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Nadavaru
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Nadavaru or Nadavara means the people of Nadu or Country. The Nadavaru perhaps was originally a mother right community having immigrated into North Kanara from Tuluva and appear to be affiliated to the Nadavas and the Bunt (community)s from South Kanara. They might have migrated to North Kanara in the 12th century. As per 1883 Kanara gazette, both men and women were tall and strong, and most of them were well featured.
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Nadavaru or Nadavara means the people of Nadu or Country. The Nadavaru perhaps was originally a mother right community having immigrated into North Kanara from Tuluva and appear to be affiliated to the Nadavas and the Bunt (community)s from South Kanara. They might have migrated to North Kanara in the 12th century. As per 1883 Kanara gazette, both men and women were tall and strong, and most of them were well featured. Many own a large area of land. Some were village headmen and moneylenders. They are now mainly found in the taluks of Ankola and Kumta.
Nadavaru were famous soldiers during the rule of Vijayanagara and Bidanur kings. Portuguese fleet damaged towns Kumta, Gokharn and Mirjan near Kumta in January 1714. The fleet caused extensive damage to the properties of Nadavars in the coastal towns. Nadavaru speak Nadavara-Kannada, which is a form of Kannada. It has significant phonological variations from other Kannada dialects. Its morphology is similar to that of Marathi. Nadavarau are also known as Jain Nadavaru. Supposedly they converted to Hinduism from Jainism between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries. We find Golibeera Jainism temples in Nadava villages.
Nadavaru as landowners
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 the 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.
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. 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.
Nadavaru as Religious or Spiritual
Nadavaras are Vaishnavas (Devotee of God Vishnu) Tirumala Venkataramana Tirumala - Tirupati. They do not have a swamy or guru for their caste.
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 17th and 19th centuries for many Nadavara families, temples were sources of income. They shared the revenues generated by the local temples. 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.
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. Also of late the nadavar girls are marrying boys of other castes which is unprecedented. The main reasons among others might be the social up-bringing, least bothered about their identity, culture. That apart most of the girls take up professional studies and migrate to metropolis of India and other cities of the World, become financially Independant. The Nadavar grooms are finding it very difficult to seek a professionally qualified bride of their choice. Although in the past the Nadavar men choose to marry a nadavar girl only despite he having better matrimonial prospectus keeping in mind the Identity of the samll community and thus preserving and developing the community it's culture, with the financial independence now available to the Nadavar women they show a marked deviation from the Traditional Nadavar culture. The women being the main reproductive spouse the small community of Nadavars is likely to become still smaller and finally vanish in the crowd. The sense of being a Nadavar is not seen in the present generation. The Nadavrs can be called the the Jews of India.
See also
Notable people
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