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 Shet gentlemen from Goa, from late 18th to early 19th century (Courtesy: Gomant Kalika, Nutan Samvatsar Visheshank, April 2002) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Goa, Coastal and westMaharashtra, CoastalKarnataka andKerala. | |
| Languages | |
| Konkani (majority),Marathi,Tulu andKannada. | |
| Religion | |
| Hinduism,Christianity |
TheDaivadnya, (also known asSonar orPanchal orVishwa Brahmin), is a community from Goa and Karnataka, who claim to have descended fromVishwakarma. Although they claim themselves to be Brahmin, but these claims are not accepted by others including local Brahmin castes.[1][2][3][4] They are native to theKonkan and are mainly found in the states ofGoa andDamaon,Canara (coastalKarnataka), coastalMaharashtra, andKerala.[citation needed] Daivadnyas in the state of Karnataka are classified byNational Commission for Backward Classes as anOther Backward Class.[5]
Daivadnyas are a subgroup ofSonars (Gold Smiths) and hence they are called as Daivadnya Sonars orSuvarṇakara[a] or simplySonar.[b] Daivadnya Sonars in Maharashtra claim to beBrahmins and call themselves as Daivadnya Brahmins[6] however this is not accepted byother Brahmin communities of Maharashtra.[7] The Poona government of the Peshwa era did not accept the claim either but the Bombay Sonars continued with the claim.[4][8] However, Oliver Godsmark, a researcher on late colonial and early postcolonial South Asia, considers them a subcaste of the Brahmins that were originally from the coastal regions of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa.[9] They are popularly known inGoa asShets. This word is derived from the wordShrestha orShresthin[10][11]
Their name has many alternative spellings, includingDaivajna,Daivajnya,Daiwadnya, andDaivadnea.[12][non-primary source needed]
Daivadnyas are commonly known asShet. This appellation comes from their guild organisations, during the medieval ages. European documents mentions them as "Chatim" or "Xette", which is corruption of Konkani Shett, or Shetty.[13] The guild or members of the guilds of traders, merchants, and their employees who were mainly artisans, craftsmen, and husband-men in ancient Goa like elsewhere in ancient India, were calledShreni, and the head of the guilds were called Shrestha or Shresthi, which meantHis Excellency.[14][15] Of all the trade guilds, the Daivadnya guild, was highly esteemed in Goa. These guilds enjoyed such a reputation for trustworthiness that people deposited money with these guilds, which served as local banks and also made huge donations to the temples.[16] Gomantak Prakruti ani Sanskruti, a comprehensive work on Goan culture also suggests that they called themselvesSreshtha to distinguish themselves from other groups who were assigned status ofSankra jati ormixed origin in theShastras.[17][18][non-primary source needed]
Old Portuguese documents mention them asArie Brahmavranda Daivadnea class (Orgon Somudai).[19]
Though their history is obscure, Daivadnyas claim to have descended from Davidnya or Vishvadnya the younger son ofVishwakarma, the Hindu architect god.[2][20] Shets or Daivadnyas also claim Brahmin varna status, however, this is not accepted by local Brahmins and other communities of the region.[21][22] There is also a claim that Daivdnyas are descent from the VedicRathakara as mentioned inTaittiriya Brahmana ofYajurveda, andSmritis, however Daivadnya community deny this.[23] Hindu doctrinesHiraṇyakeśisutra,Bṛhajjātiviveka,Jātiviveka,Saṅkha smṛti, andAñjabila mention different types of Rathakaras. Most of them can be called Saṅkara Jāti or mixed caste, and their social status varies from those with high social status, who are ritually pure and have the right to perform "strata-smarta" rituals and to those considered fallen or degraded.[24][25][26] Daivadnyas (during the conflicts that arose in the 19th century) refuted this claim, which called them Rathakaras of impure descent, on the basis ofShastra[citation needed][needs independent confirmation]
Author Vithal Raghavendra Mitragotri says, TheBhojas are well-known sculptures and have migrated to various regions of India. Therefore, the Sthapatis who themselves claim to be Brahmins may have been descendants of Bhojas. The gold-smiths claim themselves to be Daivadnya Brahmins.[27][28] According to Viṭhṭhala Mitragotrī, the migration to Goa dates back to the early 4th to 6th century CE, with the Bhoja dynasty.[27] Bā. Da. Sātoskār in his encyclopedic work on Goan culture, suggests that they are a part of the tribe and reached Goa around 700 BC. From 1352 to 1366 AD Goa was ruled byKhiljī.In 1472, theBahāmanī Muslims attacked, demolished many temples, and forced the Hindus to convert to Islam. To avoid this religious persecution, several Śeṭ families fled to the neighbourhood kingdom of Sondā.[29][30] Several families from western India had settled down inKashi since the late 13th century.[31]
In 1510 the Portuguese invaded Goa. KingJohn III of Portugal issued a decree threatening expulsion or execution of non-believers in Christianity in 1559 AD; the Daivadnyas refused conversion and had to decamp. Thousands of Daivadnya families fled to the interior of Maharashtra and coastal Karnataka.[32] About 12,000 families from the Sāsaṣṭī region of Goa (fromRaia,Cuncolim,Loutolim,Verṇa and other places), mostly of the Śeṇavīs and the Shetṭs, includingVaishya Vani,Kudumbi, and others, departed by ship to the southern ports of Honnāvara to Kozhikode.[32][33] A considerable number of the Sheṭts from Goa settled inRatnagiri and theThane district of Maharashtra, especially theTansa River valley, after the Portuguese conquest of Goa.[34]
The Portuguese imposed heavy restrictions on all Goan Hindus, but the Shetṭs were granted exemption from certain obligations or liabilities. It is rare to find a Christian Goan Shetṭ, while all the other castes find some representation in the convert society;[35] this is because the economic power the Śeṭs wielded in the sixteenth century enabled them to live and work in Goa on their own terms or emigrate with their religion intact.[35] Their commercial knowledge and skills were held in high esteem by the Portuguese;[35] because of the protection the Portuguese gave them, they had a little religious freedom.[15] For example, they were permitted to wear the horizontalVibhutī caste-mark on the forehead, and were even exempted from punishment when they committed crimes.[15] The very few who converted were assigned the caste ofBamonn among theGoan Catholics.[citation needed] According to the gazetteer of Goa state they are called Catholic Śeṭs,[36] but no such distinction is found amongstGoan Catholics. A detailed study ofComunidades[h] shows that Whether Hindu or Catholic, the community always enjoyed their social status, and were permitted to remain in Christianised parts of Goa, provided they kept a low profile, observed certain disciplines, and paid a tax of threexeraphims of (goldmohor) annually to the Portuguese.[37][unreliable source?]
A few Daivadnya families who converted to Catholicism migrated toMangalore due to attacks by theMarathas in Goa during the late 17th and early 18th century.[38][39]
The trade in Goa was mainly in the hands of three communities classes, being the Gaud Saraswat Brahmins, the Vanis and the Sets.[40]
Conflict between Daivadnyas and Vaishyas, in 1348 inKhaṇḍepar orKhaṭegrama, is mentioned in Khaṇḍepar copperplate. This issue was solved inGaṇanātha temple in Khāṇḍepār, its antecedents are not known.[41][42][full citation needed]Another conflict in the 17th century, between Shenvi Brahmins and Shets of Goa, these over social status was evidenced in arguments about use of traditional emblems likeSuryapan, parasol etc. during religious rituals, functions and festivals. The hatred was so severe until the 19th century that only fear of the police kept the peace. Later, the Portuguese banned the use of Hindu symbols and wedding festival processions.[43][full citation needed][44][45]
Documents mention aGramanya[j] that lasted from 1822 to 1825, between the Daivadnyas and the Brahmins of Pune or thePuna Joshis. This dispute started because the Puna Joshis were against Daivadnyas employing their own priests and not employing theVyavahare Joshis for their religious functions.[46] These Daivadnya families had migrated fromRatnagiri, to Pune during the reign ofBaji Rao I, who always upheld their claims against theVyavahare Brahmans or thePuna Joshis.[47] The opponent Brahmins were against the Daivadnyas administeringVedokta Karmas or Vedic rituals, studying and teaching Vedas, wearing dhoti, folding hands inNamaskar. They urged the Peshwas, and later, the British to impose legal sanctions, such as heavy fines to implement non-observance of Vedokta Karmas, though the later had been always observing the Vedic rites.[48] The Joshis denied their Brahmin claim, allegedly argued that they are not even entitled to Upabrāhmaṇa status which are mentioned in theŚaivāgama.[49] Thus they claimed that latter were not entitled to Vedokta Karmas and should follow onlyPuraṇokta rites[46] and they were also against the Brahmins who performed Vedic rituals for the Daivadnyas,[48] they incriminated that Daivadnyas have an impurity of descent and have a mixed-caste status or Saṅkara Jāti.[50][51] The British also issued orders to the Daivadnyas by which the Vedas not be applied for an improper purpose, the purity of theBrahmin caste be preserved[52] and did not impose any restrictions on the Daivadnyas.[50] This dispute almost took a pro-Daivadnya stance inBombay in 1834,[53] and were ordered to appoint the priests of only their ownJāti and not priests of any other caste as per the tradition.[52] It is during these disputes Daivadnya Pundits came up with extensive literature like versions ofSahyadrikhanda of Skandapurana, to clear their maligned image by the Pune Brahmins.[54]
In 1849, the king ofKolhapur,Shahu Maharaj, provided land grants to the Daivadnyas who had migrated toprincely states of Kolhapur andSatara and helped them build their hostels for the students pursuing education.[55][full citation needed]
Many families like the Murkuṭes, the Paṭaṇkars, the Seṭs of Karvara and Bhaṭkala kept their tradition alive and excelled in trade, playing a major role in socio-cultural development of the major metropolis of India such asBombay.[45]
The Daivadnya priests who officiated at the Gokarṇa Mahabaleswara temple were prosecuted in 1927 by theHavyakas of Gokarṇa, who thought they would take over thepuja authority at the temple. The case reached the Bombay High Court, which ruled in favour of the Seṭs.[56]
Some Goan Daivadnya families migrated toPune and overseas. The Akhīla Bharatiya Daivajña Samajonnati Pariṣat has existed since 1908 for their betterment.[45]
Similarly, about 3500 Sheṭts migrated toBangalore city after 1905 fromSouth Canara.[57] Many families have migrated to Mumbai and have founded organisations such as the Kanara Daivajna Association,[58] and Daivajna Shikṣṇa Maṇḍala.[59] TheShimoga,Chikkamagaluru,Koḍagu,Davangere, andHubli-Dharwad districts of Karnataka now have a considerable Daivadnya population.[32]
Shetṭs have also migrated abroad. They are found in the Arab countries[60] and have been migrating overseas in pursuit of higher education and employment for number of years, notably to the US and UK.[58] A small number have Portuguese[60] or Kenyan citizenship,[61] and a few live in Karachi, Lahore[62] Pakistan, but most of them have settled as refugees inUlhasnagar after partition.[58]
Their earliest religious beliefs could have been based on a mixture ofBrahmanism,Bhagavata religion, sun worship andShaivism, though it cannot be ascertained to a particular period of time or geographical region. Different schools of Shaivism have existed in Goa and Konkan since ancient times. Similarly, Shaivism was very popular amongst Goans of all walks of life, and was very widely practiced. Their religious and cultural beliefs were constantly influenced by other religions such asJainism,Buddhism and later theNath sect when the ruling dynasties patronised them. Up to 1476 there was no properVaishnavism in Goa, but later under influence ofMadhvacharya many of them embracedMadhwa philosophy.[63]
Daivadnyas are followers ofMadhvacharya andAdi Shankara. The followers of Adi Shankara worship deities as prescribed by him asPanchayatana puja – a concept of worshipping God in any of the five forms, namelyShiva, Devi,Ganesha,Vishnu andSurya, that was propagated byAdi Shankara (8th century) is observed by Daivadnyas today. Daivadnyas worship the Pancayatana deities with Devi or Shiva as the principle deity. A possible Pancayatana set may be:Shantadurga, Shiva,Lakshminarayan (Vishnu with his consortLakshmi), Ganesha and Surya. Pancayatana may also include guardian deities likeVetala,Ravalnath, Bhutanath, Kala-Bhairava, Kshetrapala and deities like Gramapurusha.[64]
Daivadnyas who follow theVaishnavism ofMadhvacharya worship Vishnu and Lakshmi as their prime deities and have established many temples of Vishnu in the form of Lakshminarayan,Krishna,Venkatesha,Narasimha andVithoba. They were converted into Madhva fold byVadiraja Tirtha and they are followers of Sodhe Matha, one ofAshta Mathas of Udupi.[65][66]
Their tutelary deities are primarily in the form of the Mother Goddess, though they revere all Vedic, Puranic and folk deities equally.[10]
Ishta-devata is a term denoting a worshipper's favourite deity.[67] Ganesha is ishta-devata of all the Śeṭs.Ganesh Chaturthi orSiddhivināyaka Vrata is a major festival of the Daivadnyas.
Kalika,Kansarpal, Goa – is worshipped as Ishta-devata by Gomantaka Daivajñas. This temple is more than 800 years old and is located at a distance of around 14 kilometres fromMapusa. It was built byKadambas and was renovated by a Daivadnya minister who was serving SawantBhonsale – kings ofSawantwadi, Maharashtra. It is one of the most important temples in the northern part of Goa. The main festivals celebrated in this temple are Śiśirotsava,Navrātrī, Rathasaptamī, Āvalībhojana and Vasantapujā.[19][68][69]
Other Ishta-devata of Daivadnyas includeRama,Dattatreya[10]Hanuman,[10] Vithoba ofPandharpur,Hayagriva ofUdupi, Mahalakshmi, Krishna,Gayatri,Durgā Parameśvarī, Lakshmi-narayan, Mañjunātha ofDharmasthala andGokarṇa Mahābaleśvara. Daivadnyas maintain several temples in Goa, and about 38 temples in North Canara district of Kanarataka,[70] and many temples in other parts of Karantaka, Maharashtra and few in the state of Kerala.
Daivajñas also honour various saints likeSathya Sai Baba, Dada Maharaj of Patgaon,Raghavendra Swami,Narasimha Saraswati,Swami Samarth Maharaj,Sai Baba of Shirdi,Shreedhar Swami,Mata Amritanandamayi and Maṅkipura Svāmī.[citation needed]
Śeṭs were divided according to the place from where they hailed, the maṭha they followed and other criteria.
Until the early 19th century, Goan Śeṭs were divided into three sub-divisions based on their geographical location, but these divisions no longer exist:
These sub-divisions never intermarried nor did they accept food from their counterparts.[80]
There are no prominent distinctions found in Maharashtra, but there are mentions of groups of Śeṭs of Goa, especially fromSāsaṣṭī,Bārdes,Tīsvāḍī, landing in places like Ṭhāṇe,[34]Sāvantvāḍī,Ratnagiri,Khārepāṭaṇ,Mālvaṇ,Kudāl etc.[81] Daivajñas from Koṅkaṇa later migrated elsewhere in Maharashtra,[82][page needed] and hence they were also known asKoṅkaṇe orKonkane Devajnas as mentioned in old documents.[48]
Previously, Daivajñas from Goa refrained from having matrimonial alliances outside Goa. Today they arrange them with the Daivajñas of Karnataka and Maharashtra.[83]
The emigration of Goan Shetṭs to Kerala dates from the early 13th century,[84][full citation needed] when most of them settled in the port ofCochin.[citation needed] Some Shets migrated from Goa during the later half of the 16th century due to the religious persecution of the Portuguese. These people settled in places such asQuilon,Trichur,Kozhikode, andKasaragod, along the coast of Kerala.[citation needed]
The Keralite Shets have a temple dedicated to Gopalakrishna, which is perhaps the oldest temple in Fort Cochin.[85]
Daivadnyas speak Koṅkaṇi and its dialects.[86] Gomantaka Daivadnyas speak a dialect of Koṅkaṇi known as Goan Koṅkaṇi which theEthnologuerecognises as theGomāntakī dialect, further divided into sub-dialects such as theBārdescī Bhās or north Goan,Pramāṇa or standard Koṅkaṇī andSāśṭicī Bhās or south Goan.[87][88] Their Konkanisociolect is different from others and is more closer to theSaraswat dialect.
Daivadnyas in Maharashtra, i.e. Mumbai, Ṭhane, Pune, Kolhapura, Satara, contemporarily speakMaraṭhi. In the Koṅkaṇa region of Maharashtra they speak dialects of Koṅkaṇi such asMalvani,Kudali and others. Daivadnyas inKanara speak different dialects of Koṅkaṇi, such asKarvari in theUttara Kannada district andMaṅgluri in theSouth Canara district.[88]
Almost all of them are bilingual, Goan seṭs can speak Maraṭhi fluently,[83] Canara Seṭs speak Kannaḍa andTulu outside home,[89] likewise a very small fraction of Keralites can speakMalayalaṃ with an accent, most of them can speak English fluently.[83] Many of them have accepted Maraṭhi/Kannaḍa as their cultural language but noticeably, this has not led to an assimilation of these languages with Koṅkaṇi.[90] Similarly Daivadnyas settled in various parts of Gujarat use the local Gujarati language.[91]Portuguese language is known by many members of older generation of Goans who had done their formal education during the Portuguese rule.[citation needed]
Historians say that the period of migration of Daivajñas and theKudāldeskārs, from the northern part of India is same, and they settled in Goa in the same period, for this reason members of both the communities speak the same dialect of Koṅkaṇī in Goa.[44][92]
Historically, many scripts have been used writing either Koṅkaṇī or Marāṭhī. An extinct script called asGoykanadi[i] was used by the traders in the early 16th century. The earliest document written in this script is a petition addressed by Ravala Śeṭī to the king of Portugal.[93] Other scripts used include Devanāgarī,Moḍī,[93]Halekannaḍa and Roman script.[93]
Daivajña traders had developed a unique slang calledKalī Bhās, which was used to keep the secrecy of the trade by the traders. Remnants of this jargon are still found in the language used by the Daivajña traders.[94][95][96]
The Daivadnyas are generallynon-vegetarians and eatfish,mutton andchicken, but abstain from eatingbeef,pork andbuffalomeat.Rice withfish curry is their main food.[97]
Konkani people in general though speakIndo-Aryan languages followDravidian kinship practices (see Karve, 1965: 25 endnote 3).[98] One's father's brother's children as well as mother's sister's children are considered as brothers and sisters, whereas mother's brother's childrenand father's sisters children are considered as cousins and potential mates. Cross-cousin marriages are allowed and practised. Likedravidian people, they refer to their father's sister asmother-in-law oratte, and their mother's brother asfather-in-law –mama, and one's husband's mother is generally referred to asmother-maay.[99]
Daivadnya people are not so orthodox but they strictly adhere to all theṢoḍaśa Saṃskāra or the 16 sacraments, and other Brahminical rituals according to the Rig Veda.[64][100]The Saṃskāras begin to be observed right from the day of conception, but the prenatal sacraments likeGarbhadhāna,Puṃsavana, are usually performed as a part of the wedding ceremony nowadays, unlike some 30 years ago these sacraments were held separately after the wedding ceremony at the right time.[101]
Usually the birth of the first child is supposed to take place in woman's mother's home.[11] After the child is born, ten days of birth pollution orSuyer is observed, by keeping an oil lamp lit for ten days.[64] On the sixth day following childbirth, the goddessŚaṣṭī is worshipped. On the 11th day, a purificationHoma is performed. TheNāmakaraṇa or theBārso, a naming ceremony, is performed on the 12th day.[11] It is sometimes held one month following the child birth if the stars are not favourable. TheKarṇavedha orKān topap ceremony is held on the 12th day in case of a male child, or for a female child, it is held a month after the birth. ForUśṭāvaṇ,Annaprasana or thefirst feeding ceremony child's maternal uncle feeds the baby with cooked soft rice mixed with milk and sugar. Another similar ritual,Dāntolyo is also performed by the maternal uncle when the baby gets new teeth, on the first birthday of the child. Ceremonies like the first outing orNiṣkrāmaṇa,Jāval orcūdākarṃa i.e. cutting child's hair for first time,Vidyāraṃbha or commencement of studies, are performed as per caste rules.[64]
When the boys grow up, and before they attain the age of 12,Munj orUpanayana is performed with great fanfare.[64] All other sacraments related to it, likeKeśānta or the first shave,Vedarambha or,Samāvartana orSoḍ Munj are performed as a part of thread ceremony nowadays. In case of girls(who were always married before attaining puberty some 75–100 years ago), a ceremony associated with a girl's firstmenstruation was observed in olden days.[102]
The most important sacrament for them isVivāha,Lagna or the wedding. Various ceremonies held before the actual wedding ceremony areSākarpuḍo or the betrothal,Devkāre orDevkārya that includesPuṇyāhvācana,Nāndi,Halad,Tel,Uḍid muhurtaSome of their customs are different from any others castes.[44] etc. The actual wedding ceremony is performed as per Ṛgveda.[64]Sīmāntapujā, Kanyādāna, Kaṅkaṇa-bandhana, Maṅgalasutra-bandhana, Saptapadi, Lājahoma, Aṣmārohaṇa, Vāyanadāna form the actual parts of the wedding ceremony. Ceremonies likeGṛhapraveśa, changing the maiden name of the bride, and the puja are followed by some games to be played by the newly wed couple, and the visit to the family deity temple.Pancpartavaṇ or a feast is organised five days after marriage.[44] They strictly observe Gotra exogamy.[103] The custom ofdowry in its strict form does not exist any more, butSālaṅkṛtaKanyādāna withVaradakṣiṇā is followed as a custom. Intercaste marriages are not common in Daivajñas[104][full citation needed]
A widower is and was allowed to remarry but traditionally this was not the case for widows. In more recent times, post-independence of India, social reforms have allowed widows to remarry but the practice is still frowned upon by the society. The age for girls for marriage is from 18 to 25 and that for boys is from 25 to 30. Child marriage is absent though girls were married off before attaining puberty, this custom was prevalent till the 19th century.[87]
Their dead are cremated according to the vedic rights, and variousŚhrāddhas श्राद्ध and otherKriyās,Tarpaṇas are performed by the son or any other paternal relative, or in some cases by the son-in-law of the deceased.[64] As per the Vedas, dead infants without teeth must not be cremated,[105] and are supposed to be buried.[64] The body is generally carried to the cremation ground by the son of the deceased and his/her close relatives. Death pollution orSutaka usually lasts for twelve days.[64] They usually own their own cremation grounds.[64] Women are not allowed in the crematorium.[106] If the deceased was male, his widow was tonsured and strict restrictions were imposed on widows.[107] There was no custom of widow remarriage in the past[108] neither is it very common nowadays[109] nor was there any custom of divorce.[108]
Their priests are usually from their own caste otherwise, particularlyKarhade priests officiate their ceremonies whom they show much reverence.[110][108]
Daivajñas observe all the Hindu festivals butGanesh Chaturthi,Nag Panchami andDiwali are the most important annual festivals.[83] Other festivals and Vratas observed by them are —Saṃvatsarāraṃbha, Saṃvatsar Pāḍvo or Yugādi,Vaṭa Paurṇimā, Vadāpunav,Ṛk Śrāvaṇi, Sūtāpunav,Gokulashtami, Āditya pujan, Āytārā puja,Haritālikā Tṛtiyā, Tay or Tayī,Navratri, Lalita Panchami,Dasaro, Āvatāñcī pujā,Bhaubeej,Tulaśī Lagna,Ekadashis likeĀṣādhī, Kārtikī, Mālinī Paurṇimā or Mānnī Punav,Makar Sankranti,Shigmo,Holi,Mahashivratri, Veṅkaṭapatī Samarādhanā'[111]
Daivajña men traditionally wearDhotīs calledPuḍve orAṅgavastra, which cover them from waist to foot. These are made of cotton and sometimes silk on special occasions and woreJudi orSadro to cover upper part of their bodies, and a piece of cloth calledUparṇe over the shoulders. They wore turbans andPagdis,Muṇḍāso, a red velvet cap orTopī was used by the traders and merchants so that they would not be troubled by the Portuguese.[112][113] Men had their ears pierced and woreBhikbālī, sportedŚendī and woreVibhutī or Sandalwood orGopīcandana paste on their foreheads. Men were fond of gold jewellery, too.[113]
Traditional Daivajña woman wear a nine-yardsaree,[citation needed] also known asKāppad orCīre in such a way that the back was fully covered.[113] The fashion of wearing a blouse became popular in the 18th century.Ghāgro and a five yards saree was worn by unmarried girls. Women wore gold ornaments on different parts of their bodies (e.g.Ghonṭ, Pāṭlī, Todo, Bājunband, Galesarī, Valesar, Kudī[113]), and wore silver ornaments to decorate their feet (e.g.;Paijaṇ, Salle, Māsolī, Vāle[113]).
They do not have their own repertoire of folk songs, but many of them are skilled in singing bhajans, in folk and classical traditions. Until recently every family had a tradition of evening bhajan and prayers with the family members in front of the family gods; a few families have still kept this tradition alive. Children recitedShlokas,Shubhankaroti,Parvacha, as the womenfolk lit the lamp in front of the deity, tulasi and ancestors. Womenfolk were not allowed to sing or dance which was considered demeaning, they do not have any folk songs other thanovis which they hummed while doing household work, some pujas, and other ceremonies such as the naming ceremony, the wedding and the thread ceremony.[114]
Even though they do not have a tradition of folk songs, they have played a significant role in field ofHindustani classical music, drama, arts and literature.[114]
The traditional occupation of Daivajña people is the jewellery trade. Why this became their occupation is not known. There are no mentions of the Śeṭs practising this occupation in the early history, although they used to make gold and silver images for the temples, which old texts suggest they have inherited this art from the Bhojaks[27] who made idols of the Sun god, hence were also called as Murtikāras. They were well versed in Śilpaśāstra and inSanskrit hence received royal patronage.[41] Dhume mentions that the Śeṭs also studied medicine, astrology, astronomy[115] in ancient university ofBrahmapuri in Goa.[116]
They were renowned for their skills even in the western world and were the first to introduce exquisite jewellery designs to Europe,[citation needed] and were extensively involved in gold, silver, perfumes, black pepper export[citation needed] and even silk, cotton textiles, tobacco[117] and import of horses during Portuguese and pre-Portuguese era.[118] Texts maintain names of many wealthy traders e.g.Virūpa Śeṭī ofCoḍaṇe,[118]Āditya Śeṭī ofŚivāpura orŚirodā[119]Viṭhṭhala Śeṭī,Dama Śeṭī, who was appointed as an administrator of theBhatkaṭa port by the Portuguese,[120] and others.Ravala Śeṭī fromCaraim who was summoned toLisbon by the king of Portugal,[121][122] was a collaborator withAfonso de Albuquerque and retained a high office in Goa. Since days of yore their business has been flourishing on the banks of riverMandovi, historical records mention them as prosperous and wealthy traders and business class. These traders, merchants with their fellow artisans, craftsmen had organised themselves into Śreṇīs or guilds,[123] Śreṣṭhīs or the head of the guilds were very wealthy, and made huge donations to the temples, and their guilds also served as local banks and treasuries.[15]
Few of them also worked as interpreters in king's court and were calledDubash,Gaṇa Śeṭī fromLoutolim village was inKadambarajas court.[124] From the old documents it can be also seen that few of them were involved in politics,[125] and were employed by the kings for their service. Some of them were even associated with salvage operation of the vessels, and sometimes even provided the Portuguese with troops, ships and crew.[126]
They assisted the kings in minting and designing the coins;[41] duringMaratha rule some Daivadnya families were given a title ofPotdar, which literally means treasurer inPersian, who were in charge of testing the genuineness of the minted coins and their prescribed weight,[127] and played an important role in the revenue system of the Marāṭhas.[128]
The tradition of studying Vedas amongst the Goan Śeṭs does not exist any more,[71] but Daivadnyas from Gokarṇa, Honnavara and many other places in coastal Karnataka and Koṅkaṇa division of Maharashtra have kept this tradition alive. Many of them are priests who offer religious services to the community, very few of them are astrologers and temple priests.[10]
Along with educationally advanced communities in the 1850s – theCKPS,Pathare Prabhus,Saraswats,Parsis;Daivadnyas were one of the communities in theBombay Presidency that allowed female education.[129]
Daivadnyas in the state of Karnataka are classified byNational Commission for Backward Classes as anOther Backward Class.[5]
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Nowadays when members of the caste group define themselves as a part of a particular caste, it also indicates their place in the hierarchical idealized order of varna. Thus, Goud Saraswat Brahmins and Sonar (Daivadnya Brahmins) would call themselves Brahmins, although not everybody would consider them as such
DAIVADNYA BRAHMAN: A community located in Goa and Karnataka, they claim that they are the descendants of Vishwakarma, the Hindu architect god. They are also referred to by terms like Vishwa Brahman, Panchal and Sonar.
DAIVADNYA BRAHMAN Synonyms : Sonar, Viswa Brahmin [ Karnataka ]
Among group which was seeking to advance itself both materially and in the caste hierarchy was the Sonar or gold Smith community. Their occupation attracted groups of various very varied social status, and for a long period recent recruits were not accorded the same status in the caste as older families. Those with the highest status in the caste were the Devangas, and, under the Peshwas, they had claimed to be Daivadnya Brahmins, because of their intimate association with temple worship. Though this claim was not recognized by the Poona Government in the eighteenth century, the Bombay Sonars persisted with it, and were encouraged by the prestige of their leader, Jagannath Shankarshet.
Daivadnya Sonar in Maharashtra, belonging to the caste - cluster Sonar (gold-smith), has claimed to belong to the Brahmin varna by claiming to be Brahmins. This claim has not been accepted by the Brahmin castes.
Not only has the Hindu made no effort for the humanitarian cause of civilizing the savages, but the higher-caste Hindus have deliberately prevented the lower castes who are within the pale of Hinduism from rising to the cultural level of the higher castes. I will give two instances, one of the Sonars and the other of the Pathare Prabhus. Both are communities quite well-known in Maharashtra. Like the rest of the communities desiring to raise their status, these two communities were at one time endeavouring to adopt some of the ways and habits of the Brahmins. The Sonars were styling themselves Daivadnya Brahmins and were wearing their "dhotis" with folds in them, and using the word namaskar for salutation. Both the folded way of wearing the "dhoti" and the namaskar were special to the Brahmins. The Brahmins did not like this imitation and this attempt by Sonars to pass off as Brahmins. Under the authority of the Peshwas, the Brahmins successfully put down this attempt on the part of the Sonars to adopt the ways of the Brahmins. They even got the President of the Councils of the East India Company's settlement in Bombay to issue a prohibitory order against the Sonars residing in Bombay.
daivadnya: brahman sub-caste originally from coastal Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa
The Daivadnyas in Goa claim that they are the descendants of the youngest son of Vishwakarma, Vishvadnya or Daivadnya.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)The Daivadnya accepted Vaishnavism during the twelfth century under the spiritual influence of Madawacharya, a great Vaishnava saint, but as they were looked down upon by other communities, they began to migrate to Maharashtra and, later, to Goa... ... They have two sects, i.e. Smartha and Vaishnava. Those living in Karnataka and Kerala are mostly Vaishnava.
The Daivadnya now are generally non - vegetarian and eat fish, mutton and chicken, but abstain from eating beef, pork and buffalo meat. Rice with fish curry is their main food.
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