Madhwa Brahmins

Madhwa
Regions with significant populations
India
Karnataka, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh
Languages
Kannada and Tulu
Religion
Hinduism (Vaishnava)

Madhwa Brahmins or Madhwas are subcaste of Hindu Brahmin community in India. They follow the Dvaita philosophy propounded by Madhvacharya. According to Krishnamurti Sharma They are found mostly in the Indian states of Karnataka, Goa, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh. [1]

History

The Madhwa community traces its philosophical origins to Madhvacharya, the first said Vaishnava acharya, who lived around 13th century. The Ashta Mathas of Udupi were established by Madhvacharya by his disciples. Other Acharya's who established mathas after Madhvacharya include Padmanabha Tirtha, Naraharitirtha, Akshobhya Tirtha, Jayatirtha, Sripadaraja, Vyasatirtha, Vadiraja Tirtha, Vijayendra Tirtha, Raghavendra Tirtha.[2] The affiliations of the Madhwa cult extended in the form of temples and monasteries from Udupi in the south to Dwaraka in the North India.[3]

The town of Udupi is famous for the Sri Krishna temple of 13th century and it is the administrative center of the Madhwas. The Madhwas believe that the human soul is saved by the grace of God and God bestows on true devotees. Devotional worship is central to the lives of madhwas.[4]

Occupations

During the rule of Qutb shahis of Golkonda in 17th century several Deshastha Brahmins of the Madhwa section being appointed to high positions. The post held by them were Deshmukh, Deshpande, Majumdar, Mannavar etc. in the district's of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.[5]

Classification and Demographics

The Madhwa Brahmins are distributed all through the state of Karnataka, ranging from villages to urban areas. Madhwas also settled outside Karnataka, such as Tamil nadu, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

In Coastal Karnataka, majority of the Shivallis are the Madhwa-Vaishnavas from Udupi.They are known as Shivalli Madhwa Brahmins.[6]They are famous for their Udupi cuisine. In North Karnataka, Maharashtra,[7] Tamil nadu[8] , and Andhra Pradesh, Deshastha Brahmins have a sub-section of Vaishnavas. Those Deshasthas who are Vaishnavas are known as Deshatha Madhwa Brahmins, who are followers of Madhvacharya.[9] In Goa and Coastal Karnataka, among Gaud Saraswat Brahmins there is section called Madhwa Saraswats who follow Madhva Sampradaya of Madhvacharya.[10]

In Kerala, there are Embranthiris who follow Dvaita Vedanta of Madhvacharya.There are also other sections of Brahmins who follow Madhva Sampradaya especially in the Central Kerala region.[11]

Society and culture

Masala dosa with Sambar and chutney in Udupi

The majority of Madhwas speak Kannada, one of the major languages of the mainly southern Dravidian languages group.The Madhwa Brahmins speak a variety of Kannada that borders on a literary dialect.[12] Even in the non-kannada states Madhwas speak Kannada in their homes but with outsiders they speak the native language of that state.[13]

Diet

Madhwa Brahmins are pure vegetarian and their staple cereals are rice and wheat.[14]Udupi cuisine is a synonymous name to Madhwa cuisine.It is a major vegetarian cuisine of Karnataka, which includes a combination of cereals, pulses, vegetables and spices.[15]

Typical Madhwa cuisine consists of Saaru (Rasam), Huli (Sambar), gojju, and Anna (Rice).[16]Gojju is generally a beloved dish to entire Madhwa community.[17] In sweets, Hayagreeva is a very common sweet dish made in most Madhwa Brahmin homes, made using Bengal gram with jaggery and coconut. [18]

Social and political issues

In 2017, Government of Karnataka took stand against superstition and planned to Ban all evil practices including Black Magic by introducing The Karnataka Prevention and Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices and Black Magic Bill, 2017 in assembly.After much debate, practices like 'Mudradharane' by Madhwa Brahmins have been exempted. As per this practice, 'Mudras' (dyes) usually made of gold or copper are heated on the coal fire and stamped on the body.[19]

Notable people

References

  1. ↑ B. N. Krishnamurti Sharma (2000). History of the Dvaita School of Vedānta and Its Literature: From the Earliest Beginnings to Our Own Times. Motilal Banarsidass Publications. p. xxxiii.
  2. ↑ O. P. Bhatnagar, India. University Grants Commission, University of Allahabad. Dept. of Modern Indian History (1964). Studies in social history: modern India. St. Paul's Press Training School. p. 133-135.
  3. ↑ Nataraja Guru (1990). Life and Teachings of Narayana Guru: In Two Parts. Narayana Gurukula Foundation. p. 200.
  4. ↑ Yamuna Lingappa, Banadakoppa T. Lingappa (1992). Wholesome nutrition for mind, body, and microflora: the goal of lacto-vegetarianism (recipes of Udipi cuisine included). Ecobiology Foundation International. p. 320.
  5. ↑ Appasaheb Ganapatrao Pawar (1971). Maratha History Seminar, May 28-31, 1970: papers. Shivaji University. The ascendancy of the Qutb-shahis of Golkonda resulted in several Maratha Brahmins of the Madhwa sect, generally called Desasthas, being appointed to high positions. This is evident from several terms such as Deshmukh, Deshpande, Majumdar, Mannavar etc.used in the district's of Andhra to signify certain administrative posts
  6. ↑ Sūryanātha Kāmat (1985). Karnataka State Gazetteer: Uttara Kannada. Director of Print, Stationery and Publications at the Government Press.
  7. ↑ Maharashtra State Gazetteers: Jalgaon District. Directorate of Government Print., Stationery and Publications, Maharashtra State,. 1962. p. 148.
  8. ↑ R. Thirumalai, S. Manoharan (1997). Tamil Nadu, Part 2. Anthropological Survey of India. p. 854. The Madhva speak Kannada, their mother tongue, in their homes but with outsiders they speak Tamil
  9. ↑ Maharashtra State Gazetteers: Kolhapur. Director of Government Printing, Stationery and Publications, Maharashtra State. 1960. p. 135. Those Deshasthas who are Vaisnavas are known as Madhva Brahmans or followers of Madhvacarya (A.D. 1238 to 1317) whose chief mission was to preach the reality and dependence of the universe composed of cit (souls) and acit (matter)
  10. ↑ Karnataka State Gazetteer: Belgaum. 1987. p. 200.
  11. ↑ Raj Kumar (1999). Survey of Ancient India: Literary and cultural perspectives on ancient. Anmol Publications. p. 267.
  12. ↑ Dr. Amith Kumar P.V. Bakhtin and Translation Studies: Theoretical Extensions and Connotations. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. p. 83. The Madhwa Brahmins speak a variety of Kannada that borders on a literary dialect. Their language is punctuated by Sanskrit shlokas
  13. ↑ R. Thirumalai, S. Manoharan (1997). Tamil Nadu, Part 2. Anthropological Survey of India. p. 854. The Madhva speak Kannada, their mother tongue, in their homes but with outsiders they speak Tamil
  14. ↑ India's Communities, Volume 5. Oxford University Press. 1998. p. 2045. They are pure vegetarian and the staple cereals are rice and wheat
  15. ↑ Secrets From The Udupi Kitchen
  16. ↑ "A Peek Into A Madhwa Brahmin Kitchen". India Food Nerwork.
  17. ↑ Madhur Jaffrey (2014). Curry Easy Vegetarian. Penguin Random House.
  18. ↑ Sweets from Karnataka that deserve Geographical Indication (GI)
  19. ↑ "Karnataka Takes Stand Against Superstition, Bans All Evil Practices Including Black Magic". Indiatimes. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  20. ↑ "Statesman and a survivor". Deccab Herald. 7 February 2011.
  21. ↑ The Quarterly Journal of the Mythic Society (Bangalore)., Volume 73. The Society. 1982. p. 124. P.N.Krishnamurthi Mysorean and Madhwa Brahmin was a Dewan
  22. ↑ "The quarterly journal of the Mythic society (Bangalore)". 56. Mythic Society. 1966: 94.
  23. ↑ Life Sketch of Rajacharitha Visharada Rao Bahadur C.Hayavadana Rao at Google Books at page 94; Quote - "Rao Bahadur C.Hayavadana Rao was born on Tenth of July 1865 at Hosur, Krishnagiri talk in a Madhwa Deshastha Family.His father was C.Raja Rao"
  24. ↑ "The Dharwad Gharana: Hindustani music's southern home". THE NEWS MINUTE. A name that stands tall is that of Pandit Bhimsen Joshi born to a Madhwa Brahmin family of scholars in Gadag, Bhimsen took his training under the great Pt Rambhau Kundgolkar, popular as ‘Sawai Gandharva’.
  25. ↑ "Man with saucer eyes". The Hindu. 28 May 2015.
  26. ↑ Datta, Amaresh (1987). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: A-Devo. Sahithya Akademi. p. 145. Born in an orthodox Madhwa Brahmin household, he graduated in Philosophy hons
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