HISTORY OF PADMASHALIS & FAMOUS PADMASHALIS

HISTORY OF PADMASHALIS & FAMOUS PADMASHALIS


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 through out India.

Contents


* 1 Origin
* 2 History
2.1 Development
2.2 Special Note
* 3 Famous Padmashalis

Origin

There are two interpretations for the origin of the word Padmashali. Some anthropologists believe it's derived from the Sanskrit word meaning 'silk cloth'.

However, linguistic construction of Dravidian languages traces it's 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's Shaaliga or Shaaliya. In Malayalam, Chaaliyan.

History

The Padmashalis are the third largest Other Backward Class (BC-B-17) community in Andhra Pradesh. They are spread all over the state, 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.

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. In terms of social consciousness, it is more Brahminic than any other OBC caste in Andhra Pradesh & some of them in Maharashtra also. In spite of all these Brahminic characteristics, this caste did not get integrated into ritual Brahminism and remained uneasily within the broad Vaishya category.

Development

As of now, its weaving industry has undergone three stages of development. When the British began to impose Lancashire cloth, the Padmashalis were operating a weaving technology called gunta maggam (pit-loom). This process involved using a rough wooden loom made by the village carpenter. It involved the labor of both men and women. Every Padmashali boy learnt how to handle the loom while growing up, and every Padmashali girl learns the yarn-making process. The cloth that the pit-loom produced was meant to serve the needs of village market. It was rough-and-tough cloth meant to protect the human body from heat, cold and rain. The Padmashali economy was part of the agrarian economy, without much fluctuation. Of course, it fetched a living wage, in wares or cash. And some Padmashalis, through personal experience, developed considerable individual expertise and were capable of producing high-quality cloth.

Textile industry has been able to generate considerable employment and promote exports and improve its performance in the post – Multi Fibre Agreement regime. A major package, including tax relief, was provided. Basic customs duty on various textile machinery and spare parts has been reduced, additional capital subsidy has been provided for processing, duties on specified textile machinery items, raw materials and spare parts has been brought down, and excise duty on polyester filament yarn has been reduced. The scope and outlays of schemes like the Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme and the Technology Mission on Cotton has been augmented to modernize the industry and to ensure availability of quality raw material at competitive prices. The Scheme for Integrated Textiles Parks has been launched to strengthen infrastructure. Under the scheme, it is proposed to set up 30 Integrated Textiles Parks by 2008, with an investment of over Rs. 13,000 crore. These parks will generate annual production of over Rs. 20,000 crore, and create over half a million new jobs. Due to focused support to cotton-growers cotton production and productivity have touched record heights. The textiles sector has grown phenomenally since the phasing out of the Multi-Fibre Arrangement (MFA) after 2004. it is expected that by 2011-2012, the textiles sector will more than double to US$ 115 billion. The estimated investment during this period will be approximately Rs. 1,50,000 crore, which will generate employment for approximately 17 million workers.



Special Note


Years ago

Balijas and Lingayats is having relation

Lingayats and Devangs is having relation [In karntaka]

Devangs and Padmal (Padmashali) is having relation

Padmal and Patkar & Senapatulu is having relation

Padmal and Mudaliyar is having relation [In Tamilnadu]

Mudaliyar and Mudiraj is having relation [In Tamilnadu]

Mudiraj and Munnurukapu is having relation

Munnurukapu and KAPU is having relation

Kapus and Telagas is having relation

Telagas and Velamas is having relation



And Added also sub-castes.

So ours is very big community in Andhrapradesh 42 % Population


Famous Padmashalis:


* Dharmanna Sadul, Ex.Member of Parliament
* K.C.Kondiah (MLC Bellary, Ex MP (Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha), He paved way and instrumental in Smt. Sonia Gandhi's win from Bellary Lok Sabha Constituency in 1999.
* Late Pragada Kotaiah, Ex.M.L.A. and Ex-M.P.(Rajya Sabha) Leader of Handloom Movement.
* Aelay Narendra [also called Tiger Narendra] (Active leader in TRS)
* Devarakonda Vittal Rao (Member of Parliment representing Mahbubnagar Constituency)
* Puli Veeranna, Currently M.L.A.Former Minister of Handlooms in A.P.Government.
* P. T. Usha - popular Indian athlete (Padma Shri and Arjuna Award winner)
* Chandana Mohan Rao (Founder of Chandana Brothers, CMR Mall)
* Konda Laxman Bapuji (prominent socialist politician)
* Nalli Kuppuswami Chetty, A noted Businessman; Nalli Silks, Chennai
* Suddala Ashok Teja - Lyricist (won National Film Award for Best Lyrics)
* Aelay Dhani - Popular publicity designer (Bharathamuni award winner)
* Urvasi Sarada - Actress
* Diddi Anand Kumar (NJ,USA) - (Prominent Social Worker & Founder of Hyderabad Padmashali Mela)
* Gundu Hanmantha Rao - Actor/Comedian
* Uttej - Actor/Dialog writer
* J. Subbarao [Star films Producer]
* Ganji Brothers. Ranigunj-Secunderabad
* Duvvasi Mohan kumar - Actor/Comedian
* L.Ramana - Ex M.L.A and Khadi Board Chairman
* Murugudu Hanumantha Rao - M.L.A & Minister for Sarvas Siksha Abhiyan, DPEP, Adult Education, Open Schools, Public Libraries, Jawahar Bal Bhavan, Mahila Samata Society, State Institute of Education Technology. AP Government Portal
* Panchumarthi Anuradha - former Vijayawada Mayor
* Nimmala Kishtappa - Animal Husbandry minister
* Kantha Rao - famous actor from telugu film industry.
* Laya (actress)
* Sada Siva Master, Adilabad. A noted writer and literary critic in Urdu, Marathi and Telugu.
* Nataraja Rama Krishna. A famous dance theory proponent; He has designed the famous " Perini Siva Thandavam". His perents lived in Bali islands. He had received many awards.
* Prof.N.Gopi, Poet and former Vice-Chancellor of Telugu University
* Dr.Appalayya Meesala, Professor of Management Studies,Deccan School of Management, Hyderabad.
* Dr. Harnath Policherla - Famous Doctor and Upcoming Actor in Telugu Movies


Courtesy: http://www.telugupedia.com/