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Sourashtrians - The Genuine Aryans
The history of Greater Saurashtra and the Saurashtrians in South India
More than 225 thousand Saurashtrians in South India have been preserving the
old linguistic and cultural heritage of Saurashtra (now merged with Gujarat). This
is a remarkable phenomenon of the cultural history of the Greater Saurashtra. Our
literary and cultural institutions, our men of learning and our political and social
leaders have not taken sufficient cognizance of this phenomenon so far; this is a
significant illustration of our usual negligence of our historical and cultural
traditions. The mere fact that more than 225 thousand Saurashtrians are staying in
various parts of South India from good old days is not generally known to the
2
people of Saurashtra.
The history of Greater Saurashtra:
The people of Saurashtra and Gujarat are adventurous, brave, adept in trade and
commerce, and therefore they have established many commercial colonies in
foreign countries, from ancient times. Men of adventure like Amulakh (1
bookmark), a Brahmin of Bulsar, established such Gujarati colonies in Africa, and
the caravans of Gujaratis were moving in the Negro countries long before the
white nationals of Europe made their entry in the dark continent of Africa. The
Saurashtrians and Gujaratis, had settled not only in Africa, but also in Mauratius,
Ceylon (2 bookmark), Burma, Indonesia (Java), Sumatra, Indo China, Cambodia,
Malayasia and Philipines, and even today there is some population of the
Saurashtrians and Gujaratis in these countries. The Saurashtrians and Gujaratis
are also spread over various parts of the Indian homeland, taking prominent part
in the commercial field, which is more suitable to their nature. It is quite natural
that the origin of many words of trade, commerce, business and measurements
found in various Indian languages can be traced to Gujarati language.
Bookmark 1:
This has been a patent theme of some of the historical or Semi-historical novels
(such as ‘Dariyalal’) of Shri.Gunvantray Acharya, a prolific storywriter of
Gujarat. Of course, there is more of fiction than historical fact in Acharya’s
novels, but the basic fact of Gujarati, Kutchhi and Saurashtrian adventurers
settling in the innermost areas of Africa remains true.
Bookmark 2:
“From the tradition preserved in ‘Mahavamsa’, it is known that it was due to
Prince Vijaya of ‘Lata’ that the name ‘Sinhala-Dvipa’ was given to Ceylon, the
language of the island was known as the Sinhalese language and the impact of the
Aryan culture was made on the people of this island. The foreigners have often
referred to Gujarat by the name of ‘Lata’. Prince Vijay was the son of Sinhabhu
and Sinhabhu was ruling in Sinhapur (Modern ‘Shihor’, situated near Bhavnagar
in Saurashtra). Vijay was forced to go in exile because of his unlawful activities.
Therefore Vijay accompanied by some of his adventurous followers went to the
South by sea-route. After staying for some time at ‘Surpraka’ (modern ‘Sopara’,
situated in the Thana district of the Bombay State), he went to Ceylon and he
must have reached there about 483 B.C., some time before the attainment of
Nirvana (beatitude) by Gautam Buddha”. (“the Cambridge History of India”:
Vol.I,P.605). There is an old proverb in Gujarati: “Lankni ldi ane Ghoghno var”,
meaning “the bride of Lanka and the bridegroom of Ghogha”. Lanka is obviously
Ceylon and Ghogha is a minor port in the vicinity of Bhavnagar in Gujarat. The
history of prince Vijay of Shihor marrying the princess of Ceylon is probably
referred to in this proverb. Prince Vijay might have gone to Ceylon from Shihor
via Ghogha. It is possible that the seashore was not very far from Shihor. A direct
communication between Shihor and Ghogha might have been there. There is a
3
mosque built by the Muslim Sailors of Ghogha on Chamaradi hills near Shihor
and the Muslim sailors are coming there even these days to offer their prayers on
some auspicious days every year. This fact supports the probability of this direct
communication. The research scholars of Ceylon also believe that Prince Vijay
belonged to Gujarat. (Ref. The essay by Shri.A.L.Basham in the Ceylon Historical
Journal Vol.I, P.6163-71). Another belief also prevails that Prince Vijay belonged
to Bengal. :
Unique characteristics of the Saurashtrians in South India:
This history of the Greater Saurashtra and Greater Gujarat is very glorious and
interesting. In this history of the Greater Saurashtra, it is remarkable that the
Saurashtrians who have settled in South India are distinguished clearly, in some
important aspects, from the other Saurashtrians who have migrated to other places
inside or outside India. There are some unique characteristics, which draw our
special attention.
Firstly, the Saurashtrians who have migrated to other places have not gone there
collectively in larger groups at a time; while the Saurashtrians in South India have
migrated there in larger collective groups at a time in a planned manner.
Secondly, these Saurashtrians in South India had gone there, equipped with the art
of weaving silken cloth. The whole community or tribe has got remarkable skill in
this single profession, and yet their mode of living as well as their family-names
are obviously Brahminical. They are introducing themselves even today as
Saurashtri Brahmins. The other Saurashtrians who have migrated to other places
have not taken with them a collective industry or art and the groups of
Brahminical mode of living have not gone elsewhere in a collective manner.
Thirdly, the Saurashtrians who have migrated to other provinces or foreign
countries have been in some sort of direct contact with the original homeland. For
example, the Saurashtrians who had migrated to Africa have always returned (at
least some of them and at least for some time) to the homeland sooner or later. In
the case when these Saurashtrians have lost the link with the homeland, they have
not been able to preserve the linguistic and cultural heritage of the homeland. On
the contrary the Saurashtrians in South India have lost all the direct contact with
their homeland, to such an extent that for some time, they did not know exactly
where the homeland Saurashtra was geographically situated; but even then they
have been proud of being Saurashtrians and with a sense of pride they have
preserved the old language and culture of Saurashtra. They knew only a few years
ago where the homeland Saurashtra was exactly situated. Even now some of them
have a notion that South Gujarat is a part of Saurashtra (3 bookmark). Even
though they had lost the correct geographical location of the homeland Saurashtra,
they had not forgotten or lost the language and culture of Saurashtra. They have
persevered strongly to preserve the linguistic and cultural tradition of Saurashtra
as it existed eight hundred years ago when they migrated from Saurashtra. No
4
other Saurashtra migrants have preserved the tradition to this extent inspite of
their being cut off completely from the homeland. They forgot the exact
geography of the homeland, but the pride of the homeland was a life-force with
them; the original language and culture were never obliterated.
Bookmark 3:
“A History of the Saurashtras in Southern India “ P.1:
New light on the form of the old language of Saurashtra :
If we study the linguistic, literary and cultural tradition of the
Saurashtrians in South India, we find, to a certain extent, very obviously, the
Marathi, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu influence, external as well as internal, in its
formation. If we can isolate this influence, it is probable that a study of the
residual material will throw a new light on the language, literature and culture of
Saurashtra as it existed eight hundred years ago. The English colonists who have
migrated to Iceland and other islands (4 boo kmark) have preserved in a pure form
some special characteristics of the old English language such as old
pronunciations and typical form of the old English language. This has supplied
some important material for tracing the evolution of the English language.
Similarly the study of the Southern Saurashtri language can supply some
important material pertaining to the old language of Saurashtra and Gujarat. The
Parsis (5 Bookmark) who have migrated from Persia to Gujarat have adopted the
Gujarati language almost as the mother tongue, and they have not continued the
usage of their original language even in their intra group communication. But the
Southern Saurashtrians have preserved very strongly their original linguistic
traditions. Their pride of being Saurashtrians and their insistence on being called
Saurashtrians are very strong. They had lost the geographical idea of their original
homeland Saurashtra, and one Saurashtrian had once said “the Gujarati language
itself has evolved from the Saurashtri language”. One Saurashtri Pandit had once
said: “What right have you got for publishing a newspaper by the name of
‘Saurashtra’? That is our name.” This has been said because of the want of the
proper geographical and historical knowledge, but it shows how much pride they
take in being called Saurashtrians.
Bookmark 4:
Similarly the English dialect spoken by the Apelisian hill tribes is more akin to
the eighteenth century English than the modern English; the French spoken in
Canada is more akin to the French of the Seventeenth century than the French of
the modern Paris. The Yiddish is nearer to the fifteenth century German than to
the modern German; similarly the Portuguese of Brazil is nearer to the old
Portuguese than to the modern Portuguese of Lisbon.
(Ref.‘The story of Language’ by Mario Pei., Page 50.)
Bookmark 5:
A fanciful idea had once taken the possession of an editor of a Tamil daily. He
5
thought that there is a remarkable verbal similarity between the word “Saurashtra”
and the word “Jarthusra” (Zoroaster), the founder of the Zoroaster religion of the
Parsis; and therefore there must be some relation between the two. This fanciful
idea can be supported with the observation that the worship of the Sun is common
to both; but this is just a fanciful idea and not much consideration should be given
to it.
The areas populated by the Southern Saurashtrians:
The population of the Saurashtrians in South India is calculated at more than 2
lacs and 25 thousand (6 Bookmark). Amongst them, their maximum population,
more than one third, amounting to 75,000 or so, is seen in the city of Madurai.
Moreover they are residing in other 47 places in South India. The list (7
Bookmark) of these 47 places is as follows: Dindigul, Nilkottai, Vatsalkundu,
Melamangalam, Periyakulam, Palani, Paramkudi, Yamaneshvaram, Palumkottah,
Virnan Allur, Vellumkudi, Padukudi, Kottarsutti, Timachi, Uraiyur, Tanjore,
Ayyam Pettai, Amma Pettai, Ammai Appun, Arantongi, Pudukottai, Tirunappur,
Genpur, Parampur, Kumbhakonam, Tuvarankurichi, Tarapuram, Tuibhuvanam,
Namakkal, Parmatti, Rasipuram, Shenvapet, Salem, Valajapet, Anari, Banglore,
Ambur, Vellore, Kanjivaram, Bhuvangir, Pasikakaudai, Sovali, Madras, Ramnad,
Ariyalur, Pondicherry and Kurnjipidi. Their population as registered in the 1931
census was one lac and four thousand (8 bookmark), and it included their
population of 50,000 in Madurai (9 bookmark), 20,000 in Tanjore, and 15,000 in
Trichinapalli. They have been registered in the census as the Saurashtra
Brahmins. They had raised their protest against their registration as the
‘Patnulkran’ (a weaver community) and consequently they have been registered
as the Saurashtra Brahmins (10 bookmark). It is possible that some of them might
have been registered as belonging to the Patulkran community of weavers, and
this might have been confused with the other communities; due to this mixed
registration their population as the Saurashtrians might have been noted in a lesser
proportion than its actual existence (11 bookmark).
Bookmark 6:
Memorandum and answers to the Backward Class Commission questionnaire
(1953); P.1.
Bookmark 7:
This list has been given by Shri.Viprabandhu K.V.Padmanabh Iyer, the Editor of
the Saurashtra Periodical “Saurashtra Mitran”.
Bookmark 8:
‘Census of India’; 1931 (Vol. XIV-Madras. Part II Table;15, P.294-5).
Bookmark 9:
79,972 in Madurai District according to the Census of 1961. (1,55,392
Saurashtrians staying in the Madras state, according to the Census of 1961)..
.
Sourashtrians - The Genuine Aryans (Part Two)
6
History preserved in the Gotra-recital
The conventional “Baulas”
The southern Saurashtrians have preserved their history in the form of an
invariable recital of the Gotra at the time of the ceremonies of the betrothal
(‘Ghettiwido’) and marriage (‘Horat’). Various stages of their migrations from
Saurashtra to Madurai are noted therein. This Gotra-recital is termed as
‘Baulas’, ‘Baulas’ or ‘Bukulvas’. It is similar to the word ‘Bolas’ (voice, word) as
it is used in the rural areas of Saurashtra. It may mean ‘Word’, ‘Promise’ or
‘Verbal commitment’. This ‘Baulas’ is recited at the time of the betrothal as well
as the marriage ceremony.
The convention of Baulas among the Saurashtrians is unique. At
the time of the betrothal and also on a day prior to the marriage, the relatives of
the bridegroom have to go to the residence of the bride and they have to put
formally the proposal of marriage for consideration. The relatives of the bride will
ask, “Who are you? Where do you come from?” In reply, the relatives of the
bridegroom will say, “We belong to Sorath (Saurashtra). Thereafter we stayed at
Devagiri. There from we came to Vijaynagar. From Vijaynagar we have come
over to Madurai”. Thereafter similar questions will be asked by the relatives of
the bridegroom to the relatives of the bride and similar replies will be given. In
this way the history of the Saurashtrians has been recorded in the Gotra-recital of
the marriage ceremony. It is clearly seen from the Baulas that they had resided in
Sorath (Saurashtra), Devagiri, Vijaynagar and Madurai respectively (1bookmark).
Bookmark 1:
This customary account of the ‘Baulas’ has been given almost in a similar
form by Thurston, Nanjundaiya and Anantkrishna Ayyar, Randle, Ratnamanirao
and other writers. A Marathi document prepared by Mr.M.D.Cockburne, a
collector of Salem in 1822 also gives a similar note on the ‘Baulas’. (Thurston:
“Castes and Tribes of Southern India” P.161.).
Original homeland of Saurashtrians:
Their very name shows that the Saurashtrians of South India have migrated from
Saurashtra. Their ‘Baulas’ also shows it clearly. Therefore there is no doubt about
Saurashtra being their original homeland. Their insistence and love for the names
such as Saurashtra Desha, Saurashtri language and Saurashtri Brahmins are also
remarkable. The name ‘Saurashtra’ was forgotten during the last century in their
original homeland of Saurashtra. After independence the original name
‘Saurashtra’ was readopted and again with the merger of the Saurashtra area with
Gujarat State, the name Saurashtra has lost its usage. In the interim period the
name ‘Kathiawar’ was in usage. The name ‘Saurashtra’ was forgotten in
Saurashtra for a century or so; but the Southern Saurashtrians have not forgotten
7
the original nomenclature. Their historical association with Somanath is also not
forgotten. The silver Kalasha (Rounded Pinnacle put at the top of the temple) sent
by these Saurashtrians at the time of the renovation of the Somnath temple is a
symbol of their historical association.
Saurashtra has its history beginning from very ancient times. The history
of Saurashtra is very rich and it is distinguished by heroic deeds of its people. The
importance of this land of Saurashtra can be traced from the pre-historic times.
Plenty of historical material proving its antiquity is scattered over in Saurashtra.
The name‘Saurashtra’ is older than ‘Gujarat’. The name ‘Gujarat’ is not found
before the eleventh century, whereas the references to ‘Saurashtra’ are found in
very old Puranas. Before centuries, Panini, the Sanskrit grammarian, has referred
to Saurashtra and its characteristic nasal pronunciation. (2 bookmark).
Bookmark 2:
(Scanned image)
The glorious history of Saurashtra, beginning from very ancient times, from one
Mohan to another Mohan, from Krishna (Mohan) to Mohandas Gandhi (Mohan)
has acquired very prominent place in the history of India. A Sanskrit poet has
said:
(SCANNED IMAGE)
These Saurashtrians who migrated before eight hundred years from this
Panchratna land of Sourashtra have enriched the ancient heritage of Saurashtra,
and they have enhanced the glory of Saurashtra in South India. Staying among the
people of South India, they were ethnologically very different from them. They
have contributed towards the development of the Southern India. The industrial
and commercial progress of the city of Madurai amply proves the abilities of the
energetic Saurashtrians (3 bookmark).
The cultural contact between Saurashtra and South India has never been very
intimate. Some six to seven Dravidian words, like a traveler losing his way, have
come over as loan-words in the language of Saurashtra and Gujarat. The
numerical words ‘Vakata’, ‘lena’, ‘Moor’ etc. used in the game of ‘Gillidanda’,
meaning one, two, three etc., are Dravidian (Kannada) in origin. The word
‘Elayachi’ in Gujarati has been derived from the Dravidian ‘Yalakki’ (4
bookmark). It is probable that the Sanskrit word ‘Ela’ might have evolved from
the Dravidian word ‘yalakki’. The word ‘oda’ is Dravidian. The Oda tribe which
has migrated to Saurashtra and Gujarat from or via South India might have
brought these and such other words from the Dravidian language. The historical
incident pertaining to the Oda lady Jasama had occurred in the lifetime of king
Jaysinha Sidhharaj. Therefore it can be inferred that the migration of the ‘oda’
tribe to Gujarat might have taken place during or prior to the Solanki
(Chaulukyan) period of the history of Gujarat. The ‘oda’ is referred to as ‘wodda’
in the Dravidian language. Their main occupations are digging lakes and wells,
8
carrying water, repairing roads and building earthen houses. According to some
historians, these Oda people belong originally to Odra meaning Orissa. In the oda
(Wodda) tribe of Mysore, there are found such feminine names such as Yalamma,
Yashamma (5 bookmark) which resemble the name Jasama very closely. But
excepting this, there is not much evidence showing mutual contact of a very
intimate nature.
Bookmark 3:
K.R.R.Shastri: “The Madura Saurashtra Community”; Chap.15
Bookmark 4:
N.B.Divetia: “Gujarati Language and Literature”; Vol.I. lecture I; pages 59-62.
Some other verbal resemblances have been shown by Dr.Bhogilal Sandesara
(Ref.Dr.B.G.Sandesara; “Shabda ane artha”: pages 151-153). The Dravidian
influence and also the usage of the words like ‘Oda’ in Gujarat and Saurashtra
may be the result of Gujarati-Kannada contact in the times of Rashtrakutas,
Kadambas and Chalukyas, through the Digambars and the Marathi-speaking
people.
Bookmark 5:
“The Mysore Tribes and Castes” - Vol.4, Page 659.
The ‘Baulas’ of Saurashtrians refers to Soratha as being their original
homeland. At present the Southern part of Saurashtra is known as Soratha.
But it is probable that the whole region of Saurashtra might have been known as
Soratha. Saurashtra may be explained as the Su-rashtra (‘a good nation’); but it is
more probable that ‘Saurashtra’ might be a Sanskritisation of ‘Soratha’. The
Bombay Gazetteer has put forth a suggestion that ‘Su-rashtra’ is a land of the ‘Su’
(6 bookmark). The name ‘Su-rashtra’ is found in the inscription of a cave near
Nasik (7 bookmark).
The names of Saurashtra and Maharashtra have some resemblance.
Dr.Bhandarkar believes that the word ‘Maharashtra’ has been derived from
‘Maharath’ or ‘Maharattha’ (8 bookmark). Similarly ‘Soratha’ may be explained
as ‘Su-Rattha’ meaning land of good Rattha people or ‘Land of ‘Sura’ and
‘Rattha’ people. There should have been tribes such as Rattha or Lattha’. A sturdy
and strong fellow is said to be ‘like a lattha’ or just a ‘lattha’ in Saurashtra. There
might have been two off-shoots of the Ratha tribe. One ‘Suratha’ offshoot might
have inhabited Saurashtra and the other ‘Maharattha’ offshoot might have
inhabited Maharashtra. The names of these regions might have been given to
them by the tribes inhabiting the region. The name ‘Saurashtra’ is meaningful, but
taking into consideration the general process of naming the country after the
names of the people inhabiting it, some scholars believe that ‘Surattha’ and
‘Maharattha’ are original names and ‘Saurasthtra’ and ‘Maharashtra’ are their
Sansrized forms. The word ‘Suratha’ (Soratha) occurring in the ‘Baulasa’ of
the Saurashtrians is particularly notable. Some are inclined to connect this
9
word ‘Suratha’ to ‘Surat’ (City in south Gujarat), as there is some verbal
resemblance, but this obviously a mistaken notion. Mahabharat (9 bookmark),
Ramayana (10 bookmark), Markandeya Purana (11 bookmark), Kurma Purana
(12 bookmark) Visnupurana (13 bookmark), Kautilya (14 bookmark) and Panini
(15 bookmark) refer to Saurashtra. Amongst the foreigners the first reference to
Saurashtra has been made in 50 B.C. by Strabbo who has referred to it as
‘Serostus’. A reference to ‘Soratha’ occurs in Bauddha Jatakas. The word ‘Sauvir’
has occurred in Bhagavat, and some annotators have explained it as Saurashtra;
but it seems to be a different region. The original name ‘Saurashtra’, is referred to
by Panini; therefore other inferences may be considered spurious. The Greek
evidence of the usage of ‘Saurashtra’ also supports it.
Bookmark 6:
“Bombay Gazetteer”; I, Page 6.
Bookmark 7:
“Epigraphica Indica” - 8, Page 60.
Bookmark 8:
Durgashanker Shastri; “Aitihasik Sanshodhan”, Page 283.
Bookmark 8:
Durgashanker Shastri; “Aitihasik Sanshodhan”, Page 283.
Bookmark 9:
“Mahabharat’ 3,88,19 and 23.
Bookmark 10:
“Valmiki Ramayana”; KishkindhaKanda; A.42.
Bookmark 11:
Pargiter, “Markandeya”: 370
Bookmark 12:
“kUrma”; 1,47,42
Bookmark 13:
“Vishnu”4,24,68
Bookmark 14:
Ramashastri: “Kautilya Arthashastra”, P.378
Bookmark 15:
“Vasant”;31;309
What led to the migration?
When and why for the Saurashtrians migrated from Saurashtra is a question.
10
According to the traditional belief, the Saurashtrians went to Devagiri
(Maharashtra) for the preservation of their Brahmin religion and culture, when
Mohmed of Gazni invaded Somnath in 1024 A.D. There is no reason to disbelieve
this traditional notion. Looking to the history of Saurashtra, two Muslim invasions
have been prominent. One such invasion was led by Mohmed of Gazni who
attacked Somnath (16 bookmark) in 1024A.D. Another invasion was led by
Allauddin Khilji who invaded Gujarat and Sorath in 1300 A.D. (17 bookmark). At
the time of the invasion led by Mohmed, (18 bookmark) many people had fled
from Prabhaspatan to Stambhatirtha (Cambay) and Bhrigutiratha (Broach) by
Sea-route.
It is probable that these migrants might have stayed on their way in the
Lata region for some period. In Surat the industry of Silken cloth weaving is very
old (as the Patola industry is very old in Patan.), and this is a special craft of these
Saurashtrians. Therefore this relation can be presumed. They might have stayed at
Bombay, Broach or Surat for some period, before they collectively migrated to
Devagiri. Some Pattavayakas (Weavers of Silken cloth; compare, ‘Patava’) from
the Lata region round about Surat had gone to Malava; this is referred to in an
inscription at Mandsor. Therefore, it is probable that some groups of
Saurashtrians might have stayed in the vicinity of Surat.
Shri Ratnamanirao believes that the Saurashtrians had not migrated from
Saurashtra at the time of the invasion of Somnath by Gazni in 1024 A.D;
according to him, they left this region when Allauddin invaded Gujarat and
Saurashtra at the end of the thirteenth century. The invasion by Gazni was just
like a whirlwind, but the invasion by Allauddin was on a larger scale, and political
anarchy resulted in Saurashtra after the invasion by Allauddin. The invasion by
Allauddin had led to the greatest period of migration in the history of migrations
in Gujarat and Saurashtra, therefore Shri Ratnamanirao believes that these
Saurashtrians went to and settled at Devagiri, after leaving Saurashtra about 1300
A.D. at the time of the invasion by Allauddin (19 bookmark).
Bookmark 16:
Ratnamanirao: “Somnath”L Chap.5. Munshi: “Somnath the Shrine
Eternal”: Chap, 10. Page 32.
Bookmark 17:
Munshi: “The Glory that was Gurjar Desha“: Vol. III, Page 223.
Bookmark 18:
K.M.Munshi has narrated the event in his historical novel ‘Jay Somnath.’.
Bookmark 19:
Ratnamanirao: “Dravida Deshana Gujaartio ane Saurashtri Brahmano”
11
(Prajabandhu Golden jubilee Number; Page 150); discussion in Readers’ Views in
the issue of ‘Prajabandhu’ dated 29-1-1954.
But the traditional belief is that the Saurashtrians had migrated at the time
of the invasion by Gazni, and there is no sufficient reason to disbelieve this
traditional notion. It cannot be said that the invasion of Somnath by Gazni was not
of a very serious nature or that it was very superficial. The battle of Somnath is
considered as one of the fiercest battles in the history of Saurashtra. There is a
legend that the weight of the sacred threads (janoi) found from the dead bodies of
the valiant Hindu fighters on the seashore after the fall of Somnath amounted to
one and a half mound. (20 bookmark). This battle was very fierce and devastating
for the Brahmin religion and Brahmins; and it is probable that the Saurashtrians
had left Saurashtra at the time of this invasion and they might have migrated to
Devagiri (Maharashtra) via Lata (South Gujarat).
There is no reference found in the history of Saurashtra as to when these
Saurashtrians left Saurashtra. Likewise, the reference to the invasion on Somnath
is not found in the writings of the contemporary Hindu writers. It is quite certain
that the invasion by Gazni was very devastating for the Brahmins. The
Saurashtrians who migrated at that time should have migrated from Prabhaspatan
(Somnath) by Sea-route. The Saurashtrians had taken with them the industry of
weaving silken cloth. In the original homeland of Saurashtra this industry has not
remained very progressive thereafter. There are certain proofs of this industry
being prevalent in old Saurashtra. ‘Chundadi’ (Saur.Junnadi) and ‘Bandhani’
(Sau. ‘Bhandini’) used in the sense of the silken cloth designed for the female
wear, are originally the words of Saurashtra. These words have been prevalent in
other parts of the country thereafter because of this art being a speciality of the
craft of the Saurashtrians. Prabhaskhanda prescribes the donation of yellow cloth.
Katyayan Smriti notes that the Brahmins of Saurashtra were experts in the
weaving of cloth (21 bookmark). Deval Smriti also supports this fact (22
bookmark). There are certain words of the Saurashtri language that are prevalent
even to-day in the rural areas of Saurashtra (eg.the word ‘Velu’ in the sense of
‘sand’ ). Again the weaving of silken cloth has some vital connection with
Saurashtra and Gujarat. The weavers of Silken cloth residing in South India or
elsewhere speak in a dialect akin to the language of Saurashtra and Gujarat.
At least, that much is certain that whatever technical terms about the tools
and instruments etc. necessary in the craft of weaving are in usage belong
originally to the language of Saurashtra and Gujarat (23 bookmark). This
much evidence is sufficient to prove the intimate connection between the
Southern Saurashtrians and Saurashtra and Gujarat. The exact location in
Saurashtra where these Saurashtrians formerly resided is to be considered.
The industry of weaving ‘Bandhani’ is even today found in Jamnagar and Jetpur
in Saurashtra and this ‘Bandhani’ is a speciality of these Saurashtrians. This might
lead us to believe that their original place in Saurashtra was Jamnagar or Halar.
But Sorath (South Saurashtra) rather than Halar or Jamnagar seems to be
their original place. Their ‘Baulas’ clearly refers to Sorath being their
12
homeland.
At present there are Girnara Brahmins in Sorath; their reference is found
in the Prabhaskhanda; it is probable that the Saurashtrians are somehow
related to these Girnara Brahmins. It is significant that Prabhaskhanda refers
to the region in Sorath where these Girnara Brahmins are residing as
‘Vastrapath.’ (24 bookmark). There are 64 Gotras of Girnara Brahmins (25
bookmark); similarly 64 Gotras are found in Saurashtri Brahmins (26 bookmark).
Taking into consideration all these things, it seems probable that there might
have been some intimate connection of these Saurashtrians with the Girnara
Brahmins of Sorath. (27 bookmark).
Bookmark 20:
Shri. Harkant Shukla has noted this legend in a historical article published in an
issue of the ‘Saurashtra’ (1958). Such legends are also current for many other
battles. This is a traditional way for emphasizing the fierceness of the battle.
Bookmark 21:
(Scanned Image)
.
Bookmark 22:
“Devala Dharmashastra”, Page 9.
Bookmark 23:
“The Imperial Gazetteer of India”: Vol.3, Page 209.
Bookmark 24:
“Prabhas Khanda”; “Vastrapathkshetra Mahatmya”
Bookmark 25:
“Prabhās Khanda”; “Girnarayana Brahmanopatti.”
Bookmark 26:
“Gotra Kanda” (64 Gotras of the Saurashtrians); 1951.
Bookmark 27:
Shri.J.M.Venkatram Shastri has put forth this idea in his Tamil work “Shriman
Saurashtra Charitra Sangrahm” (Page 21).
Migration to Devagiri:
The Saurashtrians might have migrated to Devagiri during the eleventh
century, or, according to the opinion of Shri Ratnamanirao, they might have
stayed at Devagiri about 1300 A.D. There is some other evidence that is likely to
13
support the belief put forward by Shri Ratnamanirao. The Yadavas of Devagiri
(28 bookmark) had given protection to Karana, king of Gujarat, and his daughter
Devaladevi; similarly, the Yadavas might have given refuge to this community of
silk-cloth weavers from Saurashtra. The Saurashtrians might have gone to
Devagiri in the eleventh century or in the end of the thirteenth century, but it is
quite certain that they had stayed for a longer period at Devagiri (Modern
Daulatabad) in the Maharashtra region. It is probable that the Yadava kings
gave refuge to them because of their special craft of silk-cloth weaving. The
kingdom of Devagiri was very prosperous in the twelfth century. The Marathi
words are found in abundance in the Saurashtri language. The female dress of the
Saurashtrians (particularly the ‘Kutcho’ style of the dress of married Saurashtri
women) shows the Marathi influence. As in Marathi, the words ‘Navro’ and
‘Navri’ used in Saurashtri, mean ‘bridegroom’ and ‘bride’ respectively. Similar
Marathi influence is seen to a considerable extent on the Saurashtri language and
social customs. There from it is presumed that they might have stayed at Devagiri
for one or two centuries. One or two Marathi scholars have shown their belief that
these Saurashtrians, after coming over to Maharashtra left their Saurashtri
language completely, adopted the Marathi language fully and they went to
Vijayanagar, taking with them this Marathi language, which was wrongly known
by them as Saurashtri language (29 bookmark). This belief has been propounded
also by two Marathi scholars, Shri Karve and Shri Chinchalkar (30 bookmark). It
is certain that the Saurashtrians had their stay in the Marathi region at least for a
century or so. The army of Shankar, the son of Yadav king Ramchandra of
Devagiri, was defeated in the battle against the army of Allauddin about 1300
A.D. In the treaty that was signed thereafter it was laid down that pearls, silver
and 4,000 thans of silken cloth etc. were to be given to Allauddin by the ruler of
Devagiri (31 bookmark). From this it may be inferred that there should have been
a well-established industry of silk-cloth weaving at Devagiri. The weaving
community residing at present in and around Devagiri speak a dialect akin
to the Saurashtri language. The Saurashtrians might have further migrated from
Devagiri to Vijayanagar because of the Muslim invasion. This might have
occurred in the fourteenth century. The Saurashtrians were usually giving silken
clothes to a considerable extent to the temple of Goddess Laksmi of Devagiri, on
the Dipavali day every year. But on one Dipavali-day they could not give the
prescribed quota of silken clothes. Therefore the Goddess Laksmi was enraged,
and the Saurashtrians were cursed by the Goddess. Consequently they had to
leave Davagiri. This legend has been prevalent among the Saurashtrians (32
bookmark). According to another legend, (33 bookmark), Saurashtrians are the
sons of a Muni called Tantuvardhan. Tantuvardhan (34 bookmark) was a Manasaputra (Child of the mind, a mental creation) of Brahma, and he had married
Kusumakelika, the daughter of the Sun on the day of the Ratha-saptami.
Kusmakelika brought with her from heaven the seed of ‘Karpas’ (cotton). This
seed was sown on the earth, and there from the sowing of and the weaving of
cotton commenced forthwith. (This legend might have originated from the
relation existing between the Sun and the requisite temperature required for the
growth of cotton). According to this legend, the Saurashtrians are the children of
14
Tantuvardhan and Kusumkelika. Putting aside the legend of the curse of the
Goddess, Laksmi, it may be presumed that the invasion of the Muslims was made
on Devagiri, as it was formerly made on Somanath; therefore during fourteenth
century the Saurashtrians left Devagiri and migrated to Vijaynagar. The weaving
of silken cloth requires a specific type of climate and inhabitation. The royal
patronage bestows certain facilities. These two considerations might have been
responsible for the migration; yet the main factor leading to migration seems to
have been the invasion by the Muslims. Whenever the Muslims had invaded, the
Saurashtrians have migrated. They seem to have wandered from place to place for
protecting their Brahmin religion and for living a peaceful life. But as the ill luck
would have it, wherever they have gone, the Muslims have invaded their place of
residence invariably within a century or two and their caravans have again
marched on. At last they have established at Madurai. Saurashtra, Devagiri,
Vijaynagar-from these places they had to migrate because of the Muslim
invasions. They fall of the Hindu kingdom of Vijaynagar was due to the attack by
Muslims; therefore they had to go to Madurai. Again in Madurai, within a certain
period when the Muslim population increased to a considerable extent, they were
harassed by the Muslims. They organized themselves against this harassment and
at last they were able to live peacefully at Madurai.
Bookmark 28:
“Tarikh-e-Firishtā” (ed.Briggs) Page 365.
Bookmark 29:
A Saurashtri Barrister has quoted this opinion orally. Kakasaheb Kalelkar had
shown some interest in the Saurashtri language and culture before some years and
had sought some relevant information from his friends residing at Madurai.
Kakasaheb has presented similar view in an article published in the July issue
(Page 209) of “Gujarat Sanshodhan Mandal Traimasik” (1954).
Bookmark 30:
“Madurechi Saurashtri”, an article in the Dipotsavi issue of the Marathi Journal
‘Prasampd’ (samvat 2009) by Shri.Karve and the view presented by
Shri.Chinchalkar in the following issue of the Journal. (I am indebted to
Prof.D.N.Pandit of M.P.Shah Arts and Science College, Surendranagar for
making these references available to me.)
Bookmark 31:
Dr.Bhandarkar: “Dakshinano pUrva Samayano itihAsa” (translation), (Page 178).
Bookmark 32:
M.A.Stuart: “Manual of the north Arcot District”
Bookmark 33:
K.R.R.Shastri: “The Madura Saurashtra Community;” Chap.2
15
Bookmark 34:
“Brahmakhanda Purāna”: Purvokti: Khanda-1.
Stay at Vijaynagar:
After Devagiri, the Saurashtrians seem to have stayed at Vijaynagar from
the fourteenth century to the later half of the sixteenth century. In 1311 A.D. they
left Devagiri and went to Vijaynagar and there from - in the memory of that
exodus - they seem to have decided to establish a new era called Saurashtra Vijay
Samvat; or it may be probable that they might have adopted, as Saurashtra Samvat
or Saurashtra Vijaya Samvat, the Vijayabda or Vijaynagar era beginning from
1312 A.D. Vijaynagar was a very prosperous kingdom about 1346 A.D (35
bookmark). It was a sure and safe place for the followers of the Hindu religion.
There was less danger of the Muslim invasion. As the silken clothes were very
popular in the royal harems, the kings were giving impetus to the industry of
silken-cloth weaving. Therefore obtaining the royal patronage at Vijaynagar, the
Saurashtrians who migrated from Devagiri stabilized at Vijaynagar. On their way
they might have stayed in some Kannad - speaking areas. They stayed at
Vijaynagar for about two centuries. Therefore the impact of the Telugu language
on the Saurashtri language is very deep. Some Saurashtrian men of learning have
written their works in Telugu. Again the Telugu script has been well utilized for
writing the Saurashtri speech. Telugu influence is found in their festivals and
social customs also. The fall of Vijaynagar occurred in 1565 A.D. Thereafter the
Saurashtrians seem to have gone to Madurai. They seem to have stayed in the
Telugu speaking area of Vijaynagar during the period from 1346 A.D. to 1565
A.D. From the glimpses of the glory of Vijaynagar, it is found that there was the
industry of cotton and silken cloth weaving in a developed state at Vijaynagar (36
bookmark).
Bookmark 35:
R.Sewell: “A forgotten Empire”, P.384.
Bookmark 36:
R.Sewell: “A forgotten Empire”; K.M.Pannikar: “A survey of Indian History,”
Page 173.
Bookmark 37:
“The Mysore Census Report”; 1891; “The Mysore Tribes,” P.474.
Bookmark 38:
J.H.Nelson; “Madura Manual”, Page 87.
Stabilisation at Madurai:
16
The fall of Vijaynagar occurred in 1565 A.D. There from very large
groups of Saurashtrians stabilized at Madurai. They stayed in other places in
South India also. It is said that Hyder Ali took some Saurashtri families to
Mysore. (37 bookmark). The Saurashtrians are staying in 46 places in South
India. But their greatest group (75,000 persons) is staying in Madurai and they
have settled there about 1565. The Nayak kings of Madurai were feudatories of
the kings of Vijaynagar. Therefore the Nayak kings of Madurai have given refuge
to the Saurashtrians after the fall of Vijaynagar. The illustrious king of Madurai,
Tirumal Nayak (38 bookmark) (1623-1659) had given refuge to the Saurashtrians.
Tirumal Nayak had enriched the famous Minakshi temple of Madurai. His royal
palace is even today considered a unique specimen of ancient architecture. He had
built the famous lake of Madurai called Vandiyur Teppakulam. The Saurashtrians
have resided in Madurai and the area beginning from the southern gate of the
Meenakshi temple and ending at the royal palace of king Tirumal Nayak. Their
residence near the royal palace shows royal patronage and favour. Some of their
customs have been influenced by the customs prevalent in the royal families. E.g.,
There was a custom of arranging dramatic shows for entertainment at the time of
the marriage ceremony in the royal families of Vijaynagar and Madurai. The
Saurashtrians have adopted this custom from them. Their residence in Madurai is
in the southern direction. Wherever they have stayed, they have preferred the
southern direction. It is their favorite direction. It must be their religious belief; or
it must have been preferred because the Muslim invaders were least likely to
come from that direction. They stay in Madurai has been in the area in the
southern direction. In Vijaynagar, Devagiri and Prabhas, they always stayed in the
southern parts of the city. In the unknown land of Madurai, they could stabilize
themselves, because of the royal patronage, their speciality of silk craft,
industrious nature and harmless mode of living.
During their stay at Madurai, the Tamil Brahmins have always taken
objections to the Saurashtrians being called Brahmins. In the seventeenth century,
when there was the rule of Queen Mangamma (1689-1705) in Madurai, such an
incident had taken place. The complete picture of the incident can be obtained
from the letter of authority (Shasanpatra or Abhayapradan) given by her to
Saurashtrians in Shalivahan year 1627. The Authority letter is as follows (39
bookmark):
Bookmark 39:
The original letter of Authority (shAsanpatra) is written on palm leaves, and it is
rendered in Telugu language. At present it is in the possession of the
Saurashtrians of Trichy. It was shown formerly to the census officer of the
government. Here the abbreviated account is given on the basis of the Tamil
translation (of the original) preserved by the Saurashtra Sabha of Madurai.
In Madurai, in the Avani month of the Parthiva year, when Saurashtri Brahmins
were returning to the city from the river-side, after performing their sacred thread
rite according to the Brahmin religion code, Shri Jyotishi Venkatrengiya Guru, a
17
fort officer of Madurai, caught hold of some 18 Saurashtri Brahmins and sent
them for punishment to Trichi before the Queen Mangamma. The officer said that
these people were not Brahmins, and yet they were performing the religious rites
of Brahmins; therefore they should be punished properly. Due to this complaint,
Queen Mangamma called for Papanna Somayaji and other prominent citizens and
convened a conference of nine Acharyas (or religious heads). The conference of
these nine Acharyas met at the temple of Raghunandan Swami. They heard both
the sides-the accused as well as the defendant. The evidence from the Shastras,
Smritis and Puranas was considered. Thereafter it was decided that they were
Brahmins originally belonging to the Saurashtra region and they were having the
occupation of weaving and sale of cotton cloth. There was a possibility of change
in the occupation of Brahmins in accordance with the change of situation, times
and places. Relying on this decision of the conference of these Acharyas, the
Queen Mangamma gave this letter of Authority (Jaypatrika or Shasanpatrika to
the Saurashtri Brahmins and the right of performing religious rites of the
Brahmins was upheld and sanctioned by her. This order of the Government is
written by Dinacharya Venkatpeti, it bears the impression of the royal seal of the
Queen Mangamma, and 26 Acharyas, men of learning and officers are the
signatories of the order.
After coming over to Madurai, their Saurashtri language has been
influenced considerably by the Tamil language. Some Saurashtri works have been
written in Tamil script. The climate of Madurai proved very suitable for the
weaving and the colour printing of silk-cloth. The water of the river Vaigai of
Madurai has been particularly suitable for cloth printing work. Madurai is well
known for its grand temple of Meenakshi and for its religious festivals
continuously going on throughout the year. The silken cloth of Madurai was
exported even up to the Roman kingdom. The Roman beauties (40 bookmark)
gave fancy prices for the diamonds and silken cloth of south India. Some ancient
Roman coins (41 bookmark) have been found from the riverbed of the Vaigai at
Madurai. It proves the ancient relation of a commercial nature between Madurai
(South India) and the Roman Empire.
Thus from 1024 A.D. to this day, there have been the migrations of the
Saurashtrians, in the following order: Saurashtra, Devagiri, Vijaynagar and
Madurai.
Bookmark 40:
K V. Subrahmanyam; “Historical Sketches of ancient Deccan”: Page-84.
Bookmark 41:
An address in honour of Shri.Krishnakumarsinhji, King of Bhavnagar (The then
governor of Madras), presented by the Saurashtrians of Madurai in 1949.
A different version of a “Baulas”:
18
The account of the migrations as given above is in conformity with the
conventional version of the ‘Baulas’ that is preserved up to this day. So far the
‘Baulas’ has been given in an abridged form. The work “Saurashtri Brahman
Charitram” (1914) enlists the gotras of the Saurashtri Brahmins and it also renders
an original version of the “Baulas”, which is different from the conventional
version. So far the reference to this different version has not been made
elsewhere.
The “Baulas” prescribes the Gotra-recital in this way:
(Scanned image)
(Our Gotra is Mautkalya Gotra; our village is Garuda. Our van is pamvan.
Our Rishis are Angiras, Bhaumyas and Mautkalya. Our constellation is Asvhini.
Our conveyance is the horse. Our tree is Mushindi. Our bird is Rajali, Our Veda is
Yajurvdea, Our community is Brahmin. Our caste is Saurashtra Smarta Madhva
caste. The names of our forefathers are [here the names of three generations are
spoken].)
Before this Gotra-recital, a brief resume of the migrations of the
Saurashtrians is given as “Baulas” or “Boulas” or “Bakulvas”; this “Baulasa”, in
accordance with the version given by “Saurashtra Brahman Charitram” is as
follows (42 bookmark):
.
Bookmark 42:
“Saurashtra Brahman Charitram”, Page 15.
(Scanned image)
(Welcome, relatives, please take your seats. Please take sandalwood, flowers,
betel leaves, betel nuts, roll of betel leaves. Please recite your Baulas. We are
reciting our Baulas. Please pay attention. Our first place was Devagiri meaning
thereby Saurashtra Desha. Thereafter we came to Somapuri. After staying at
Somapuri we came to Nagardesha. From Nagardesha we came to Vijaynagar.
After staying at Vijaynagar we came, via Setu to Madurai and such other places,
and now we have settled here.”)
According to this version of the Baulas, the order of migrations has been as
follows: Devagiri (which is situated in Saurashtra), Somapuri, Nagardesha,
Vijaynagar, Setu (Rameshvar) and Madurai. The reference of Devagiri being
situated in Saurashtra may be due to a mistaken notion of geography; or Devagiri
might not mean Daulatabad (Maharashtra), but it might be referring to Girinagar
(Junagadh) in Sorath. There is a possibility of some geographical error on the part
of the author of “Brahman Charitram” (Geography does not seem to be their
strong point). Does Nagardesh refer to South Gujarat area round about Surat or
19
Lata? In ancient times, Lata was called Nagardesh (43 bookmark). The real order
of migrations should have been: Somapuri (Somnath, Saurashtra), Nagardesh
(Lata; Surat), Devagiri (Daulatabad), Vijaynagar and Madurai. Some of the place
names given in the Gotrakand are as follows; Garudam, Jambugam, Jitram,
Dharmapuri, Aroham, Chitrashala, Meghavarna, Godipuram, Bellur, Gurushala,
Hemagiri, Vrishabham, Pummeru, Vitalam, Gurjar, Kashi (Kashi), Shringaram,
Vaitaniya, Rishabha, Bhandaram, Laksham, Jagannath, Ghanapattan,
Hundapuram, Sheshadi, Arjunam, Kokilam, Gitadri, Chandra Shalavanam,
Uttaradivanam, Indragovanam, Katpovanam etc.
Bookmark 43:
Munshi: “Gujarat and its Literature”
The Inscription at Mandsor:
Sometimes the inscription at Mandsor (44 Bookmark) is referred to as regards the
history of the Saurashtrians. Mandsor is a village situated in the western part of
Malwa and its ancient name is Dashapur. The inscription is of the year 437-8
A.D. Its author is Vatsabhatti. His poetic faculty is considered to be of an average
category by Dr. Buhler. Vatsabhatti is more of a scholar than a poet. For
composition of this inscription, the community of Pattavayas (weavers) might
have given him a handsome gift. He has praised this community considerably.
The summary of the inscription at Mandsor is as follows:
“When a woman has reached her youth, she is beautiful, she has a garland of
flowers around her neck, she holds flowers and betel leaves in her hands, but she
will not go to meet her lover unless she has worn a silken saree on herself (45
bookmark). The Pattavayakas (the weavers), makers of these silken cloth have
come to Dashapur from Lata and they have covered and beautified this land
(Malwa) with the silken clothes, which are of various colours, full of happy soft
touch and captivating our eyes. These pattavayakas thought that like the ear
flower worn by the Apsaras (damsels of heaven) fallen on earth, the wealth of the
people is unsteady, fickle and may vanish at any time. Whatever wealth is
amassed, it is sooner or later to be perished. Thinking this, Pattavayakas have
made a very wise decision. When Bandhuvarma, the son of Governor
Vishvavarma, was the Governor at Dashapura in the reign of Kumargupta, this
association of the pattavayakas has donated its valuable wealth earned by it for
constructing a grand, incomparable, sky-high temple of the Sun. This temple was
donated on the thirteenth day of the Shukla (bright) fortnight of the Sahasya
month in the Malav Samvat year 493. But after the reign of several kings for a
certain period, when the temple became old, the noble pattavayakas, in order to
enhance the glory of their community, renovated this temple completely, on the
second day of the Shukla (bright) fortnight of the Sahasya month in the year 529.
May God bless them, the composer of this inscription, the sculptor of this
inscription, the reader and the hearer of the inscription!”
20
Bookmark 44:
Fleet: “Gupta Inscriptions”: No.18; “Selected Inscriptions.” (Vol. I. , Dr. Sircar),
Pages 288-297.
Bookmark 45:
The lighter silken cloth fluttering in air is an attractive sight of beauty; even today, “chhedlo ude pavanaman” (a poem by Shri.Umashanker Joshi) and “Mera
Lal dupatta malmalk&a havamen udata jaye” (a cinema song) are depicting this
beautiful sight.
Some scholars believe (46 bookmark) that the Saurashtrians of the
Southern India are related to the Pattavaykas (the weavers of the silken cloth),
who are mentioned in this inscription. Some scholars believe that originally these
Pattavayakas were of the same origin, but one group of them went to Malwa,
while the other group went to the south. The Pattavayakas that are referred to in
the Mandsor inscription had migrated from Lata to Malva. Surat in Lata was the
center of silk-cloth weaving; therefore from this inscription it may be presumed
that a community adept in the silk cloth industry was staying in Malva in the fifth
century A.D. As some Pattavayakas from Lata went to Malva in the fifth
century, similarly some other Pattavayakas from Lata went to south India, at
a later date. Some scholars are not inclined to see any connection between the
Southern Saurashtrians and the Pattavayakas that are referred to in the Mandsor
inscription. One of the reasons for maintaining this belief is that the inscription
does not refer specifically to the Saurashtrians. Secondly, the Saurashtri language
does not seem to be the language of the fifth century. Thirdly, the word “Patwa”
may be derived from the word “Pattavayak”, but it cannot be connected with the
Tamil word “Patnulkaran”. Against this, there are certain factors, which lead us to
infer some connection between the Saurashtrians of south India and the
Pattavayakas of Mandsor. Both the communities are adept in the art of silk-cloth
weaving. As the Pattavayakas of Mandsor have built a temple of the Sun, they
seem to be Sun-worshippers. Some Saurashtri men of learning derive the word
“Saurashtra” from “Saurarashtra” (“Saur” means ‘Surya’ or the sun (47
bookmark)) (This etymology also seems to be a mere fancy.) and therefore
believe that Saurashtrians are sun-worshippers.
Bookmark 46:
Dr. H. N. Randle: “The Saurashtrians of South India”; Page 24.
Bookmark 47:
If the word “Saurashtra” is derived from “Saurarashtra” the relation with
the Sun and Sun-worship is indicated there from.
The Saurashtrians divide their society in four classes. A leading class of
these is the ‘Saulin’ class. The word ‘Saulin’ may be derived from the word ‘saul’
21
or ‘saur’ (meaning the ‘sun’). Thus the sun worship may be common to both. The
community at Mandsor has been named ‘Pattavayaka’, while that of the southern
Saurashtrians is called ‘Patnulkaran’ (a Tamil word). Both the words mean the
weavers of the silk cloth. Both of them are migrants. One community went from
Lata to Malva and the other migrated from Saurashtra to Madurai, Via
Devagiri and Vijaynagar. Considering all these factors it cannot be established
categorically that the Pattavayakas of Mandsor are the Saurashtrians. But it is
possible that both of them came from Saurashtra via Lata at different times
and originally they might be of the same stock. Those who went to the north
adopted the Aryan language and culture, which were akin to their own; but those
who went to the south, because of their pride for the homeland of Saurashtra, and
in order to maintain their specific individuality which was quite different from the
Dravid language and culture, did not allow their own language and culture being
vanished. It is possible that both the communities are originated from the same
stock. One allowed its Saurashtri language being lost in an Aryan land; another
preserved their Saurashtri language and culture in the Dravid land. The inscription
of Mandsor is of the 5th century and the Saurashtrians seen to have gone to
Devagiri from Saurashtra in 11th century. Therefore, it cannot be said that some
Saurashtrians went to Malwa from Devagiri. The well-known historian Shri
Ratnamanirao believes that the Pattavayakas of Mandasor have no relation to the
Saurashtrians of south India. Yet the resemblance between the two is remarkable.
In this way, we can give an account of the migrations of the
Saurashtrians, on the basis of the Baulas recital at the marriage ceremony,
the Mandsor inscription, the Smritis (48 bookmark) and other relevant
material.
Bookmark 48:
“Katyayana Dharmashashtra”, Chap.11.
“Deval Dharmashashtra”, Chap. 9.
Saurashtrians - The Genuine Aryans (Part Three)
Social Life and Cultural Pattern
Physiognomy and dress:
These Saurashtrians who are speakers of an Aryan language and who
reside in the Dravida land are distinguished easily from their Tamil neighbors.
The colour of the skin of the Saurashtrians is somewhat yellowish. As compared
to the Tamil neighbor, he is thin, long and handsome (1 bookmark). His Aryan
origin can be inferred from his physiognomy. A Saurashtri male is usually having
good height and he looks handsome. He keeps a shikha (hair-knot; turf of hair) on
his head. The dress of a Saurashtri woman is akin to that of a Tamil woman. The
Saurashtri women visit the Meenakshi temple regularly in the evening; they are
more particular in this religious observance than the women of other communities
(2 bookmark). From the black colour of the Tamil people, the yellowish, brown
22
white colour of the Saurashtrians can be clearly distinguished. Their
pronunciations are different. They are more shy by nature. The complexion of the
Saurashtri women is more white. The beauty of their figure is not so captivating
as that of the women in Saurashtra and Gujarat, and they have not also the ill luck
of some Dravidian women who are not very remarkable for their physical beauty.
“Saurashtrians maintain their original customs of the homeland. In physiognomy,
they are different from the Tamils. Their colour is yellowish. He looks more
handsome and intelligent. Tamils call them “Chettis” (3 bookmark). The word
“Chetti” is derived from Sanskrit word “Shresthi”, usually meaning “merchant” or
“trader”.
Bookmark 1:
J.H.Nelson: “The Madura Country,” Part VI; Page 87.
Bookmark 2:
K.R.R.Shashtri; “The Madura Saurashtra Community” Page 3.
Bookmark 3:
“Manual of the Madurai District.”
Bookmark 4:
“History of Saurashtra”, Page 13.
The Saurashtrians are brave and yet humble, God-fearing, honoring their guests,
loving festivals and entertainment (4 bookmark). Their special characteristic as a
community is the dexterity of weaving silk-cloth and mercantile ability. They are
very keen to stick to truth in their dealings. In their literature ‘settu’ (meaning
‘satya’; truth) has been highly placed as a human virtue. An emphasis on ‘settu’
(truth) is specially laid in their work “Saurashtra Nitishambu” (5 bookmark). The
other groups of people who have come in their contact speak highly of their
truthfulness.
The dress of the Saurashtri male is akin to the dress of the other Hindu males.
They keep “Khesa” (Scarf: a piece of cloth kept on the shoulders) on their
shoulders, when they move about. Some Saurashtrians are wearing the ‘dhoti’
(white garment wrapped round waist and tucked in) and wrap it around; some
Saurashtrians wear the ‘dhoti’, keeping the folds. Even in the hottest summer,
they do not put on chapels or shoes. As the Tamils staying in a hot climate do not
feel any terror of heat, similarly the Saurashtrians also are habituated to the hot
climate and they are seen walking in the streets without putting on any chappals
or shoes even in the hottest month of Vaishakha. The men keep the shikha (hairknot) on the head. The weavers wear few clothes; particularly at the time of
weaving, they are wearing a small piece of dhoti, leaving their upper half quite
bare. Even the males are putting a vermilion mark (Bindi) on the forehead. When
they have to go to a religious festival or a social meeting, they will not step out
without putting this vermilion mark (Bindi) on the forehead. When they have to
go to a religious festival or a social meeting, they will not step out without putting
this vermilion mark (like the ladies) on the forehead.
23
The western influence is felt more on the attire of the males. But on the whole, the
western influence on the dress is not found to the extent to which it is felt in the
Western or Northern India. The Saurashtrian dress for the males consists of a
dhoti, shirt and ‘Khesa’ put on the shoulders.
Bookmark 5:
“Saurashtra Nitishambu,” Stanzas 10-13
The style of wearing the sari by the Saurashtrian women is different from that of
the Tamil women. The unmarried women wear the saris in the Bengali style,
but the married women wear the saris in the ‘Kachhota’ style. This Marathi
influence on the female dress is quite clear. It is believed in the conservative
circle of women as a sort of superstition that if a married woman, who has not
worn the sari in the ‘Kachhota’ style, makes any movement, commits a sin at
every step of her movement. Now the social reform is in progress, and therefore
the modern educated women do not believe in such superstitions and they do not
wear their sari in the ‘Kachhota’ style. But generally, the custom of wearing the
sari in the Marathi style is not prevalent in the Saurashtri areas excepting
Madurai. The shape and form of ornaments worn by the Saurashtri women
are akin to those of the Telugu Brahmin women. The vermilion mark on the
forehead of the males is smaller to that of the females. The flowers are used in
plenty. The women have invariably braid of flowers (veni) on their heads. They
will not turn out without putting on a braid of flowers (Veni). The male guest is
honoured with a bunch of flowers or a garland of flowers. The female guests are
honoured with braid of flowers (Veni).
The women folk are fond of putting on the ornaments. Women of ordinary
families also will put on diamonds. Very precious diamonds are put on by the
ladies in the rich families. There are three holes in the nose, right, left and middle.
In these three small holes, three ornaments are worn by the ladies. There are earornaments also. Even the males are putting on the ornaments of the ear. The
earrings worn by the Saurashtri women are not very long as they are with the
Dravid women. Like the Tamil women, the Saurashtri women tie their hair very
hard. The parting of the hair is either straight or curved. The girls wear the skirt
and blouse like the girls in Saurashtra and Gujarat. The ends of the skirt are
not sewn together. A sari of seven, eight nine or ten yards is worn. The saris of
silk and big borders are in vogue. Silken sari is more in fashion. The Tilak mark
(mark of pigment) is made by the men on their forehead. The Tilak mark is
not made by the women. Women make the vermilion mark only. The women
put on rings even in the fingers on their feet. The kajjal (Collyrium, soot) is
applied to their eyes by women. All women can wear black clothes. There is no
superstition for the black clothes. On the contrary the widows cannot put black or
white clothes. In Saurashtra the Kathi women wear the black clothes. In
Saurashtra and Gujarat widows can put on black or white clothes only, they
cannot put on coloured clothes. On the contrary, Saurashtrian widows
cannot put on black or white clothes; not only that, they cannot wear clothes
24
which have a black border on it. The Saurashtri women in the elderly age
group do not wear the blouse. This is just like Tamil women. Tamil women,
who are elderly, do not wear the blouse. This Tamil custom has influenced
the Saurashtri women. Nowa-days some elderly Saurashtri women have
begun to wear the blouse. Women put on the diamonds in the nose and ears and
also on the neck. To put on a diamond valued at ten thousand rupees or so is not
uncommon in the rich families. The custom of putting on the diamonds is
prevalent even in the lower class. The anklets are worn at the time of marriage.
The western influence on the dress is seen on the younger generation. Boys have
taken to trousers and pants. The custom of wearing the braid of flowers (Veni)
on the hair by the Saurashtri women is widespread, but the style of putting
on the braid of flowers (Veni) is not so artistic as that of the Gujarati ladies.
Women apply daily yellow powder of turmeric (called ‘Halad’) while taking their
bath. After bath, turmeric powder (Halad) is applied on the cheeks also. The
reason of the yellowish colour of the skin of the Saurashtri women may be the
widespread usage of turmeric powder (Halad) as toilet. The blouse of Saurashtri
women has a shorter sleeve. Earrings are also worn. Women put on the golden
girdles round their waist. They are put on above the sari. Even the unmarried girls
wear the golden girdles like the belts. The width of the girdle is two inches.
Diamonds are fixed in the belt. In Gujarat and Saurashtra, some boys and youths
of the bania community put on the silver girdles, but the girdles worn by the
Saurashtri women are golden. Three or four ornaments worn round the neck are
shorter; moreover, a thin golden chain is worn, which is longer, reaching the
girdle on the waist. Four or five gold or diamond buckles are worn on the head.
The pearls are worn in the hair-do. In the parting of the hair the pearls are put on.
The diamond arm-let is also put on. The women walk bare-footed even in the
hottest summer. Hot water is drunk. Drinking water is not cooled in the pots. In
Gujarat and Saurashtra, the married women, and unmarried maids cannot
wear the golden bangles alone; they have to wear glass or celluloid
(Kachakada bangles together. The Saurashtri women, married as well as
unmarried, can put on golden bangles alone. The glass bangles are not in
much use. The women wear longer blouses. There is no custom of covering
the heads with the saris or of covering the face with the ends of the saris in
the presence of elders. The young couples can talk to each other even in the
presence of elders. The style of hair-do is different. It is not as artistic as that
of the women in Saurashtra and Gujarat. The wearing of tusk bangles is a
must for the married women in Saurashtra and Gujarat. Saurashtri women
(married or widows) do not wear tusk bangles. When the women wear the
sari in the ‘Kachhota’ style, there is no need of wearing the skirt. The
modern civilized women (whose number is rather small) who do not wear
sari in the ‘Kachhota’ style wear the sari of five yards; they put on the skirt,
they have ceased to wear nose-ring or put on very small nose-rings.
Economic Condition:
As the Saurashtrians have closer connection with the textile industry, they are
25
known as ‘PatnulKaran’ (6 bookmark). In Tamil ‘Patnulkaran’ means ‘weaver of
cloth’ or ‘weaver of silken cloth’. As this word is used in reference with other
cloth-weavers also, the Saurashtrians, who consider themselves Brahmins, do not
like to be called ‘Patnulkaran’. In Madras they are only manufacturers of silk
cloth. They have taken even the industry of cotton cloth with or without silken
border. As they are trading in the goods manufactured by them and by others, they
are considered to be in the category of ‘chettis’, the mercantile community of the
Tamils. In the names of some, the word ‘Chetti’ is intermixed but they are not
originally chettis. ‘Chetti’ means ‘merchant’, ‘trader’, ‘master’ or ‘businessman’.
In this sense they have adopted the surname of the ‘Chetti’ by way of imitation.
The main handloom articles that are manufactured by them include saris,
kerchiefs, turbans, dhotis, chundaris, dupatta, khesas (cloth-piece kept on the
shoulders). Price of these articles varies from fifty paise to Rupees 150 per item.
They make the designs of various types, of golden thread and silken thread, on the
border of the saris. They import fine cotton from England and Japan, silk from
Italy, China and Japan, golden thread from France and to a certain extent from
Surat (South Gujarat). Before one hundred and fifty years, the cloth manufactured
by them was exported overseas to England, Europe, Arabia etc. At present it is
exported only to Ceylon, Chinang, Singapore and to a certain extent to Fiji
Islands, mainly the areas where the Tamil-speakers have migrated (7 bookmark).
In India their goldthread cloth is well known and it is very popular at Bombay,
Calcutta and Delhi.
Bookmark 6:
Thurston: “Castes and Tribes of South India”, Vol.VI, Page 160, 304
Bookmark 7:
Chimanlal Parikh: “Prasthan”: Jetha, 1992; Page 185.
The main occupation of the Saurashtrians are; (1) Hotra, meaning learning and
teaching. (2) Purohita, meaning the work of the priests. (3) Medicine
(Indigenous), Ayurved or Hakimi. (4) Weaving of cotton and silk cloth. (5)
Textile printing and sale of cloth. (6) The work of manufacturing of gold-thread.
(7) Industry of silk cloth and sale of silk cloth. Herein the weaving, printing and
sale of cotton and silk cloth is their specialty.
Moreover, they have now taken over to other occupations also. They can
adopt any other occupation and can get proficiency in it. E.g. carpentry is not their
special occupation. Formerly no Saurashtrians were carpenters. But now with the
change of times, some of them have adopted carpentry as their occupation and
they have succeeded in it. The Saurashtrians are doctors, pleaders, artisans,
engineers, photographers, merchants, teachers and professors also. So they have
now taken over to other occupations also, and they have succeeded in this taking
over. Even then eight percent of them are weavers of cloth or are connected with
textile industry.
26
In Madurai, the areas resided by the weavers are Lakshmipuram,
Meenakshipuram, Narshinhapuram, Krishnapuram, Kanpathym and Pandadi.
Some of their bigger firms deal in cloth, colour, chemicals etc. The rich among
the Saurashtrians are approximately seven percent. Twenty five percent belong to
the middle class. Approximately sixty-eight percent belong to the poor class. The
minimum income is that of a weaver. His monthly income comes to rupees thirty
or forty or sixty only. The weaver is helped in his occupation by the women and
the children of his family. The women who help in cloth binding of Junnadi or
Chundadi (Spotted sari) get a daily wage of thirty paise only. (*bookmark).
Saurashtri women help their men-folk in the weaving as well as textile binding of
the Chundadi. At the time of weaving, the physique as a whole and especially the
eye, the hand and the feet etc. are working. On an average there are four or five
persons staying in a weaver’s house. When the son marries, he lives in a separate
house. This is particularly so because of the scarcity of space in the house. The
loom of the weaver is kept in his house. For instance, when once we had to go to a
weaving house, the loom of weaving was kept at the entrance of the house. We
could enter the house by making our way underneath the loom. The name of the
weaver was ‘Jekkada R.Chokkya’. Jekkad was his house name or surname. His
gotra was Kashyap. The name of his son was Ramlinga. Out of his two daughters,
one Sarojini had been married and she was at her in-laws. Another daughter
Vasantā was unmarried. His son is studying and is helping him in the
work of weaving. The whole machine of weaving is called ‘Maga’ (or Mhago).
‘Neli’, ‘Retikando’, ‘Toor’, ‘Phudo’, ‘Jakkatapeti’, ‘Pati’, ‘Talo’, ‘Panchalo’,
‘Achchhu’, ‘Peta’, ‘Rento’ are the names of various parts of the weaving
machine. In weaving work, various designs and borders have been introduced by
the weavers.
Bookmark *:
Now the earnings have increased.
Weaving of a sari of four to five yards takes two days, and that of a sari of
eight yards takes three days. A weaver gets almost two rupees for a day. (*
bookmark) Due to the characteristic occupation of weaving, the Saurashtri
language has some of its proverbs related to weaving or its instruments. Eg. A
person without any status or one who is practically good-for-nothing is called
‘Rikta Khandau’ (a spinning wheel without any cotton). The thick peg holding
fast aside of the roller is called ‘Mhudha’ and in figurative (8 bookmark) language
the word ‘Mhudha’ is used for a person who sticks to certain things without any
understanding and shows lack of intelligence. Very talkative or loquacious fellow
is called ‘rhetto’. When the Rhetto machine is working, there emits a noise, which
is not liked by people; from this the figurative usage in the sense of a person
whose continuous talks do not interest us seems to have emerged. ‘Kapini’ means
to break a loom; from this has emerged figurative usage of the ‘Kapiniker’,
27
meaning finishing the work of an undesirable person in brief. ‘Porkut filiyas’
means finishing of half of the work. From this the figurative usage of the word
‘Filiyas’ means ‘an elderly person whose half life-span has already past.’
Bookmark *:
According to 1961 census, 36% of the silk-weavers of Madras state are
Saurashtrians. Monthly income in silk-weaving is as follows:Income per loom Income per household
1. Dependant weaver Rs.41-83 Rs.66-33
2. Independent weaver Rs.40-33 Rs.137-75
3. Members of co-operatives Rs.39-17 Rs.58-83.
(‘Census of India’: 1961: Vol.IX; Madras State Part XI(A)
Handlooms in Madras state: Page 111).
Bookmark 8:
‘Madura Guide’: Page 150.
Prior to weaving, the processes of ginning and spinning have to be gone
through. The Saurashtrians have not taken over to the ginning work. They have
taken up the spinning work themselves. It is a common sight in Madurai streets to
find the Saurashtri men, women and children busy with the weaving work. Their
speciality consists in the weaving of silk cloth. Due to this, Madurai is considered
one of the prominent centers among such eight silk centers throughout India. The
Saurashtri women help particularly in the primary work of twisting the bare silk
threads. The Saurashtri women are adept in working of the smaller spinning
machines. They can work with the bigger wheels of ‘Rhetto’ also. The women
folk help also in the secondary stage of twisting in the ‘la’ (bookmark symbol)
shape. In Saurashtri areas except Madurai, the women also help in the textile
printing work. In Madurai, Saurashtri women help in the weaving work, but they
do not take part in textile printing. In Madurai, Saurashtri women help in the
weaving work, but they do not take part in textile printing. The Saurashtrians can
manufacture brocade (‘Kinkhăb’) cloth also. Some new inventions in
the weaving machinery have been made by the Saurashtrians. Formerly the
manufacturing of gold threads was fairly done. In 1932, a Saurashtri Company
called India Gold Thread Mills Limited has been established.
The textile printing is their specific achievement. Formerly it was a
common sight to find the gutters in Madurai, overflowing with red liquid. Now
the municipality has made underground gutters and therefore this scene is a thing
of the past. Even now the quantum of the textile printing work has not lessened.
Even to day the coloured cloth will be found in the streets of Madurai, put there
for drying. The cycles and passers-by will be seen treading on the cloth. The red
colour of Madura is a special product of the Saurashtrians. Due to the spotted sari
(Junnadi or Chundadi), in the whole of India and even in the foreign countries,
their weaving and printing work is ranked very high. White spots in the
28
background of red and black colour in the ‘Chundadi’ look simply charming. For
making these spots the cloth is bound with little knots made therein. Because of
the hinding of knots it is called ‘Bandhani (or ‘Bhandini’) meaning, ‘that which is
bound’. Saurashtrians show their ingenuity in the colour mixture and novelty of
designs. Women-folk help in the colouring of the ‘Chundadi’. It is their
widespread home-industry. There are some trade secrets pertaining to the work of
textile printing. These secrets are never divulged to anybody, particularly a nonSaurashtrian. The non-Saurashtri-laborers are engaged in textile printing, but they
are not shown any secret of the trade. So non-Saurashtrians have remained
backwards, so far as the printing technique is concerned. The Saurashtrians have
not been able to show ingenuity in the sale or publicity of their products. It is
possible to increase the demand of their products by proper and greater publicity
of their products. But they have not succeeded in the publicity side, as much as
they have succeeded in the manufacturing side. The art of publicity and modern
outlook as traders are lacking. As they are experts in weaving and printing,
similarly if they excel in business management and organized publicity, they will
get better returns.
Over and above the work of weaving and printing, some Saurashtrians are
working as priests, astrologers, physicians, Ayurveda practitioners as well as
doctors, teachers, goldsmiths, masons and carpenters. The proportion of people
engaged in other occupations is comparatively less. There is a Saurashtri cooperative bank, a Saurashtri theatre, a Saurashtri hotel. So they take over to other
occupations successfully, yet their main and specific occupation is that of textile
weaving and printing. The weaving work is less remunerative than the printing
work. In the weaving work, women-folk are helpful; even then the economic
return is not every rewarding. It is customary for the Saurashtri women to keep
with them the money, which they themselves earn. When the husband needs
money, she will give him the money as loan, but the loan will have to be repaid
with interest thereon. The houses of the weavers are inadequate and from the
point of view of health and hygiene, they are harmful; of course the circumstances
have improved now to a certain extent. Looking to the economic conditions of the
Saurashtrians staying in Madurai, among them, 40 to 50 families earn more than
20,000 rupees annually; there are approximately hundred families earning 4,000
to 10,000 rupees annually. Approximately five percent of their population belongs
to the richer section. 78 families have their wealth amounting to more than a lac;
43 to 60 percent of the population have a hand-to-mouth living. In the wartimes
the weaving work had been more remunerative. But thereafter the difficulties
have increased. Some weavers had to live as beggars. If the government gives
impetus to handloom, their economic condition will improve. Late Rajgopalachari
had made a proposal that the manufacture of saris and dhotis should be
manufactured by handloom only and the mill should b prevented from the
manufacture of saris and dhotis; he might have been moved at the unhappy state
of the weavers, and this might have motivated him to put this proposal to the
Government. Looking to the occupation of weaving and such other reasons, the
Government has put the Saurashtrians in the category of the backward class and
29
therefore they are getting all the usual benefits of the backward class community.
In the field of modern education they are backwards, as compared to the other
Southerners. There is more illiteracy in their community. Only two hundred
graduates are found there. Only 15 percent are educated. If a weaver works eight
hours a day, he will get 25 to 30 or 40 to 50 rupees a month. As the women-folk
contribute to the earnings of the family (and there may be other reasons also), the
position of women in their society is better, even though the women are backward
in education. The special craft of printing has been known by now by other people
also. At the time of marriage and such other occasions, they spend a lot. They
have benefited much from the law of prohibition. On the whole, their economic
condition is not very sound, yet because they have mastered a special craft, and as
they have abilities to explore other avenues of income whenever it is necessary
they have been able to maintain their progress steadily.
Claim for being called Brahmins:
All the Saurashtrians are claiming for being called themselves as
Brahmins. The fact of all the people being Brahmins may look rather strange. Yet
it is possible that when they migrated, they might have belonged to one caste or
occupation. The manners and mode of living of the Saurashtri Brahmins are like
those of the Ayengar Brahmins and the manners and mode of living of Saurashtri
women are like those of the Telugu women. They accept the Hindu caste-system,
and they believe that all the Saurashtrians staying in South India are Brahmins.
Viprabandu K.V.Padmanabh Ayer has quoted a stanza in ‘Natangopāl
Charitram’, as an evidence from smriti:
(Scanned image)
According to this stanza, the Brahmins having the occupation of weavers were
staying in Saurashtra and these Brahmins who are adept in multiple textile designs
belonged to Shalihotra Gotra. There is another sentence quoted from the Smriti:
(Scanned image)
(In different countries, the Brahmins pursue different professions.)
Saurashtrians, as a community, have remained aloof from the Tamils. The Tamil
Brahmins consider them of a lower category and flatly refuse to accept them as
Brahmins. Their occupation, not befitting the Brahmins, comes in their way of
recognition.
In the seventeenth century, when there was the reign of Queen Mangamma
in Madurai, a state officer of Madurai had arrested eighteen Saurashtrians and had
put a charge-sheet upon them that in spite of their not being Brahmins, they were
performing the Brahmin rites such as upakarma or shravani (wearing of sacred
thread etc.). On this occasion, the Queen submitted this case to a conference of
30
scholastic judges of Trichinipalli for deciding whether the Saurashtrians were
Brahmins or not. In this trial the Saurashtrians won their case and they were
permitted by the State to perform rites of Brahmins. The Queen Mangamma
gave them Shasanpatra (the letter of Authority), by which they were
authorized to perform the Brahmin rites. Even though this favorable
decision was given by the State, Tamil Brahmins have not accepted them as
Brahmins. For this purpose, their mercantile and weaving occupation has also
come in their way. The Saurashtrians have adopted the surnames of Tamil
Brahmins like Ayer, Ayenger etc. They have also adopted the names resembling
Tamil Brahmins. The Tamil Brahmins have been constantly saying that their way
of life is not that of real Brahmins. They have been accused that the Saurashti
widows do not follow the rite of Mundan (Shaving of the head) like Brahmin
widows and that when the Queen Mangamma held the inquiry, the Saurashtrians
had asked the widows of the community to do Mundan (shaving of the head)
overnight. For a long time, they had a dispute with the Tamil Brahmins as well as
the state officers for their claim of being recognized as Brahmins. In a book
named ‘The Cast Questions in Saurashtra Community”, this dispute is described
in details. At last, the Saurashtrians are noted as Saurashtri Brahmins in the
census-reports, and this has been achieved as a result of incessant pleading with
the census officers. In the Devala Smriti and the Katyayana Smriti, list of
occupations pursued by Brahmins includes the occupation of weaving and
manufacture of cloth. It has been noted therein that the Brahmins pursuing such
occupations were residing in Saurashtra. This has substantially supported their
claim of being recognized as Brahmins. In Vasishta Smriti, it is said: (scanned
image).
In Yajnavalkya Smriti, the Brahmins have been permitted, in critical times, to
pursue the occupation of krishi, shilpa, Bhriti, Seva, Viparna, Kusida etc. (the
occupations of farmers, artisans and laborers etc.) According to the Patalakhand
of the Padma Purana, the Brahmins of Saurshtra and Gujarat are included in the
Pancha Dravida Brahmins:
(Scanned imaged)
The Dravid Brahmins are also pursuing mercantile occupation. Tiruvallu Va
naynar, the famous author of the sacred text Tirukkural which is accepted as the
Tamil Veda in the south, was pursuing the occupation of a weaver. It is their
argument that weaving being an honest and straightforward occupation, it should
not be considered a disqualification for a Brahmin.
Their Gotras (family-names or names of ancestral lineage) resemble those of the
Brahmins. Sixty-four Gotras of the Saurashtrians are enumerated in a work called
‘Gotrakanda’. Kashyapa, Kaushik, Jabali, Jahnu, Maitreya, Mandavya,
Vatsyayana etc. are their Gotra-names. In the ‘Gotrakanda’, together with the
Gotra-names their relevant Rishis and pravars are also noted. Sometimes it is
argued that like the Brahmins even the Kshatriyas and the Vaishyas also
31
have the Gotras. Therefore merely the fact of having Gotra names does not
prove their claim of being recognized as Brahmins. At the most thereby it
can be proved that they are not shudras. But they claim that only the
Brahmins have the Pravaras, and the Saurashtrians have the Pravaras. This
evidence is given in support of their claim for being recognized as Brahmins.
Sometimes it is said that the evidence of the shasanpatra (letter of Authority) of
the Queen Mangamma does not prove their claim of being called Brahmins. The
Queen Mangamma had only accepted their right of wearing the sacred thread. But
the sacred thread is worn even by the Kshatriyas. Therefore their recognition as
Brahmins cannot be proved simply by the evidence of the sacred thread worn by
them. But taking into account the Gotra, Pravar, Rishi etc. as given in the
‘Gotrakanda’, their claim for recognition as Brahmins gets justification. The
surnames or shakhas are called Gotra-nam (House-names) and moreover
everyone is known by some ‘Vana’ (probably derived from Sanskrit ‘Varna’). Eg.
There is ‘Gurjarvan’. Sometimes the ‘vana’ is related to the occupation pursued
by the family eg. ‘Bhade’. It means a cook; it is related to the profession of the
family. All the Saurashtrians are following the Apastamba Sutras. The original
Saurashtri and Brahmanical rites are seen preserved in the life of the Saurashtrians
on the ceremonies such as betrothal, marriage etc. The tradition of the Gotrarecital also proves it. Due to the changing times and places, some innovations
have been incorporated in their original traditions. Even then the Brahmanical
way of life and the Brahmanical rites are preserved uptill now. The Saurashtrians
have kept their religious fervor intact. Religious festivals such as Brahmotsava,
religious rituals such as Ashvattha-pradakshina, and the lively interest shown by
both the male and female members of the society in the Gita recitations - all these
amply show their religious nature and Brahmanical way of life. The Saurashtrians
are organizing the religious festivals very often during the year. The programmes
of Gita-recital are often organized and it is realized on such occasions that many
Saurashtri women know Gita by heart. This shows the religious bent of the
community as a whole:
Some scholars are inclined to consider the Saurashtrians as belonging
to the community such as ‘Khatri’ or ‘Brahma-kshatriya’. Sometimes the
Saurashtri language is called ‘Patnuli’ or ‘Khatri’. This linguistic
nomenclature gives some support to this influence. Therefore Dr. Randle says that
the name ‘Khatri’ is significant (9 bookmark) and perhaps they might be
belonging to the stock of the Khatri community of the Bombay state. In the
Bombay (now Maharashtra) State there are more than 50,000 Khatris (10
bookmark). They call themselves kshatriyas and in Gujarat, they are known
as Brahma-kshatriyas. They have fairly good height. They are handsome; and
they wear sacred thread. From this, Enthoven has inferred that the khatris of
Bombay might be related to the khatris spread over in Punjab. The Khatris of
Bombay are divided into the sections such as belonging to the Sun-dynasty, the
Moon-dynasty etc. The Khatris of Gujarat are Vaishnavites. The Khatris
names Patavegars, like other weaver communities, are the worshippers of
‘Hingalaja Mata’ (Goddess called Hingalaj). Perhaps they might have come from
32
Sind. The Khatris of Punjab are a mercantile community. Their population is of
more than 4.5lacs. Guru Nanak and Guru Anand were the Khatris. As Rose says,
the modern Khatri is undoubtedly the successor of the Kshatriya of the ancient
times, though his profession is that of a mercantile nature (11 bookmark).
Cunningham has tried to evolve the work ‘Khatri’ from the word ‘Katra’,
meaning ‘market’. The Khatris are also seen in Uttar Pradesh and Bengal. Thus
the Khatris of all the states have some characteristic in common. Almost all
accounts agree that the Khatris are handsome, they have fairly good height and
they have remarkable professional and administrative efficiency. Their
administrative and mercantile abilities are well known from the times of the able
Khatri minister Todarmalla of the Emperor Akbar. Linking the Saurashtrians with
the Khatris, some scholars are inclined to think that they are originally of the
same Khatri stock. But it is more probable that they were originally Brahmins and
not Khatris. Their occupation was not befitting the Brahmins, according to the
traditional notions. Again they had to give up some Brahmanic rites owing to the
migrations. But even then they are preserving the Brahmanic way of life generally
and they have the Gotras of the Brahmins as usual (12 bookmark).
Bookmark 9:
Dr.Randle: “The Saurashtrians in South India”; Page 10.
Bookmark 10:
R.E.Enthoven: “Tribes and Castes of Bombay” Page 205.
Bookmark 11:
Rose: “Glossary of Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and Northwestern Provinces”
Vol.I, Page.59.
Bookmark 12:
“Census Report”: 1901 XV. (Madras) Page.173
In social relationships, the Saurastrians do not have any relationship of marriage
with any community except their own. Similarly they have not maintained any
relationship of common dinner with other communities. The Saurashtrians of
Madurai have the relationship of the common dinner with the Saurashtrians
residing outside Madurai, but there is no marriage relationship between
them. Certain groups have been formed according to the distribution of areas.
There is no social relationship either of marriage or common dinner with the
Tamil Brahmins. They have adopted the surnames of the Tamil Brahmins; they
have adopted their names. They have the forehead marks like the Tamil
Brahmins. Moreover the customs and social rules pertaining to widowhood, the
rules to be observed by the women during the menses (the monthly course
period), the rules pertaining to untouchability, rites of workship etc. are observed
by following the customs prevalent among the Tamil Brahmins. The ceremony of
Shraddha (oblation) is also performed. At the end of the monthly course period of
the women, the tiles of the floor in the house are purified by means of putting a
33
thin layer of cowdung. The widows do not remarry, but the Saurashtri widows
not have the Mundan (Shaving of the head) as it is done scrupulously by the
Tamil Brahmin widows. Such are the resemblances and differences of customs
observed in both the communities. But on the whole, there is the dominance of the
Brahmanical way of life and Brahmanical rites in the community of the Saurashtri
Brahmins.
The Saurashtri Community of Madurai:
The growth of population of the Saurashtrians in Madurai has reached to such an
extent that it is proverbially said that every third person seen in Madurai is sure to
be a Saurashtrian. The population of Saurashtrians residing in the city of Madurai
amounts to more than 75,000 people. The Saurashtrians are intelligent,
adventurous and industrious. As the prosperity of Bombay is sometimes
considered largely due to the Gujarati people settled in Bombay, similarly the
prosperity of Madurai is considered largely due to the Saurashtrians residing in
Madurai (13 bookmark). In Madurai, they reside mostly in the southern parts of
the city. In some streets of Madurai, it is seen as if every house therein is a smallscale factory of cloth weaving and printing (14 bookmark). The Saurashtrians
residing in Madurai are more progressive than the Saurashtrians residing in other
parts of South India. The Saurashtrians of Madurai is comparatively richer and
gets more comforts of life than his brothers residing outside Madurai. The
financial condition of the Madura Saurashtrian is better than that of the
Saurashtrians in Madras, Salem, Kumbha Konam, Canjivaram etc. He has
attained more efficiency in the art of weaving and better skill of the profession.
He has adopted modern mechanical contrivances in accordance with the change
of times. Therefore the contribution of the Saurashtrians towards the development
of the city of Madurai has been very significant and their community can be
legitimately proud of it. As citizens of Madurai, they have attained prominent
positions in the Municipality, the Temple Committee and such other social and
civic activities. Before some years the chairmanship of the Madurai Municipality
was held by a Saurashtrian. In 1951, the vice-chairman of the Municipality was a
Saurashtrian. They have also been placed as members in the committee of the
famous Meenakshi temple of Madurai. The Madura Saurashtrian is taking a
prominent part in the political and social life of the city; it may be the work of a
political party, it may be the Gandhian work of removing untouchability, or the
work of propagating Hindi, he is always taking active part in social and political
life. The feeling of unity is very strong among the Saurashtrians. They have
always shown in their life the firmness of mind and tenacity to pursue with
determination, their aim, the virtues also found in the original residents of
Saurashtra. The Saurashtri institutions such as the Saurashtra Sabha are a symbol
of their unity. The cultural activities pursued in these institutions are worthy of
praise. The organization of Saurashtrians is excellent. In their trade and industry,
they employ the persons of their own community. They have not to rely upon the
people of other community in their profession. As a community, they are selfdependent. Their feeling of unity and co-operation is very strong (15 bookmark).
34
Therefore they have attained success in their profession of cloth manufacturing.
Their work is more methodical. Due to their unity, they have established
centralized institutions such as the Saurashtra Sabha. They are running a
Saurashtra High School in Madurai. They have planned to have a Saurashtra
college. Formerly the Saurshtri language was taught in the Saurashtra high school.
Bookmark 13:
J.H.Nelson: “the Madura Country.”
Bookmark 14:
K.Rangarao: “Madura: Tourist’s guide.”.
Bookmark 15:
“Madura District Gazetteer”. Vol-I page.110.
In Madurai and the whole of Tamilnadu, the Saurashtrians are unique in certain
respects and they are considered as a well-to-do community. Among them, some
persons are very rich. Therefore those who come in contact with the richer section
of the community think that the whole community is very rich. There is a
Saurashtra ‘Petha’ (market) in Bangalore and the industry of the famous
silken carpets and cushions is almost their monopoly. The Saurashtrians are
pursuing their social and cultural activities through their institutions such as
Saurashtra Sabha (Madurai), Saurashtra Central Sabha (Madurai), Saurashtra high
school, Saurashtra old boys’ association and its library, Saurashtra club,
Saurashtra co-operative society, Saurashtra Seva Samaj, Saurashtra Govinda Dasa
Seva Samaj etc. Among these institutions, the Saurashtra Sabha of Madurai has
been the centralised and prominent institution. This institution has been working
for the social welfare of the people by way of arranging the educational facilities
for the Saurashtrians, managing a library for the community, maintaining a
Saurashtri temple, organizing the religious festivals, giving aid to the poor (*
bookmark), founding and maintaining inns (‘Chhatram’) at the religious places,
arranging the sacred thread ceremonies for the boys of the poor section of their
society, providing for the marriage ceremonies of the girls coming from the poor
strata, building the Ghats (baths) at religious places and such other activities in
general for the well-being of the Saurashtra community. For this purpose, they
have been collecting the subscriptions from the Saurashtri merchants and others,
in proportion to their income (calculating certain pies per rupee). This is a
progressive and prosperous institution of the Saurashtrians. It is making all efforts
for the preservation of Saurashtri language, literature and culture. The affairs of
the Saurashtri temple are managed by the temple committee of this institution. It
maintains an elephant in its premises. The elephant is lent on rent for the
functions such as marriage. This elephant has been kept especially for the
35
religious celebrations by the Saurashtrians.
Bookmark *:
Recently (in October, 1975) when cloth was distributed free to the weaker
sections, there was a stampede in the Saurastra High School compound and some
persons lost their lives in the stampede.
Old manuscript in Saurashtri language have been collected by the Sabha.
They are kept in a small but useful museum in the building of the sabha. The
museum includes the padukas of the Saint-poet Thyagraj. The Saurashtrians have
spent munificently for constructing and maintaining their temple. Various goldstudded seats for the gods are kept in the temple. Four temples have been built in
the temple compound. On their arrival in Madurai, the Saurashtrians had built a
temple in the city. This temple became old and therefore a new temple was built.
Moreover a third temple has been built by a Saurashtrian donor; this temple has
the idols of the Gods and also the small statues of the donor together with his two
wives. A new fourth temple has also been constructed in 1954. The Sabha is
arranging regularly the programmes of mass-prayers. The Saurshtra Sabha of
Madurai is more organised and more prosperous institution than the Saurashtra
Sabhas of other places. It is the nucleus of other Saurashtri institutions. In 1954,
Shri. C.M.V.Krishnamachari was the president of the sabha.
Shri.B.S.Venkataraman was its Secretary. During their tenure of office, due to
their strenuous effort, the sabha has become an ideal institution.
Saurashtra Central Sabha of Madurai is a centralized institution of all the
Saurashtrians in South India. All other Saurashtra Sabhas of various places in the
south are attached to this institution. More than 2000 students are studying in the
Saurashtra high school and most of the students in the school are Saurashtrians.
The high school building is really grand and it is bigger and more artistic than
most of our college buildings. There are more than 78 teachers on the staff of the
high school. Formerly the Saurashtri language was taught as a voluntary
subject in the Saurashtra High School. But now-a-days the teaching of the
Saurashtri language has been dropped. Saurashtri Mitramandala is
arranging the summer classes for the teaching of the Saurashtri language
every year. Education is expanding rapidly among the Saurashtrians. A big
building of the high school is now found inadequate for the increasing number of
students. Moreover there is a separate Saurashtra Girls’ high school. There are
other schools such as Saurashtra girls’ elementary school, Saurashtra elementary
school and Saurashtra secondary school. This shows how education is rapidly
expanding among Saurastrians. The institution of the Saurashtra old boys’
association has also progressed a lot. Hardly any High school old boys’
Association might have its own independent building. It runs a library of its own.
This association has started since 1920. Its library has commenced since 1924.
There are more than 15000 books in the library. More than 65 magazines are
subscribed for the library. A mobile library has been started since 1939. They are
36
running a night school for teaching Hindi. They have started a sports club since
1949. They are celebrating their school-day with pomp. Sports and tournaments
are arranged regularly. The members for the association are more than a thousand.
Hardly any other school Boys’s association in our country might be doing such
splendid work.
Moreover, the Saurashtrians have their own club. They have a cooperative bank of their own. There is a Saurashtri co-operative Society. The
Saurashtra seva samaj does the work of social service. The Saurashtra Govindadas
Samaj arranges religious programmes and mass-prayers. A religious institution
named Gitanilayam is devoted to the studies of Gita and it arranges the
programmes of Gita-recital. In this way, a splendid example of working in cooperative spirit and in an organized form is seen here in the social life of the
Saurashtrians.
The social institutions of the Saurashtrians might have been set up earlier
according to the tradition of their homeland but due to the Dravidian influence
increasing slowly, some original traditions might have been given up. According
to their original tradition (16 bookmark), people are classified in the following
four divisions: - (1) ‘Gomvada’; resembling the leaders (or the Patels) of the
community. The word ‘Gomvada’ might have been derived from the Sanskrit
word ‘Grama’ (a village) (Gomvada, meaning a village leader). The word
‘Gomvada’ has some resemblance to the Gujarati word ‘Gamot’. The leaders or
the Patels of the Kale Kanbis of Bombay are called ‘Gavada’. (* bookmark) (2)
‘Saulin’: Prominent persons of the community. It is said that the world ‘Saul’
might have been derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Surya’ - (sun). ‘Saulin’ might
have been derived in the sense of devotees of Saul or the Sun. It is also inferred
that sun worship was prevalent among them (** bookmark).
Bookmark 16:
“A History of Saurashtras”; Page 11.
Bookmark *:
The word ‘Gomvada’ is akin to Marathi-Konkani ‘Gaunda’.
Bookmark **:
This inference has no other support and therefore it cannot be accepted as a
scientific etymology.
Some of them have ‘Saulin’ as their surname. (3) ‘Vayadu’: Physician (Vaidya)
or scholar. (4) Bhautul :- cf. Sanskrit ‘Bhagavata’. They are musicians,
particularly the singers of devotional songs. Some of them have ‘Bhautul’ as their
surname. All these four classes have not been completely extinct. Formerly the
position of ‘Gomvada’ in Madurai was a hereditary post. Vayadus (physicians and
scholars) and Bhautuls (poet, singer, devotee, astrologer) are properly respected.
37
Moreover the common man is known as ‘Karestun’. (Gujarati word ‘Karahtan’
means, active association in a secret plot by a group, and it is a Persian loan-word;
both the words seem to have a verbal resemblance only). The Sanskrit word ‘Kri’
means work, and there from the word ‘Karestun’ might have been evolved in the
sense of persons of the working class. It may be a formation like (scanned image)
. When somebody is to be boycotted, an assembly of all the classes including the
‘Karestuns’ is called for. It is not easy to equalize their classification with that of
the four castes (Chaturvanyam) as per Hindu tradition. These classes might have
been derived from the hereditary occupations or hereditary family status.
Among the Saurashtrians the social reforms are in a primary stage. There was the
custom of early marriages, but when Sarda act came into force, the custom of
early marriages came to an end. The Sarda act has already become a blessing to
the Saurashtri community. According to their original custom, even six or seven
years old girls were married and as result, the economical condition became
worse. Their marriages are very expensive but the burden of the caste-dinner is
not laid on the bride party. Marriage, generally, takes place in the same place of
residence. At the most, they can keep relationship of marriage with the
Saurashtrians of Madras; otherwise the Saurashtrians of Madurai, as a custom,
must marry in Madurai only. Due to geographic reasons, some social rules have
come into existence. Sometimes if these rules are broken, no strong objections are
taken; but generally, the Saurashtrians stick to their social rules and regulations.
The Saurashtrians, all of them being Brahmins, have not matrimonial restrictions
in their groups, yet, in practice, there seems to be prevalent some sort of classes
due to status, profession, economic conditions, family considerations etc. But on
the whole, there is a feeling of equality. The Saurashtri widows are not permitted
to remarry. There is no taboo for widows in keeping the hair. Women need not
cover their faces with the saris. It is of course, not a social reform, but it is a
common custom of south India. Excepting a token monetary payment (and also
some ornaments and clothes) to be given to the party of the bride, according to the
tradition, there is no other payment to be paid to either party. If either party has
some defect, some payments are made by the defective party, but the payment is
kept a secret. It is not a widespread evil. In Tamils the payments to the bridegroom are made according to their degrees; e.g.2000 Rs. To a graduate, 3000 Rs.
To a honours graduate, 4000 Rs. To an M.A. and so on. This amount is received
openly in Tamil society; this is not the case with the Saurashtrians. Intercaste
marriages are rarely seen. Love marriages are very few. One Saurashtri young
woman has married a Gujarati youth. The youth is a Kayastha of Surath and the
Saurashtri woman has adopted the Gujarati language, customs, food-preparations,
manners etc. so nicely that one can hardly imagine that she is not originally a
Gujarati woman. Such intercaste marriages are very few. Gujarati people have
been living in Madurai since a century. Though the period of their stay is long
enough, only two inter-caste marriages have occurred. There is no incident of any
Gujarati women having married a Saurashtri man. In some rural or pastoral areas,
some Saurashtri men have married the women of different castes and a few
Saurashtri women have married fisherman and Muslims also, but they are not
38
considered as members of the Saurashtri society. Very few persons were receiving
education formerly. Pure literary education was not popular among the
Saurashtrians. In 1927, the proportion of male-education was 40.4 percent and
that of female education was 2.50 percent. And now the proportion of maleeducation has reached upto 60 percent. These figures pertain to Madurai; in other
places the proportion of education is much less. This education means only the
knowledge of reading and writing. Up till now, the Saurashtrians were not
interested in higher education; since their boys helped them in their weaving
occupation, they considered the education to be an economic loss. Early
marriages also affected the education over and above other reasons. Until 1941,
there were 89 graduates (17 bookmark) including the graduates of Arts, science
and engineering. In 1951, there were 200 graduates and 150 men qualified with
technical education (18 bookmark). On the whole, illiteracy is decreasing in
Madurai. The proportion of education of Saurashtrians in Madurai has reached
upto 40 percent. The Saurashtrians’ apathy for higher education and cultural
activities is lessening and that is a good sign of progress of the Saurashtri society.
Bookmark 17:
‘List of Saurashtri Graduates’: 1941.
Bookmark 18:
‘Memorandum to the Backward class Commission’ Page 2
Social and religious festivals:
The Saurashtrians celebrate both the social and religious festivals like
Dipavali, Vaikuntha Ekadashi, Deshara, Ramanavami, Janmashtami, Basavanna
(Dipkeli), Holi, Brahmotsava, Ashvatthapradakshina, Gitaparayana, Shayan
ekadashi (or festival of flying kites), Margashirsha religious festival etc. They
celebrate every festival with full pomp. On the moonless day of Ashvina, they
celebrate the festival of Divali. According to Shalivahan Shak, they calculate the
beginning of the year from the first of the bright fortnight of Chaitra month, and
so they celebrate the new year accordingly. They celebrate the festival of
Vaikunth Ekadashi they celebrate Dashera on the day of Vijayadashami. On
Ramanavami day they observe a fast. They celebrate the holiday of Janmashtami
(the birthday of Lord Krishna).
The festival of Basavanna is celebrated in two ways. Basavanna is also
called Boskanna. In the Mysore State and Telugu province-particularly in the
district of Bellari in Madras - this festival seems to be celebrated at certain places.
Basavanna is a ‘Kanadi’ word and it is also used in the Telugu language. In the
festival of Basavanna, the virgins as well as married women play ‘Kolattam’. The
form of Kolattam is just like that of Rasanritya of Saurashtra and Gujarat.
Kolattam seems to be related to Rasanritya which Saurastra has inherited from
Krishna. Kolattam means a stick, Dandiya. What we call Dandiya-Rasa, they call
39
Kolattam. The Dandiya-Rasas are different for the male and the female. As in
Saurashtra and Gujarat, on the Navratri days, women sing and play Rasagarabi,
similarly the Saurashtri women - particularly the virgins - play Kolattam in the
days from Diwali to Devadiwali. Men play Kolattam at any time. This festival is
also called Dipakeli, because they, keeping a lamp (Dipak) in the center, play
Dandiya Rasa around it. In Saurashtra and Gujarat a Garbo is placed, so the dance
is called Garbo or Garbi. The lamp (Dipak) is placed in Garbi as well as Dipkeli.
The various physical movements and postures are possible in Kolattam as well as
Rasanritya.
In the festival of Basavanna, virgins make the statue either of a bull or of a
goddess. The aged women guide them in this work. This statue is made of clay.
Keeping this statue in the center they sing and dance. This festival continues for
ten days. On the tenth day, this statue is taken in a procession, with pomp and
then it is dropped in a tank. In Saurashtra and Gujarat there is the festival of
Gorama and the virgins celebrate the festival of Gorama (Gauri) for ten days in
Shravan month, and they worship the image of Gorma. Similar is the festival of
Basavanna. Formerly in Saurashtra in Gujarat, there was the custom of making an
image (either of bullock or goddess) from the clay and elder men and women,
keeping it in the center played Rasa. This custom was continued in the rural areas,
and now it is vanishing. This festival is called ‘Gebbila’. The resemblance of the
word ‘Gebbila’ to the Gujarati word ‘Garabi’ is noteworthy, though it may be
accidental. The Saurashtrians play the festival of Holi in Fagan month. Now this
festival is not widespread as before. Brahmotsva continues about ten days round
about February and on each day the procession of God is taken in different
conveyances. The programmes of Brahmotsava continue even at night. On the
first day of every month, they keep the programme of the Gita-recital. On the
moonless day of every month, the festival of Ashvattha pradakshina is celebrated.
In the building of Saurashtra Sabha there are three trees of Kadamba, Ashvattha
and Pippal in a combined formation. The Saurasthri men and women move round
these Punya vrikshas or holy trees one hundred and eight times, singing
devotional songs. On the bright fortnight of Aashada month, they celebrate the
festival of flying the kites. Formerly the Saurashtri men, women and the children
went to the river Vaigai and enjoyed the flying of kites. The songs were sung and
the people stayed there for the whole day. The Saurashtrians participate in the
festival of the Minakshi temple and the Alagar (Vishnu). If the festival is to be
celebrated on the bank of a river or in the far-situated temple, the Saurashtrians go
there in groups and take their meals there. In the holy month of Margashirsha, the
assemblies of devotional singers, getting up early, go to the river for bathing and
thereafter the mover round in the city singing devotional songs. Previously, there
was a custom of playing drama either of Krishna or Rama in the days of the
marriage ceremony (19 book mark). Thus this festivity minded community
celebrates many social and religious festivals. The festivals give full scope to
entertainment and they have also religious as well as social motives; the
Saurashtrians, with keen interest and in great numbers, participate in these
festivals. The Saurashtri people take interest even in the programms of Bhajan-
40
assemblies and kolatta-assemblies, which are arranged very often.
Bookmark 19:
Ranga Rao: “Madura”.
Sixteen cultural processes including marriage; Marriage ceremony and
Matrimonial customs:
Up till now the Saurashtrians are following original Brahmanical cultural
processes. We can realize Brahmin and Aryan culture in their way of life. They
seem to follow sixteen cultural processes prescribed in the Brahmanical way of
life. The way of life of those whose economical condition is not good and who
live in the rural areas has diverted to a certain extent, but most of the
Saurashtrians in Madurai live according to the Brahmanical way of life. We can
realize this from their pattern of behaviour from birth to death. The sixteen
cultural processes such as Garbhadhaan, Punsavan Simantonnayan, Jatakarma,
Namakarmannaprashan, Chulopnayan, Vedavritchatushtaya, Godan,
Samavaratan, Vivaha, Pitr-Khyati are considered the Brahminical cultural
processes (20 bookmark). The Saurashtrians seem to be following most of these
processes.
In Saurashtra and Gujarat, the auspicious occasion of the first
pregnancy of a woman is celebrated. Similarly, the Saurashtrians celebrate
this occasion. On this occasion, the people of the bride-party arrive and the
ceremony seems just like that of marriage. In Gujarat and Saurashtra, the woman
having first pregnancy walks slowly from the bathing-place to the place of
residence. In Saurashtrians there is no custom of slow-motion walking by the
pregnant lady, nor she is slapped on the face by her younger brother-in-law
(husband’s younger brother), but there is a custom of dinner party, and
worship of the deity etc. The pregnant lady is adorned as she was adorned at the
time of her marriage-ceremony. In her decoration, the braid of flowers (Veni),
garlands etc are also used. On the hand and neck and on the head there is the
adornment of flowers as well as the ornaments of gold and diamonds.
Bookmark 20:
Hiranyakeshiya; “Brahmakarmasamuchaya”.
The men-folk from the bride-party bring silken clothes, utensils and
sweets for the pregnant women. Likewise, they also bring, according to their
economic condition, the clothes manufactured with the silver and golden threads
and simple clothes (Dhoti and khesa) for her husband. On this occasion, there is
not a custom of worshipping the Goddess Randala, as it is in Saurashtra. On
this occasion, there are also male guests from the side of the bride-party. If they
are rich, their party consists from one hundred to two hundred, and if they are
41
poor, they consist of fifteen to twenty, and they stay for two or three days as in the
marriage. After this celebration, the bride is taken to her father’s house. It seems a
strange custom to us that she has to drink the sandal wood water through the nose
at the time of filling her lap. When she gives birth to a child, they observe
“Suutak” (untouchability on the occasion of child birth); on the eleventh day,
there is a rite of naming the child. If the male child born is eighth, he is named
Krishna. This custom might have come in existence, because Krishna was the
eighth child of Vasudeva and Devaki. As the terms of endearment the children are
called as “Duddu” (milk), “Pilla” etc. Now we can see a great deal of Dravida
influence. Now they are named like Tamil Brahmins. E.g.Venkatraman,
Ramanandam, Rajgopal, Harigovindachari, Padmanabhayer, Devendran,
Narayan, Rengacharya, Nagaswami” etc. For the females, the names such as Sita,
Chakku, Indira, Vasanta, Sarojini, Shanta, Kanak etc. are popular. The method of
writing names (particularly the order observed in the names) is like that of the
Tamil people. First of all, they write their Shakha (surname, the name of the
house), then father’s name and at the last they write their own name.
E.g.according to Gujarati, “Venkataraman Shreenivas Bhade” is written, but
according to their method “Bhade Shreenivas Venkataraman” or in an abbreviated
form “B. S .Venkataraman” is written. Likewise the names of their sons such as
‘B. V. Arivindshekhar’, ‘B. V. Vidyashekhar’, ‘B. V. Kripashekhar’ are written;
the names of the daughters, if they are married, are written with the names of their
husbands and surnames; e.g., Mrs. K. R. Vasantadevi. The name of the unmarried
daughter is written with the father’s name and his surname. E.g.; ”Miss B. V.
Shantadevi;”, “Miss B. V. Kankadevi”. Some people write not only their father’s
name but they also write their grand-father’s name.
At the end of the first year, after naming the child, the rite of Annaprashan
(to make the child eat food for the first time) is observed. There is no custom of
celebrating the first shaving of head (keeping the tuft of hair). When the boy is
from 7 to 12 years old, he has to put on the sacred thread, after celebrating the
sacred thread ceremony. If some people cannot afford to celebrate the occasion,
due to economic conditions, their sons can put on sacred threads at the time of
their marriage. For the boys of the poor persons the arrangements for the
celebration are made by the Saurashtra Sabha. Sometimes, the brother can put on
the sacred thread at the marriage time of his sister, but the elder brother cannot put
on the sacred thread at the marriage-time of the younger sister.
In Saurastrians, marriage is called “Horat” and betrothal is called
“Ghettivido”. Betrothal is called “Ghettivido”; because at that time marriage is
fixed by giving betel-leaf (vido) and betel nut. “Ghetti” means “to fix”.
‘Ghettivido’ means decision of marriage; at that time the marriage-date is fixed.
At the time of betrothal, both the parties recite that they have come from
Saurashtra to Devagiri and then from Vijaynagar to Madurai. This recital is called
“Baulas”. From this Baulas, we can trace their history of migrations. In old times,
it was a custom of marrying the children in a certain Gotra. Now only one
restriction exists that they cannot marry in the same Gotra. At present one is more
42
attracted to the riches than to the Gotra. At the occasion of betrothal, there is a
custom of “Desannam”. It means what is called in Gujarati “Desh” or
“Desa”. In Gujarat and Saurashtra, the bride-party is given some monetary
amount, by bridegroom party, which is fixed by their community. That is
called “Desh”. There are different amounts fixed in different castes, and in
some castes, particulary in the castes of Brahmins, there is no custom Desh.
In the Saurashtrians, the amount of “Desh” is sixty rupees, and it is given at
the time betrothal. In addition to these sixty rupees, there are a Sari (costing
50 to 100 Rs.), a short-sleeved blouse, 11 or 25 cocoanuts and fruits that can
be distributed to those who have come on the occasion. Particularly,
cocoanuts, mangoes and bananas are distributed. In Gujarat and Saurashtra
this is called sakar-chundadi. The Saurashtrians also carry with them
sugarcandies with chundadi. Previously the boys and girls were wedded earlier.
Now, after the enforcement of Sarda act, the daughter marries at the age of
1.
Religious Beliefs of Saurashrtians
twenty of twenty-one. There is a custom for a boy that he should marry in the year
of an odd number. It is a peculiarity of the Saurashtrians that there is no gap of
more than two or three months between betrothal and marriage; so we hardly see
the incidents of nullifying the betrothal. In case somebody expires in the family,
the marriage is postponed for six or twelve months, but generally there is no gap
of more than two or three months between betrothal and marriage. “Ghettivido”
means fixing the date of marriage. Excepting their own Gotra, they can marry in
any other Gotra. Maternal uncle can marry his sister’s daughter. The children of
maternal uncle and father’s sister can marry. Such custom is found in some
Kathi and Rajput families in Saurashtra and Gujarat. Of course in Kathis as
well as in Rajputs, the children of the maternal uncle and the father’s sister
can marry, but the maternal uncle and his sister’s daughter cannot marry. In
Saurashtrians maternal uncle and sister’s daughter can marry and it
indicates the Dravidian influence. In the Dravidians, keeping in view the status
of the family, Gotra, position, study of the bridegroom, the bride party gives
money in cash and other things. There is no such custom of selling the
bridegroom in Saurashtrians. Exceptionally, if the bride is less beautiful,
having some physical defects or the Gotra being of lower category, or having
some defects or her family being considered lower, the bridegroom party is given
some money. Similarly, if the Gotra of the bridegroom is lower, or his family is
considered of a lower category due to some reasons, or the bridegroom has some
defects, some more amount is paid to the bride-party. Generally, there is no
monetary transaction for bride and bridegroom in Saurashtrians. At the time of
betrothal, the sixty rupees of “Desh” are given, and sometimes some rupees of
“Desh” are given at the betrothal, and the remaining amount is given at the
time of marriage.
It is a problem whether in the Saurashtrians all are Brahmins or some
43
are Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra too. In Madurai, all are Brahmins and
due to their Gotra and economical position, there are some differences, although
they have relations of dinner and marriage among them. The Saurashtrians of
Madurai do not keep relations of dinner and particularly of marriage with the
Saurashtrians outside of Madurai. They keep relations of dinner and marriage
only with the Saurashtrians of Madras. In Madras, some “Sahu” families have
been living, and they speak Saurashtri dialect and recognize themselves as
the Saurashtrians. The Saurashtrians of Madurai consider them to be
polluted. Except the Saurashtrians of Madurai, the Saurashtrians elsewhere have
relations of dinner and marriage with one another. The classes of Brahmin,
Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra have come into existence due to the
differences in the way of living, occupation and looseness in matrimonial
rules. Eg. In Kanjivaram there are Kshatriyas and Vaishyas. Somewhere
Saurashtri men have married the women of different castes, and in some villages
the Saurashtri ladies have married the men of other castes. Those Saurashtrians
who have been thus considered polluted are called Shudras. Except this, in
Saurashtrians, particularly in the Saurashtrians of Madurai, there are no caste
differences. The unity of the Saurashtrians of Madurai is more remarkable than
other Saurashtrians. Saurashtri men and women hardly marry in other castes. A
Saurashtri woman has married a Gujarati Kayastha and in her way of living we
relies more of Gujarati culture. This Saurashtri woman has nicely adopted the
food habits, manners and customs of Gujarati culture and tradition. The
Kayashtha husband of this Saurashtri woman knows Saurashtri language. Their
marriage seems to be natural on account of the original affinity. They have three
or four children who speak Gujarati language properly, but the marriages of this
type are very few. Generally, the Saurashtrians of Madurai do not keep the
relations of dinner and marriage with the Saurashtrians outside of Madurai.
Their population, being 75,000 they need not extend the circle of relationship.
Again, they believe that some looseness has entered into the way of living of
some rural Saurashtrians. Some Saurashtrians who are living in the villages
situated on the coast take fish as their food and for such reasons the Saurashtrians
of Madurai do not keep relations with them.
Previously the marriage ceremony continued for five days. Now it
ends within two or three days. At the marriage-time, Ganesh is worshipped.
At the houses of both the bride and bridegroom, the worship of Ganesh and
sacrifice ritual take place on the previous day of marriage. The members of
bridegroom party go to the house of the bride and it is called ‘Vorat’
(compare with Hindi ‘Borat’; Gujarati ‘Jan’). At the house of the bride, a
picture of the chariot of Ashvinis is drawn on the wall-picture of Ganesh.
Near the wall-picture of Ganesh, five lines of small pots are made. In
Saurashtra and Gujarat, what is called ‘Chori’ resembles to this. Under the
bower of marriage, the pots of copper or brass are put in four directions to
make ‘chori’. The difference is that the Saurashtrians, instead of putting
them under the bower put them before the picture, and these pots are
proportionately smaller. In ‘Chori’ there are four lines while the
44
Saurashtrians make five lines. Like ‘Chori’ the pots are arranged on one
another. In Saurashtra, it is called ‘Utarad’, while the Saurashtrians call it
‘Hutarad’. Bride is called ‘Navari’ and “bridegroom” is called ‘Navaro’. The
usage of these Marathi words indicates the influence of Marathi. In
Saurashtri, like Gujarati, the word ‘Jamai’ (son-in-law) is used. In
Saurasthra and Gujarat, there is a custom that the bride and the bridegroom
are anointed with ‘Pithi’ (a paste made from the mixture of turmeric and
other things); similarly the Saurashtrians also anoint turmeric. Particularly
they apply more turmeric to the cheeks. In Saurashtra and Gujarat, the
bride and the bridegroom tie ‘Mindhala’ (scanned image) on their hands.
The Saurashtrians tie a big piece of turmeric instead of ‘Mindahla’ and they
call it a ‘Kangan’.
Both the parties begin the rites of marriage with the establishment of
‘maneksthambha’, ‘Mandapa ropan’, worship of Ganesh and Nandi homa.
Before the party of bridegroom arrives at the house of bride, all these preliminary
programmes are completed. A remarkable matter about ‘Manekshthambha’ is
that the Saurashtrians follow literally the meaning of ‘Manekastambha’ by
planting it as big as a pillar. In Saurashtra and Gujarat, the
‘Manekasthambha’ is very short, about as long as one foot and it is made of
wood, while the Saurashtrians are adhering to the literal meaning of pillar
(Stambha) actually. Before marriage, the Saurashtrians, seeing a good omen,
perform Mandaparopana. On every auspicious occasion, there should be an
establishment of Ganesh. According to the rites, prescribed by the Shastras,
(scriptures) they establish Ganesh in the beginning of marriage. At the time of
‘Nandihoma’, the father and mother of the bride worship their father and mother
(if they are not alive, then elderly couple of the family is worshipped).
Previously, the marriage-ceremony, which continued for four or five days,
now ends mostly within two days (sometimes in a day) on account of economical
reasons and influence of reforms. If the bridegroom is to come from the local
place, the marriage ceremony is performed at an auspicious hour in the morning.
A marriage procession sets out with pomp. The party of bridegroom is given a
welcome at the house of the bride, and each man from the bridegroom party is
given betel leaf and nut, garland and sandalwood, but none is served with food.
Only the bridegroom and his companion (the ‘anavar’, ‘sangaith’, a mate assisting
the bride-groom), are fed for four days. The party of the bridegroom coming from
the local place is not given any lodging. To welcome the party of the bride-groom
at the gate of the house of the bride, the eldest son-in-law of the family (the eldest
brother-in-law of the bride or as an alternative, any eldest son-in-law of the
family) goes and receives the bride-groom, ‘Sangaith’ (‘Anawar’ or a mate of the
bride-groom who helps him) and the men of the party of the bride-groom with
great respect. The matrimonial rites are not done under the bower, but in the room
of the house. In the beginning, the father of the bridegroom gives the rest of
money of ‘Desannam’, clothes and ornaments. There is a strange and funny
custom that five annas and three paise are charged now from the father of the
45
bridegroom, as the said amount was given to the midwife at the birth of the bride.
Having dressed yellow sari as ‘panetar’, wearing ornaments and flowers, the bride
comes for the rites of marriage. There is neither custom of covering her face nor
the custom of covering head, so the bride comes with open face and uncovered
head. For the first time in her life, at marriage, she wears the sari in Marathi
style (Kachhota style) and even after marriage she keeps on the Marathi style
as a sign of her married status. The unmarried girl cannot wear the sari in
Marathi style, but can put on in simple Bengali style. This style of wearing the
sari seems to be an outcome of Marathi influence.
The bride welcomes the bridegroom. She gives him flowers, fruits,
milk, sandalwood etc. The silver glass in which the bridegroom is given milk
is gifted to him as a custom. The bride is not brought before the bridegroom
by the maternal uncle of the bride, nor does he accompany her. When the
bride comes, a cloth is held against the face of the bridegroom. The similar
custom is prevalent in Saurashtra in Gujarat. After the welcome, the hands
of the bride and the bridegroom are tied together. This custom is also
prevalent in Saurashtra and Gujarat. The bride and the bridegroom bestow
garlands (on neck as well as in the hands) to each other, and as a rite of
adorning each other, the sandalwood, Kumkum (red powder), mirror etc, are
offered, and they fan each other. The bride is given ‘Mangalsutra’ (a chain of
gold as a token of matrimonial relation) and it is put on the neck of the bride
by the bride-groom and the other of the bride-groom or if the mother is a
widow, the aunt or any married, unwidowed woman, presses the screw of the
Mangalsutra. The Mangalsutra seems to be the result of Marathi influence.
The bride also worships the bride with ‘Arati’ (Aarati is a rite of worship in which
a lamp with several burning wicks is moved around). At the place where there is
the establishment of Ganesh and the picture of the chariot of Ashvinas, the bride
and the bridegroom to bow down. The mantras of ‘saptapadi’ are recited.
(‘Saptapadi’ is a Hindu rite of marriage in which the bride and the bride-groom
take seven pledges for happy married life, taking seven steps together. Before
this, there is the recital of Gotra (name of the family or tribe). At the time of
‘saptapadi’, the brother of the bride gives the rice, which is sacrificed at the
altar. The same custom is seen in Saurashtra and Gujarat. At the time of
‘Mangalfera’ (four rounds around the altar for wedlock) a betel leaf is put in
the hands of the bride and the bridegroom. The same custom is also seen in
Saurashtra in Gujarat.
In Saurashtri marriage, like Saurashtra and Gujarat, ‘chhedachhedi’
(two ends of the cloths; one end is from the bride and the other end is from
the bridegroom is tied, which is untied before the God of family, after
Nagavalli and after having gone to the house of the bride-groom. The bride
scatters the rice on the head of the bridegroom with her hands. In Saurashtra
there is the same custom, but the barley and sesamum seeds are used in our
ceremonies instead of rice. The first-day programme ends with the sacrifice
of the rice.
46
On the second or third day after ‘saptapadi or if the marriage
ceremony is of one or two days, on the very day, the programme of ‘Nalangu’
is kept. Nalangu is a Telugu word. It means respect, welcome, or worship. In
‘Nalangu’ the bride and the bridegroom welcome each other and play with the
flowers. When they play with the flowers, they are considered like God Vishnu
and Goddess Lakshmi. Previously marriages were taking place at very young age.
Before menses, at the age of eleven or twelve, the girl was married. The bride and
the bridegroom being very young, they played with flowers under the bower of
marriage; in the presence of all, they eat and give morsels to each other. Though
now they marry at the proper age, the custom of ‘Nalangu’ is still continued. The
men and the women of both the parties see the programme full of play with great
interest. In Gujarat and Saurashtra, at the time ‘Chori’, the bride and the
bridegroom eat ‘Kansar’ (a sweet food made from the flour of wheat and
molasses). It is said ‘Kansar’, but it is a mixture of rice, sugar and ghee. The
Saurashtrians also feed them rice. Whether the bride and the bridegroom are
younger or elder, the programme of ‘Nalangu’ is held without fail. Somewhere in
Saurashtra and Gujarat there is the custom of playing with flowers. In the castes
such as of carpenter, tailor, blacksmith, potter etc, the bride and bridegroom, if
young, play with the flowers as a custom when the party of the bridegroom is
returning with the bride. Among the Saurashtrians there is a peculiar custom
of ‘Nalangu’ or ‘Vattu’ (The word ‘Vattu’ seems to be derived from the
Sanskrit word ‘vartya’, meaning “the morsels of food”). As in Saurashtra in
Gujarat at the time of ‘Chori’ the bridegroom takes a bath. Similarly the
bridegroom takes his bath (with anointing oil) at the time of Nalangu. In the
programme of Nalangu, the bride and the bridegroom feed the morsels of
food to each other. In Saurashtra and Gujarat, the bride and the bridegroom
feed the morsels of kansar. In the Saurashtrians the programme of Nalangu
goes on for a long time. ‘Navari’ (the bride) and ‘Navaro’ (the bride-groom)
feed each other the fruits (bananas, mangoes, guavas, apples etc) and sweets
(Jalebi, Penda, Halavo, Mesub etc.) The bride and the bridegroom are seated on
bench fully adorned with flowers. Below, very near the sangaiths (helping mates
of the bride and the bride-groom), the children and the young group of men and
women sit near the bench. Purhot (the family priest) and the singers of the
marriage song are sitting nearby. As the Purohit gives fruits to the bride and the
bridegroom, the bride and the bridegroom give them to each other. To give
flowers to the bridegroom sitting beside, the bride stands up with a style and as if
she is performing the Mudra of Bharatnatyam, she gives flowers with a shy smile.
This scene is very charming. With the exchange of fruit and flowers, the songs of
Nalangu are sung with the accompaniment of musical instruments.
This programme become a real play if the elders also take interest in it
with pleasure. The bride, holding a banana in her hand, turns it over the head of
the bridegroom and then taking a wafer-cake (papad), she lets it being dropped
over the head of the bridegroom by clapping. In Nalangu the bride and the
bridegroom play with flowers. ‘Navaro’ (the bride-groom) throws a ball of
47
flowers at ‘Navari’ (the bride) and she catches it. If ‘Navari’ fails to catch it, it is
considered as lack of her cleverness. The play of flowers goes on for about ten or
twelve minutes. To test the cleverness of ‘Navari’ and to defeat her in the play,
‘Navaro’ throws the ball in such zigzag manners or so high that ‘Navari’ cannot
catch it. On such practices, the people of the bride party take objection (point of
order). According to fixed rules, it is ascertained how to throw the ball. The play
of flower-ball is a peculiarity of the Saurashtrians. Perhaps in Saurashtra
and Gujarat, this type of custom might be existing in old times, but now it is
not in practice. Only in the castes such as carpenter and blacksmith, the
bride and the bridegroom, if very young, play with the flowers.
In the programme of ‘Nalangu’, there is a custom of playing a game of
odd and even. Even today in Saurashtra, the bride and the bridegroom play the
game of odd and even after marriage at the house of the bridegroom. At the time
of Nalangu, the game of odd and even is played in the Saurashtrians. The
bridegroom keeping copper coins in his hand, asks the bride whether the coins in
his hand is in odd or even numbers. To defeat the bride, the bridegroom hides one
copper coin between his two fingers, so that the judgment of calculation may turn
wrong. The people of the bride-party keep a sharp eye on whether the bridegroom
plays this trick or not. If the bridegroom plays the trick, they object it to. The
bride and the bridegroom are given ten rupees for playing the game of odd and
even. The custom of playing the game of odd and even might have been
prevalent in Saurashtra, because in Saurashtra the play which is a little
different from the play of the Saurashtrians, is also called the game of odd
and even. In Saurasthra the game of odd and even is played in such a way that in
a large plate filled with the water containing Kanku (red powder), some copper
coins and a rupee are put together. Either the bride or the bride-groom succeeds in
taking the rupee first, and the person succeeding is considered victorious and it is
believed that one who wins in that game holds the power in their future domestic
life. Such type of the game is also played in the Saurashtrians.
After ‘Nalangu’, the rite of ‘Nagavalli’ takes place. Even in the Telugu
Brahmins the same rite is performed. The bridegroom is anointed with oil.
Then he takes a bath. The ornament, which is put on the neck of the bride as a
symbol of conjugal relation is called ‘Bottu’. In Nagavalli, a pitcher is
worshipped. After Nagavalli, the bride and the bridegroom are given a farewell.
In old times, the girl was married at the age of five or six years or at the age of
eight or nine years, so the honeymoon was not celebrated at the time of marriage.
Either her two friends of the same age or a little order, or her two sisters
accompanied the little bride; the bride could live without any hesitation due to
their company. The bride and the bridegroom did not meet each other. Today, still
this custom is in force, even though they marry at a grown-up age. Two friends or
sisters of the bride go with her and enjoy dinner. After that the bride goes back to
her father’s house. When the bride is grown up and is in menses for the first time,
this news is immediately sent to her father-in-law’s house as a rule. The people of
the party of the father-in-law arrive playing musical instruments; and the last rite
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‘Chalhom’ of the marriage takes place; and then, after celebrating honeymoon,
the bride and the bridegroom begin their life. Today the bride and the bridegroom
being grown-up, the rite of ‘Chalhom’ is not postponed. In the Saurashtrians
there is a strange custom that after the marriage, the bride-groom, with or
without his companion (Sangaith), goes to dine at the house of the father of
the bride for a period of nine or ten months. The house of the party of the
bride, being local, this custom might have been possible. The bride grooms of
nowadays merely go to dine for one or two months or one or two weeks. But,
even now, the bridegroom has to go to dine at the house of the father-in-law at
least for ten or twelve days. In these days, he is given sweets and sumptuous
dinner. In Saurashtra and Gujarat, there is a custom of feeding sweets to the bride
for some days; while among the Saurashtrians the bridegroom is given dinner
continuously for one or two or six months. The Saurashtrians are permitted to
have two wives, but the divorce is not permitted.
The widow is not permitted to remarry. She is allowed to keep her hair on
the head; but she has to remove the ‘Bottu’, a sign of her married life. The widow
can eat the betel-leaf or can wear coloured clothes even at the old age. According
to the Hindu rite, the dead body is cremated. When the men go to the funeral
place, the women follow them up to the funeral place. This custom is not
there in Tamil people, but the same custom to a certain extent is seen in
Saurashtra and Gujarat. The women folk come up to a certain point. If it is the
evening, the body is kept until the morning of the next day. The remnants of
bones are dropped into the flowing waters of a river. Those who go to the funeral
place have to stay a great deal of time there, and they have to be given breakfast
also. In Saurashtra, in kathi community, the funeral takes a long time, and at that
time, they prepare ‘Kasumba’ (an opium preparation), not at the funeral place, but
in a place nearby. This custom resembles to that of the Saurashtrians. After the
death, the ‘Suutak’ (untouchability due to death) is observed for ten days and then
takes place an oblation to the dead.
In the matter of food, the Saurashtrians of Madurai, like the Tamil
neighbours eat mainly rice, Dosa and Idali, but some families are also nonvegetarian. The Saurashtrians of Madurai do not take fish and eggs. The
Saurashtrians, residing on the coast, take fish. Among the Saurashtrians of
Madurai, the proportion of meat-eating is reduced. Due to prohibition, the
addiction to drinking wine has practically gone. Like the southerners they take
their food in patrali (the leaves of the tree of banana). It is not customary for them
to dine in a large plate; they drink hot water in the summer. They defend
themselves in the case of meat-eating with the plea that they eat fish as the
Brahmins of Bengal do. There are different ways of living in different countries.
They argue that even the Rishis of Vedic times were eating meat. Such type of
arguments they present, when they are asked about their meat-eating. There is a
rite named ‘Vaddap’. In it, the female ancestors are worshipped, and on that
occasion only the married women are given dinner. In Saurasthra and Gujarat,
the custom of ‘Gorani’ (when the married women are invited to dine on the
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ritual occasion) of Randal (the wife of the Sun-god) is prevalent. This custom
resembles to that of Saurashtrians. Some Saurashtrians of Mysore side are pure
vegetarians. Thus on the occasions of life from birth to death, some different ways
of living in different places have mingled with those of Brahmins, although the
original customs have not vanished entirely.
Religious Beliefs
In the religious beliefs of the Saurashtrians, the Sun worship is the most
remarkable. Now, of course, the Sun worship does not seem to be in the
forefront. Like the Pattavayakas (the weavers) of Mandsor, these people do not
worship the Sun God in particular. They worship the Sun as they worship other
Gods. It is probable that previously the worship of the Sun might have been more
important. They derive the word “Saurashtra” from “Saur Rashtra” *(Surya
Rashtra; it means the nation of the Sun) (21 bookmark). It is difficult to
support this derivation phonetically; but from this, we can surmise their attitude
towards the worship of the Sun. One prominent class of them is called ‘Saulin’.
This class is said to be the worshipper of the Sun from its name. It is said that
some people of this class regularly pray the Sun. A great number of the
Saurashtrians are the followers of a sect named Madhvasampradaya. They have
their devotional songs collected in a compilation of songs, named ‘Madhvamat
Prakashini’. Under the influence of Shankaracharya and Ramanujacharya, some
Saurashtrians might have become Shaiv and Vaishnava followers. In
Saurashtrians there is no obstinacy or pressure for a certain sect. They are the
worshippers of both the Shiva and Vishnu. They do not believe in any difference
between these deities. Some believe the presiding head of the monastery of
Shringeri to be their spiritual leader. (scanned image) . (All salutations to different
Gods ultimately proceed towards the lord Keshava, Krishna), is their belief. If the
religions and the sects of the wife and husband are different, it does not create any
obstacles in their matrimonial life. The sect and religion are not considered
important things in their matrimonial relations. The Saurashtrians go for
‘Darshan’ (Prayers) in the Saurashtri temple, which was built by them; they
worship ‘Prasannavenkateshvar’, and likewise they also go to the Minakshi
temple. In the Saurashtri temple, only a Saurashtri puujari (a man who has been
specially engaged for the worship of God on behalf of the devotees) worship the
God. In the rite of worship, first of all, Sanskrit recital takes place, and then
Sankalpvidhi (a rite of volition) is followed. As it is with us the rite of Aarati
(waving of lights before the deity) is taking place. A piece of fine cotton cloth
(just like silk) is tied over the head of the worshipper. He is given a garland,
Kanku (a kind of red powder), a cocoanut, a banana. The woman is given a braid
of flowers (Veni). According to the custom of the Tamil people, the Mukuta (a
crown ornament, made either of gold or silver) of Swami (Lord) is touched on the
head of the worshipper.
Bookmark 21:
“History of Saurashtra” - Page.13
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A sipping and a leaf of Holy Basil are given. In addition to the main idol of
Venkateshvar, there are the idols of Hanuman, Radhakrishna and others and the
portraits of the saints and the golden and silver conveyances of the Ashva (horse),
Gaja (Elephant), Shankha (the conch shell), Garuda (Eagle) etc. The
Saurashtrians make a forehead-mark “Namam” like Ayengars. The married
unwidowed women observe a fast on full-moon day, Monday and Friday.
They worship the tree and the image of snake. The women particularly worship
the Goddess Lakshmi, sing her songs and offer cocoanut. The Pattegars of Mysore
(who resemble the Saurashtrians) worship the Goddess of Shakti (Might) on the
day of Dashera. The women observe pious rules of the menses for three or four
days and on the third or fourth day, the whole house is besmeared with cow-dong.
The pot full of water, burning lamp, Shuudra, cow, married unwidowed woman,
gold etc. are considered good omens. A barber, a patient, a physically defective or
deformed person, the fuel, oil, donkey, broom etc. are considered bad omens. The
Saurashtrians have much faith in astrology.
Merits and Demerits of the Saurashtri Society
We can see some demerits in the Saurashtrians with their peculiar achievements.
Due to the probation, the evil of addiction to drinking has almost vanished.
Otherwise, the addiction of drinking was up to 60 percent in the labour class. The
work of weaving was more labourious, so the drinking gave them a little
stimulation. Meat eating is also prevalent in some families. The uncleanliness is
now lessening in the Saurashtri houses and suburbs; however their sense of
cleanliness is not as acute as the people of Saurashtra and Gujarat. Of course, the
colours and the chemicals they use in the printing work have a power to destroy
the germs of the diseases. So, the health of the Saurashtrians remains good. Again
the habit of cleanliness is being stronger. The Municipality has set up underground gutters in the Saurashtri suburbs, so more cleanliness is now seen in these
areas. In some suburbs, the houses are old-fashioned and they are without any
ventilation.
In spite of having such limitations, the Saurashtrians have acquired stability and
prosperity in the land, which was quite strange to them; but not only that, the
Saurashtrians can take pride for making Madurai another big city and the
industrial center of the state. There is a wonderful sense of unity in the
Saurashtrians. The Saurashtri women never gossip, sitting at leisure; they help
their husbands or families to earn livelihood by participating in textile weaving,
printing and home-industry of Chundadi. The industrious and zealous Saurashtri
women demonstrate to the other communities an example of the dignity of house
labour. She also performs the duties of a housewife. The whole economic fabric
of the house is in her hand and her house management can be an ideal for other
women. In the Saurashtri women as well as men, you will hardly see any
unemployed, lazy and idle person. Only one percent of the Saurashtrians might be
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idle or unemployed. The Saurashtrians have shown their inventive genius in some
important researches of printing and weaving. They have preserved the skill of
printing and weaving, which they have inherited by tradition. Not only that, they
in accordance with the demands of new age, have been modifying and enriching
it. They have not acquired cultural achievements so much as the industrial skill.
But now the apathy for higher education, art and cultural activities is decreasing
and that is a sign of progress and bright future for them.
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