Wilfred0198 at 13:45, 26 March 2026

2026-03-26T13:45:06Z

New page

{{short description|Hindu and Christian caste system in the Indian state of Goa}}
{{pp-semi-indef|small=yes}}
{{More footnotes needed|date=August 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}

The '''caste system in Goa''' consists of various ''[[Jāti]]s'' or sub-castes found among [[Hindus]] belonging to the four ''[[Varna (Hinduism)|varna]]s'' ([[Brahmin]], [[Kshatriya]], [[Vaishya]], and [[Shudra]]), as well as those [[Avarna|outside of them]]. A variation of the traditional Hindu caste system was also retained by the [[Goan Catholics|Goan Catholic]] community.

==Hindu caste system==
According to the [[Gazetteer of India, Union Territory: Goa, Daman and Diu]], Part I, published in 1979 the 'chief castes' found in Goa are:

===Brahman===
*[[Pancha-Gauda|Pancha Gauda Brahmin]]s Saraswat Brahmins are spread over widely separated regions spanning from [[Kashmir]] and [[Punjab]] in the north to the [[Konkan]] region of southwest India covering the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Kerala. The word Saraswat is derived from the Rigvedic Sarasvati River.
**[[Gaud Saraswat Brahmin]]s popularly known as GSBs. They are landowning though most were engaged in clerical jobs, trade, priests and landlords.
**[[Kudaldeshkar Gaud Brahman]] were landowning class generally associated with agriculture and trade.
**[[Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin]] were associated with trade.
**[[Rajapur Saraswat Brahmin]] also known as Bhalavalikar Saraswat Brahmins.<ref name="ReferenceA">"Gomantak Prakruti ani Sanskruti" by B.D. Satoskar.</ref><ref name=dhume>{{cite book
|last=Sinai Dhume
|first=Anant Ramkrishna
|title=The Cultural History of Goa from 10000 B.C. to 1352 A.D.
|year=1986
|publisher=University of Michigan
}}</ref><ref name="Mitragotri 1999">{{cite book
|title=A Socio-cultural History of Goa from the Bhojas to the Vijayanagara
|first=Vithal Raghavendra
|last=Mitragotri
|date=1999
|publisher=Institute Menezes Braganza
|location=Panjim}}</ref>

*[[Pancha-Dravida|Pancha Dravida Brahmins]]
**The two sub-castes was known as the [[Padye]] Brahmins and [[Bhatt Prabhu]]s, popularly known as 'Bhatt' and 'Prabhu' respectively. They generally associate themselves with [[Karhade Brahmin]]s. They are landowning castes and were engaged as temples priests and in agriculture, some into money lending.<ref name="Pereira1978">{{cite book|last1=Gomes Pereira|first1=Rui|title=Goa: Hindu temples and deities (translated from the original in Portuguese by Antonio Victor Couto)|date=1978|publisher=Pereira, 1978|pages=1–231}}</ref>
**[[Chitpavan Brahmins]] also known as ''[[Konkanastha]] Brahman'' are priests, few in area like Sattari are landowners and work in other professions.<ref name="Pereira1978"/>
**Kramavanta Joshi or Kriyavant Joshi, they were a class of priests who officiated Hindu funeral ceremony and were looked down upon by the above-mentioned castes.

=== 96 Kuli Maratha ===

Kshatriyas of Goa historically belonged to different clans, and they were collectively referred to as ''[[Christian Cxatria|Chardo]]'' prior to the Portuguese rule in Goa.

Historian and Journalist B.D. Satoskar has cited [[Shenoi Goembab]] Konkani Author and Grammerian had said that "The Konkani word Chardo comes from the Sanskrit word Chatur-Rathi & the Prakrit word Chau-radi literally means The one who rides a chariot yoked with four horses, like Maha-Rathi for the origin of the word 'Maratha'.Chatur-rathi have entered Goa through Dwaraka & Cheddis."<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

The term ''Chardo'' fell into disuse among the Hindu Kshatriyas, in order to differentiate from those Kshatriyas who converted to [[Catholic Christian]]ity. Later, the Hindus Kshatriyas began to identify themselves as ''Marathas'' of the Mahratta confederacy of the Deccan.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

===Vaishya Vani===
Vaishya/[[Vaishya Vani]]: are the traditional community of traders, and are commonly known as ''Vani''s.

===Daivadnya===
[[Daivadnya Brahmin]]s are popularly known as [[Shett]]s, they mainly work as jewellers.They are Mahajan of [[Kasarpali]] Kalika devi Temple in [[Bicholim]] . They're [[Forward Caste]]<ref>{{Cite book|title=Survey Report on Village: Goa, Daman & Diu|last=Rajendran|first=S.|publisher=CPublications|location=Director of Census Operations, functions Goa, for Daman & Diu|pages=10}}</ref><ref name="Ghurye 1969 https://archive.org/details/casteraceinindia0000ghur/page/449 449">{{Cite book|title=Caste and Race in India |url=https://archive.org/details/casteraceinindia0000ghur |url-access=registration |series=Popular library of Indian sociology and social thought|last=Ghurye|first=Govind Sadashiv|publisher=Popular Prakashan|year=1969|isbn=9788171542055|pages=[https://archive.org/details/casteraceinindia0000ghur/page/449 449]}}</ref><ref name="Pereira1978"/>

===Bhandaris===
{{Unreferenced section|date=September 2024}}

B.D. Satoskar notes that the Naik/Hetkari subcaste of the Bhandari community from the Konkan region served as naval warriors during the [[Maratha kingdom]], with Mainak Bhandari being a notable naval commander. In later periods, members of this community also served in the British Army Called [[Bhandari Militia]]. Traditionally, their primary occupation has been toddy tapping. The Bhandari community is classified under the [[Other Backward Class]] (OBC) and is one of the largest social groups in Goa.

===Kalavants===
Commonly known as ''Kalavants'' and now known as [[Gomantak Maratha Samaj]] is a group of various sub-castes who served the temples and the aristocrats in the olden days. Gomantak Maratha is relatively a new ameliorative name (coined in the late 20th century <ref name="ReferenceA"/>) given to these groups for uniting and emancipating them.<ref>{{cite book|last= Gracias|first=Fatima da Silva|title=Kaleidoscope of women in Goa, 1510-1961 |pages=80}}</ref>

===Artisan castes===
These include ''Chari''s, ''Chitaris'' who call themselves [[Vishwakarma Manu Maya Brahmin]], Sutars and Kasars. They are included in the [[Other Backward Class]] list of the [[Government of India]].
Rest of castes generally referred to as [[Shudra]]s or ''Sudir''s in Konkani do not really follow the four-fold [[varna (Hinduism)|varna]] system, but have recently started claiming higher status. Most of them have been practicing different occupations historically and now are categorized as Other Backward Class by Govt of Goa, these include [[dhobi|Madval]] (Rajak, Dhobi), Gosavi , Shimpi, Khumbar, Teli, Nathjogi, this list also includes Roman Catholic counterparts of few Hindu castes too].<ref name="Pereira1978"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ncbc.nic.in/backward-classes/goa.html |title=Central list of other backward classes |access-date=2009-06-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090619081822/http://ncbc.nic.in/backward-classes/goa.html |archive-date=2009-06-19 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Scheduled Castes of Goa===
Following castes are commonly known as [[Dalit]]s.
* [[Chambhar]]
* [[Mahar]]
* [[Mahyavanshi]] ([[Vankar]])
* [[Mang (caste)|Mang]]

===Scheduled Tribes of Goa===
These include the castes Velip, [[Gauda and Kunbi]], which are considered as [[adivasis]] in the state of Goa.

===Historically outside Comunidade===

====Dhangars====
[[Dhangar]], also referred as Gouly or [[Gavli]], is the state's only ancient pastoral community. In Goa under colonialism, the community kept away from the rest of society as they wanted to escape the grazing tax and the ban on ''Kumeri'' ([[shifting cultivation]]) introduced by the [[Portuguese Empire]]. Dhangar leaders claim that they had fled to remote hilly and forested areas to avoid religious persecution and religious conversion. They were not part of the ''comunidade'' anywhere in Goa. It is claimed that throughout the [[Portuguese India|Portuguese rule]] in Goa they were so insulated that not a single Dhangar was converted to [[Christianity]].<ref name="Herald">{{cite news |first=Team | last=Herald| date= 2013-10-24| title=Dhangars-Gouly treated like outsiders, says report| url=https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/The-Sunday-Roundtable/dhangarsgouly-treated-like-outsiders-says-report/71208| location=Goa| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024214457/https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/The-Sunday-Roundtable/dhangarsgouly-treated-like-outsiders-says-report/71208| archive-date=24 October 2020}}</ref> Their knowledge and experience of deep forests played a major part in finding specific locations to build forts for the Maratha kingdom to flourish. A study carried out by [[Government of Goa]] in 2013 stated that the community had a unique identity, and are known for their martial prowess.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kerkar |first=Rajendra |date=2019-01-11 |title=Tribal tag for Dhangars long pending|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/tribal-tag-for-dhangars-long-pending/articleshow/67478622.cms |location=Goa|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024214451/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/tribal-tag-for-dhangars-long-pending/articleshow/67478622.cms |archive-date=24 October 2020 }}</ref><ref name="Herald"/><ref>{{cite thesis |type=PhD |last=Draxe |first=M. J. |date=1987 |title=The dange dhangars of Kolhapur district: A sociological study |publisher=Shivaji University | url= https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/138156/9/09_chapter%204.pdf | page=71}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first=L. K. |last=Singh |title=Indian Cultural Heritage Perspective For Tourism |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u21tp_JG9I0C |year=2008 |publisher=Asian Educational Services |isbn=9788182054752 |page=57}}</ref> In [[Goa]], they are classified in the [[Other Backward Classes]] category in India's [[Reservation in India|system of reservation]].<ref>{{cite report |author=Central Commission for Backward Classes |date= 2020-10-20|title=Central List of OBCs Goa|url=http://www.ncbc.nic.in/User_Panel/GazetteResolution.aspx?Value=mPICjsL1aLv%2BpzkDbfVwy7KkMoLIvvaceTAbtkdOdl%2F2XEmG8ajygAg6ldNVbPZ9|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201020162529/http://www.ncbc.nic.in/User_Panel/GazetteResolution.aspx?Value=mPICjsL1aLv%2BpzkDbfVwy7KkMoLIvvaceTAbtkdOdl%2F2XEmG8ajygAg6ldNVbPZ9|archive-date= 20 October 2020}}</ref>

==Christianity==
In [[Goa]], mass conversions were carried out by Portuguese Catholic missionaries from [[Portuguese conquest of Goa|the 1510 conquest]] onwards. The Portuguese clergy imposed Portuguese surnames on the converts at the time of [[baptism]] so that it would be difficult to ascertain their original caste. The Portuguese authorities also suppressed [[untouchability]] among the converts and attempted to homogenize them into a single class.<ref>{{Cite book
|last=Boxer
|first=C. R.
|year=1963
|title=Race Relations in the Portuguese Colonial Empire, 1415-1825
|publisher=Oxford Clarendon Press
|page=75
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book
|last=Prabhu
|first=Alan Machado
|year=1999
|title=Sarasvati's Children: A History of the Mangalorean Christians
|publisher=I.J.A. Publications
|isbn=978-81-86778-25-8
}}</ref>

However, the converts retained a variation of their caste status based on patrilineal descent from their previous caste affiliations. All Brahmin sub-castes ([[Saraswat]]s, [[Padye]]s and [[Daivadnya]]s) were merged into the Christian caste of ''[[Roman Catholic Brahmin|Bamonns]]'' (Konkani: Brahmins).<ref name="Bamonn">{{Cite document
|last2=Goa, Daman and Diu (India). Gazetteer Dept
|last1=Gune
|first1=Vithal Trimbak
|year=1979
|title=Gazetteer of the Union Territory Goa, Daman and Diu: district gazetteer, Volume 1
|page=238
|publisher=Gazetteer Dept., Govt. of the Union Territory of Goa, Daman and Diu
}}</ref> The converts from the [[Kshatriya]] and [[Vaishya Vani]] castes were merged together as ''[[Roman Catholic Kshatriya|Chardos]]'' (Kshatriyas)<ref name="Bamonn"/> and those [[Vaishyas]] who did not become ''Chardos'' formed a new caste called ''Gauddos''.<ref>{{Cite book
|last=Gomes
|first=Olivinho
|year=1987
|title=Village Goa: a study of Goan social structure and change
|publisher=S. Chand
|page=78
}}</ref> The converts from all the lower castes, as well as the previously [[Dalit]] and [[adivasi]] groups, were grouped together as ''Sudirs'', equivalent to [[Shudra]]s.<ref>{{Cite book
|last3=National Folklore Support Centre (India)
|last2=University of Madras. Dept. of Anthropology
|last1=Muthukumaraswamy
|first1=M. D.
|editor3-last=National Folklore Support Centre (India)
|editor2-last=University of Madras. Dept. of Anthropology
|editor1-last=Muthukumaraswamy
|editor1-first=M. D.
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lC6FCZ9VcaAC
|title=Folklore as discourse
|publisher=National Folklore Support Centre
|year=2006
|isbn=978-81-901481-6-0
|access-date=25 February 2012
}}</ref><ref name="Bhatt">{{cite book
|title=Land and people of Indian states and union territories (Goa)
|first1=Gopal K.
|last1=Bhargava
|first2=S. C.
|last2=Bhatt
|year=2006
|publisher=Kalpaz Publications
|page=39}}</ref> The ''Bamonns'', ''Chardos'' and ''Gauddos'' have been hierarchically seen as the high castes in the [[Goan Christian]] society.<ref>{{Cite book
|last=Gomes
|first=Olivinho
|year=1987
|title=Village Goa: a study of Goan social structure and change
|publisher=S. Chand
|page=79
}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Hinduism in Goa]]
*[[Maratha Clan System]]
*[[Christianity in Goa]]
*[[Christianity in India]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*[[Gazetteer of India, Union Territory: Goa, Daman and Diu]], Part I which looks at Goa (published in 1979)
*[[The Gazette of India]], Extraordinary, Part-1, section-1, published by authority, India{{Cite web|url=http://socialjustice.nic.in/bc111296.pdf|title=The Gazette of India, Extraordinary|access-date=2009-06-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410023019/http://socialjustice.nic.in/bc111296.pdf|archive-date=2009-04-10|url-status=dead}}
{{Ethnic and social groups of Goa and the Konkan}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Caste System In Goa}}
[[Category:Society of Goa]]
[[Category:Hinduism in Goa]]
[[Category:Religion in Goa]]
[[Category:Caste system in India]]

Caste system in Goa - Revision history

Wilfred0198 at 13:45, 26 March 2026