Devanga: Deccan
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Devanga
This article is an extract from THE CASTES AND TRIBES OF H. E. H. THE NIZAM'S DOMINIONS BY SYED SIRAJ UL HASSAN Of Merton College, Oxford, Trinity College, Dublin, and Middle Temple, London. One of the Judges of H. E. H. the Nizam's High Court of Judicature : Lately Director of Public Instruction. BOMBAY THE TlMES PRESS 1920 Indpaedia is an archive. It neither agrees nor disagrees |
Devanga, Devangalu, Devra, Jyandra, Koshti, Devanga Sale, Myatari — a widely diffused caste of weavers found in every part of the Hyderabad Dominions. ' Devanga ' is a Sanskrit word whicfi means ' body of the gods ' and is applied to this ^aste since it claims to be descended from one Devanga Rishi, who was created by the god Mahadeva for the purpose of weaving clothes for gods and men. The thread was obtained from the lotus which sprang from Vishnu's navel. Probably of Carnatic origin, the Devangas are now found scattered ail over Maharashtra and Telingana.
Internal Structure
The Devangas are divided into three sub- castes : (I) Devanga, (2) Hatgar and (3) Kodeku! ; the Hatgars claim social precedence over the other two divisions. 'They are Ling'ayits by creed and are described in the article on Lingayits The first of these sub-castes is broken up into three territorial groups,
(1) Telugu Devangas, (2) Carnatic Devangas and (3) Maratha Koshtis, who speak Marathi and have adopted the section names and manners of the Maratha Kunbis. Two other branches seem to have sprung from the Devangas, oiz : (1) Kurvina Shetti or Bili Magu and
(2) Kumi Sales or Jyandra, the latter of whom do not castrate their bulls.
The caste is said to have, in Telingana, sixty-four exogamous sections. As stated above, the section names of the Maratha Devangas are the same as those of the Maratha Kunbis. Specimens of both the systems are shown below : —
Marriage
Marriage is forbidden between persons belonging to the same section. Two sisters may be married to the same man or to uterine brothers. A man may marry the daughter of his elder sister.
The Devangas marry their girls as infants and recognise polygamy and, in theory at least, impose no limitation on the number of wives a man may have.
In the Carnatic and Telingana, the marriage ceremony closely corresponds to that m use among other local castes of the same social standing. The aoali, or bride-price, amounts to Rs. 30. In Maharashtra the price paid for a bride to her parents varies from Rs. 50 to Rs. 100 and the wedding ceremony is of the standard type current among the Marathas, of which the essential portion is Antctrpat, which consists of making the couple stand opposite to each other in bamboo baskets, holding a curtain between them, and the wedding of them by the recital of mantras and the throwing of rice over their heads.
Widow-Marriage
A widow is allowed to re-marry, but not her husband's brothers. The bride, in Telingana, is presented with a new sari and choli, and Rs. I J4 to buy bangles ; at night she is taken to the matha, where the mathpati ties pusti round her neck in the presence of the bridegroom, who is seated by her side. Castemen are then feasted. In the morning the bride and bridegroom go to some temple and return in the evening. Maratha Devangas engage Brahmans for the performance of this ceremony. The bridegroom goes at night, sword in hand to the bride's house, with a following of friends. The couple, having been bathed, are seated side by side, their heads brought in contact by the officiating Brahman and their garments tied in a knot.
Divorce
A woman is divorced for adultery and driven out of the house before the members of the caste Panchagat. She is allowed to re-marry by the same rite as a widow.
Inheritance
In the division of property the Devangas follow the Hindu law of inheritance. They give an extra share to the eldest son in the division of his father's property.
Religion
The religion of the Devangas is orthodox Hinduism. In Telingana, they are divided into Tirmanidharis and Vibhuti- dharis-is. In the Carnatic, they are mostly Lingayits, males and females worshipping the lingam, to which they daily offer food of which they afterwards partake. Their favourite deity is Chaundamma, or Choundeshwari, worshipped on the full moon and new moon days with offerings of sweetmeats, especially by women who observe a fast for the whole day. Sheep and goats are sacrificed to the goddess by Maratha Devangas at the Dassera festival, or the 10th of the light half of Aswin (October) : on the same day they honour the imple- ments of their craft. They reverence all the gods of the Hindu pan- theon, observe religious festivals and make pilgrimages to sacred places. Among their minor gods are Pochamma, Maisamma, Mari Ai, and Nagalu, who are appeased with a variety of offerings in times of sickness and epidemics.
Disposal of the Dead
The dead are usually buried, but are occasionally burnt, and are carried to the grave or pyre attended with music. Lingayit Devangas bury their dead in a sitting posture, with the face pointing to the east. Mourning is observed ten days for the married and three days for others. Sradha is performed on the 12th day after death. Ancestors in general are propitiated on Akshattritiya, or the 3rd of the light half of Vaishakha, and on the Pitra AmaWasya, or the last day of Bhadrapad (October).
Social Status
In point of social status, the Devangas rank below the agricultural and shepherd castes, but above the Gandlas, or Telis, Mangals and Chaklas. They eat fowl, fish, pork and mutton and drink alcohol. Some of them, aspiring to a higher social status, abstain from liquor.
Occupation
Weaving is the traditional occupation of the caste. They make a variety of textile fabrics but chiefly saris, or garments worn by women. Some of them have relinquished their original occupation and taken to trade, agriculture, carpentry and masonry.
