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The Brahminical communities

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{{short description|Hindu and Christian caste system in the Indian state of Goa}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
This article is about the '''Caste System in Goa''', and describes the various ''[[Jāti]]s'' or sub-castes to be found among [[Hindus]] belonging to the four ''[[Varna (Hinduism)|varna]]s'' ([[Brahmin]], [[Kshatriya]], [[Vaishya]], and [[Shudra]]), as well as those [[Avarna|outside of them]]. The traditional Hindu caste system was also retained by the [[Goan Catholics|Goan Catholic]] community, and as such, their castes are mentioned here in this article.

==Hindu caste system==
According to the [[Gazetteer of India, Union Territory: Goa, Daman and Diu]], Part I which looks at Goa (published in 1979) the "chief castes" found in Goa are:

===The Brahminical communities===
The following castes are generally referred to as the ''high castes'', and follow ''Brahminical religion''. Almost all of them claim higher status than others and dispute the social status of the others. Brahmins are considered religious aristocracy amongst the Hindus of Goa.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MghtAwAAQBAJ&q=aristocratic+of+gaud+saraswat+brahmin&pg=PT104|title=Ethnography of Goa, Daman and Diu|first=A. B. de Bragnanca|last=Pereira|date=14 May 2008|publisher=Penguin UK|via=Google Books|isbn=9789351182085}}</ref>

*[[Pancha-Gauda|Pancha Gowda Brahmin]]s
**[[Gaud Saraswat Brahmin]]s popularly known as GSBs. They are landowning though most were engaged in clerical jobs, trade, priests and landlords. They played an important role in politics and other administrative jobs for many centuries, also were one of the first classes to have modern education.<ref name="kalika"/>
**[[Kudaldeshkar Gaud Brahman]] were landowning class generally associated with agriculture and trade.
**[[Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin]] were associated with trade, priests and played important role in politics. This is similar caste to [[Gaud Saraswat Brahmin]].
**[[Rajapur Saraswat Brahmins]] Also known as Bhalavalikar Saraswat Brahmins.
*Pancha Dravida Brahmins
**The two sub-castes was known as the [[Padye]] Brahmins and [[Bhatt Prabhu]]s, popularly known as ''Bhatt'' and ''Prabhu'' respectively, they generally associate themselves with [[Karhade Brahmin]]s. They are landowning castes and were engaged as temples priests and in agriculture, some into money landing.<ref name="kalika">{{cite book|last1=Gomes Pereira|first1=Rui|title=Goa: Hindu temples and deities (translated from the original in Portuguese by Antonio Victor Couto)|date=1978|publisher=Pereira, 1978|pages=1–231}}</ref>
**[[Chitpavan]] Brahmins known as ''[[Konkanastha]]'' and have migrated to Goa from Northern Konkan in ancient times, mostly were employed as priests, astrologers and are well-known horticulturists.<ref name="kalika"/>
**[[Joshi|Kramavanta Joshi or Kriyavant Joshi]], they were a class of priests who officiated Hindu funeral ceremony and were looked down upon by the above-mentioned castes.
*''[[Daivadnya]] popularly'' known as [[Shett]] who are traditional jewellers and mercantile caste.They come next to Brahmins in social status <ref>{{Cite book|title=Survey Report on Village: Goa, Daman & Diu|last=Rajendran|first=S.|publisher=CPublications|location=Director of Census Operations,functions Goa,for Daman & Diu|pages=10}}</ref><ref name="Ghurye 1969 https://archive.org/details/casteraceinindia0000ghur/page/449 449">{{Cite book|title=Caste and Race in India |url=https://archive.org/details/casteraceinindia0000ghur |url-access=registration |series=Popular library of Indian sociology and social thought|last=Ghurye|first=Govind Sadashiv|publisher=Popular Prakashan|year=1969|isbn=9788171542055|pages=[https://archive.org/details/casteraceinindia0000ghur/page/449 449]}}</ref><ref name="kalika"/>

===The intermediate castes===
The following castes are generally referred to as ''intermediate castes'' :

====Konkani Maratha====
Konkani Marathas historically belonged to different groups and popularly called as chardo. Now all these sub-groups identify themselves as [[Konkan Maratha]]. They were plantation owners in general but some families were into trade. Most of them have been erstwhile gentry. They are commonly known as “Chardos” in different parts of Goa.<ref name="kalika"/>

====Bhandari/Bhavaguna====
[[Bhandari caste|Bhandari]] originally were also called as (Bhavaguna's) form the largest caste group in the state of [[Goa]], reportedly being over approximately 30% of that state's Hindu population. They consider themselves as the [[Kshatriyas]] in the Hindu [[Varna (Hinduism)|varna]] system, but are categorized as [[Other Backward Class]] as majority of the families are [[economically]] backward.<ref>{{cite news|title=Treasurers of yore, now key to political fortune|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-02-12/goa/31052122_1_mgp-shripad-naik-bhandari-leader|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411042708/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-02-12/goa/31052122_1_mgp-shripad-naik-bhandari-leader|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 April 2013|work=[[The Times of India]]|accessdate=17 March 2013 }}</ref>

====Vani====
Vaishya/[[Vaishya Vani]]: are the traditional community of traders, and are commonly known as ''Vani''s.

===Others===
The rest of the castes are generally referred to as the ''Bahujan samaj'' or the ''masses''.<ref name=bahujan>{{cite book|last1=Pinto|first1=Jerry|title=Reflected in Water: Writings on Goa|date=2006|publisher=Penguin Books India|isbn=9780143100812|page=152|edition=illustrated}}</ref> Almost all of them follow [[Folk Hinduism]]. These include:

====Kalavants====
Commonly known as ''Kalavants'' and now known as [[Gomantak Maratha Samaj]] is a group of various sub-castes who served the temples and the aristocrats in the olden days. Gomantak Maratha is relatively a new ameliorative name (coined in the late 20th century<ref>"Gomantak Prakruti ani Sanskruti" by B.D. Satoskar.</ref>) given to these groups for uniting and emancipating them.<ref>{{cite book|last= Gracias|first=Fatima da Silva|title=Kaleidoscope of women in Goa, 1510-1961 |pages=80}}</ref>

====Kharvi====
Konkani [[Kharvi]]: They term themselves as Kharvis are largely involved in fisheries. Though they are presently a fishing community.

====Artisan castes====
These include ''Chari''s, ''Chitaris'' who call themselves [[Vishwakarma Manu Maya Brahmin]], Sutars and Kasars. They are included in the [[Other Backward Class]] list of the [[Government of India]].

Rest of castes generally referred to as [[Shudra]]s or ''Sudir''s in Konkani do not really follow the four-fold [[varna (Hinduism)|varna]] system, but have recently started claiming higher status. Most of them have been practicing different occupations historically and now are categorized as Other Backward Class by Govt of Goa, these include [[dhobi|Madval]] (Rajak, Dhobi), Gosavi, Shimpi, Khumbar, Teli, Nathjogi, this list also includes Roman Catholic counterparts of few Hindu castes too].<ref name="kalika"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ncbc.nic.in/backward-classes/goa.html |title=Central list of other backward classes |access-date=2009-06-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090619081822/http://ncbc.nic.in/backward-classes/goa.html |archive-date=2009-06-19 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Scheduled Castes of Goa===
Following castes are commonly known as [[Dalit]]s.
*[[Bhangi]], Chambhar (Hadi), [[Mahar]], Mahyavanshi (Vankar), [[Mang (caste)|Mang]]

===Scheduled Tribes of Goa===
*Dhodia (Halpati, Naikda (Nayaka), Siddi, Varli Kunbi, Gavda, Velip.
The [[Gauda and Kunbi]] are considered as aboriginals by some historians though this claim is disputed.

===Historically outside Comunidade===

====Dhangars====
[[Dhangar]], also referred as Gouly or Gavli, is the state’s only ancient pastoral community. In Goa under colonialism, the community shied away from the rest of society as they wanted to escape grazing tax and ban on Kumeri introduced by the [[Portuguese Empire]]. Dhangar leaders claim that they had fled to remote hilly and forested areas to avoid religious persecution. They were not part of the Comunidade anywhere in Goa. It is claimed that throughout the [[Portuguese India|Portuguese rule]] in Goa they were so insulated that not a single Dhangar got converted to [[Christianity]]. A study carried out by [[Government of Goa]] in 2013 stated that the community had a unique identity, low literacy rate (approximately half the state average) and are known for their martial prowess.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kerkar |first=Rajendra |date=2019-01-11 |title=Tribal tag for Dhangars long pending|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/tribal-tag-for-dhangars-long-pending/articleshow/67478622.cms |location=Goa|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024214451/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/tribal-tag-for-dhangars-long-pending/articleshow/67478622.cms |archive-date=24 October 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Team | last=Herald| date= 2013-10-24| title=Dhangars-Gouly treated like outsiders, says report| url=https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/The-Sunday-Roundtable/dhangarsgouly-treated-like-outsiders-says-report/71208| location=Goa| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024214457/https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/The-Sunday-Roundtable/dhangarsgouly-treated-like-outsiders-says-report/71208| archive-date=24 October 2020}}</ref>

Dhangars regard themselves as belonging to the [[Kshatriya]] varna and to support this they give the example of the role played by the [[Holkar]] dynasty in the [[Maratha Empire]].<ref>{{cite thesis |type=PhD |last=Draxe |first=M. J. |date=1987 |title=The dange dhangars of Kolhapur district: A sociological study |publisher=Shivaji University | url= https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/138156/9/09_chapter%204.pdf | page=71}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first=L. K. |last=Singh |title=Indian Cultural Heritage Perspective For Tourism |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Indian_Cultural_Heritage_Perspective_For/u21tp_JG9I0C |year=2008 |publisher=Asian Educational Services |isbn=9788182054752 |page=57}}</ref> In [[Goa]], they are classified as [[Other Backward Classes]] category in India's [[Reservation in India|system of reservation]].<ref>{{cite report |author=Central Commission for Backward Classes |date= 2020-10-20|title=Central List of OBCs Goa|url=http://www.ncbc.nic.in/User_Panel/GazetteResolution.aspx?Value=mPICjsL1aLv%2BpzkDbfVwy7KkMoLIvvaceTAbtkdOdl%2F2XEmG8ajygAg6ldNVbPZ9|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201020162529/http://www.ncbc.nic.in/User_Panel/GazetteResolution.aspx?Value=mPICjsL1aLv%2BpzkDbfVwy7KkMoLIvvaceTAbtkdOdl%2F2XEmG8ajygAg6ldNVbPZ9|archive-date= 20 October 2020}}</ref>

==Other religions==
In [[Goa]], mass conversions were carried out by Portuguese Catholic missionaries from [[Portuguese conquest of Goa|the 1510 conquest]] onwards. The Portuguese clergy imposed Portuguese surnames on the converts at the time of [[Baptism]] so that it would be difficult to know their original caste easily. The Portuguese authorities also suppressed [[untouchability]] among the converts. The continued maintenance of the caste system among the Christians in Goa is attributed to the entry of converted Brahmins into the clergy, as a result of which revival of the caste system took place. The native Diocesan clergy also became almost exclusively Brahmin due to nepotism and caste discrimination practiced by the ordained Brahmins against non-Brahmins.

==See also==
*[[Hinduism in Goa]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*[[Gazetteer of India, Union Territory: Goa, Daman and Diu]], Part I which looks at Goa (published in 1979)
*[[The Gazette of India]],Extraordinary,Part-1,section-1,published by authority,India{{Cite web|url=http://socialjustice.nic.in/bc111296.pdf|title=The Gazette of India,Extraordinary|access-date=2009-06-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410023019/http://socialjustice.nic.in/bc111296.pdf|archive-date=2009-04-10|url-status=dead}}
{{Ethnic and social groups of Goa and the Konkan}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Caste System In Goa}}
[[Category:Goan society]]
[[Category:Hinduism in Goa]]
[[Category:Religion in Goa]]
[[Category:Caste system in India]]

Caste system in Goa - Revision history

Wilfred0198: basic improve citations further and corrected details

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59.98.242.221: /* The Brahminical communities */