Saturday, September 02, 2017

Do other andra Brahmans accept nayee Brahmans & have marriage contacts with them ?



Do other andra Brahmans accept nayee Brahmans & have marriage contacts with them ?

Three communities in Andhra claim that they are Brahmins, but not accepted as such by the Brahmins proper (When I say "Brahmins proper", I am referring to the temple-based Vaideekis, the Niyogis who have leanings towards white-collared jobs, and other smaller sects such as Telugu Aiyars, Vaishnavites, Dravida Brahmins, Konaseema Brahmins etc. However, please note that the subject as to who are the "Brahmins proper," is a matter of debate and opinion).
The three communities are Nayee Brahmins (traditionally engaged in running hair-cutting saloons, and also in playing music in temples on auspicious occasions), Deva Brahmins or Devangas (weaver community), and Vishwa Brahmins (Goldsmiths). The rough equivalents of Nayee Brahmins in Tamilnadu would be the Isai-Vellalars.

It is puzzling for me as to why the people in these professions would want to claim that they are Brahmins. The present day "Brahmins proper" do not maintain any kind of marriage-relations with these communities. The three communities are also in the OBC list. Deva-Brahmins (particularly in the Prakasam District of Andhra in areas like Jandra Peta), are in financial ruin because of their traditional weaving becoming obsolete, and have high incidence of diseases like tuberculosis. Some of them do suffix Brahminical names like "Achari", "Murthy" etc. to their proper names. When the Mandal Commission Report was implemented, the first person in Andhra to avail the OBC reservations in Central Government jobs was a Vishwa Brahmin (Mr. Ananthachari).

In some regions of India, Brahmins do take to the profession of Mundan (head-shaving) in the temples (and these do inter-marry with other sects of Brahmins). So it is possible that the Nayee Brahmins were a stock of Brahmins, but were later demoted from that status. Their ancestors could also be products of admixture. In any case, I believe in Dr.M.N.Srinivas' theory of Sanskritization. So these may be the people who are in the "process of becoming Brahmins". You may take them as "Brahmanoids".

Old timers amongst them do wear sacred thread, only to be ridiculed by the so called "Brahmins proper".

Hope that clarifies your doubts.

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