Shivalli Brahmins
Shivalli
Shivalli is a place near Udupi, which was known much earlier to setting of the famous Sri Krishna Temple at Udupi and Udupi itself. Shivalli in fact, is a village near Udupi towards Manipal. Manipal was actually earlier under Shivalli grama (village) panchayat and later came under Udupi municipality.
Shivalli takes its name from the Tulu construction Shiva-Halli meaning the town of Shiva. Udupi has two shiva temples Chandramouleshwara temple and Ananteshwara temple near the famous Sri Krishna temple/ Krishna matha. Even today all swamiji's of ashtamatha's first enter Chandramouleshwara temple and then Ananteshwara temple before entering Krishna Matha on auspicious occasions. Another legend as suggests that Shivalli has an origin in the old Sanskrit name Shivaroopya (where roopya is silver, or "bolli" in Tulu). In later years, it came to be known as Shivabolli, Shibbolli, Shivolli, and the present name, Shivalli.
Shivalli Madhva Brahmins
The brahmins who follow Dwaita philosophy founded by Vaishnava saint Sri Madhvacharya ( Poornaprajna or Anandathirta) of Udupi are known as Shivalli Madhwa Brahmins. Other Shivalli Brahmins follow Advaita philosophy and are known as Shivalli Smarta Brahmins. The name helps to distinguish them from other brahmins and indicate their origins in and around Shivalli. Shivalli brahmins speak Tulu language (with strong influence of Sanskrit) that is slightly different from the Tulu spoken from other communities in this region. The Shivali brahmin (brahmana) community has now spread all over the world. Shivalli Brahmins are known for their hospitality, sharp intellect and good business acumen. Shivalli brahmins are pioneers of world famous "Udupi hotels" (Vegetarian restaurants) known for serving typical south Indian dishes and foods like idli, vada, dosa, shira and upma etc. This concept of restaurants is now copied by others all over the world. Shivalli brahmins have unique style of serving and eating meals. The meal is served on plantain (banana) leaf usually squatting on clean floor. All dishes are served in a particular place, fashion, and sequence and eaten by hand. The meal is wholesome and very elaborate in preparation, serving and eating.
Rituals and Customs of Shivalli Brahmins
Shivalli Brahmins males have to undergo Brahmopadesham ( Upanayana in Tulu ). It is a ceremony where young boys are put sacred thread across left shoulder. Three threads are put when boy is unmarried. After marriage, he has to put six threads made from pure cotton. He has to perform japa or sandhyavandana at least twice daily.
There are no equivalent ceremonies for Shivalli Brahmin girls. In fact, although North Indian Brahmin women take part significantly in the ritualistic process of Hinduism, Shivali Brahmin women have no important role in these ceremonies. They have no religious education, and no rite of passage into adult society other than the rather dubious role in a marriage arranged by their parents. The reasons for the marked difference between women's role in Brahmin culture amongst other groups (which is quite limited in itself) and the Shivali Brahmins has been a source of much debate. It is currently thought that the lowly role amongst the latter was due to an attempt at maintaining line purity by the first Shivali Brahmin men who migrated to the South and married local (non-Brahmin) fisher women.
Shivalli Madhwa Brahmins also follow the Upakarma ceremony where sacred thread ( yajnopavita
or janivara ) is changed and mudradarana is done. Mudradarana is ritual where signs of Lord Vishnu's symbols ( Mudra ) like
counch ( Shanka ), chakra ( wheel ) are etched on bodies. This is
done by placing hot metal moulds of these symbols mainly on hand, stomach ( perhaps a form of vaccination ).
Present day marriages of Shivalli Madhva brahmins are a three day affair, sometimes becoming one day due to the fast pace of
today's life. In three day affair, the process of marriage starts with Naandi ( literally meaning start ). During Naandi,
which takes place in groom's and bride homes separately at a particular time of that particular day, a ceremony is performed
where the bride and groom have coconut oil applied to them and turmeric and bathed in hot water followed by other
puja. Marriage ( Madimae in Tulu ) takes place at common agreed place may be temple, hall,
auditorium followed by lunch. All ceremonies are held as per horoscopes of bride and groom at a particular time called muhurtha.
Generally the next day after marriage, a ceremony is held called Bigara authana (a sort of reception) at groom's place preceded
by Satyanarayana puja. The Shivalli Madhwa brahmin have ritual from birth to death at every stages of life. Some claim the
traditions and rituals followed by Shivalli Madhva Brahmins have scientific reasons to them worthy of research.
Shivalli brahmins are famous not only as priests and cooks, but also engineers, scientists, teachers, bankers, doctors, and administrators.
Gotra's of Shivalli Madhva Brahmins
Every shivalli brahmins belong to a particular gotra.Gotra can be roughly said to be a clan. The gotra are names of great sages or rishi's of Hindu religion. Hence gotra indicates to sage to which a brahmin belongs to. Marriage is not allowed between bride and groom if both belong to same gotra ( Sagotra in Tulu ).This might be to avoid same blood group marriage , as it is believed in old days ,people of same gotra belong to same family.Gotra's in Tulu brahmins are as follows;Atri,Bhargava,Jamadagni, Vishwamitra ,Bhardwaja,Vashista,Aangirasa, Kashyapa, Koundanya and Haritsa.
Restricted items of food
Shivalli Madhwa Brahmins are not expected to eat following vegetables and fruits and of course nonvegetarian .Today these restrictions are mostly followed in Ashta matha's and some temples of South Canara.These vegetables and fruits are not considered to be origin of Parshurama kshetra.
- Tomato * Onion * Garlic * Potato ( Sweet potato or kelang is okay )
- Papaya * Brinjal ( Matti Gulla is okay )
- French beans ( Cluster Beans or Alasande is okay )
- Carrot * Beet root * Pine apple * Radish * Cabbage * Cauliflower
Famous Shivalli Madhwa Brahmins
- Bannanje Govindacharya Sanskrit scholar
- Dr U. R. Rao Former ISRO Chairman
- P. Gururaja Bhat Noted historian and Tulu scholar
- Dr. T.V. Ramachandra Hathwar, Scientist
- Dr.Gururaj Bhagawath,Eye specialist,Got more than Hundreds of awards which also includes Kannada Sahitya parishad Award .
- Dr.Nagesh Hathwar, Educationist
- Koteshwara Suryanarayana Rao, Writer
- U. R. Bhat Financial consultant and business columnist
- Dr.Bhaskarananda Kumar
- Dr.K.M.Hebbar
- Dr.B.R.Samaga
- Dr B.S.Samaga
- K.V.Irniraya Retd IAS
- Suresh Kalmadi MP from Pune
- Dr.V.S.Acharya ,Minister of Medical Education in Government of Karnataka.
- K.Raghupati Bhat , MLA from Udupi
- B Ramachandra Kadamannaya, Professor
- Dr. Malati Das IAS (retd)
- Dilip Rau IAS
See also
References
Also see gazateers of 1894 and 1938 of South Canara districts.
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