U-zZ4m1JqvFJIQt2G-tyy-Cj5VI TELUGU PADMASALI Blog: Origin and History of Telugu Padmashali

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Monday, July 19, 2010

Origin and History of Telugu Padmashali

Padmashali


Padmashali or Padmasali is a Telugu weavers' caste or social group found largely in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. They are identified by different names in various regions throughout India.


Origin



There are two interpretations for the origin of the word "Padmashali" and its group, one from Vaishnava group and one from Siva. Some anthropologists believe it is derived from the Sanskrit. Saliya - Other saliweaver castes.



However, linguistic construction of Dravidian languages traces its root to Proto-South-Dravidian word saal. In Tulu, Saalye or Taalye means "spider". Also, saali means spider in Telugu. Probably, symbolising the weaving activity with the spider's web, this word was coined for weavers. In Tamil, it's Saalikan or Saaliyan. In Kannada, it is Shaaliga or Shaaliya. In Malayalam, Chaaliyan. In Telugu, it's Saalidu or Saalollu.



The word Padmashali has a very deep meaning in Hindu mythology. The Vaishnava group interpret in essence the word Padmashali is a conflation of two words, padma and shali. The word "Padma" is sahasradala padma, meaning the highest order of human intelligence. In body chakras "Padma" refers to sahasrara. The word "Shali" in Sanskrit is 'be holder'. Thus "Padmashali" literally means holder of sahasrara. In physical term it means intelligence. It is believed that Padmavathi of Mangapura of Tirupati declares that she was the daughter of Padmashali. Hence, the name Padmashali. There exists writing in Tirupati to evidence the statement of Padmavathi as daughter of Padmashali's. Another aspect of Padmashali, Padma also refers to Lotus. The Lotus also refers to the intelligence or awakening of sahasrara.


The Siva group has different interpretation - to account for their origin it is given out that in order to clothe the nakedness of people in the world, Siva commissioned Markandeya to perform a sacrifice and one Bhavana Rishi came out of the holy fire, holding a lotus flower Padma in his hand. He married two wives Prasannavati and Bhadravathi, daughters of Surya (The Sun) and had a hundred and one sons, who all took to weaving cloth out of the fibre of the lotus flower men to wear, and became the progenitors of the one hundred and one Gotras this caste. God Surya being pleased with what they did, gave them a fifth veda called Padma Veda; and so men of this caste give out that they belong to Padma Sakha and Markandeya Sutra analogous to the Sakhas, Sutras and Gotras of the Brahmans.


The padmashali has a group who are qualified agama shastra pandits who perform the poojas and vedic rites. They are identified as "PADMA BRAHMINS". Their performances include homa avan poojas marriage performance etc. It should be appreciated that the origin of Padmashalis relates to Brighu Maharshi and Brighu Marharshi was instrumental in writing astrology. Further down in the order of heritage Markandeya who wrote the epic on devi and her shakti. It also means that we were shakti aradhaks.


They profess to have been following all the religious rites prescribed for Brahmans till in the beginning of the Kali age. One of their caste named Padma-saka declined to reveal the virtues of a miraculous gem which Brahma had given to their caste to Ganapathi who sought to learn the secret which they had been enjoined to keep, and who on his wish not being gratified cursed them to fall from their high status. It is said however that one Parabrahmamurti born is Srirama Agrahara pleased Ganapathi by his tapas, and got the curse removed, so that after 5000 years of the Kali-Yuga, they should regain their last position. This Parabrahmamurti other wise known as Padmabavacharya, it is said redistributed the caste into Ninety-Six gotras arranged in eight groups and established four Mathas with gurus for them.


Thus, Padmashali name as caste carries highest meaning that it is caste of braminical not by birth but by deeds. Like braminical class, the Padmashali's relates their origin to Vrushis, sages as gothras. Each family has separate gothras and like in brahminical following, in marriage sagothras are barred. That apart the families also carry family names, the family name and gothras will be referred at the time of marriage and sagothras and like family name are barred in going in for marriage.


It is to be noted that it is likely the only caste that has a parasite lineage of families who live praising the Padmashali heritage and they are called as "Pogadaraju" (meaning Pogada = praising and Raju = king,) in praising the family is king. These Pogadaraju during the course of time are now known as padagaraju. These Padagaraju circuits to families of Padmashali and praises padmashali by bahuparak (Praises) referring the origin of Padmashali from Brugu maharshi to bhavana maharshi.


Padmashali exists at the time of Parasurama itself. It can be derived that Shivalli brahmins of Karnataka region (Tulu region) first developed weaving and gave it to padmashalis.


History


The Padmashalis are the third largest community in Andhra Pradesh. They are spread all over the world, but have a visible tendency towards urbanization since the occupation of weaving and marketing cloth becomes easy from urban and semi-urban centers. This community produces cloth from cotton and animate yarn (silk).


Caste communities involved in the leather and wool-based household industries - which perhaps have an older history than cloth weaving - have developed an integrated process of production of raw material and its conversion into commodities. But unlike them, the Padmashalis developed exclusively cloth-weaving skills. They produce cloth as a marketable commodity, without having any organic links or skills in the production of the raw material. The Padmashali men have no expertise in ploughing and their women lack seeding and crop-cutting skills. Thus, their skill structure, over a period of time, became one-dimensional. By the time the British arrived, the Padmashalis were producing huge quantities of cloth and controlled a leading cottage industry of India.


The introduction of the railways - starting 1853 - by the colonial British government helped penetrate the self sufficient rural economy. With the forced introduction of machine manufactured goods, especially finished cotton goods from the factories of Birmingham (making use of advances from the Industrial Revolution) etc., from imperial Britain, the domestic textile industry suffered losses. Being an important node in the rural economy, the Padmashali community also naturally felt the impact. Today, many urban Padmashalis have abandoned their ancestral profession and have diversified into other activities. One can see an increasing number of Padmashalis become engineers, doctors, politicians, bureaucrats, businessmen, advocates professionals etc.


Characteristics


Perhaps because they largely stay indoors, or because of characteristic genes, community members have developed reddish skin and are hence known as erra kulamu (red caste) among the OBCs. The Padmashali caste is highly Sanskritised, with all the men wearing the sacred thread (Yajnopavitam/Gayatri dharan). In terms of social consciousness, it is more Brahminic than any other OBC caste in Andhra Pradesh & some of them in Maharashtra also(In Maharashtra,state government declare Padmashali as a SBC caste). Following all these Brahminic characteristics, the sub groups under this caste got integrated into ritual Brahminism.


Different names


It is not same caste, the weavers of different groups have different names. The Padmashali sources its origin to Brugu Maharshi, followed down to Markandeya, Bhakta Markandeya, the chiranjeevi who wins the life from yama. The technique of weaving came from ayoni putra, Sri Bhavana maharshi.


The caste in weavers sources their origin do different aspects.


The Shettigars who are mainly settled in South Canara region generally refer themselves with Padmashalis. However, in Kinnimulki, a taluk near Katil, near Udupi, the Padmashalis are known as shettigars. The weavers in Andhra Pradesh has following names (as per the OBC list of central government - List no 155), they are all not Padmashalis. But the weavers, depending upon on the nature of basic material used in the earlier times, the name of caste originated.


In Karnataka, there are nearly 30 groups of castes in weavers and Padmashalis are one of the weavers, independent of other group castes, with their culture practice based on vedic principles. Saliya - Other saliweaver castes.


This deals with only Northern Kerala Malyalee Saliya(Chaliya)s. Some of the other Sali castes are listed here.


Padmasali : Andhra Pradesh(Telugu) Devanga : Karnataka(Kannada) Saliyar/Padmasaliyar : Tamilnadu(Tamil/Telugu) Pattarya : Kerala(Malayalam) Shettigar : Karnataka(Tulu) Saliya/Padmashali/Devanga is widely and sometimes interchangeably used. However, Kannada and Telugu Salis differ from Malayalee Salis in many cultural aspects. Th former are patriarchical follow many Brahmanical customs.


Courtesy: Wikipedia.org

18 comments:

  1. hi this is iam great to know about our culture and very much sattified ......
    thanks for giving such information

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  2. Hi Kodati Naveen Kumar garu,

    Thanks for your comments.

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  3. also put the eminent personalities of the caste..................

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  4. Hello Sri,

    Please check my posting in this Blog, regarding eminent personalities of Padmashali community:

    http://padmashali-blog.blogspot.com/2009/03/history-of-padmashalis-famous.html

    You may please join my Followers list.

    Thanks,
    Ganapathi

    ReplyDelete
  5. I POKURI CHANDRA SEKHAR, S/o.POKURI ADINARAYANA SWAMY, WHO IS WRITTEN A BOOK ON PADMASALI COMMUNITY, AS "SRI PADMASAAKHA VAMSA PRADEEPIKA" GOTRA AND PRAVARALU OF PADMASALIS' AND PUJA & ARCHANA VIDAANAMULU. I AM PROUD FOR TAKING BIRTH IN THE PADMASALI COMMUNITY. I AM SEARCHING FOR THE DETAILS OF BADRAVATHI AND PRASANNAVATHI, WIFES OF BHAVANA RUSHI S/o. OF BAKTHA MARKANDEYA. BUT THE DETAILS ARE NOT FOUND. WHERE BHADRAVATHI TAKEN BIRTH IN INDIA? WHICH PLACE IS HER BIRTH PLACE IN INDIA? WHERE IS BHADRAVATHI BHAVANARUSHI ORIGINAL TEMPLE? IF YOU KNOW PLEASE INFORM THIS NUMBER:9491988819. THANK U.

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  6. I WANT THE ORIGINAL BIRTH PLACE OF BHADRAVATHI W/o BHAVANA RUSHI, PADMASALI COMMUNITY GODDESS. ORIGINAL TEMPLE OF BHADRAVATHI TEMPLE.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bhadravati & Bhavana Rushi are some made up false characters of origin of Padmasali, you may refer any 18 sanskrit puranas , Mahabharata written by Veda vyasa there is no evidence that Bhavana & Bhadravati are the forefathers of Padmasalis. I suggest you to once search in Internet Google search about Markandeya Purana Canto LII & also Brahmanda purana anusanga pada chapter 11 in " wisdomlib" website. In wisdomlib website you will find the real originators of Markandeya Gotra & Padmasali. And also refer Sri Pada Sri Vallabha Charitamrutam Book about Padmasalis.

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  7. Hi,i had one doubt
    Surname is Peddi
    Gothram is Jayavardhana
    but in our Vamsha Vruksham unable to see is there any other name
    Please let us know

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  8. Hi all, Does anyone know of authentic texts where this info is present that Padmashali are Brahmins?
    PLease mail me at aadhsocial@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete

  9. Unfortunately at present days the wrong information about the story of Markandeya that he had a son with name Bhavana rishi, but it is not at all true, we should always believe the standard 18 Maha Puranas which were written by Veda Vyasa maharshi, the following are the real correct information about Markandeya lineage described in various Puranas :

    Brahmanda Purana :
    The progeny of Brighu :
    (Chapter 11 - The creation of Sages (saptarṣi))
    Brighu's wife Khyati gave birth to a daugher and two sons. The sons were masters of happiness and misery. They grant auspicious and inauspicious results unto all living beings. They were the gods Dhātṛ and Vidhātṛ. They used to live and walkabout throughout the Manvantara. Their elder sister, goddess Śrī, purified the worlds. The splendid lady attained lord Nārāyaṇa as her husband. Bala and Unmāda were born of her as the sons of Nārāyaṇa. Tejas was the son of Bala and Saṃśaya was the son of Unmāda. Other mental sons too were born of him. They move about in the firmament. They drive and carry the aerial chariots of the Devas and persons of auspicious rites.
    Āyati and Niyati, the daughters of Meru are remembered as the wives of Vidhātṛ and Dhātṛ. Prāṇa and Mṛkaṇḍa of firm holy vows were their sons. They are eternal and Brahmakośas. Mārkaṇḍeya was born of Manasvinī as the son of Mṛkaṇḍa. His son Vedaśiras was born of Dhūmrapatnī. Sons of Vedaśiras through wife Pīvarī are remembered as Propagators of the race. These sages who are well-known as Mārkaṇḍeyas (Descendants of Mṛkaṇḍa) were masters of the Vedas.

    Markandeya purana : canto LII
    Markandeya said ( about himself) :
    Khyāti the wife of Bhṛgu gave birth to the two gods Dhātṛ and Vidhātṛ, and to Śrī who was the wife of the supreme god Nārāyaṇa. Āyati and Niyati were the two daughters of high-souled Meru; they became the wives of Dhātṛ and Vidhātṛ. A son was born from each of them, both Prāṇa and Mṛkaṇḍa.The latter was my illustrious father. I am his son by Manasvinī; Vedaśiras is my son, he was born of Dhūmravatī.

    Viṣṇu Purana :
    (Chapter X - The descendants of the daughters of Daksa married to the Rsis)
    Lakṣmī, the bride of Viṣṇu, was the daughter of Bhrigu by Khyāti. They had also two sons, Dhātri and Vidhātri, who married the two daughters of the illustrious Meru, Āyati and Niryati; and had by them each a son, named Prāṇa and Mrikaṇḍa. The son of the latter was Mārkaṇḍeya, from whom Vedaśiras was. The son of Prāṇa was named Dyutimat, and his son was Rājavat; after whom, the race of Bhrigu became infinitely multiplied.

    Narasimha Purana :
    From the Lineage of Brighu and Khyati Mrkandu Maharshi is born who married his wife called Sumitra and gave birth to great grandson called Markandeya.
    Markandeya upon Brighu's advice married Murddhanya ( Dhūmrapatnī) and gave birth to Vedasiras.

    " We Padmasalis are descendants of Vedasiras Maharshi( son of Markandeya Maharshi) and his wife Pivari but not from Bhavana & Bhadravati because they are just an imaginary false characters from a fasle folk caste story with no standard sources or puranic references.
    We Padmasalis are of Vedic Brahminical origin but due to Gautama Maharshi's curse to Brahmins & also due to Kaliyuga Dharma rishi origin Brahmins may take the artisan occupations such as our Markandeya Gotra Padmasalis took weaving occupations. After a long time with change in works our Padmasalis needed a caste origin history which upto shiva saving Markandeya was true but after that the story of Bhavan rishi & Bhadravati was just a created false story only."

    So please provide the right information as said in these Puranas in our Padmasali community websites even after seeing this post.

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  10. True Origin of Markandeya Gotra Padmasalis were given in some standard texts & Puranas as follows :

    Brahmanda Purana,
    The progeny of Brighu ,
    (Chapter 11 - The creation of Sages (saptarṣi)) :
    Brighu's wife Khyati gave birth to a daugher and two sons. The sons were masters of happiness and misery. They grant auspicious and inauspicious results unto all living beings. They were the gods Dhātṛ and Vidhātṛ. They used to live and walkabout throughout the Manvantara. Their elder sister, goddess Śrī, purified the worlds. The splendid lady attained lord Nārāyaṇa as her husband. Bala and Unmāda  were born of her as the sons of Nārāyaṇa.Tejas was the son of Bala and Saṃśaya (Doubt) was the son of Unmāda. Other mental sons too were born of him. They move about in the firmament. They drive and carry the aerial chariots of the Devas and persons of auspicious rites. Āyati and Niyati, the daughters of Meru are remembered as the wives of Vidhātṛ and Dhātṛ. Prāṇa and Mṛkaṇḍa of firm holy vows were their sons. They are eternal and Brahmakośas .  Mārkaṇḍeya was born of Manasvinī and of Mṛkaṇḍa. His son Vedaśiras was born of Dhūmrapatnī. Sons of Vedaśiras through wife Pīvarī are remembered as Propagators of the race. These sages who are well-know as Mārkaṇḍeyas  were masters of the Vedas.

    Markandeya purana : canto LII
    Khyāti the wife of Bhṛgu gave birth to the two gods Dhātṛ and Vidhātṛ, and to Śrī who was the wife of the supremegod Nārāyaṇa. Āyati and Niyati were the two daughters of high-souled Meru; they became the wives of Dhātṛ and Vidhātṛ. A son was born from each of them,both Prāṇa and Mṛkaṇḍa.
    The latter was my illustrious father. I am his son by Manasvinī; Vedaśiras is my son, he was born of Dhūmravatī.

    Viṣṇu Purana :
    (Chapter X - The descendants of the daughters of Daksa married to the Rsis) Lakṣmī, the bride of Viṣṇu, was the daughter of Bhrigu by Khyāti. They had also two sons, Dhātri and Vidhātri, who married the two daughters of the illustrious Meru, Āyati and Niryati; and had by them each a son, named Prāṇa and Mrikaṇḍa. The son of the latter was Mārkaṇḍeya, from whom Vedaśiras was. The son of Prāṇa was named Dyutimat, and his son was Rājavat; after whom, the race of Bhrigu became infinitely multiplied.

    SriPada SriVallabha Charitamrutam :
    Chapter 20 :
    The Account of Vissavadhāni:
    Description of the divine auspicious form of Srīpāda :
    Srīpāda observed, “Padmasalis belong to the lineage of Markandeya.For some reason, they became non-vegetarians. No action takes place without a reason in My presence..."

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  11. Story of Bhadravati & Bhavana Rishi with these names or characters was false story as they aren't beginners of Weaving occupation caste Padmasali. From Beginning Padmasalis are Markandeya Gotra Brighu Vamsa Brahmins they just have waeving as optional in Kaliyuga due to social inequalities and Non Vedic Untouchability, 5th Varna system. The basic needs of clothing needs are fulfilled through the Markandeya Gotra Brahmins as weaving occupations for basic needs as well as mainly for temple services to deity. Later It became the priMary occupation I.e, weaving and all declared it was weavers caste with name Padmasali may due to their weaving skill or Vaishnava sampradaya. But Padmasalis were basically a Brahmin caste with weaving as optional livelihood. Another interesting thing is all Brighu Vamsa Gotras are Still with Brahmin status except Markandeya Gotra( Padmasalis).
    The Story of Bhavana Rishi as son the son of Markandeya & Bhadravati has no description or reference from all sanskrit Puranas, and itihasas written by Veda Vyasa Maharshi. One can refer many of rishi gotras origin from these sacred text which are standard sanskrit information.
    Vedasirasa Maharshi & Bhavana Rishi ; Pivari & Bhadravati are not same there are completely different.
    Bhavana Rishi & Bhadravati are some false story characters which are maipulated into a needy history story for Padmasalis. The true real origin of Padmasali Markandeya Gotra is from Vedasiras Maharshi son of Markandeya & his wife Pivari and so many sons were born to them who were Vedic scholars and best Brahmins as stated in Brahmanda purana Anusanga pada chapter 11 & Vayu purana origins of Brighu maharshi race chapter.
    So, please if any one reads this full post change wrong information about origin of Padmasali and provide this type of info with puranic references in your respective blogs, websites, publications. Futher queries reply me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. తెలుగు రాష్ట్రాల్లో 18 కుల పురాణాలు ఉన్నాయి, ఇవన్నీ తమ కులాలు ఋషి కులాలే అని చెప్తాయి, కానీ అవన్నీ 12వ శతాబ్దంలో రాసినవి, బ్రహ్మానులకి వ్యతిరేకంగా నిమ్నవర్గాలు కూడా తమవి ఋషుల సంతతికి చెందిన వారమని చెప్పుకుంటారు, కొంతమంది తమ కులం వెనుక బ్రాహ్మణ (నాయీబ్రాహ్మీన్, ఆచారి, విశ్వబ్రాహ్మిన్) అని, జంధ్యం వేసుకోవడం కూడా చూడవచ్చు.

      https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/219865&ved=2ahUKEwiUwJzspefzAhVWVH0KHUYeBuYQFnoECAgQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1SrA5MOGazZvgQmeRsEFjM

      ఈ కులపురాణాల గురించి పైన పేర్కొన్న లింకలో ఉంది, చాప్టర్ 1, 2, 3 & 4 pdf download చేసుకుని చదవండి.

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  12. Hi, all would dearly looking out to know our Kul devata. As Im being son of soil in Tanuku(west godavari) with Surname "Ponala". Can some one help me out ?

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  13. pls,don't oppose the origin of our traditional God Sri Bhavana rushi.But you can ask or question for the evidence from puranas or other standard Grandhas for origin of Sri Bhavana rushi.

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  14. Yes there is no Bhavana Rishi & Bhadravathi story in Markandeya purana. Markandeya purana tells that Markandeya have a son, named Vedashira

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  15. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  16. In 12th Century, కాకతీయుల కాలంలో కొలనుపాకలో 18 కులాల వారు ఒక మీటింగ్ ఏర్పరిచారు, వీరు బ్రాహ్మణులకు వ్యతిరేఖంగా తాము కూడా బ్రాహ్మణ కులాల వారిమేనని తెలియచేయుటకు కులపురానాలు ఏర్పాటుచేసుకున్నారు, మొత్తం 18 కులాలకు 18 కులపురణాలు ఉన్నాయి. ఈ కులాల వారు అంతా తాము ఋషికులమేనని చెప్పుకుంటారు, కానీ ఇది శుద్ధ అబద్దం. తమ social status పెంచుకోవడం కోసమే ఈ కులపురాణాల లక్ష్యం. కాకతీయుల కాలంలో కర్ణాటకలో పేరొందిన వీరశైవం ఈ revolution కి కారణం. 100% పద్మశాలీలు దక్షిణభారతానికి చెందిన ద్రావిడులు. Sanskitization వల్ల మనం కూడా ఋషిగోత్రీకులం అని చెప్పుకోవడం జరిగింది.

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