Caste system in Goa

The caste system in Goa consists of various Jātis or sub-castes found among Hindus belonging to the four varnas (Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra), as well as those outside of them. A variation of the traditional Hindu caste system was also retained by the Goan Catholic community.

Hindu caste system

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

Bhraman
  • Pancha Gowda Brahmins
  • Pancha Dravida Brahmins
    • The two sub-castes was known as the Padye Brahmins and Bhatt Prabhus, popularly known as "Bhatt" and "Prabhu" respectively, they generally associate themselves with Karhade Brahmins. They are landowning castes and were engaged as temples priests and in agriculture, some into money landing.[1]
    • Chitpavan Brahmins known as "Konkanastha" and have migrated to Goa from Northern Konkan in ancient times, mostly were employed as priests, astrologers and are well-known horticulturists.[1]
    • Kramavanta Joshi or Kriyavant Joshi, they were a class of priests who officiated Hindu funeral ceremony and were looked down upon by the above-mentioned castes.

Kshatriya

Kshatriyas of Goa historically belonged from different Kshatriya clans such as Shilaharas, Rashtrakutas, Sinsodiyas, Kadambas, Marathas etc and now in present times they are collectively called as 96 Kuli Kshatriya Marathas/Dessais/ 96 Kuli Maratha (Prabhus), Komarpant, Chardo (Catholics) in Goa. Many are landlords of the area and commonly identified by their surnames as Dessai in south Goa and by other surnames in north Goa (Like Rane, Prabhu, Gaonkar,Sawant ,Parab,ShetGaonkar,Dalvi,etc) which are specific to locations of Goa.


The community is considered high caste and always been local warlords with high influence in political matters. Recently they have also excelled in fields of medical, education, police force etc. The first war of liberation against the Portuguese rule was also started by Kshatriya community (Dessais of Cuncolim). Known as the Cuncolim revolt of 1583, villagers from Cuncolim killed proselytizing Roman Catholic priests and their armed escorts, who were in the process of converting villagers and desecrating Hindu temples in the region. The Rane revolt against Portuguese rule was also fought by the Kshatriya community (Ranes) of Goa.

Vani

Vaishya/Vaishya Vani: are the traditional community of traders, and are commonly known as Vanis.

Daivadnya Brahmins

Daivadnya popularly known as Shett who are traditional jewellers. Some perform priestly functions for their caste only.[2][3][1]

Kalavants

Commonly known as Kalavants and now known as Gomantak Maratha Samaj is a group of various sub-castes who served the temples and the aristocrats in the olden days. Gomantak Maratha is relatively a new ameliorative name (coined in the late 20th century[4]) given to these groups for uniting and emancipating them.[5]

Kharvi

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

Artisan castes

These include Charis, Chitaris who call themselves Vishwakarma Manu Maya Brahmin, Sutars and Kasars. They are included in the Other Backward Class list of the Government of India. Rest of castes generally referred to as Shudras or Sudirs in Konkani do not really follow the four-fold varna system, but have recently started claiming higher status. Most of them have been practicing different occupations historically and now are categorized as Other Backward Class by Govt of Goa, these include Madval (Rajak, Dhobi), Gosavi, Shimpi, Khumbar, Teli, Nathjogi, this list also includes Roman Catholic counterparts of few Hindu castes too].[1][6]

Scheduled Castes of Goa

Following castes are commonly known as Dalits.

Scheduled Tribes of Goa
  • Dhodia (Halpati, Naikda (Nayaka), Siddi, Varli Kunbi, Gavda, Velip.

The Gauda and Kunbi are considered as aboriginals by some historians though this claim is disputed.

kshatriya Dhangars

Dhangar, also referred as Gouly or Gavli, is the state’s only ancient pastoral community. In Goa under colonialism, the community kept away from the rest of society as they wanted to escape grazing tax and ban on Kumeri (shifting cultivation) introduced by the Portuguese Empire. Dhangar leaders claim that they had fled to remote hilly and forested areas to avoid religious persecution and religion conversion. They were not part of the Comunidade anywhere in Goa. It is claimed that throughout the Portuguese rule in Goa they were so insulated that not a single Dhangar got converted to Christianity.Their knowledge and experience about deep forests, played a major part in finding specific locations to build forts for the Maratha kingdom to flourish. A study carried out by Government of Goa in 2013 stated that the community had a unique identity,and are known for their martial prowess.[7][8]

[9][10] In Goa, they are classified as Other Backward Classes category in India's system of reservation.[11]

Other religions

In Goa, mass conversions were carried out by Portuguese Catholic missionaries from the 1510 conquest onwards. The Portuguese clergy imposed Portuguese surnames on the converts at the time of Baptism so that it would be difficult to know their original caste easily. The Portuguese authorities also suppressed untouchability among the converts and attempted to homogenize them into a single entity.[12][13]

However, the converted Hindus retained a variation of their caste status based on patrilineal descent from their previous caste affiliations. The new converts were lumped into new Catholic castes. All Brahmin subcastes (Goud Saraswat Brahmins, Padyes, Daivadnyas), goldsmiths and even some rich merchants, were lumped into the Christian caste of Bamonns (Konkani: Brahmins).[14] The converts from the Kshatriya and Vaishya Vani castes became lumped together as Chardos (Kshatriyas)[14] and those Vaishyas who didn't become Chardos formed a new caste Gauddos.[15] The converts from all the lower castes, as well as the previously Dalit and adivasi groups, were grouped together as Sudirs, equivalent to Shudras.[16][17] The Bamonns and Chardoshave been traditionally seen as the high castes in the Goan Catholic caste hierarchy.[18]

See also

References
  1. Gomes Pereira, Rui (1978). Goa: Hindu temples and deities (translated from the original in Portuguese by Antonio Victor Couto). Pereira, 1978. pp. 1–231.
  2. Rajendran, S. Survey Report on Village: Goa, Daman & Diu. Director of Census Operations, functions Goa, for Daman & Diu: CPublications. p. 10.
  3. Ghurye, Govind Sadashiv (1969). Caste and Race in India. Popular library of Indian sociology and social thought. Popular Prakashan. pp. 449. ISBN 9788171542055.
  4. "Gomantak Prakruti ani Sanskruti" by B.D. Satoskar.
  5. Gracias, Fatima da Silva. Kaleidoscope of women in Goa, 1510-1961. p. 80.
  6. "Central list of other backward classes". Archived from the original on 19 June 2009. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
  7. Kerkar, Rajendra (11 January 2019). "Tribal tag for Dhangars long pending". Goa. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020.
  8. Herald, Team (24 October 2013). "Dhangars-Gouly treated like outsiders, says report". Goa. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020.
  9. Draxe, M. J. (1987). The dange dhangars of Kolhapur district: A sociological study (PDF) (PhD). Shivaji University. p. 71.
  10. Singh, L. K. (2008). Indian Cultural Heritage Perspective For Tourism. Asian Educational Services. p. 57. ISBN 9788182054752.
  11. Central Commission for Backward Classes (20 October 2020). Central List of OBCs Goa (Report). Archived from the original on 20 October 2020.
  12. Boxer, C. R. (1963). Race Relations in the Portuguese Colonial Empire, 1415-1825. Oxford Clarendon Press. p. 75.
  13. Prabhu, Alan Machado (1999). Sarasvati's Children: A History of the Mangalorean Christians. I.J.A. Publications. ISBN 978-81-86778-25-8.
  14. Gune, Vithal Trimbak; Goa, Daman and Diu (India). Gazetteer Dept (1979). "Gazetteer of the Union Territory Goa, Daman and Diu: district gazetteer, Volume 1" (Document). Gazetteer Dept., Govt. of the Union Territory of Goa, Daman and Diu. p. 238.
  15. Gomes, Olivinho (1987). Village Goa: a study of Goan social structure and change. S. Chand. p. 78.
  16. Muthukumaraswamy, M. D.; University of Madras. Dept. of Anthropology; National Folklore Support Centre (India) (2006). Muthukumaraswamy, M. D.; University of Madras. Dept. of Anthropology; National Folklore Support Centre (India) (eds.). Folklore as discourse. National Folklore Support Centre. ISBN 978-81-901481-6-0. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  17. Bhargava, Gopal K.; Bhatt, S. C. (2006). Land and people of Indian states and union territories (Goa). Kalpaz Publications. p. 39.
  18. Gomes, Olivinho (1987). Village Goa: a study of Goan social structure and change. S. Chand. p. 79.

Further reading
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