Gomantak Maratha Samaj

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

Gomantak Maratha Samaj
Regions with significant populations
Primary populations in: Goa and Maharashtra, India Populations in: United Kingdom, United States, Canada
Languages
Konkani and Marathi
Religion
Hinduism

Origin

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

Kalavant, Kulambini
  • Those who participated in music and singing were known as Kalavantini, literally meaning an artiste, they always enjoyed a higher status in the community.
  • Those who maintained the temple lamps, Palanquin, and held Chamara (Chavar in Konkani) were known as Bhavins, literally a pious lady. The Bhavins (sometimes called as Naikinn) as a custom became mistresses of rich men who paid a huge sum to her mother.

Devli

Etymologically Devli, the word Devli is derived from the word Devul or Dev meaning God. So Devalis are those who were dedicated or devoted to the temple or to God. The duties of Devli males (Jyotkar) included lighting the temple lamps and mashal (torch), hold Devdanda, act as temple attendants (Katkars), and play the ritual musical instruments like Mahavadya, Panchavadya, Ranavadya.

Chedvaan, Chede, Bandi, Naik, Farjand

They were not always connected to the temple but with the landlords (Bhatkars), at whose residence they attended all type of household work.

Perni

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

History

Goa and neighboring Sindhudurg and Uttar Kannada had a system of temple-artists. The system of Devadasi was prevalent in Goa since times immemorial and is thought to have been introduced by the Sumerians, though they held high status in the society then.[4] It finds references throughout Goan history.[5] It is said that the widows of Marathas (and sometimes even other castes) sought shelter in the temples as they were forced to follow the Sati tradition.[6] Portuguese colonial rulers called them "bailadeiras" (dancers). Whereas in Sindhudurg, British and Dutch called them Devalis (Devali means who comes from temple). Later, with the religious intolerance of the Portuguese rulers, the temples shifted and lost their glory.

During British colonial rule, many Goans from different communities moved to the city of Bombay and other areas of British ruled India. This included the Kalawantin community members. Many of them joined music gharanas to perfect their art and talent. They began organizing themselves after the post-1910 liberal period of Portuguese rule. In 1910, Rajaram Painginikar started Movement from Paingini Village of Goa. In 1917, Maratha Gayan Samaj (Maratha Singers Society) was formed in Kakode. At the turn of the twentieth century, the Gomantak Maratha Samaj was created in order to ensure devadasi's children the right to get their marriages officially recognized. In 1961, the G.M.S. was formally accepted, bringing together the devadasi, their children, the musicians and different ritualists of the temple into one group/caste.[7] In 1937, under the leadership of Rajaram Panginikar Goa branch of G.M.S. was formed. The members of the new caste attained high level of education and uplifting itself, breaking thereafter the traditional barriers of seclusion.[8] In the 21st century,all the above-mentioned once exogamous divisions of the community have become united under Gomantak Maratha Samaj. The main functions of the society were as follows:

  • To promote their education.
  • To arrange marriages of their daughters and sons.
  • Other community welfare activities for their community.
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See also

References
  1. Gracias, Fatima da Silva. Kaleidoscope of women in Goa, 1510–1961. p. 80.
  2. "Gomantak Prakruti ani Sanskruti" by B.D.Satoskar
  3. Gracias, Fatima da Silva. Kaleidoscope of women in Goa, 1510-1961. p. 80.
  4. Sinai Dhume, Anant Ramkrishna (1986). The cultural history of Goa from 10000 B.C.-1352 A.D. the University of Michigan: Ramesh Anant S. Dhume. pp. 335 pages (see pages 310–311).
  5. "A socio-cultural history of Goa from the Bhojas to the Vijayanagara" By Vithal Raghavendra Mitragotri
  6. "Gomantak Prakruti ani Sanskruti" by B.D. Satoskar
  7. Fruzzetti, Lina; Perez *, Rosa Maria (2002). "THE GENDER OF THE NATION: ALLEGORIC FEMININITY AND WOMEN'S STATUS IN BENGAL AND GOA" (PDF). Etnográfica. VI (I): 55.
  8. Goa world book review Archived 5 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine
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