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It has been suggested that History of the Konkan be merged into this article or section. () |
The Konkan Division is the administrative division in the costal region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It has a diverse number of ethnic and religious communities.
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Mahars
The people of the Mahar caste are supposed to be the original dwellers in Konkan. There exists certain traditions and rituals in Konkan that allude to this. For example 'Mahar Muth'(symbolically giving some share of corn to Mahar as the first 'Mankari'(authority or owner of the land), 'Mhar dhan'(symbolically giving some money to mahar and buy some land for funeral rites)etc. There is also a ritual followed among Konkani Brahmans which is linked with Mahars. Basically if there are any issues with child or concerns over child birth, the infant is given to a Mahar family. The child stays with Mahar family for a day or two and is then given back to the biological parents; the parents in turn give betel leaves and a kanika to the Mahar family. The child is given a Mahar name. It is believed that all ills associated with family or child is washed off and they get the child back from blessing of the goddess. Another important tradition to feed the Mahars during religious occasions and auspicious days.
Gabit
Gabits or Aarmari Marathas is supposed to be one of the ancient branches of Maratha root. They originally belong to South coastal Konkan (i.e.Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Goa) and traditionally worked in the Aarmar(Navy) of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.South Coastal Konkan. They are found in the coastal parts of Karnataka also.The traditional profession of Gabit people is fishing and working on the ships. They are also one of the ancient dwellers in Konkan, living with the help of the sea. Living near the coasts the community has acquired many skills to live with the sea.
Marathas
The Maratha community is situated from Mumbai to Karwar. They are majorly found in Raigad, Sindhudurg, North Goa, the southern tip of South Goa and Karwar. The dialect of the Maratha community changes as per the region, although almost all of them are well-versed in Marathi which is the caste-language of the Marathas. Marathas in Raigad and Ratnagiri speak pure Marathi, while those in Sindhudurg speak the Malvani langguage, which is a creole between Marathi and Konkani. Those in Goa and Karwar speak Konkani. There are three subgroups among the Konkani Marathas - the Shahnav Kuli Marathas or the 96 Royal Clan Marathas, the Kunbi Marathas and the Gomantak Marathas. Aarmari Marathas is also supposed to be one of the ancient branches of Maratha root. They originally belong to coastal parts in Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Goa and traditionally worked in the Aarmar(Navy) of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Chitpavan Brahmins
The Chitpavan Brahmins, also known as Kokanashta, are found in coastal Maharashtra. Many of them have contributed a lot to the development of a distinct Kokan-Marathi culture which distinguishes the Maharashtrian Konkanites from the Desh Marathis. The Peshwas of the Maratha Empire like Bajirao, Balaji Bajirao and Madhavrao belonged to this community. So did Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Swatantryaveer Savarkar.
Daivadnya Brahmins
The Daivadnya community is a Hindu caste from the western coast of India, the Konkan. Languages spoken by members of the community include Marathi, Konkani, and Kannada.
Rajapur Saraswat Brahmins
This community gets its name from Rajapur in Ratnagiri district. They are allied to Kavale Mutt in Goa.
Konkani Muslims
There are large Konkani Muslim communities in Mumbai, Thane, and Ratnagiri and sindhudurg. They are descendants of Arab traders and some Hindu converts. Konkani Muslims are heavily involved in the merchant navy, shipbuilding, and textile industries in India. They trace their ancestry back to the Arab traders who arrived on the Western coast of India during the medieval era. The diaspora spread out around India and the rest of the world maintain their strong sense of community and identity. They predominantly belong to the Shafi'i school of Islamic jurisprudence, unlike North Indian Muslims who generally adhere to the Hanafi school
Siddis
The Siddis are African warriors who were shipwrecked near Ratnagiri. They quickly organized themselves and gained control of the surrounding territory. The Janjira fort was occupied and held by them for a long time, they are Muslims and are found around Ratnagiri and Raigadh.
Bene Israeli
The Bene Israelites were originally Teli by caste, Vaishyas or Shudras specializing in the extraction of vegetable oil and its commerce. It is claimed that they are descended from Jewish refugees in the Konkan. However, their mother tongue is Marathi, not Konkani. (Their language is described as Judæo-Marathi, but it is admitted that this is not a truly distinct dialect).
Samvedi/Shamedi
The Samvedi are descended from a Brahmin sub-caste that settled around Bombay, or more exactly around the then entrepots of Thane, Kalyan and Sopara.
East Indians
East Indians are a Marathi-speaking , Roman Catholic ethnic or sub-ethnic group, based in and around the city of Mumbai in western Indian state of Maharashtra. These people are of the original Marathi ethnic group and had been evangelized by the Portuguese.
Notable residents
- Bal Gangadhar Tilak, pillar of the Indian Independence Movement
- Zakir Naik, a radical Islamic scholar
- Makhdoom Ali Mahimi, a Sufi saint
- Ratnakar Matkari, a playwright
- Balaji Vishwanath, Peshwa of the erstwhile Peshwa empire
- Johny Walker, an Indian filmstar
- Shafi Inamdar, an actor
- Abdul Rehman Antulay - MP and former CM of Maharashtra
