Hinduism: Details about 'Maharashtrian Konkanastha Brahmins'
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The Chitpavan, Chitpawan, or Konkanastha Brahmins are a brahmin community of Konkan, the coastal belt of western Maharashtra. Sometimes they are affectionately referred to as Kobras. (Since Konkanastha is actually a general geographic label, meaning "Native of Konkan" in Sanskrit, the name Chitpavan is preferrable. In this text, however, the names Chitpavan, Konkanastha, and Kobra are used interchangeably.) Although recent migrants to India, the Kobras have established themselves firmly and well in the Indian social hierarchy. They rose from clerical positions in the Maratha administration to become de facto rulers in Western Maharashtra. At the height of their power, they controlled more than a third of India, reaching as far as Delhi.
History & MythologyOriginsThe roots of Kobras are obscure. There is no mention of them in Indian history prior to the reign of the Peshwas. It is likely that they are a collection of migrants from diverse but primarily caucasian lands. Literature and verbal tradition cites examples of their home lands as the Nordic countries, Iran or Persia, Spain and Portugal. The earliest reference to the Chitpavans in Indian literature can be found in the Sahyadri Khand, an ancient text. The following is the summary of the legend from Sahyadri Khand. Parashurama, the sixth avatar of Vishnu was so defiled by the slaughter of the Kshatriyas that Brahmins refused to perform any ceremonies for him. At that time the bodies of fourteen persons happened to be cast ashore by the sea which then washed the foot of the Sahyadri hills. These "corpses" Parashurama purified, by burning them on a funeral pyre or chita, and restored them to life. He taught them the Brahmin rituals, and made them perform ceremonies to free them from guilt. Parashurama wished to give these new Brahmins some land; and since the Deccan had already been given to other Brahmins, he prayed to the God of the sea to spare him some of his domain. The sea agreed to retire as far west as Parashurama could shoot an arrow from the crest of the Sahyadris. The arrow was shot and reclaimed a belt of land about thirty miles broad. The banks of the Vashishthi, about forty miles north of Ratnagiri, were set apart for the new Brahmins, and in memory of the process by which they had been purified they were called Chitpavans and their settlement Chitpolan. After establishing this settlement, Parashurama retired to Gokarn in North Kanara. Rise to powerUntil the rise of Balaji Vishvanath Peshwa, who belonged to Chitpavan Brahmin sub-caste, they held a low position and were known chiefly as clerks in the Deccan. Even after several generations of living in the Deccan, with strict attention to Brahmin rituals and austere life, other classes of Brahmins refused to eat with them. One story is that when Bajirao II, the last of the Chitpavan Brahmin Peshwas (1796-1818), was in Nasik he was not allowed to go down to the Godavari river using the same flight of steps as the priests from the local Trimbakeswar temple. They were relatively unknown outside Konkan until, in the 18th century the ruler of Maratha kingdom Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj appointed a Chitpavan Brahmin, Balaji Vishwanath Bhatt as his Peshwa or Prime Minister. It was the first time a Brahmin of Konkan origin held an important position in Deccani politics in Maharashtra. Eventually, many Chitpavan Brahmins joined the service of Marattha kingdom and in due course called the plateau of Deccan their home. Before the Peshwas, the community was predominantly found in the Konkan coastal belt of Maharashtra state of India but afterwards migrated to various parts of India. Today the community is found mainly in the state of Maharashtra particularly the Konkan coastal belt and the Deccan Plateau. They are also scattered in small pockets in the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Many of the community members have migrated to the Middle East Gulf States -particularly U.A.E. and also to U.K, Australia and U.S.A. Current statusIn the 20th century, their contributions are mainly in the arena of social reform, the fight for Indian independence and entrepreneurship. The common stereotype of Konkanastha brahmins is one of excessive frugality and light-colored skin. Indeed a majority of the Konkanasthas, say more than 60% have a light colored skin - lighter than most of the local Maharashtrian populace. Whether this biological feature has helped them ascend the Indian hierarchy is a matter of debate. Ironically 21st century emigrants Konkanasthas and their descendants to North America, Europe or other primarily caucasian countries face an identity crisis. Eminent/Famous Konkanastha Brahmins by fieldLiterature/Scholars
Politics/Social Reform
Industry
Sport
Medicine
Cinema/Theatre
Music
Typical Last Names
References
Sir Raghunathrao P. Paranjpe, grandfather of noted Hindi and Marathi film director Sai Paranjpe, was the first Indian Wrangler (Wrangler-Mathematics topper at Cambridge University, England). Sai, daughter of Sir R.P.P.'s daughter and a Russian father is a noted Hindi and Marathi movie and drama director, having given major hits like Chashme Baddoor, Katha, Sparsh, etc.
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