Mogaveera

Mogaveera are a fishing community who reside mainly in Udupi district and in Mangalore district, both in the state of Karnataka, India and Kasargod district of Kerala, India.

Etymology

Mohanappa Thingalaya, a freedom fighter, is credited with coining the term Mogaveera in the early years of the 20th century. It replaced the older terms of Mogera and ‘'Mogeyar.^[1]

A sub-community of Mogaveera, especially around Udupi area, is known as Marakala. Mogaveera people are predominantly fishing community who dominate fishing and marine activities in and around Mangalore.^[2] They are also spread in and around Barkur, Udupi Taluk, Bagwadi Hobali, Kundapura Taluk etc.^[3] They use mechanised boats for fishing in sea.^[4]

Marriage with brahmins

A Kadamba king imported male Brahmin priests from Ahicchatra to conduct pooja rituals in the newly built temples of Karavali, Tulunadu. Some of the immigrants were uncomfortable in the new environs and wanted to return. Therefore, the king allowed them to marry with the Tulu tribes and settle in the agraharas around temples. Oral anecdotes among the Mogaveera people suggest that the young Brahmin priests were married to Mogaveera girls.^[5][6]

Sub-communities

Some members of the Mogaveera community have subdivided over the years, forming groups such as the Sapaliga, Bovi and Ganiga.

Culture

The Mogaveeras are classified under backward communities in Karnataka State.^[4]

Community organisations

Earlier, gramsabhas were functioning at Mangalore, Barkur (with members speaking Tulu) and Bagwadi (Kundapura members speaking Kannada). The Mangalore and Udupi area gramsabhas joined to form a federation, whereas the Bagwadi federation functioned separately. This division was basically on the basis of language spoken by the local communities. The Bagwadi federation is called the “Mogaveera Mahajana Seva Sangha” The operational area of the DKMMS ranges from Uppala in Kerala just beyond Manjeshwara south of Mangalore to Manur in Kota – a total stretch of 115 kilometres of coastline.^[7]

Dakshina Kannada Mogaveera Mahajana Sabha (DKMMS) was established in 1923 with 146 gramsabhas. This association was started on 9 August 1902. It is involved in the socio-economic fabric of the Mogaveera community in Mumbai and runs schools, colleges and banks for the overall development of the community which includes not only its own community members but also other communities as well. Since 1940, the mandali has published a monthly Kannada magazine, Mogaveera, which was the first Kannada monthly to be published outside Karnataka. Mogaveeras are the first organisation in the country to start a free Night High School in 1908.

The Mogaveera Bank was started in 1946 in Mumbai suburban district. It is one of the leading co-operative banks operating in Mumbai, having branches in Borivili and other areas and is managed by people belonging to Mogaveera community.^[8][9]

References

1. ↑ Ramachandra Baikampadi. (2006).’Tulunadina Adi Brahmanaru moolata Mogaveerare?’
2. ↑ "Arrest the murder accused: Mogaveera community". The Hindu. 7 June 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2014. 
3. ↑ "MOGAVEERA HABITATS". Mogaveera community. Mogaveera community. Retrieved 12 September 2014. 
4. 1 2 Uma K. Srivastava,. Impact of Mechanization on Small Fishermen:. Ahmedabad: Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. Centre for Management in Agriculture. p. 317,399. 
5. ↑ Shriyan, T.C. ( 2005) The Mogaveeras. ‘Mogaveera’, Mumbai, March 2005. pp 19–23
6. ↑ Ramachandra Baikampadi. (2006).’Tulunadina Adi Brahmanaru moolata Mogaveerare?’
7. ↑ Gururaja Budhya and Solomon Benjamin(2000).The politics of sustainable cities:the case of Bengare, Mangalore in coastal India. Environment and Urbanization, vol.12, No2.
8. ↑ "Ex-chief of Mogaveera Bank held for graft". The Times of India. 11 September 2004. Retrieved 12 September 2014. 
9. ↑ "Chaos At Mogaveera Bank As Six Directors Resign In Revolt". Indian Express. 23 January 2003. Retrieved 12 September 2014.