism is the most followed Religion in India and nearly 84% of the total population of Karnataka follows Hinduism, as per 2011 Census of India. Several great empires and dynasties have ruled over Karnataka and many of them have contributed richly to the growth of Hinduism, its temple culture and social development. These developments have reinforced the "Householder tradition", which is of disciplined domesticity, though the saints who propagated Hinduism in the state and in the country were themselves ascetics. The Bhakti movement, of Hindu origin, is devoted to the worship of Shiva and Vishnu; it had a telling impact on the sociocultural ethos of Karnataka from the 12th century onwards.

Chari/Achari/acharyulu/Acharya is a Hindu surname of vishwakarma caste that encompasses various communities across India, with regional modifications as consistent with the local languages.

The Lingayat Vani community is an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are native to Maharashtra in western India. They belong to Veershaiv sect of Hindu Shaivism and are also referred to as Veershaiv-Lingayat Vanik or Lingayat Balija or Vira Banajiga or Bir Vanigas. The name Vani is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Vanijya' which means trade.

References

Notes

  1. In the state of Maharashtra, the traditional village service providers are known as balutedhars and the system by which they are paid as balute. There are commonly twelve such groups of people, although it may be more or less, and they include occupations such as carpenters, cobblers, potters and oil-pressers. They are distinct from the cultivators and the officers among the village people. [3] [4] The terms of payment of balute differ from those of the jajmani system. [5]
  2. The Bhavika Gurav are also known as Konkani Gurav. [3]

Citations

  1. Novetzke, Christian Lee (18 October 2016). The Quotidian Revolution: Vernacularization, Religion, and the Premodern Public Sphere in India. Columbia University Press. p. 162. ISBN   978-0-231-54241-8.
  2. Feldhaus, Anne (1995). Water and Womanhood: Religious Meanings of Rivers in Maharashtra. Oxford University Press. p. 171. ISBN   978-0-19509-283-7.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Bapat, Jayant Bhalachandra (2003). "Gurav". In Claus, Peter J.; Diamond, Sarah; Mills, Margaret Ann (eds.). South Asian Folklore: An Encyclopedia : Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka. Taylor & Francis. pp. 272–274. ISBN   978-0-41593-919-5.
  4. Ness, Brenda Joseph (2004). "The Saturday Oilpressers: The Bene Israel in the Konkan". In Long, Roger D. (ed.). Charisma and Commitment in South Asian History: Essays Presented to Stanley Wolpert. Orient Blackswan. ISBN   978-8-12502-641-9.
  5. Saglio-Yatzimirsky, Marie-Caroline (2010). "Caste as a Political Tool". In Aktor, Mikael; Deliège, Robert (eds.). From Stigma to Assertion: Untouchability, Identity and Politics in Early and Modern India. Museum Tusculanum Press. p. 208. ISBN   978-8-76350-775-2.
  6. Bel, Bernard; Brouwer, Jan; Das, Biswajit; Parthasarathi, Vibodh; Poitevin, Guy, eds. (2007). The Social and the Symbolic. SAGE Publications. pp. 269–270. ISBN   978-8-13210-117-8.
  7. "Jayant Bhalchandra Bapa". D. K. Printworld. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
  8. Srinivas, M. N. (1980). India: Social Structure. Transaction Publishers. p. 6. ISBN   978-1-41282-619-8.
  9. Eraly, Abraham (2011). The First Spring: The Golden Age of India. Penguin Books India. p. 286. ISBN   978-0-67008-478-4.
  10. Kosambi, Meera (2000). Intersections: Socio-cultural Trends in Maharashtra. Orient Blackswan. p. 39. ISBN   978-8-12501-878-0.
  11. Zelliot, Eleanor; Berntsen, Maxine, eds. (1988). The Experience of Hinduism: Essays on Religion in Maharashtra. SUNY Press. p. 343. ISBN   978-0-88706-662-7.
  12. Orenstein, Henry (1962). "Exploitation or Function in the Interpretation of Jajmani". Southwestern Journal of Anthropology. 18 (4): 302–316. JSTOR   3628985.
  13. Dahiwale, S. M. (9 September 2000). "Identifying 'Backwardness' in Maharashtra". Economic and Political Weekly. 35 (37): 3293–3297. JSTOR   4409712.

Further reading