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Last edited December 3, 2025


Template:Infobox ethnic group Madhva Brahmins (also often referred as Madhvas or Sadh-Vaishnavas[1]), are communities of Hindus from the Brahmin caste in India, who follow Sadh Vaishnavism (Template:Langx) and Dvaita philosophy propounded by Madhvacharya. They are found mostly in the Indian states of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.[2]

History

The Madhwa community traces its philosophical origins to Madhvacharya, the founder of Tattvavada (Dvaita) philosophy, who lived around 13th century. The Ashta Mathas of Udupi were established by Madhvacharya by his disciples. Other Acharyas who established mathas after Madhvacharya include Padmanabha Tirtha, Naraharitirtha, Akshobhya Tirtha, Jayatirtha, Sripadaraja, Vyasatirtha, Vadiraja Tirtha, Vijayendra Tirtha, Raghavendra Tirtha.[3] The affiliations of the Madhwa philosophy extended in the form of temples and monasteries from Udupi in South India to Dwaraka in West India, to Gaya in East India to Badrinath in the North India.[4]

The town of Udupi is famous for the Sri Krishna temple of the 13th century. The Madhwas believe that the human soul is saved by the grace of God and God bestows on true devotees. Devotional worship is central to the lives of madhwas.[5]

Demographics

Statewise list of Brahmin communities who have a section that follows the Dvaita Vedanta of Madhvacharya.[6][7]

Society and culture

File:Samber Dosa Chutney.JPG
Masala dosa with Sambar and chutney in Udupi

Language

Madhwa Brahmins are not a homogeneous community. Followers of Madhvacharya include Brahmins from multiple regions and are from various linguistic backgrounds. Madhwas who speak Kannada, one of the major languages of the mainly southern Dravidian languages group, speak a variety of Kannada that borders on a literary dialect.[23] Even in the non-Kannada states Madhwas speak Kannada in their homes but with outsiders they speak the native language of that state.[24] The Marathi, Kannada, Telugu and Tamil speaking Madhva Brahmins are all followers of Deshastha Mathas, which are spread in Maharashtra and throughout South India.[25] The Tulu speaking Madhva Brahmins are followers of Tuluva Mathas. They are mainly concentrated in Tulunadu region of Karnataka, in the coastal districts of Udupi, Dakshina Kannada of present-day Karnataka state, and also in Kasargod and other parts of Kerala state. The Konkani speaking Madhva Brahmins are Gaud Saraswat Madhva Brahmins, who are spread throughout the Coastal Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Kerala.Template:Sfn The Bihari, Magahi and Hindi speaking Madhva Brahmins are Gayawal Brahmins, who are spread throughout the Gaya and Benares.[26]Template:Sfn

Occupations

The traditional occupation of Madhwa Brahmins is priesthood, but they also engaged in occupations such as agriculture and the business. At present, the majority of them work in government and private sectors.[27]

The Tuluva Madhvas and Deshastha Madhvas are more sought after for priestly services by other communities. The Gaud Saraswat Madhvas are a religiously self-contained community. There are numerous cultural difference between these three subdivisions.[28] In Bihar, Gayawal Brahmins are traditionally priests. They are the priests in the famous Vishnupad Temple, Gaya, who also hold a traditional monopoly over the performance of shraddha rituals on the Ghats of Gaya.[29]

Diet

Template:Main Madhwa Brahmins are pure vegetarian and their staple cereals are rice and wheat.[30] Udupi cuisine is a synonymous name to Madhwa cuisine. It is a major vegetarian cuisine of Karnataka, which includes a combination of cereals, pulses, vegetables and spices.[31]

Typical Madhwa cuisine consists of Saaru (Rasam), Huli (Sambar), Gojju and Anna (Rice).[32] Gojju is generally a beloved dish to entire Madhwa community.[33] In sweets, Hayagreeva is a very common sweet dish made in most Madhwa Brahmin homes, made using Bengal gram with jaggery and coconut. [34]

Strict Madhva Brahmins avoid onion, garlic, red lentils (masoor), and even carrots, radish, brinjal, drumstick, and a few other vegetables and spices. They usually only eat food (prasāda) that is offered (naivedya) to one of the Vishnu deities, and fast on Vaishnava Ekadashi days (twice a month) without taking any food or water. Fruits and milk are usually allowed on Ekadashi days.Template:Citation needed

Social and political issues

In 2017 the government of Karnataka introduced The Karnataka Prevention and Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices and Black Magic Bill, 2017 in the assembly, which planned to ban all superstition practices considered black magic that promoted "social evils" and the persecution of skeptics. After much debate, Madhwa practices were exempted. In this practice, mudras usually made of gold or copper are heated in the yajna fire and stamped on the body.[35]

Notable people

See also

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Notes

Template:Notelist

  1. Sadhus of India: The Sociological View{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Popular Prakashan(1978)
  2. The Illustrated Weekly of India, Volume 93{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Bennett, Coleman & Company, Limited, at the Times of India Press(1972)
  3. Studies in social history: modern India{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. St. Paul's Press Training School(1964)
  4. Life and Teachings of Narayana Guru: In Two Parts{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Narayana Gurukula Foundation(1990)
  5. Wholesome nutrition for mind, body, and microflora: the goal of lacto-vegetarianism (recipes of Udipi cuisine included){{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Ecobiology Foundation International(1992). ISBN 9780963499905
  6. B.G. Kher, the Gentleman Premier{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan(1989)
  7. States, Citizens and Outsiders: The Uprooted Peoples of South Asia{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. South Asia Forum for Human Rights(1997)
  8. Karnataka State Gazetteer: South Kanara{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Director of Print., Stationery and Publications at the Government Press(1973)
  9. Marriage and Family in Mysore{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. AMS Press(1978). ISBN 9780404159757
  10. Marriage and Family in Mysore{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. AMS Press(1978). ISBN 9780404159757
  11. Karnataka State Gazetteer: Mysore{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Director of Print, Stationery and Publications at the Government Press(1988)
  12. Karnataka State Gazetteer: South Kanara{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Director of Print., Stationery and Publications at the Government Press(1973)
  13. Karnataka State Gazetteer: Belgaum{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Karnataka (India), Director of Print, Stationery and Publications at the Government Press(1987)
  14. Understanding Our Fellow Pilgrims{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Gujarat Sahitya Prakash(2000). ISBN 9788187886105
  15. The Castes and Tribes of H.E.H. the Nizam's Dominions, Volume 1{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Asian Educational Services(1989). ISBN 9788120604889
  16. The Chitpavans: Social Ascendancy of a Creative Minority in Maharashtra, 1818–1918{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Shubhi Publications(2008). ISBN 9788182901322
  17. India's Communities, Volume 6{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Oxford University Press(1998). ISBN 9780195633542
  18. Social Change in Village India:An Andhra Case Study{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Prithvi Raj Publishers(1975)
  19. The Structure of Indian Society: Then and Now{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Routledge(6 December 2012). ISBN 9781136197710
  20. Religion in India{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Oxford University Press(1992)
  21. A socio-cultural history of Goa from the Bhojas to the Vijayanagara{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Institute Menezes Braganza(1999)
  22. Survey of Ancient India: Literary and cultural perspectives on ancient{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Anmol Publications(1999). ISBN 9788126101955
  23. Bakhtin and Translation Studies: Theoretical Extensions and Connotations{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Cambridge Scholars Publishing
  24. Tamil Nadu, Part 2{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Anthropological Survey of India(1997)
  25. Studies in the Linguistic Sciences, Volumes 8–9{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Department of Linguistics, University of Illinois(1978)
  26. The Sacred Complex in Hindu Gaya{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Concept Publishing Company(1978)
  27. People of India: India's communities, Volume 5{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Oxford University Press(1998). ISBN 9788185579092
  28. Charisma and Canon: Essays on the Religious History of the Indian Subcontinent{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Oxford University Press(2001). ISBN 9780195654530
  29. Journal of Social Research, Volume 17{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Council of Social and Cultural Research, Bihar(1974)
  30. India's Communities, Volume 5{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Oxford University Press(1998). ISBN 9780195633542
  31. Secrets From The Udupi Kitchen
  32. A Peek Into A Madhwa Brahmin Kitchen. India Food Network(10 October 2015).
  33. Curry Easy Vegetarian{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Penguin Random House(2014). ISBN 9781473503458
  34. Sweets from Karnataka that deserve Geographical Indication (GI)
  35. Karnataka Takes Stand Against Superstition, Bans All Evil Practices Including Black Magic. Indiatimes(17 November 2017).
  36. Journal of the Andhra Historical Society, Volumes 25–26{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Andhra Historical Research Society(1960)
  37. Poems and a Novella{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Oxford University Press(2006). ISBN 9780195674989
  38. Sree Puranḍara gānāmrutham: text with notation{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Gānāmrutha Prachuram(1992)
  39. The Illustrated Weekly of India, Volume 101, Issues 35–46{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Bennett, Coleman & Company, Limited, at the Times of India Press(1980)
  40. Statesman and a survivor. Deccab Herald(7 February 2011).
  41. The Vanished Raj A Memoir of Princely India{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Prism Books Private Limited(12 January 2019). ISBN 9789388478113
  42. The Indian Biographical Dictionary, 1915 (Classic Reprint){{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Fb&c Limited(24 February 2018). ISBN 9780666284051
  43. The Quarterly Journal of the Mythic Society (Bangalore)., Volume 73{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. The Society(1982)
  44. Sruti, Issues 112–113{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}(1994)
  45. The quarterly journal of the Mythic society (Bangalore)({Template:Year).
  46. Template:Google books at page 94; Quote – "Rao Bahadur C.Hayavadana Rao was born on Tenth of July 1865 at Hosur, Krishnagiri talk in a Madhwa Deshastha Family.His father was C.Raja Rao"
  47. The Vanished Raj A Memoir of Princely India{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Prism Books Private Limited(12 January 2019). ISBN 9789388478113
  48. Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: A-Devo{{#if:Datta|, Datta}. Sahithya Akademi(1987). ISBN 9788126018031
  49. Encyclopaedia of the Madras Presidency and the Adjacent States{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Oriental Enclyclopaedic Publishing Company(1920)
  50. The Partial Memoirs of V.K.R.V. Rao{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Oxford University Press(2002). ISBN 9780195658231
  51. Man with saucer eyes. The Hindu(28 May 2015).
  52. The Absorption of Hydrocarbon Gases by Non-aqueous Liquids{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. University of Wisconsin—Madison(1990)
  53. The Dharwad Gharana: Hindustani music's southern home.
  54. New trends in Indian art and archaeology: S.R. Rao's 70th birthday felicitation volume, Volume 1{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Aditya Prakashan(1992). ISBN 9788185689135
  55. Vishnuvardhan: The silent superstar(30 December 2009).
  56. C.K. Prahalad Bio.
  57. The mind and metaphors of U.R. Ananthamurthy – The Hindu
  58. Changing roles with the years. The Hindu.
  59. Kashinath laid to rest: Shivaraj Kumar, Darshan and entire Sandalwood bids tearful adieu
  60. The Journal of the Music Academy, Madras, Volume 58{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Music Academy(1987)
  61. Sri Pejavara Adhokshaja Matha. www.pejavara.org. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  62. Archived copy. mha.nic.in. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  63. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mysore_Vasudevachar

References

Bibliography

  • A History of the Dvaita School of Vedānta and Its Literature, 3rd Edition{{#if:Sharma|, Sharma}. Motilal Banarsidass (2008 Reprint)(2000). ISBN 978-8120815759
  • The Sri-Krsna Temple at Udupi: The History and Spiritual Center of the Madhvite Sect of Hinduism{{#if:Hebbar|, Hebbar}. Bharatiya Granth Nikethan(2005). ISBN 81-89211-04-8

Template:Madhva Religious Figures

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