Nema community

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nema (or Neema or Neva) is a merchant community which is mainly found in Madhya Pradesh [1][2]. It has also spread to Gujarat and Rajasthan. It originated from the Nimar region of western Madhya Pradesh, where this community is still concentrated.

Several old Jain inscriptions metioning the Neva community has been found in Madhya Pradesh[3].

The Nemas are largely devout Vaishnavas. A group of Nemas that migrated to Vidarbha region a few centuries ago, follows DigambarJainism[4]. Some in Gujarat and Malwa region of MP follow Svetambara Jainism.

[edit] Legend

Russell and Hira Lal state that[5]:

They say that when Parasurāma was slaying the Kshatriyas fourteen young Rājpūt princes, who at the time were studying religion with their family priests, were saved by the latter on renouncing their Kshatriya status and declaring themselves to be Vaishyas. These fourteen princes were the ancestors of the fourteen gotras of the Nema subcaste, but the gotras actually bear the names of the fourteen Rīshis or saints who saved their lives. These sections appear to be of the usual Brāhmanical type, but marriage is regulated by another set of fifty-two subsections, with names which are apparently titular or territorial.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India, By R.V. Russell & Hira Lal, 1916
  2. ^ People of India By Kumar Suresh Singh, B. K. Lavania, D. K. Samanta, S. K. Mandal, Anthropological Survey of India, N. N. Vyas, Anthropological Survey of India, Published 1998, Popular Prakashan
  3. ^ Kasturchand Jain Suman, Bharatiya Digambar Jain Abhilekh aur Tirth Parichay, Madhya-Pradesh: 13 vi shati tak, Delhi, 2001
  4. ^ Digambar Jain Directory, Thakurds Bhagavandas Javeri, 1914
  5. ^ The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India—Volume II