Nadavara

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1 The background
2 Who are Tulu Nadavaru?
3 Nadavaru as landowners and farmers
4 Nadavar contributions to Independence of India
5 Nadavaru as Religious or Spiritual
6 The customs and the present
7 Natable people from the Nadavara community
8 External Links
9 Notes

[edit] The background

The Nadavaru are a small Kshatriya community (Nadavar Samaj) with 30,000 people in Ankola and Kumta Taluks, Uttar Kannada, Karnataka, India.. Nadavaru speak Nadavara-Kannada, which is a modified form of Kannada. It has significant phonological variations from other Kannada dialects. Its morphology is similar to that of Marathi which raises a few unanswered questions, "Did Nadavaras migrate to the land of Kannada some time ago from elsewhere? Did their former language have any influence on Nadavara-Kannada? What language did they speak prior to adopting Kannada?” They are also known as Jain Nadavaru. Supposedly they converted to Hinduism from Jainism between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries. We still find Golibeera Jain Temples in Nadavar villages.

[edit] Who are Tulu Nadavaru?

Kannada speaking Nadavar community of North Kanara is related to the Tulu speaking Bunts (Tulu Nadavar community) of South Kanara . Nadavaras' religious beliefs, food habits, living style, and etiquettes closely resemble to that of the Bunts. Although few marriages took place among Bunts and Nadavaru of North Kanara, matrimonial relationships are limited.

[edit] Nadavaru as landowners and farmers

Until the first half of the twentieth century, Nadavaras were mainly landowners and farmers. Nadavaru lived in joint families and their income was from farmlands and temples At the end of the nineteenth century, the Tenancy Act and Land Activation Act were proposed with an objective to improve the relations between Zamindars and Raiyatas (Farmers). The British Colonial Rule raised the taxes on land and lowered the land rent. A separate Agricultural Department was created by Viceroy Lord George Curzon (1899-1904 A.D) to oversee the successful implementation of the new land tax law. Many Nadavara landlords could not collect enough land rent to pay the taxes and lost most of their lands. Still they possessed enough land to live quite comfortably but had to curtail their expenses. For the non-payment of taxes on land, they lost most of the remaining little pieces of land that they inherited from their fathers and some lost even their homes. A handful of local merchants just by paying the pending or unpaid taxes purchased lands lost by the Nadavaras for incredibly low prices. In Karnataka, Nadavaras were the major sufferers during the period of the Non-tax Payment Movement.

[edit] Nadavar contributions to Independence of India

Even though the Nadavara community is small in size, its contribution to the independence of India is commendable. During the Salt Satyagraha (non-tax payment movement) from 1930-34 A.D, the audacious Nadavaru peacefully participated in Mohandas K. Gandhi's Ahimsa (non-violence) revolt. It was a long awaited opportunity for them to oppose the British rule. Many Nadavar men were imprisoned up to six years near New Delhi for rebellion. In November 1942 A.D, the entire Nadavar community, including many women, participated in the Quit India Movement (non-violence freedom movement) headed by Mahatma Gandhi.

[edit] Nadavaru as Religious or Spiritual

Nadavaras are Vaishnavas (Devotee of God Vishnu) Tirupala Venkataramana Tirumala - Tirupati but they are not excessively religious. They played major roles in the religious functions of both Shiva and Vishnu temples until the early part of twentieth century. Nadavaras are Muktheshwaras (respected members) of many temples, including Mahabaleshwar of Gokarna and Venkataramana of Ankola. Between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries for many Nadavara families, temples were sources of income. They shared the revenues generated by the local temples. Nadavaras revere their ancestry second to God. Most Nadavaras idolize their own fallen family heroes (Beera) and women of virtue (Sati) whom they worship on special occasions. Beera Shrines and Sati stones are common scenes in all most all Nadavara villages. Deepavali (Festival of Lights) called as Narak Chaturdashi is the most important festival for Nadavars'. The festivity is observed for three days as the celebration of Lord Krishna's victory over Narakasura. Nadavara homes had miniature temples Venkataramana and Tulsi in the frontyards close to their quarters. The family temple was solely intended for the family’s private services. The temple architecture was a hybrid drawn from the blend of northern and southern Indian styles. The proportions of the temple were rigidly standardized. It was constructed on a three-foot high by ten-foot square foundation. Four ornate six-foot tall pillars were erected from the four corners that supported the tiled roof. The temple did not have walls because of the warm climatic conditions. A carved stone statue of the God Vishnu and petite sandalwood sculptures representing their ancestors who died in the wars were kept in the center of the temple. The family temple led to the decentralization of the Nadavara religious activities. The family temple played an important role in preserving the family integrity and harmony but isolated them from the other communities.

Some insriptions of Nadavara villages

Nadavra miniature temples

[edit] The customs and the present

A hundred years ago, Nadavara wedding customs were quite distinct. The symbolic wedding rituals were cherry picked from both Hinduism and Jainism. The marriage celebration lasted for five days. For the first three days, both the wedding parties carried out Homas at their dwellings separately. The purpose of Homa was to strengthen the bonds of alliance and camaraderie among relatives and friends. During those days for warriors, it was difficult to survive without unity. The wedding ceremony, which was on the fourth day lasted for the entire day and part of the night. The groom was the focal point of the wedding. Professionally trained, eight palanquin bearers carried the groom wearing, a saffron or red turban, to the wedding in a specially decorated palanquin. The groom’s wedding party procession consisted of friends and families along with a carpenter, blacksmith, potter, barber, goldsmith and washer-man. His brothers and cousins who were the assigned bodyguards for the occasion surrounded the groom. Porters carrying fruits and clothes in bamboo baskets and Vajantris (live musical bands) stayed ahead of the procession. The bride wore a red sari embroidered in gold and silver threads. The Jain monks performed the wedding ceremony in front of the bride’s family temple. The Jain monks after the garland exchange ritual held a meeting in the family temple with the parents to bridge the differences, if any between the two parties. The evening was dedicated to the entertainment. Some kinds of entertainments were the most awaited events of the function. Attendees made fun of the newly wed couple. Fifty years ago they did not marry people from other castes. Lately inter-caste marriages are taking place among Nadavar younger generations. Since 1955s, they have been diversifying aggressively their interests towards education and commerce.