A couple of years
ago, I noticed an informative leaflet on Savitas on the wall of a Hair-cutting
shop in Udupi. In nut-shell, it contained ethics to be followed in the
profession. Savitas are known by many
traditional names in Tulu Nadu and for that matter, all over India. Here in Pune, I was wonder-struck when a
Hindu barber from UP is having 'Sharma' as surname. In Tulu Nadu, madyelas or madivalas
perform, as a convention, priestly rites – whether auspicious or inauspicious -
but they are not having such a surname. This
induced me to know more about Savitas, who have a good social status.
Tulu Ethos
Tulu Nadu is
known by different names in history. It
is difficult to say with certainty who are the original inhabitants of Tulu
Nadu. Existing sources, if any, are obscured by Time. Normally, it is a custom
to trace a race from the migration route.
The root or original migration, as is understood today,took place in
Africa and these migrated people spread out to different parts of the world. Immigrants
who came to another region are known by the region they migrated or by their
traditional occupation. It suggests a common umbilical cord as is manifest from
place names and common words of identical meanings in many languages of the
world.
Modes of living
created traditional occupations that suited to a man’s environment and
circumstances. The occupations gradually
acquired the shade of a caste or class.
These castes were considered as specialists in a specific profession.
Each traditional profession devised tools suited to it. It is generally assumed that there was no
competition to such class-based skills. But the analysis of available data
shows that different tribes adapted to similar set of professions in the evolving
timeline.
The aboriginals,
pushed to a remote area on social, professional, economic and political
considerations, were compelled to subsist on the natural resources confined to
its ‘natural ecological niche’. Compartmentalized professionals, with social
and political justification of high and low status, enjoyed, nevertheless, an
equally important place in the religio-cultural evolution of the Tulu Nadu.
These professions - then and now – are shaped by needs of the Time.
Class of
Beauticians
Nai-Barber
community, nick-named as ‘hair-stylists, are known regionally by different
names in India. There is a light-hearted
comment (masked in teasing tone) in Tulu on seeing a newly hair-cut person: ‘ನಿನ್ನ ಕೊರಪೊಳು ಪೊರ್ಲು ಉಲ್ಲೋಳ್’ (Ninna korapolu porlu ullol). It means: Your ‘crop’ is very beautiful. Here, Korapolu stands for woman of Koraga
Community. They are naturally beautiful
with photo-genic face and by braiding their hair in their own rustic ways. May be, this is the reason for such a blithe comparison.
They are known as
‘Nayindas’ in Karnataka though there are various nomenclatures regionally. In Tulu Tongue, they are known as Kelasi, Bhandari,
Maddela or Madyela and Melanta. Maddela or Madyela is ‘Madivala’, both in Tulu
and Kannada. Melantas were working for Mogaveeras; now the practice is discontinued
on absorbing them into Mogaveera community. There is also a sub-sect among
Bunts, known as Melantas. Now in Tulu Nadu, all in hair-styling or dressing profession
are called as ‘Savita Semaj’.Their jobs include hair-dressing, shaving,
removing hairs under arm-pits, trimming eye-brows, nail-cutting, colouring of
head-hairs and medicinal treatment to face and hair. Some of them do the
traditional purification rituals in village households and temples.
They are called
as Ambattan In Tamil Nadu, Kavutian in Kerala, Nhavi or Nabhik in Maharashtra,
Mangali in Andhra Pradesh, Ghajios/Matkos in Gujarat, Napit/Mahu Napit in West Bengal,
Bhondari in Odisha, Sanmukh in Satara, Variks (Time-keeper) in Sholapur,
Hadapada (Lingayat) in Bijapur, Bidar, etc. of erstwhile Nizam Karnataka.
Bhandaris are
mostly found in Ankola, Honnavara, Karwar, South Kanara. They are doing hair-cutting services to
higher castes, such as Brahman, Bunt and Jain.
Mhalle, Mahale or
Malye is a sect among the barbers who migrated from Goa to Tulu Nadu.
In the North,
each region has distinct name for the Nai, more correctly Nayinda, such as
Sen/Sain or Napit (Haryana), Raja (Punjab), Kuleen (Himachal Pradesh), Khawas
(Rajasthan – They work as attendants to grandees as Melantas in Tulu Nadu), Raja
or Ustad, Nai-Thakur or Savita Samaj (Delhi), Shrivas, Sarathe (Sanskrit:
Stotri?), Savita, Napit, Omre, etc.
Muslim Nais are called as Haj(j)ams.
By Notification, it was ordered that the spelling for ‘Nai’ should be
‘Nayi’ (Thanks to the efforts of Pandit Revati Pradeep Sharma of Varanasi in
Thirties of last Century). They lead wedding parties, carry messages between
villages and communities. They are
followers of Lord Krishna. They adopted
many clan names: Sains, Mangali, Vostad, Manthri, Nayee, Valand (Gujarat). They might have also adopted the Brahmi
Surname ‘Sharma’, for doing hair-cutting job only for Brahmins. (Note: ‘Senvivah’ is a popular Matrimonial
Portal).
Each small
traditional group is now demanding more benefits under BC/OBC category.
Etymology
The word ‘Nayee’
stems from the Sanskrit root ‘Nay’.
‘Nay’ means ‘Nayak’, i.e. one who leads.
Nayees acted as ambassadors between different States, being Khatrias
(i.e. kshatrias), who changed their profession.
In Karnataka, including Tulu Nadu, Nayees played pivotal role in state
matters (under Vijaya Nagara Empire and feudal chieftains and kings). Story of Nandu Raya of Tulu Nadu is
proverbial (See a Post on Panambur or so in our Blog).
Nomenclature
‘Kelasi’ in Tulu Nadu is derived from Kelasa, meaning work, as per a Note on
Barbers of Tuluva by Mr. M. Bapu Rao.
Readers may do well if they read (e-Book) Castes & Tribes of south
India, Vol. III, by Edgar Thurston & Rangachari for an insight into this
class of Kelasi of South Kanara.
Bhandari and
Hadapa names are derived becauseof box they carry with implements necessary to
their profession.
Napita means one
who deals in hair-cutting. It is
considered as corruption of Sanskrit word ‘Snapitri’, meaning one who
bathes. It may be more so when he makes
others to bathe.
Legends
There are many legends:
·
Lord Brahma created the Sage Savita (meaning:
One who shines and makes others shining) to do services of hair-cutting to
Gods. He is supposed to have written the
Samaveda andhis daughter is Gayatri, author of Gayantri Mantra. Somabrahma, a master in Ayurveda, is supposed
to be the son-in-law of Gayatri. Barbers
were used to practice Ayurveda. Barbers
take pride as progeny of their Progenitor Savita Brahma Rishi.
·
Nayindas also profess that they are born from
the left eye of Lord Shiva. Legend is that Goddess Parvati made fun of God
Shiva’s unkempt mien. Taking a cue, Lord
Shiva created a man from his left eye, who came out with a box of cutting and
shaving instruments and musical instruments. Some play musical instruments in
temples and are aptly known as ‘Bhajantris’ in North Karnataka. So, they are called as ‘Nayanajas’ (those who
are born from eye or Nayana Kshatriyas. Nayana = eye, ja = to come forth/born).
·
According to Mythology, Nayee is born to a
Khatria father and Shudra mother.
·
Another story tells that Lord Shiva created
them from his navel to cut and clean the nails of his consort Parvati.
·
In another legend, it is Vasuki, who created
the first barber from the Nabhi (=navel)
of Lord Shiv. So, the progeny is called
as ‘Navi or Napik or Napit.
·
According to L.K. Anantha Krishna Iyer’s
writings, Ambattans (of Tamil) are descendants of a Vaisya woman by a Brahmin.
·
In Dravidian Encyclopedia (1993:467: Vol.2),
Nayindas are descendants from one of Brahma’s sons (i.e. Mangal Maha Muni)
through a Sudra Woman.
·
In South Kanara (meaning erstwhile Kanara
District), legend says that Lord Shiva created ‘Kelasi’ (=doer of a job)
community to perform Kshourika Vritti (hair-cutting profession).
·
A Gandharva woman was accursed to be a
rock. Lord Parashuram redeemed her from
the curse and blessed her with sons, equal to Brahmins, who would perform
rituals as performed by brahmins, besides their destined profession of
hair-cutting or hair-dressing.
·
In recent history, Pandit Revati Prasad
Sharma, born in Varanasi to a Nayinda family, strived for the uplift of Nayinda
Community. He digged into the Scriptures
and Puranas and wrote many books, which traced the lineage of Nayindas. Two
important books are: Nahvi Brahman Pradeep and Nahvi Brahmana Vansh Katha. He founded an Organisation, named ‘Akhila
Bharatiya Nayi Mahasabha, Banarese.
Owing to his efforts, the then British Government of Indiacertified the
Nayindas as “Nayi Brahman” in 1930, and declared that they be returned in
Census records as such.Other Provinces also followed suit to bring out similar
Declarations.
Social Functions
of Tuluva Savitas
In Tulu Nadu,
Madivala’s place in physical cleanings and religious cleansing is proverbial.
At the same time, we have observed some attitude of contempt. Now they may be entertaining low and high
ideas, based on difference in cleaning - laundry cleaning and hair-cutting and
on their participation in religious rituals. There are divisions among them as
(1) Parel Maddele, (2) maddele and (3) bhandari or kelasi.
The sect called
as ‘Parel Madyele’ under Madyela, works
traditionally as barbers to certain class of Tuluva people. Even today, madyelas
or madivalas perform as priests to Tulu people in all matters from birth, naming
ceremony, first menstruation of girls, marriage (Subha-shobhana, i.e.
auspicious rituals) to death rituals (considered ashuba, i.e. inauspicious)from
funeral to last rites) despite incursion of Vaidika customs. These are all
activities of purification.
They get salary for the services and keep the
sacred offerings (purified rice with kumkum, coconuts, betel leaves and nuts,
etc). There is a saying in vogue in Tulu: “ಓಡಾರಿ ಅರೆ ಬುಡಾಯೆ,
ಅರಿ ತಾರಾಯಿ ಮಡ್ಯೆಳೆ ಬುಡಾಯೆ” (Odaari ‘are’ budaaye, ‘aritaraayi’ madyele budaaye). Odaari = potter, are
= softened soil prepared by leg-thumping over special soil with water, ari =
rice, taraayi = coconuts, madyele = washerman, Budu = to leave, Budaaye = one
who does not leave or forget to take things.
It means that pot-maker uses all softened soil without wasting while
making pots. Similarly, a washerman makes
it a point to take away all the offerings made in a purification ceremony.
Ujeneer (ಊಜೆನೀರ್)
The water drips in the pot when the soaked clothes
are steam-boiled by washerman. This
collected steam water is considered holy and hence is used in ritual
purification by priestly washerman.
Similarly, ashes of coconut fronds, obtained from the oven of washerman,
are used in ritual purification of clothes.
Bolgude Paarravuni
In Annual ceremonies of kola or nema for divine
spirits their presence is necessary.They are working as bearers of decorated
post, known as Bolgode (= bol+kode = white umbrella) in ceremonies of Divine
Spirits. It is known as ‘ಬೊಳ್ಗೊಡೆ ಪಾರಾವುನಿ’ (Bolgode Paaraavuni). It is a ritual of wielding a supple and
decorated post, supporting it on waist cloth near navel, while going around the
Bhuta/Daiva Shrine in procession in front of impersonators of Divine Spirits.
Conclusion
Nayinda, a
Dravidian Class, is a generic term for all traditional barber
communities. They have ethnic links to
other parts of India. But in the course
of time, the difference in language, environment and culture make them distinct, forbidding
them to have dining together or marrying in between two castes of the same
profession. Winds of change are
breezing silently now despite resistance.
The hair-cutting
business has climbed to a high status with the modern class of beauticians and
beauty parlours with sophistication. Similarly, washing and dry-cleaning
business is an industry instead of a household business.
When I came to
Mumbai in late fifties of last century, chain of laundries branded as ‘Band
Box’ was well-known. It was a grand sight to see
white collared people surging out in mornings from railway stations and marching
on to offices and surging back into railway stations in evenings (Note: ‘White
Collar’ is a sobriquet for (office) working class.
White Drill and long/poplin cotton cloths were the order of the day for
pants and shirts. Jeans and chequered
shirts have taken its place these days.
The communities in Tulu Nadu have been (as we
observed) a cohesive society despite the high and low distinctions, based on
economic considerations. This is a
fundamental spirit of Tuluva ethos. On
religious matters, each community has a part to play, as we see in temples and
shrines of divine spirits (Daivasthana) even today. There is a moral element, determining a
character’s action, devoid of his/her individual thoughts or emotion. There has been an economic co-operation. Alas!
It is now under threat due to parochial sentiments.
Feelings make one what one is. It is our thoughtful attempt to bring out the
details of Nayindas. There is no
carefree indifference to offend anyone’s feelings.
Readers comments would enthuse us to bring out more
Posts on the inhabitants of Tulu Nadu.
-Hosabettu Vishwanath, Pune
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