Devanga
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala | |
| Languages | |
| Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam | |
| Religion | |
 |
Devanga is a caste from South India that traditionally followed the occupation of weaving.
Origin and culture
The caste claims to be descended from Devala, an ancient Hindu sage.[1]
Today, the community can be mostly found in the South Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Pondicherry and Tamil Nadu, and also that of Odisha, where they are known as Deras.[1]
Devangas belong to the left-handed-schism (Idangai While, another major weaving-caste from the same region, Padmashalis belong to the right-handed-schism (Valangai),[2] on the basis of similarity and inter-connection of different social customs and rituals, it has been proposed that the two castes might have shared a common root.[2]
Religion
Devangas follow Veerashaivism or Shaivism.[2] While some Devangas wear the yagnopaveetam or janivara, others consider the Viramustis as their traditional preceptors, from whom they take precepts and wear lingam.[1]
The main goddess of the Tamil-speaking Devanga people is Sri Ramalinga Sowdeswari Ammman.[3]
Devanga Purana
Around 1532, Devanga people requested the Telugu poet Bhadralinga Kavi to write their kulapuranam, or mythological history. He composed the Devanga Purana in the dasimatra-dvipadi style.[4]
Occupation
Most members of this community were professional weavers and used to mainly produce pure cotton apparel.[2] They were accordingly primarily concentrated around major textile centers in the Godavari district.[2]
They were known for good craftsmanship in weaving clothes of all varieties and they weave superfine quality cotton clothes.[1] Weaving the loom is usually done by men whereas women dye the yarn and spin the thread and children assist in looming etc.[1] They are also very good entrepreneurs and expert in marketing of clothes.Some of them are also engaged in trading vegetables, groceries etc.[1]
Punishment for inter-caste marriage
In 2004, the Devanga leaders of a small village in Belagur, Chitradurga district, Karnataka, fined and socially excluded ten families from the community for marrying people outside the caste.[5] The decision was criticised and alleged to be unconstitutional[6] but a similar thing happened to five families in Shivani village, Ajjampura, Chikmagalur district in 2011.[7]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Acharya, Prasant Kumar. Sacred Complex of Budhi Santani: Anthropological Approach to Study Hindu Civilization (2003 ed.). New Delhi: Concept Publishing Company. pp. 240–246. ISBN 978-8-18069-049-5.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Swarnalatha, P. (2005). "The Social World of the Weaver". The World of the Weaver in Northern Coromandel, c. 1750 - c. 1850. New Delhi: Orient Blackswan. p. 36, 37. ISBN 978-8-12502-868-0.
- ↑ "Erikarai Sri Ramalinga Sowdeswari Amman Jalakandapuram". sites.google.com.
- ↑ Swarnalatha, P. (2005). "The Social World of the Weaver". The World of the Weaver in Northern Coromandel, c. 1750 - c. 1850. New Delhi: Orient Blackswan. pp. 39–45. ISBN 978-8-12502-868-0.
- ↑ "Ten families facing 'social boycott'". The Hindu. 22 December 2004. Retrieved 2015-05-03.
- ↑ "Seer calls for end to social boycott". The Hindu. 23 December 2004. Retrieved 2015-05-03.
- ↑ Khajane, Muralidhara (29 January 2011). "Protection for 'social boycott' victims sought". The Hindu. Retrieved 2015-05-03.
Further reading
- Parthasarathi, Prasannan (2001). The Transition to a Colonial Economy: Weavers, Merchants and Kings in South India, 1720-1800. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-52157-042-8.