Shivalli Brahmins
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article or section includes a list of references or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. You can improve this article by introducing more precise citations. |
 |
This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone or spelling. You can assist by editing it now. A how-to guide is available. (July 2007) |
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2007) |
| Shivalli Brahmin |
|---|
 |
| Total population |
|
2006: (approx) 200,000[citation needed] |
| Regions with significant populations |
| Udupi District of Karnataka: xxxx Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka:xxxx |
| Languages |
|
Mother tongue is the Shivalli dialect of Tulu, unique to the community. Being from Karnataka, every member of the community knows Kannada. English education is pervasive in the community and used for professional purposes. Sanskrit is used for religious purposes. |
| Religions |
| Hinduism of the Madhwa tradition. |
| Related ethnic groups |
| Other non-smarta brahmins: Iyengar, Hebbar Iyengar, Kannada Madhva Brahmin, Telugu Madhva Brahmin, Deshastha Madhva Brahmin |
Shivalli is a place near Udupi, in the state of Karnataka in southern India. Shivalli has been long famous for its proximity to the Sri Krishna Temple, located in Udupi and for Udupi itself. Shivalli in fact, is a village between Udupi and Manipal. The town of Manipal was earlier under Shivalli grama (village) panchayat and later came under Udupi municipality.
Shivalli takes its name from the Tulu construction Shiva-Halli meaning the town of Shiva. Udupi has two shiva temples Chandramouleshwara temple and Ananteshwara temple near the famous Sri Krishna temple/ Krishna matha. Even today all swamiji's of ashtamatha's first enter Chandramouleshwara temple and then Ananteshwara temple before entering Krishna Matha on auspicious occasions. Another legend as suggests that Shivalli has an origin in the old Sanskrit name Shivaroopya (where roopya is silver, or "bolli" in Tulu). In later years, it came to be known as Shivabolli, Shibbolli, Shivolli, and the present name, Shivalli.
Contents |
[edit] Shivalli Madhva Brahmins
The brahmins who follow Dwaita philosophy founded by Vaishnava saint Sri Madhvacharya ( Poornaprajna or Anandathirta) of Udupi are known as Shivalli Madhwa Brahmins. Other Shivalli Brahmins follow Advaita philosophy and are known as Shivalli Smarta Brahmins. The name helps to distinguish them from other brahmins and indicate their origins in and around Shivalli.
Shivalli brahmins speak Tulu language (with strong influence of Sanskrit) that is slightly different from the Tulu spoken from other communities in this region. The Shivali brahmin (brahmana) community has now spread all over the world. Shivalli Brahmins are known for their hospitality, sharp intellect and good business acumen.
[edit] Udupi Cuisine
Refer Udupi cuisine
Shivalli brahmins are pioneers of world famous Udupi hotels (Vegetarian restaurants) known for serving typical south Indian dishes and foods like idli, vada, dosa, shira and upma etc. This concept of restaurants is now copied by others all over the world. Shivalli brahmins have unique style of serving and eating meals. The meal is served on plantain (banana) leaf usually squatting on clean floor. All dishes are served in a particular place, fashion, and sequence and eaten by hand. The meal is wholesome and very elaborate in preparation, serving and eating.
[edit] Rituals and Customs
[edit] Rituals
Shivalli Brahmins males have to undergo Brahmopadesham ( Upanayana in Tulu ) when they turn seven years old. It is a ceremony where young boys are put janivaara (sacred thread) across the left shoulder. Three threads are put when the boy is unmarried. After marriage, he has to put six threads made from pure cotton. He has to perform japa or sandhyavandana daily. Shivalli Madhwa Brahmins also follow the Upakarma ceremony where the janivaara is changed and mudradarana is done. Mudradarana is a ritual where signs of Lord Vishnu's symbols (Mudra) like counch (Shanka), chakra (wheel) are etched on bodies. This is done by placing hot metal moulds of these symbols mainly on the hand and stomach.
There are no equivalent ceremonies for Shivalli Brahmin girls. In fact, although North Indian Brahmin women take part significantly in the ritualistic process of Hinduism, Shivali Brahmin women have no important role in these ceremonies. They have no religious education, and no rite of passage into adult society other than the rather dubious role in a marriage arranged by their parents. The reasons for the marked difference between women's role in Brahmin culture amongst other groups (which is quite limited in itself) and the Shivali Brahmins has been a source of much debate. It is currently thought that the lowly role amongst the latter was due to an attempt at maintaining line purity by the first Shivali Brahmin men who migrated to the South and married local (non-Brahmin) fisher women.
The Shivalli Madhwa brahmins have rituals from birth to death at every stage of their life. Some claim the traditions and rituals followed by Shivalli Madhva Brahmins have scientific reasons to them worthy of research.
[edit] Marriage
Present day marriages of Shivalli Madhva brahmins are a three day affair, sometimes becoming one day due to the fast pace of today's life. In three day affair, the process of marriage starts with Naandi ( literally meaning start ). During Naandi, which takes place in groom's and bride homes separately at a particular time of that particular day, a ceremony is performed where the bride and groom have coconut oil applied to them and turmeric and bathed in hot water followed by other puja. Marriage ( Madimae in Tulu ) takes place at common agreed place may be temple, hall, auditorium followed by lunch. All ceremonies are held as per horoscopes of bride and groom at a particular time called muhurtha. Generally the next day after marriage, a ceremony is held called Bigara authana (a sort of reception) at groom's place preceded by Satyanarayana puja.
[edit] Festivals
Shivalli Brahmins celebrate almost all Hindu festivals like Deepavali, Navratri, Sankranti, Madhwanavami, Janmāshtami, Ugadi, Ramanavami, Hanuman Jayanthi etc.
[edit] Gotras
Every shivalli brahmins belong to a particular gotra. Gotra can be roughly said to be a clan. The gotra are names of great sages or rishi's of Hindu religion. Hence gotra indicates to sage to which a brahmin belongs to. Marriage is not allowed between bride and groom if both belong to same gotra ( Sagotra in Tulu ).This might be to avoid same blood group marriage , as it is believed in old days ,people of same gotra belong to same family.Gotras in Tulu brahmins are as follows;Atri,Bhargava, Jamadagni, Vishwamitra ,Bhardwaja,Vashista,Aangirasa, Kashyapa, Koundanya and Haritsa.
[edit] Restricted diet
Shivalli Madhwa Brahmins are not expected to eat the following vegetables and fruits in addition to avoiding all kinds of meat and seafood:
- Tomato * Onion * Garlic * Potato ( Sweet potato or kelang is okay )
- Papaya * Brinjal ( Matti Gulla is okay )
- French beans ( Cluster Beans or Alasande is okay )
- Carrot * Beet root * Pine apple * Radish * Cabbage * Cauliflower* Drum sticks .
Today, these restrictions are mostly followed in Ashta matha's and some temples of South Canara.These vegetables and fruits are not considered to be origin of Parshurama kshetra and are Tamasa foods.
[edit] Famous Shivalli Madhwa Brahmins
- Madhvacharya,chief proponent of Tattvavāda (True Philosophy), popularly known as Dvaita or dualistic school of Hindu philosophy
- Pejawar Swamiji Vishwesha Theertha Swamiji
- Bannanje Govindacharya Sanskrit scholar
- Shri Lakshmisha Tholpady,Famous thinker,Vice President, Bharathiya Kisan Sangh, Southern Region
- Dr U. R. Rao Former ISRO Chairman
- Dr. K. N. Udupa Award-winning physician
- P. Gururaja Bhat Noted historian and Tulu scholar
- U. R. Bhat Financial consultant and business columnist
- VidyaBhushana Famous Singer
- Suresh Kalmadi MP from Pune and president of the IOA.
- Dr.V.S.Acharya MLC and former Minister of Medical Education in Government of Karnataka
- K.Raghupati Bhat former MLA from Udupi
- Justice P. Subramonian Poti Former Chief Justice of Gujarat
- Kiran Kedlaya A mathematician, a juggler, a singer, a bicyclist, and a photographer and first and foremost a puzzler.
- Archana Udupa Highly talented Singer,The first South Indian to win TVS Sa re ga ma.( Zee TV) in the year 1999.
- Late Shri K. Bhima Bhattar The founder of Udupi Madhwa Brahmana Sabha (Kerala)
[edit] Famous Shivalli Brahmins(Bhagavatha sampradaya)
- Dr.Pundoor Venkataraja Puninchathaya
- Kodyamme Vasudeva Irniraya
