Tulu Nadu is cosmopolitan, in
that all profession-based classes or castes live in harmony, dependent on each
other without prejudice. It embraced all
people coming to this land of Nature Worship and Spirit Worship. To be precise, people of this land worship
trees, animals, birds, snakes and manes and spirits. This Tuluva Cosmos is a world of highly
structured and ordered system of a whole. Their way of living, beliefs and
customs and ideas are identical. Low and
High feelings come as an attitude in all societies of the world. Such feelings can be contained by a spirit of
universal brotherhood. In the
present-day world, we live in at many places, playing a significant role in
development of economic, cultural and social conditions.
Many tribes have trodden this
land in the past, as we can deduce from a variety of surviving ethnonyms
encountered, of whom we know a little.
Their signatures are also found in odd words, customs, personal names, apart
from place-names.
We try to trace the importance of distinct groups
who made this land their home land and contributed to the overall culture of Tulu
Nadu. In that direction, this article is
an attempt to know about Devadigas and others. Traditionally, they are the Spirit
players and drummers in the ancient Hindu temples. Besides, they have also pursued cultivation of
land. Edgar Thurston has included them in his book: Castes & Tribes of Southern India.
Devadiga Community
‘Devadiga’ is an ethnic name
for a group of people of Tulu Nadu (Districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and
Northern Malabar (i.e. Kasaragod, which was a part of South Kanara up to recent
history – State reorganization of 1956). Regionally, Devadigas
are known by different names. We have
come across the following names:
Muyile, Moyili or Moyli, S(h)erigar,
Sani, Sevagara, Servegara, Shereyar, Ambalavasi,
Bogunvale (?), Devadasi, Devadigar, Dewale, Devadig, Ganikula,
Kavalnath, Konkan Valegar,etc. They are
all Hindus, speaking Tulu, Kannada and Malayalam.
In some government classifications,
the Sappaliga or Sapaliga are included in this list of Devadigas, though
the Sapaligas profess separate identity and lineage.
Etymology
Devadiga is split as Deva+Adiga
or Aadiga. Deva means Deity and Divine
Spirits of a temple. Adiga or Aadiga
means: a player or servant (in temple). One
of the important work assigned to Devadiga (Moilees) in the temples is playing
the role of official temple Spirit (holding a sword accompanied by shivering
and dancing) dancing in front of the chief deity of the temple, while the deity is in
the process of making divine rounds (known as bali or bali barpini)
around the temple precincts. They are
also doing variety of additional jobs, such as cleaning, lighting arrays of
earthen oil-lamps, and beating the kettle-drum (Nagāri), Barrel Drum (Chende) or
double drums (Mourri ?) and sometimes
also playing musical instruments in the temple.
Legends
Devadigas of Kasargod region consider
that they were originally Tamilians.
When a Tamil Pandya Raja invaded Tulu Nadu, they were one among the
retinue who came with him. The Pandya Raja conquered regions up to Nandavara
and built many temples. Before going
back, he appointed his chieftains as administrators and left behind Devadigas
to serve in those temples as musicians and do other cleansing
jobs.
At Kumble, Pandya Raja
appointed Jayasimha as his representative.
They assimilated into Tulu culture and adopted Tulu, Kannada and
Malayalam languages, one of them being their mother tongue. So, they are polyglot, i.e. multi-lingual.
(Source: YouTube: Shree Paadangara Bhagavathi Prasanna, Arikkad, Kumble).
The other story is that Kadamba
King Mayur Sharma (later he assumed Varma, a Kshatriya name) encouraged
construction of Hindu temples in Banavasi. Similar practices came up in Tulunadu.
The Stanika Brahmins, Devadigas and Sapaligas were ordained by the rulers to work
in temples to assist the temple preist Brahmins
in maintaining the day to day business
of the temple.
Shri Vadiraja Tirtha (C.
1480-C.1600), who lived for 120 years was a great Dvaita Philosopher, poet and
mystic. He was a polymath. There is a belief in currency that he ordained
Carpenters, Goldsmiths, and Devadigas to be treated as Brahmins during their period
of stay in temple for doing temple duties by
performing a sanctifying ritual.
Sappaliga or Sapaliga
Sappaliga means one who makes
musical sound in a temple through Vadya (musical instrument) and Vadana (playing the musical instument). Now they are known as
Sapaliga or Saphalya. Sapaligas, adept in playing musical instruments, used to serve in the temple along with Devadigas in
temples, but there are no marital alliances between these two communities. Both
have independent community associations and affiliations.
Traditionally there has been
matrimonial alliances between the members of
Sapaliga and Marakala (now Mogaveera) communities especially in and around the Udupi region. Besides,
Sapaligas and Marakalas share similar bari lineages. The local oral legends also suggest that the initial members of Sapaliga were drawn from the
Marakala fisher community during the ancient history and were trained in the art of playing musical instruments to serve as pipers and musicians in the
temples.
Ganigas
In Mangalore and Bantwal areas,
the Sapaliga have adopted coconut oil
extraction as a profession and have considered themselves as Ganigas. The gāna is the device used for the extraction of oil. There are
matrimonial alliances between Sapaligas and Ganigas in Mangalore-Bantwal area and they
have designated their association as “Sapaligara yāne Gānigara Sangha’.
However there are generally no direct traditional
matrimonial alliances between Mogaveeras and Ganigas in Mangalore area.
Beliefs & Customs
They follow same Hindu rituals,
as other communities of Tulu Nadu, during birth, puberty of a girl (first
menstruation), marriage, death. They are
also followers of animism, i.e. the belief that natural objects, natural
phenomena and the universe itself possess souls. So, they also believe in Spiritual beings or
agencies. At some temples, they are mediums for spirit-possession (Pātris).
Nāgaradhane (serpent worship) is common in all
communities of Tulu Nadu. Each Devadiga clan
has its own ‘Moolāsthana’ where snakes are worshipped. There is one ‘Moolasthana’ of Adyaranna at
Gudde Angadi, Kavattar, (near Mulki ; Pin code 574 195.).
They follow matriarchal system
as other Tuluva communities. Marriage
between girl and boy of same ‘bari’ is forbidden. Traditionally, heritance ofproperty rights moves
along female line though male is custodian.
Septs of Devadigas
They too have similar clan
(bari) names, like Mogaveeras, Billavas, Kulalas, i.e. Kunder, Salian, Suvarna,
Shriyan, Karkera, Maindan, Mendon, Bangera, Gujaran, Uppian, Kukkiyan and so on.
Besides that, we have come across other baris, viz. Bundhan, Bageeyatan,
Adayran (Adyaranna?), Shettiyan, Kayaran, Guliyechan, Vadeyaran, Pergadan,
Karmaran, Puthian, Odrenna, Malayanna, Huttaryan, Chandiyan and Katkane.
Adayran
Bari
The incidence of Adayran and
other baris among the Devadigas is interesting from the genetic point of view. For
example, Adi is an ancient tribal community and about 192 villages named after Adi such as Adia, Adyar, Adiyur, Adivala,
Adve, Adigon, Adihal etc are found
in Tulunadu as well as in other parts of India.
Similar deductions can be made
about some of the less common baris prevalent among the Devadigas enlisted
above. Thus admixture of common and less common baris among the Devadigas
suggest infusion of several tribal streams during the initial stages of
creation of communities from the tribes.
Kula Devata
Hindu temples follow Panchayatana
(ಪಂಚಾಯತನ) system. That
means: Five temples, having one for main God and other four for other
Gods. Mostly, five Deities are: Vishnu,
Shiva, Devi or Durga, Surya and Istha Devata, like Ganesh, Skanda, or any
personal God of devotees. Temples for
Divine Spirits are now accommodated within the precincts of main temple.
Devadigas of Kasargod have
Paadangara Bhagavathi as Kula Devata. They
officiate as priests to Divine Spirits, who are parivara Daivas attached to the
Temple. They act as impersonator of the
Bhoota Kola/Nema,
Kula Devata of Devadigas of
Barkur Hobli is Shree Ekanatheshwari at Barkur, known since Alupa rule. The old temple with Parivara Daivas is under
renovation since January 2017 and to be re-established and dedicated to the
community and public on 15th February 2018 and related purification and Brahma
Kalasotsava rituals and other ceremonies run up to 22nd February 2018.
Community Associations &
Aspirations
Devadiga Sangha was established
in 1948 at Dadasaheb Phalke Road, Dadar (East), Mumbai-400 014 for overall upliftment
community people at native place and Mumbai.
As other Tuluva communities, this Sangha has also branched offat many
areas in Mumbai and Vashi (New Mumbai).
There are many other organisations in Tulu Nadu also for the benefit of
Devagidas.
At a symposium in the precincts
of Ekanatheshwari Temple in April 2017, the Community elders decided to have a
“Devadiga Global Foundation”.
-Hosabettu
Vishwanath with Ravi Mundkur.
No comments:
Post a Comment