Di: The Chitpavan, Chitpawan, or Konkanastha Brahmins (कोकणस्थ ब्राम्हण) Castes of India
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Encyclopedia > Maharashtrian Konkanastha Brahmins
Castes of India
Chitpavan / Kokanastha Brahmins
Classification Caste/Brahmin
Subdivisions -
Significant populations in Maharashtra
Languages Marathi, Chitpavani Konkani
Religions Hinduism
The Chitpavan, Chitpawan, or Konkanastha Brahmins (कोकणस्थ ब्राम्हण)
are a brahmin community of Konkan, the coastal belt of western
Maharashtra. Sometimes they are affectionately referred to as Kobra
(short for KO-nkanastha BRA-hmin). (Since Konkanastha is actually a
general geographic label, meaning "Native of Konkan" in Sanskrit, the
name Chitpavan is preferable. In this text, however, the names
Chitpavan, Konkanastha, and Kobra are used interchangeably. Chitpavan
Brahmins' origins are unknown, since they are distinctly physically
different from other Hindu castes. They are easily recognised by the
certain characteristics such as fair skin, light-coloured eyes (blue,
green or grey), sharp nose, distinct jawline, and sometimes have light
brown hair. This article or section is in need of attention from an
expert on the subject. ... Image File history File links
Flag_of_India. ... A Brahmin (anglicised from the Sanskrit word IAST ;
Devanagari ), also known as Vipra, Dvija, Dvijottama (best of the
Dvijas), (god on Earth) is a member of an upper caste within Hindu
society. ... Maharashtra (Marathi: महाराष�ट�र
mahÄ�rÄ�á¹£á¹ra, literally: Great Nation; IPA: )( ) is Indias third
largest state in terms of area and second largest in terms of
population after Uttar Pradesh. ... To meet Wikipedias quality
standards, this article may require cleanup. ... Hinduism
(Sanskrit: , , also known as , ) is a religion that originated on the
Indian subcontinent. ... The Chitpavan, Chitpawan, or Konkanastha
Brahmins (कोकणस�थ ब�राम�हण) are a
brahmin community of Konkan, the coastal belt of western
Maharashtra. ... A Brahmin (anglicised from the Sanskrit word IAST ;
Devanagari ), also known as Vipra, Dvija, Dvijottama (best of the
Dvijas), (god on Earth) is a member of an upper caste within Hindu
society. ... A typical view of the Konkan, consisting of white-sand
beaches and palm trees (mostly coconut and betel nut). ... Maharashtra
(Marathi: महाराषà¥�टà¥�र mahÄ�rÄ�á¹£á¹ra, literally:
Great Nation; IPA: )( ) is Indias third largest state in terms of area
and second largest in terms of population after Uttar Pradesh. ... The
Sanskrit language (Skt. ...
The Kobras gained prominence during the reign of Shahu in the 18th
century and since have established themselves firmly in the Indian
social hierarchy. In 1713, the fourth Chattrapati Shahu appointed a
Chitpanvan Brahmin from Kokan, Balaji Vishwanath Bhat, as Peshwa or
prime minister. After the death of Shahu from 1749 to 1761, the
Peshwas enjoyed de facto status till battle of Panipat. Afterwards,
with exception of Madhavrao, all other peshwas remained ceremonial
head of Maratha confederacy like their master Chattrapati. The
Bhumihar Brahmins of Eastern U.P. and in the state of Bihar, Mohyal
Brahmins in the state of Punjab, Namboothiri Brahmins in Kerela,
Havyak Brahmins of Andhra Pradesh, Anavil Brahmins of Gujarat also
have the same lineage and are similar to Chitpawans in custom,
tradition, practices, temperament and hold Bhagvan Parshuram in high
esteem. Bhumihar Brahmins (à¤à¥‚मिहर बà¥�राहà¥�मà¤
£), also known as Bhumihars (à¤à¥‚मिहार) are an influential
Brahmin subcaste who have traditionally resided in fertile regions of
Indo-Gangetic plains of North India, in the states of Bihar, Uttar
Pradesh and Jharkhand. ... Uttar Pradesh (Hindi: , Urdu: ,
translation: Northern Province, IPA: , ), also popularly known by its
abbreviation U.P. It is the most populous and fifth largest state in
the Union of India. ... For other uses, see Bihar
(disambiguation). ... Mohyal (sometimes Muhiyal or Mahjal) is the name
of an endogamous group of seven lineages arising from the Gandhara
region, once a great center of Indian learning. ... The Namboothiris
(Malayalam :നമ�പൂതിരി) are the Brahmins of Kerala,
thought to be the most orthodox brahmins in India. ... Kerala (IPA: ;
Malayalam: കേരളം — Keralam) is a state on the southwestern
tropical Malabar Coast of India. ... Andhra Pradesh : (Telugu: ఆంà
°§à±�à°° à°ªà±�రదేశà±�, Urdu: آندھرا پردیش, IPA: ),
is a state in South India. ... Anavil Brahmin is one of the sub-castes
of Brahmin caste. ... Young Indian brahmachari Brahmin A Brahmin (less
often Brahman) is a member of the Hindu priestly caste. ... Gujar�t
(Gujar�tī: , IPA: , ) is the most industrialized state in the
Republic of India with 19. ... Chitpawan chitpavan are a group of
people which hail from the Konkan area, west coast of Maharashtra
state in India, hence also known as Kokanastha Brahmins (Kobras). ...
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with
Parashurama and Bhargava Rama (Discuss) Parshuram was the brahmin who
destroyed many Kshatriyas. ...
In fact there are several internal inconsistencies in the hyperbolic
claims made by this community. They apparently claim to have (crash)
landed on Konkan coast (See, History & Theology) long after the Vedic
age was over and yet claim to be Brahmins. Only the direct descendants
of Vedic Rishis are considered Brahmins. So at best they are
'naturalized brahmins.' Maratha kingdom was founded on the blood and
sweat of Marathas (who claim descent from Rajputs, displaced by Mogul
incursions in Rajasthan). The first individual from this community,
Balaji Vishvanath, who was appointed Peshwa by Maratha king, Shahu
Maharaj ( a weak drug-addict, however a descendant of The Great
Shivaji) , was cleark in a salt factory and later, a cleark who
supplied provisions to armies marching through Pune - both Maratha and
Mogul - before he joined services of Shahu Maharaj (see, 'Kanhoji
Angre' by P.L.Deshpande). Shahu maharaj was virtually blackmailed into
presenting Balaji Vishvanath the investiture clothes of the office -
traditionally held by the Pingale family (Deshastha Brahmin). In fact
the office of Pant Pradhan (Peshwa) was open to Brahmins only. So it
can be argued that, being only 'naturalized brahmin', Balaji
Vishvanatha was an imposter and illegitimate for the post of Peshwa.
They enjoyed brief glory as Peshwas - on the blood and sweat of
Marathas - before signing it off to British for a paltry pension. Even
this pension was refused to them after Dalhousie's policy of 'lapse',
as Nana sahib -the last of the line - was adopted. Nana sahib joined
the mutineers of 1857, out of legal frustrations and was trying to
negotiate a pension deal all the way to the end. A new propoganda
book, 'Shitpawanism' ( 'Shitpawan' is the other name they like to go
by, for reasons that are at best, obscure)is being touted lately to
air more opinions. They are now trying to connect their lineage with
different successful brahmin castes of India like Bhumihar, Mohyal,
Namboothiri etc without a trace of evidence (See above).
Contents
* 1 History & Theology
o 1.1 Origins
o 1.2 Rise to power
* 2 Article on Chitpavans by Linda Cox
* 3 How to tell a Chitpavan
* 4 See Also
* 5 Eminent/Famous Konkanastha Brahmins
o 5.1 Literature/Scholars
* 6 Politics/Social Reform =
o 6.1 Industry
o 6.2 Sport
o 6.3 Medicine
o 6.4 Information Technology
o 6.5 Cinema/Theatre
o 6.6 Music
* 7 Typical Last Names
* 8 Typical First Names
o 8.1 Male names
o 8.2 Female names
* 9 Trivia
* 10 References
* 11 External links
History & Theology
Origins
There is no mention of them in Indian history prior to the reign of
the Peshwas because they did not hold any powerful position in the
political structure and were content more or less in performing
clerical jobs unlike their counterpart of desh who were performing
religious duties. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a
higher standard of quality. ...
The earliest reference to the Chitpavans in Indian literature can be
found in the Sahyadri Khand, a section of the Skanda Purana. It may
have been composed sometime during 8-12th century by a scholar from a
rival group. Skanda Purana, one of the major eighteen Puranas, a Hindu
religious text believed to be written and compiled over a long period,
from 6th century to 15th century, is the largest Purana, and is
devoted mainly to the life and deed of Kartikeya (also called Skanda),
a son of Shiva...
The following is the summary of the legend from Sahyadri Khand.
Parashurama, the sixth avatara of Vishnu was so defiled by the
slaughter of the Kshatriyas that Brahmins refused to perform any
ceremonies for him. At that time the bodies of fourteen persons
happened to be cast ashore by the sea which then washed the foot of
the Sahyadri hills. These "corpses" Parashurama purified, by burning
them on a funeral pyre or chita, and restored them to life. He taught
them the Brahmin rituals, and made them perform ceremonies to free
them from guilt. Parashurama wished to give these new Brahmins some
land; and since the Deccan had already been given to other Brahmins,
he prayed to the God of the sea to spare him some of his domain.
Initially the sea god did not agree to retire. Hence, Parshurama
decided to throw a Bramhastra (missile) on the sea to render it dry.
Then the scared sea god agreed to retire as far west as the Bramhastra
would hit the waters from the crest of the Sahyadris. The arrow was
shot and reclaimed a belt of land about thirty miles broad. The banks
of the Vashishthi, about forty miles north of Ratnagiri, were set
apart for the new Brahmins, and in memory of the process by which they
had been purified they were called Chitpavans ('chita - pavan',
meaning 'pyre purified' in Sanskrit (it could also mean a 'pious mind'
'chit - mind,pavan - pious) and their settlement Chitpolan. After
establishing this settlement, Parashurama retired to Gokarna in North
Kanara. Much to speculation, many scientists from Europe conducted Y
DNA tests from various communities connected to these set of Brahmins
and found that, the Y Chromosome was rare, found only in Konkanastha
Brahmins and it directly matched DNA prominent among Southern
Europeans. Particularly, the French, Greeks, Italians, Iberian people
and the Irish. To a lesser extent in Southern England. Many still
carry the original Y DNA Haplogroup type in Ireland and France. Not to
forget the Konkanastha Brahmins. It is noted that, the first to arrive
on the Coast of this region, must have been Fair to medium height,
well built with light brown to red hair and possessed Greyish to Green
eyes, which is still found in many descendants of the first visitors.
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with
Bhargava Rama and Parshuram (Discuss) Parashurama Bhargava or
Parasurama (Axe-wielding Rama), according to Hindu mythology is the
Sixth avatar of Vishnu, belongs to the Treta yuga, and is the son of
Jamadagni & Renuka. ... See Avatar (disambiguation) for other
meanings. ... Vishnu (IAST , Devanagari , with honorific Shri
Vishnu; , ), (also frequently referred to as Narayana) is the most
popularly worshipped form of God in Hinduism [1]. Within the Vaishnava
tradition he is viewed as the Ultimate Reality or Supreme God
(similarly to Shiva within Shaivism). ... A Kshatriya is a member of
the military or reigning order, according to the law-code of Manu the
second ranking caste of the Indian varna system of four castes, the
first being the Brahmin or priestly caste, the third the Vaishya or
mercantile caste and the lowest the Shudra. ... The Western Ghats or
Sahyadri mountains run along the western edge of Indias Deccan
Plateau, and separate the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along
the Arabian Sea. ... The Deccan Plateau is a vast plateau in India,
encompassing most of Central and Southern India. ... This article
belongs in one or more categories. ... Ratnagiri is a city in India,
located in the southwestern part of Maharashtra State on the Arabian
Sea coast, in the Ratnagiri district. ... The Sanskrit language ( , )
is a classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism,
Buddhism, and Jainism, and one of the 22 official languages of
India. ... Gokarna meaning Cows Ear is a small town situated in North
Kannada district coastal Karnataka, India. ... The Kanara or Canara
(called Kannada in Karnataka) districts comprise three districts of
Karnataka - North Kanara (Uttara Kannada) whose administrative
headquarters is Karwar, Udupi, and South Kanara (Dakshina Kannada),
whose administrative headquarters is Mangalore. ...
Rise to power
Until the rise of Balaji Vishvanath Peshwa, who belonged to Chitpavan
Brahmin sub-caste, they held a low position and were known chiefly as
clerks in the Deccan. Even after several generations of living in the
Deccan, with strict attention to Brahmin rituals and austere life,
other classes of Brahmins refused to eat with them. One story is that
when Bajirao II, the last of the Chitpavan Brahmin Peshwas
(1796-1818), was in Nasik he was not allowed to go down to the
Godavari river using the same flight of steps as the priests from the
local Trimbakeshwar temple. The Deccan Plateau is a vast plateau in
India, encompassing most of Central and Southern India. ... Baji Rao
II was the last Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy. ... Trimbakeshwar
is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, one of the twelve
Jyotirlingas. ...
They were relatively unknown outside Konkan until the 16th century.
Later the ruler of Maratha kingdom Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj appointed
a Chitpavan Brahmin, Balaji Vishwanath Bhatt as his Peshwa or Prime
Minister in , aroung 18th century. It was the first time a Brahmin of
Konkan origin held an important position in Deccani politics in
Maharashtra. Eventually, many Chitpavan Brahmins joined the service of
Marattha kingdom and in due course called the plateau of Deccan their
home. Balaji Vishwanath - (1712 to 1721) In 1712, Shahuji died and his
minister or Peshwa, Balaji Vishwanath a Brahmin took over the
throne. ...
Before the Peshwas, the community was predominantly found in the
Konkan coastal belt of Maharashtra state of India but afterwards
migrated to various parts of India. Today the community is found
mainly in the state of Maharashtra particularly the Konkan coastal
belt and the Deccan Plateau. They are also scattered in small pockets
in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka
and Tamil Nadu in a tiny percentage. Many of these DNAs' are also
found among the Coorgis (a warrior caste in south India). Many of this
community members have migrated to the Middle East Gulf States -
particularly U.A.E. and also to U.K, Australia and U.S.A. Together,
they form less than 1% of Total Indian population. It is known that
the Konkanastha Brahmins are a homogeneous community. It was only
after the late 18th century, that they began to form sub DNA groups.
Originally the Menfolk may have taken to the natives' women as their
wives and neglected their culture.
Article on Chitpavans by Linda Cox
Diaclaimer: This article was originally published in the February 22,
1970 issue of the Illustrated Weekly of India, which is now defunct.
The original article does not carry any copyright notice, so it is
being presented here.
Unheard of before 1700, the Chitpavan Brahmins of Maharashtra had come
to dominate the fields of social reform, law, scholarship, government
service and the arts by the nineteenth century. Their two names,
Konkanasth and Chitpavan, suggest their origins. The first indicates
the rocky, unyielding land in the Ratnagiri district of the Konkan,
which they have traditionally farmed. All Konkanasths can trace their
history as far as the Konkan. The name, Chitpavan, would seem to have
come from the Konkan town of Chitpol.
When you spot a Maharashtrian with blue or green eyes, ten to one he
is a Chitpavan. And his fair colouring suggests a foreign origin. A
history of the Bene Israel, who settled in the Kolaba district of the
Konkan, claims the Chitpavans as fellow Jews who became separated from
their shipmates. Other accounts have guessed at a homeland anywhere
from Iran to just north of Sholapur. The Bene Israel (Sons of Israel)
are a group of Jews who, in the mid-twentieth century, lived primarily
in Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Ahmadabad and Karachi. ...
As long as they remained in the Konkan, the Chitpavans were simply an
obscure Brahmin community of farmers and priests. The land that they
tilled afforded only a poor living to the Chitpavans. But money has
rarely been their primary goal. Even today few are known for their
wealth. They were neither the largest nor the purest in the Brahmin
hierarchy - the Deshasth Brahmins claimed to be that - but their hard-
headed outlook and intelligence readied them for a climb over the
Ghats to power.
The change in fortune came when Balaji Vishwanath Bhat took a job with
the Maratha Government in the early 1700s. Balaji Viswanath had a
talent for making himself useful - so useful that within seven years,
Shivaji's grandson Shahu had appointed him Peshwa! When Balaji died in
1720, his son Bajirao succeeded him and thus began a century of rule
by the Chitpavan Peshwas. Lured by the good fortune of their caste
fellows, the Chitpavans migrated in large numbers to the Deccan,
especially to Poona, the seat of the Peshwas. There they quickly rose
in stature and influence, getting jobs as clerks, military men and
diplomats and claiming economic privileges as well.
The end of power and glory seems to have come in 1818, when the
British swallowed up the Maratha kingdom. But the Chitpavans have a
remarkable ability to rise to the top in any situation. They were
helped by the British decision initially to support traditional Indian
society. Thus Brahmin privileges and leadership were left undisturbed
for a time. The Chitpavans hastened to fill the same kind of clerical
government jobs they had held before, this time for the Bombay
Presidency instead of the Maratha Kingdom.
But, if they were willing to serve the British Raj, not all were happy
with the state of things. They remained loyal servants of the Crown,
until the moment came to strike. Vasudeo Balwant Phadke was one man
who dreamed of restoring the Peshwa to his prime. In 1879 he left his
job as an insignificant Government clerk to lead a motley group of
Ramoshis in the countryside.. He was captured but not before inspiring
a few fellow Chitpavans and giving the British a good scare.
Even before Phadke's attempt, the British distrusted the Chitpavans.
Montstuart Elphinston, first Governor of the Bombay Presidency after
the land of the Marathas was acquired, described them venomously as an
"intriguing, lying, corrupt, licentious race of people". Perhaps his
bitterness stemmed from learning of a plot reported by a British
officer: allegedly some Chitpavans were planning to murder all the
Europeans in Poona and Satara. While the British sputtered over this,
the Chitpavans quietly acquired the western education which had become
the key to success in changed Maharashtra. Soon they were flocking
into the new fields of law, journalism and western scholarship.
The effects varied. Some were dazzled and attracted by the new ideas.
Students of Deccan College in Poona chose, in 1892, as a motto for
their literary quarterly:
Stepping westward seems to be, A kind of heavenly destiny.
This was later changed.
Among social reformers was D. K. Karve, who established a home and
school for young widows. Encouraging widow marriage, he practised as
he preached by marrying a widow himself. Many, like M.G. Ranade,
debated and wrote in favour of widow marriage and raising the age of
consent. Whether it was by devoting their lives to service in G. K.
Gokhale's Servants of India Society or sacrificing their lives by
murdering British officers, the Chitpavans have rarely been slow to
act. They have used their pens to stir the fires of social reform and
nationalist feeling. Lokamanya Tilak and Shivram Mahadeo Paranjpe both
landed in jail for their pains. Vishnushashtri Chiplunkar wrote Our
Country's Condition -to attack British rule on the one hand and
Mahatma Phule's non-Brahmin movement on the other.
Yet some of the strongest resistance to change has come from the very
same community. Jealously guarding their Brahmin stature, the orthodox
among the Chitpavans were not eager to see the Shastras challenged,
nor the conduct of the Brahmins become indistinguishable from that of
the Sudras. In any case resistance to change is not surprising from a
group that benefited so much from the status quo. The Chitpavans were
on top, so why move? The vanguard and the old guard clashed many
times. Ranade and other reformers were forced to offer penance for
breaking purity rules. D. K. Karve was ostracised. Even Tilak made a
visit to Varanasi so that he would not be excommunicated.
Diverse as the community was, it shared one thing : the memory of the
Peshwas. Ever since Balaji showed up in the Maratha Court , the
Chitpavan have had a hand in government. This tradition was carried on
by men like Justice Ranade and Gopal Krishna Gokhale. Both urged
peaceful reforms in British policy. Ranade and another young Chitpavan
intellectual - G. V. Joshi - formed the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha in 1870
as a representative body to recommend changes to the Government. And
moderates like Gokhale and Ranade led the Congress in its early
ventures in political reform.
But there was another side to the Chitpavan's political activity:
terrorism. The Chapekar Brothers formed the Society for the Removal of
Obstacles to the Hindu Religion. One of the obstacles, apparently, was
Plague Commissioner Rand, and on a June night in 1897 he was
"removed".
Other conspiracies brewed, sometimes among students of Fergusson
College, which had been established by such eminent Chitpavans as
Tilak, V. S. Apte and Gokhale. Another pair of young brothers Vinayak
and Ganesh Savarkar, planned with their friends ways of overthrowing
the British. When Ganesh was convicted of writing inflammatory verse,
in 1909, the District Magistrate of Nasik was murdered in revenge.
Twenty-seven men were convicted as members of the conspiracy. Most of
them were Chitpavans. Main Building of Fergusson College Kimaya, the
cultural center Fergusson College is one of the elite colleges in
western India, in the city of Pune. ...
If any man reconciled the opposing elements in this diverse community,
it was Bal Gangadhar Tilak. A revered public figure, he was at one and
the same time orthodox and revolution. Though not against all social
change, he opposed British social legislation, insisting that it must
come from the people. Tilak was a master in drawing the masses into
political movements. He revived the Ganapati celebration and renewed
people's interest n Shivaji, making both vehicles of political action.
For two centuries, the Chitpavans stayed a step ahead, always moving
fast enough to retain positions of power. But, with Tilak's death in
1920, history passed them by. The Congress Party, which Tilak had so
greatly influenced, became the party of Gandhiji. Discontented
Maharashtrian Brahmins now began to leave the Congress and non-
Brahmins quietly took their places in the 1930s and 1940s. When
Independence came, the Chitpavans found the Congress dominated by non-
Brahmins. Though they were among the leaders in other parties,
democracy was bound to belittle minorities. The Brahmins -one or two
per cent of the population - could not hope to carry much weight
politically.
Nathuram Vinayak Godse was probably the last of the Chitpavan
terrorists and certainly the most infamous. When the news of his
assassination of Gandhiji reached Maharashta, violence was directed
against the communalist Hindu Mahasabha and the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak
Sangh, but, to many observers, the riots were essentially anti-
Brahmin. Once and for all, the idea of a unified society content with
Brahmin paternalism was exposed as a myth.
When the mobs had gone home, the problem of anti-Brahmin feeling
remained. The Chitpavans were forced to seek new life-patterns for a
world that was suddenly less friendly. Politically, the trend has been
to stay away from the Congress. One scholar notes that Brahmin votes
go to both 'Left' and 'Right' candidates but not to the Congress.
Indeed, the Chitpavans have continued to supply political leadership
on both sides of the fence - to the Communist and Socialist Parties as
well as to the Hindu Mahasabha and Jana Sangh. Their national leaders
include N. G. Goray of the Praja Socialist Party and S. M. Joshi of
the Samyukta Socialist Party. V. D. Savarkar was for years leader of
the revivalist Hindu Mahasabha.
How to tell a Chitpavan
A typical Chitpavan is usually fair of complexion, has a sharp nose
and steel-grey eyes. He can be called handsome. Nanasaheb Peshwa (18th
century), from a portrait that is available may be called best
specimen of Chitpavan manhood. Nanasaheb's son Vishwasrao, when 18,
was killed in the Third Battle of Panipat (1761). Kashiraj has
described him as the most handsome among the Marathas; even in death
he looked so handsome that Ahmedshah Abdali ordered his dead body to
be brought before him - in order to have a look at his handsome
person. The Chitpavans cannot be classed among the well-built
communities of Maharashtra. Chitpavan girls possess good physical
features but tend to look pale. A few historians and anthropologists
are of the view that the Chitpavans came to India from Egypt, while
others say they came from Greece. The Chitpavans are generally
extremists, hence their behaviour is full of contradiction. A
Chitpavan may sacrifice his life for his country but he will not
easily part with his purse. That is why perhaps the Chitpavan
community has produced a number of fiery patriots but not a single
saint. Chitpavan's are generally assumed to be tidy, clean and
industrious. Typical Chitpavan surnames are Abhyankar, Apte, Bapat,
Bhide, Marathe, Phadke, Ranade, Tilak, Gokhale, Joshi,
Ketkar,Paranjpe, Karve, Sathe, Bhate Chitale and At last Puranik's
Nanasaheb Peshwa (also called Balaji Bajirao )(born 1720 or 1721 -
Died 1761) was one of the Peshwas of the Maratha Empire. ...
Some traditional chitpavans are also know to tend to promulgating
debatable issues of caste bias.
See Also
* Brahmins
* Forward Castes
Young Indian brahmachari Brahmin A Brahmin (less often Brahman) is a
member of the Hindu priestly caste. ... now. ...
Eminent/Famous Konkanastha Brahmins
Literature/Scholars
* Vasant Sathe (Ex. Union Cabinet Minister of India )
* G. N. Dandekar (Go Ni Dandekar)
* Prin. V.K. Joag (Modern Education Society)
* Irawati Karve
* Hari Narayan Apte
* Gangadhar Gadgil
* Shivram Ganesh Barve(satode valpoi Goa ..eminent freedom fighter
* Shri. Ja. Joshi
* Raghunath D. Joshi, Writer and Critic of Indian Philosophy
* Na. Si. Phadke
* Malti Bedekar, feminist and Marathi novel writer
* Pandurang Vaman Kane (Bharat Ratna awardee)
* S N Pendse (Shri Nā)
* Vi Ka Rajwade (Itihasacharya Rajwade)
* Vasant Kanetkar
* Vinda Karandikar (Jnanapeeth Awardee 2003)
* Madhav Vaze
* Vishram Bedekar
* Krishnaji Keshav Damle(Keshavsoot)
* Wrangler Paranjpe
* Durga Bhagwat, Writer, Scholar and Critic of Indological studies
* Vivekanand Godbole, Historian (author of ``Subhey Kalyan",
``Hindu Sanskruti Anee Kalyan")
* Ashok Gadgil, Scientist with LBL.
* Kedar Joshi, Superultramodern Science / Philosophy
* Narendra Karmarkar, renowned computer scientist at Bell labs who
invented his own algorithm for linear programming for which he won
ACM's Paris Kanellakis Award
* Navakanta Bhat, Swarnajayanti Fellowship, 2004-2005, IISc
* Dr.Prabhakara Joshi, Yakshagana Talamaddale performer, Critic,
Scholar, Educator
* Daji Nagesh Apte, Sanskrit/Jyotish scholar
* Prakash M. Apte, Eisenhower Exchange Fellow USA 1988, Town
Planner of new capital of Gujarat.
G. N. Dandekar is an eminent Marathi author and a Sahitya Kala Akademi
award winner. ... Irawati Karve (1905 - 1970) was an Indian
anthropologist. ... Hari Narayan Apte (1864-1919) is acknowledged to
be the founder of the modern Marathi novel and of the modern Marathi
short story as well. ... Gangadhar Gadgil (born August 25, 1923 in
Mumbai) was a Marathi fiction writer. ... S. J. Joshi (1915-1989) was
an award-winning Marathi novelist. ... Malti Bedekar (nee Vibhavare
Shirurkar) was the first feminist Marathi author. ... Dr. Pandurang
Vaman Kane (1880-1972) was a famous Indologist and Sanskrit
scholar. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or
section may require cleanup. ... Vasant Shankar Kanetkar Vasant
Shankar Kanetkar or Vasant Kanetkar (March 20, 1922 - December 29,
2000) was an Indian playwright who wrote in the Marathi language. ...
Govind Vinayak Karandikar (born August 23, 1918), better known as
Vinda Karandikar is a famous Marathi poet. ... Ashok Gadgil is a
Berkeley, California based scientist who invented the now widely-used
UV-disinfection method for ridding drinking water of cholera and other
harmful infectious agents for pennies per ton, thus making safer
drinking water available cheaply for millions, especially in third-
world countries. ... Narendra K. Karmarkar (b. ... The Paris
Kanellakis Theory and Practice Award is granted yearly by the
Association for Computing Machinery to honor specific theoretical
accomplishments that have had a significant and demonstrable effect on
the practice of computing. ...
Politics/Social Reform =
* Achyutrao Patwardhan
* Anant Kanhere
* Bal Gangadhar Tilak
* Balukaka Kanitkar
* Bhai Vaidya
* Bhausaheb Patankar
* Chandrashekhar Hari Joshi
* Chintamanrao Appasaheb Patwardhan(Padmabhushan, ruler of Sangli)
* Dhondo Keshav Karve
* Raghunath Keshav Khadilkar (Union Minister of Labour and
Rehabilitation, Member of Parliament)
* Veer Savarkar
* R. N. Mandlik{Ramabhau Mandlik} (IS THIS PERSON A KONKANASTHA
BRAHMIN ??)
* Ganu Vaidya
* Gopal Ganesh Agarkar
* Gopal Krishna Gokhale
* Gurudeo Ranade
* Kakasaheb Gadgil
* Krantiveer Chapekar
* Krushnaji Gopal Karve
* Laxmibai Tilak
* Mahadev Govind Ranade
* N. V. Tilak (Reverend Tilak)
* N.G.Gore
* Narubhau Limaye
* Sane Guruji
* Nathuram Godse (Hutatma Pandit Nathuram Godse)
* Pandita Ramabai
* Peshawas
* Raghunath Dhondo Karve
* Ramray Kelkar Maharaj
* S.M. Joshi
* Senapati Bapat
* Shankarrao Soman
* Shivram Paranjape (Kaal Karte Paranjape)
* Shivajirao Patwardhan{Padmashri}
* Sudhir Joshi
* Swami Swaroopananda
* Vasant Bapat
* Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (Swatantryaveer Savarkar)
* Vinoba Bhave
* Vitthalrao Gadgil
* Wamanrao Joshi
* Babarao Bhide
This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1856 - 1920), was an Indian nationalist, social
reformer and freedom fighter who was the first popular leader of the
Indian Independence Movement. ... Maharshi Dhondo Keshav Karve fought
throughout his life for the upliftment of women. ... Veer Savarkar SEE
Vinayak Damodar Savarkar External links Was Veer Savarkar a Nazi? - Dr
Koenraad Elst Categories: Indian people stubs ... Gopal Krishna
Gokhale (गोपाल कृष��ण गोखले) born May
9, 1866, in Kolhat, Maharashtra, India was one of the founding social
and political leaders during the Indian Independence Movement against
the British Empire in India. ... Mahadev Govind Ranade (16 January
1842 - 16 January 1901) was an Indian lawyer, reformer and author. ...
Pandurang Sadashiv Sane, known as Sane Guruji to his followers, was a
famous Marathi author and social activist. ... Nathuram Vinayak Godse
(May 19, 1910 – November 15, 1949) born at Baramati, Poona District,
is best known as the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi, the principal leader
of the Indian Independence Movement. ... Pandita Ramabai (23rd April
1858, Maharashtra- 5th April 1922) was an eminent social reformer and
activist. ... Raghunath Karve (1882-1953) was a reformer and a
visionary. ... Senapati Bapat (November 12, 1880 - November 28, 1967)
was a major figure in the Indian independence movement. ... Sudhir
Joshi(1948- Died 14 December 2005) was Indian Marathi actor and
comedian. ... Vinayak Damodar Sarvakar Vin�yak D�modar S�varkar
(Marathi: विनायक दामोदर सावरकर)
(May 28, 1883 – February 27, 1966) was an Indian revolutionary and
Hindu nationalist political leader, who is credited with developing a
Hindu nationalist political ideology he termed as Hindutva
(Hinduness). ... Vinoba Bhave, born Vinayak Narahari Bhave (September
11, 1895 - November 15, 1982) often called Acharya (In Sanskrit and
Hindi means teacher), is considered as a National Teacher of India and
the spiritual successor of Mahatma Gandhi. ...
Industry
* C.V. Joag (Bank of Maharashtra)
* Chitale Bandhu (makers of fine sweets)
* Dandekars (CAMLIN)
* P. N. Gadgil (Bullionaires since 1832)
* Waman Hari Pethe (Bullionaires since last 100 years)
* Dadasaheb Velankar (coaching class owner)
* Vikram Pandit
* Mohan Vijay Vaze (Vaze Consultancy)
* Mangesh Vijay Vaze (Vaze Consultancy)
* Jayant Joshi (publishers of Pravasi Diary)
* Sathe (Sathe biscuits and chocolates co.)
* Mr. Mukund Bhogale MD, Nirlep Industries
Bank of Maharashtra (BOM) is a medium sized regional bank, with very
strong concentration in the western state of Maharashtra in India. ...
Sport
* Ajit Agarkar (Indian National Cricket team)
* D. B. Deodhar (Cricket Maharshi Deodhar)
* Hemant Kanitkar(Indian National Cricket team)
* Hrishikesh Kanitkar(Indian National Cricket team)
* Harsha Bhogle(International Cricket Analyst, Commentator,
Television Host)
Ajit Bhalchandra Agarkar (born December 4, 1977 in Bombay - now
Mumbai) is an Indian cricketer. ... Dinkar Balwant Deodhar (14 January
1892 - 1993) is a former Indian first class cricketer. ... Hemant
Shamsunder Kanitkar (born December 8, 1942, Amravati, Maharashtra) is
a former Indian cricketer who played in 2 Tests in 1974. ...
Hrishikesh Kanitkar (born November 14, 1974 in Maharashtra) is an
Indian cricketer. ... Harsha Bhogle is an Indian cricket commentator
and journalist. ...
Medicine
* Anandibai Joshi, first woman doctor of India
* Ajit Phadke, urologist and surgeon of Bombay
* RV Sathe, physician and Vice-Chancellor, University of Bombay
* Ravi Bapat, surgeon at the K.E.M. Hospital
* Sudhakar Sane, noted Surgeon and Forensic Pathologist
* Santosh Karmarkar Pediatric surgeon, at Mumbai, Maharashtra
* Govind Datar Pediatric Surgeon, at Pune, Maharashtra
Urology is the field of medicine that focuses on the urinary tracts of
males and females, and of the male reproductive system. ... The Doctor
by Samuel Luke Fildes This article is about the term physician, a type
of doctor; for other uses of the word doctor see Doctor
(disambiguation). ...
Information Technology
Cinema/Theatre
* Kashinath Ghanekar
* Aditi Govitrikar
* Archana Joglekar
* Asawari Joshi
* Ashvini Bhave
* Atul Parchure
* Bhakti Barve
* Chittaranjan Kolhatkar
* Dadasaheb Phalke
* Madhuri Dixit
* Mohan Agashe
* Mohan Gokhale
* Mohan Joshi
* Mrunal Dev
* Dr.Girish Oak
* Nishigandha Wad
* Pradeep Bhide
* Prashant Damle
* Sai Paranjape
* Sanjay Mone
* Rima Lagoo
* Vidyadhar Gokhale
* Vikram Gokhale
* Shriram Lagoo
* Sudhir Joshi
* Vikram Phadnis
* Govind Ballal Deval (Natyacharya)
* Vishnudas Bhave
* Nachiket and Jayoo Patwardhan
* Kiran Karmarkar
* Rakesh Bapat (Hindi Movie: Tum Bin)
* Milind Soman
Aditi Gowitrikar is an Indian model and actress. ... Dhundiraj Govind
Phalke, popularly known as Dadasaheb Phalke (Marathi: दादासà
¤¾à¤¹à¥‡à¤¬ फाळके) (April 30, 1870 - February 16, 1944) is
known as the father of Indian cinema. ... Madhuri Dixit (Marathi: मà
¤¾à¤§à¥�री दीकà¥�षित) pronunciation: or ) (born as
Madhuri Shankar Dixitin a maharashtrian koknastha bramhin family on
May 15, 1967) is an Indian Bollywood actress. ... Mohan Agashe is an
accalimed Indian actor. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this
article or section may require cleanup. ... (Sometimes credited as
Vikram Gokhle) A well known theatre and Marathi and Hindi film
actor. ... Dr. Shriram Lagoo is an Indian film and theatre actor. ...
Sudhir Joshi(1948- Died 14 December 2005) was Indian Marathi actor and
comedian. ...
Music
* Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar
* Pandit Vishnu Narain Bhatkhande
* Ramkrishnabua Vaze(Vazebua)
* Sadhana Sargam (Ghanekar)
* Sudhir Phadke
* Meena Joshi
* Shreedhar Phadke
* Vasant Sathe
* Gajanan Watve
* Yashawant Dev
* Veena Sahasrabudhe
* Arun Date
* Shaila Datar
* Sanjeev Abhyankar
* Ashwini Bhide
Vishnu Digambar Paluskar Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar (August 18,
1872 – August 21, 1931) was an Indian classical musician. ... Vishnu
Narayan Bhatkhande Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande (August 10, 1860 -
September 19, 1936) was a Hindustani classical musician widely
acclaimed to have brought in a renaissance in Hindustani music. ...
Sadhana Sargam is one of the well-known singers from India. ... Singer-
composer Sudhir Phadke, 83, popularly known as ‘Babuji’ to
millions of his fans, died in Mumbai on 29 July 2002 after a brain
hemorrhage. ...
Typical Last Names
The List of Chitpavan last names enumerates all the last names found
in the Chitpavan community. "Achari",
"Acharya","Dixit","Patwardhan","Katke","Kapse","Kaketkar","Vyas","Puranik",
"Sahastrabudhe","Bakshi",are some of the surname which were given as
per the profession or as a "UPADHI", "REWARD", "BAKSHISI". This
happened in between seventeen and eighteen's ,when Chitpavan community
was at rising stage , they joined in the "ARMY" and won various
territories, won "Debate" and become "Sahastrabudhe" ,learn Vedanta
and become "Pandit", "Acharya","Dixit", took too many rewards and
become "Patwardhan","Thorat","Bakshi" . Similar to this according to
the occupation , "Achari","Devdhar", "Swayampaki","Wagh", "Heer",
"Pandive", "Reshmekhar", "Pathekar" ,
"Sukhadkar","Harbude","Khangle","Khule","Rajwade","Mahabal","Rajmachikar","Nagarkar",
and lot many Surname's were given as per the profession or as a
"UPADHI" to Chitpavan community. This may or may not be in use today.
The following is a list of last names of the Konkanstha Brahmins of
the state of Maharashtra in India listed in alphabetical order. ...
Typical First Names
Male names
Amod Amrith Amol
* Aditya
* Amay/Amey/Ameya
* Anand
* Anant
* Ashok
* Chandrashekhar
* Chintamani
* Gajanan
* Gopal
* Hrishikesh
* Kedar
* Mandar
* Manish
* Omkar
* Parshuram
* Prashant
* Ranjan
* Rohan
* Shreyash
* Shrikant
* Shrirang
* Sourabh
* Swapnil
* Tushar
* Shridhar
* Shantanu
* Saurabh
* Deepak
* Vinayak
* Ballal
* Prasad
Female names
* Aditi
* Ashwini
* Ketaki
* Manjiri
* Namrata
* Prajakta
* Purnima
* Shruti
* Vidya
* Janhavi
* Medha
* Vanita
* Nirmala
* Amey
* Varsha
Trivia
* Sir Raghunathrao P. Paranjpe, grandfather of noted Hindi and
Marathi film director Sai Paranjpe, was the first Indian Wrangler
(Wrangler-Mathematics topper at Cambridge University, England). Sai,
daughter of Sir R.P.P.'s daughter and a Russian father is a noted
Hindi and Marathi movie and drama director, having given major hits
like Chashme Baddoor, Katha, Sparsh, etc.
References
* Chitpavanism - by Jagannath Dixit
* Chitpawan - by Na. Go. Chapekar (1940, reprinted 1968)
* Amhi sare chitpawan - by M.C. Dixit (2002)
External links
* Kokanastha
* Yahoo! Group - Chitpavan
* Yahoo! Group - Kobraweb
Categories: Articles which may be biased | Maharashtrian Brahmin
communities | Ethnic groups in India | Social groups of India
Results from FactBites:
caste - Article and Reference from OnPedia.com (4222 words)
The Brahmins (the word comes from Sanskrit for 'knowledge', root word
Vid 'to know') are the priestly caste, and are responsible for all
religious affairs of society, and must endure 12 years studying the
Vedas.
Brahmin (priest), Kshatriya (warrior, nobility), Vaishya (large group
of ordinary workers, merchants, businessmen, etc.) and Shudras (menial
workers, janitors, sweepers, etc.) were the four varnas.
The established Brahmins, whose duty it was to act as gurus
(teachers) for new generations of Brahmins, by culling those worthy of
Brahminhood from all the young boys of the society, began
discriminating based on caste.
Australian Information from Wikipedia (3874 words)
This decision has been controversial and has caused many Marathi
people to worry about the fate of their language, a concern which is
compounded by the Marathi middle class's increasing preference for
English-medium schools.In addition to this, increasing use of Hindi in
urban Maharashtra has saddened Marathi people and linguists alike.
Maharashtrians and Konkanis in Goa have had bitter fights over the
official language issue.
Samvedi is spoken in the interiors of Nala Sopara and Virar region to
the north of Mumbai in the Vasai Taluka, Thane District of
Maharashtra.
More results at FactBites »
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<div style="border: 0; padding-top: 0px; font-weight: bold; font-
size: 18px"><a href="/encyclopedia/">Encyclopedia</a>
> Maharashtrian Konkanastha Brahmins</div>
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style="width: 255px; empty-cells:show; font-family: lucida grande,
sans-serif; line-height: 1.4em; border: 1px solid #ccd2d9; font-size:
85%;"> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="margin-left: inherit;
color:#222222; background: transparent; font-size: 2em; text-
align:center"><b><a href="/encyclopedia/Indian-caste-system"
onmouseover="pv(event, 1)" onmouseout="unpv(1)" style="">Castes of
India</a></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="margin-left:
inherit; color:#222222; border-bottom:2px solid darkblue; background:
transparent; font-size: 1.5em; text-align:center"><b>Chitpavan /
Kokanastha Brahmins</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-
align: center;"> <div class="floatnone"><!--google_ad_section_end--
><!-- google_ad_region_end=first_para --><span ><a href="/encyclopedia/
Image:Flag-of-India.svg" onmouseover="pv(event, 2)" onmouseout="unpv
(2)" style="">
<img src="/wikimir/images/upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/
4/41/Flag_of_India.svg/150px-Flag_of_India.svg.png" alt="" width="150"
height="100" longdesc="/encyclopedia/image/Image:Flag_of_India.svg" /
></a></span></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Classification</b></td>
<td>Caste/<a href="/encyclopedia/Brahmin" onmouseover="pv(event, 3)"
onmouseout="unpv(3)" style="">Brahmin</a></td> </tr> <tr>
<td><b>Subdivisions</b></td> <td><small>-</small></td> </tr> <tr>
<td><b>Significant populations in</b></td> <td><a href="/encyclopedia/
Maharashtra" onmouseover="pv(event, 4)" onmouseout="unpv(4)"
style="">Maharashtra</a></td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Languages</b></td>
<td><a href="/encyclopedia/Marathi-language" onmouseover="pv(event,
5)" onmouseout="unpv(5)" style="">Marathi</a>, Chitpavani Konkani</td>
</tr> <tr> <td><b>Religions</b></td> <td><a href="/encyclopedia/
Hinduism" onmouseover="pv(event, 6)" onmouseout="unpv(6)"
style="">Hinduism</a></td> </tr> </table> <p>The <b><a href="/
encyclopedia/Chitpavan" onmouseover="pv(event, 7)" onmouseout="unpv
(7)" style="">Chitpavan</a></b>, <b>Chitpawan</b>, or <b>Konkanastha
Brahmins</b> (कोकणस्थ ब्राम्हण) are a <a href="/encyclopedia/Brahmin"
onmouseover="pv(event, 8)" onmouseout="unpv(8)" style="">brahmin</a>
community of <a href="/encyclopedia/Konkan" onmouseover="pv(event, 9)"
onmouseout="unpv(9)" style="">Konkan</a>, the coastal belt of western
<a href="/encyclopedia/Maharashtra" onmouseover="pv(event, 10)"
onmouseout="unpv(10)" style="">Maharashtra</a>. Sometimes they are
affectionately referred to as <b>Kobra</b> (short for KO-nkanastha BRA-
hmin). (Since <i>Konkanastha</i> is actually a general geographic
label, meaning "Native of Konkan" in <a href="/encyclopedia/Sanskrit-
language" onmouseover="pv(event, 11)" onmouseout="unpv(11)"
style="">Sanskrit</a>, the name <i>Chitpavan</i> is preferable. In
this text, however, the names Chitpavan, Konkanastha, and Kobra are
used interchangeably. Chitpavan Brahmins' origins are unknown, since
they are distinctly physically different from other Hindu castes. They
are easily recognised by the certain characteristics such as fair
skin, light-coloured eyes (blue, green or grey), sharp nose, distinct
jawline, and sometimes have light brown hair.<span class="preview"
id="pv1"> This article or section is in need of attention from an
expert on the subject. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv2"> Image File history File links
Flag_of_India. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv3"> A Brahmin (anglicised from the
Sanskrit word IAST ; Devanagari ), also known as Vipra, Dvija,
Dvijottama (best of the Dvijas), (god on Earth) is a member of an
upper caste within Hindu society. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv4"> Maharashtra (Marathi:
महाराष्ट्र
mahārāṣṭra,
literally: Great Nation; IPA: )( ) is Indias third largest state in
terms of area and second largest in terms of population after Uttar
Pradesh. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv5"> To meet Wikipedias quality standards,
this article may require cleanup. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv6"> Hinduism (Sanskrit: , , also known
as , ) is a religion that originated on the Indian subcontinent. ...</
span>
<span class="preview" id="pv7"> The Chitpavan, Chitpawan, or
Konkanastha Brahmins
(कोकणस्थ
ब्राम्हण)
are a brahmin community of Konkan, the coastal belt of western
Maharashtra. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv8"> A Brahmin (anglicised from the
Sanskrit word IAST ; Devanagari ), also known as Vipra, Dvija,
Dvijottama (best of the Dvijas), (god on Earth) is a member of an
upper caste within Hindu society. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv9"> A typical view of the Konkan,
consisting of white-sand beaches and palm trees (mostly coconut and
betel nut). ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv10"> Maharashtra (Marathi:
महाराष्ट्र
mahārāṣṭra,
literally: Great Nation; IPA: )( ) is Indias third largest state in
terms of area and second largest in terms of population after Uttar
Pradesh. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv11"> The Sanskrit language (Skt. ...</
span>
</p> <p><br/>The Kobras gained prominence during the reign of Shahu in
the 18th century and since have established themselves firmly in the
Indian social hierarchy. In 1713, the fourth Chattrapati Shahu
appointed a Chitpanvan Brahmin from Kokan, Balaji Vishwanath Bhat, as
Peshwa or prime minister. After the death of Shahu from 1749 to 1761,
the Peshwas enjoyed <i>de facto</i> status till battle of Panipat.
Afterwards, with exception of Madhavrao, all other peshwas remained
ceremonial head of Maratha confederacy like their master Chattrapati.
The <a href="/encyclopedia/Bhumihar" onmouseover="pv(event, 12)"
onmouseout="unpv(12)" style="">Bhumihar</a> Brahmins of Eastern <a
href="/encyclopedia/U.P." onmouseover="pv(event, 13)" onmouseout="unpv
(13)" style="">U.P.</a> and in the state of <a href="/encyclopedia/
Bihar" onmouseover="pv(event, 14)" onmouseout="unpv(14)"
style="">Bihar</a>, <a href="/encyclopedia/Mohyal" onmouseover="pv
(event, 15)" onmouseout="unpv(15)" style="">Mohyal</a> Brahmins in the
state of Punjab, <a href="/encyclopedia/Namboothiri-Brahmins"
onmouseover="pv(event, 16)" onmouseout="unpv(16)" style="">Namboothiri
Brahmins</a> in <a href="/encyclopedia/Kerela" onmouseover="pv(event,
17)" onmouseout="unpv(17)" style="">Kerela</a>, Havyak Brahmins of <a
href="/encyclopedia/Andhra-Pradesh" onmouseover="pv(event, 18)"
onmouseout="unpv(18)" style="">Andhra Pradesh</a>, <a href="/
encyclopedia/Anavil" onmouseover="pv(event, 19)" onmouseout="unpv(19)"
style="">Anavil</a> <a href="/encyclopedia/Brahmins" onmouseover="pv
(event, 20)" onmouseout="unpv(20)" style="">Brahmins</a> of <a href="/
encyclopedia/Gujarat" onmouseover="pv(event, 21)" onmouseout="unpv
(21)" style="">Gujarat</a> also have the same lineage and are similar
to <a href="/encyclopedia/Chitpawan" onmouseover="pv(event, 22)"
onmouseout="unpv(22)" style="">Chitpawans</a> in custom, tradition,
practices, temperament and hold Bhagvan <a href="/encyclopedia/
Parshuram" onmouseover="pv(event, 23)" onmouseout="unpv(23)"
style="">Parshuram</a> in high esteem.<span class="preview"
id="pv12"> Bhumihar Brahmins
(भूमिहर
ब्राह्मण),
also known as Bhumihars
(भूमिहार)
are an influential Brahmin subcaste who have traditionally resided in
fertile regions of Indo-Gangetic plains of North India, in the states
of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv13"> Uttar Pradesh (Hindi: , Urdu: ,
translation: Northern Province, IPA: , ), also popularly known
by its abbreviation U.P. It is the most populous and fifth largest
state in the Union of India. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv14"> For other uses, see Bihar
(disambiguation). ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv15"> Mohyal (sometimes Muhiyal or Mahjal)
is the name of an endogamous group of seven lineages arising from the
Gandhara region, once a great center of Indian learning. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv16"> The Namboothiris
(Malayalam :നമ്പൂതിരി)
are the Brahmins of Kerala, thought to be the most orthodox brahmins
in India. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv17"> Kerala (IPA: ; Malayalam:
കേരളം
— Keralam) is a state on the southwestern tropical
Malabar Coast of India. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv18"> Andhra Pradesh : (Telugu:
ఆంధ్ర
ప్రదేశ్,
Urdu:
آندھرا
پردیش,
IPA: ), is a state in South India. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv19"> Anavil Brahmin is one of the sub-
castes of Brahmin caste. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv20"> Young Indian brahmachari
Brahmin A Brahmin (less often Brahman) is a member of the Hindu
priestly caste. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv21"> Gujarāt
(Gujarātī: , IPA: , ) is the most
industrialized state in the Republic of India with 19. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv22"> Chitpawan chitpavan are a group of
people which hail from the Konkan area, west coast of Maharashtra
state in India, hence also known as Kokanastha Brahmins (Kobras). ...</
span>
<span class="preview" id="pv23"> It has been suggested that this
article or section be merged with Parashurama and Bhargava Rama
(Discuss) Parshuram was the brahmin who destroyed many
Kshatriyas. ...</span>
</p> <p><br/>In fact there are several internal inconsistencies in the
hyperbolic claims made by this community. They apparently claim to
have (crash) landed on Konkan coast (See, History & Theology) long
after the Vedic age was over and yet claim to be Brahmins. Only the
direct descendants of Vedic Rishis are considered Brahmins. So at best
they are 'naturalized brahmins.' Maratha kingdom was founded on the
blood and sweat of Marathas (who claim descent from Rajputs, displaced
by Mogul incursions in Rajasthan). The first individual from this
community, Balaji Vishvanath, who was appointed Peshwa by Maratha
king, Shahu Maharaj ( a weak drug-addict, however a descendant of The
Great Shivaji) , was cleark in a salt factory and later, a cleark who
supplied provisions to armies marching through Pune - both Maratha and
Mogul - before he joined services of Shahu Maharaj (see, 'Kanhoji
Angre' by P.L.Deshpande). Shahu maharaj was virtually blackmailed into
presenting Balaji Vishvanath the investiture clothes of the office -
traditionally held by the Pingale family (Deshastha Brahmin). In fact
the office of Pant Pradhan (Peshwa) was open to Brahmins only. So it
can be argued that, being only 'naturalized brahmin', Balaji
Vishvanatha was an imposter and illegitimate for the post of Peshwa.
They enjoyed brief glory as Peshwas - on the blood and sweat of
Marathas - before signing it off to British for a paltry pension. Even
this pension was refused to them after Dalhousie's policy of 'lapse',
as Nana sahib -the last of the line - was adopted. Nana sahib joined
the mutineers of 1857, out of legal frustrations and was trying to
negotiate a pension deal all the way to the end. A new propoganda
book, 'Shitpawanism' ( 'Shitpawan' is the other name they like to go
by, for reasons that are at best, obscure)is being touted lately to
air more opinions. They are now trying to connect their lineage with
different successful brahmin castes of India like Bhumihar, Mohyal,
Namboothiri etc without a trace of evidence (See above).</p> <div
style="text-align: center; margin: 0 10%;"> </div> <!--
google_ad_section_start--><table id="toc" class="toc"
summary="Contents"> <tr> <td> <div id="toctitle"> <h2>Contents</h2> </
div> <ul> <li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#History_.26_Theology"><span
class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">History &
Theology</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2"><a
href="#Origins"><span class="tocnumber">1.1</span> <span
class="toctext">Origins</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2"><a
href="#Rise_to_power"><span class="tocnumber">1.2</span> <span
class="toctext">Rise to power</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li
class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Article_on_Chitpavans_by_Linda_Cox"><span
class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Article on Chitpavans
by Linda Cox</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1"><a
href="#How_to_tell_a_Chitpavan"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span
class="toctext">How to tell a Chitpavan</span></a></li> <li
class="toclevel-1"><a href="#See_Also"><span class="tocnumber">4</
span> <span class="toctext">See Also</span></a></li> <li
class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Eminent.
2FFamous_Konkanastha_Brahmins"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span
class="toctext">Eminent/Famous Konkanastha Brahmins</span></a> <ul>
<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Literature.2FScholars"><span
class="tocnumber">5.1</span> <span class="toctext">Literature/
Scholars</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1"><a
href="#Politics.2FSocial_Reform_.3D"><span class="tocnumber">6</span>
<span class="toctext">Politics/Social Reform =</span></a> <ul> <li
class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Industry"><span class="tocnumber">6.1</
span> <span class="toctext">Industry</span></a></li> <li
class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Sport"><span class="tocnumber">6.2</span>
<span class="toctext">Sport</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2"><a
href="#Medicine"><span class="tocnumber">6.3</span> <span
class="toctext">Medicine</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2"><a
href="#Information_Technology"><span class="tocnumber">6.4</span>
<span class="toctext">Information Technology</span></a></li> <li
class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Cinema.2FTheatre"><span
class="tocnumber">6.5</span> <span class="toctext">Cinema/Theatre</
span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Music"><span
class="tocnumber">6.6</span> <span class="toctext">Music</span></a></
li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1"><a
href="#Typical_Last_Names"><span class="tocnumber">7</span> <span
class="toctext">Typical Last Names</span></a></li> <li
class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Typical_First_Names"><span
class="tocnumber">8</span> <span class="toctext">Typical First Names</
span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Male_names"><span
class="tocnumber">8.1</span> <span class="toctext">Male names</span></
a></li> <li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Female_names"><span
class="tocnumber">8.2</span> <span class="toctext">Female names</
span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1"><a
href="#Trivia"><span class="tocnumber">9</span> <span
class="toctext">Trivia</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1"><a
href="#References"><span class="tocnumber">10</span> <span
class="toctext">References</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1"><a
href="#External_links"><span class="tocnumber">11</span> <span
class="toctext">External links</span></a></li> </ul> </td> </tr> </
table><!--google_ad_section_end--> <p><script type="text/
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<span class="mw-headline">History & Theology</span><div
style="margin:8px 3px 3px 3px;float:right;border:0px solid
black;"><table><tr><td>
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</td></tr></table></div></h2> <p><a name="Origins" id="Origins"></a></
p> <h3> <span class="mw-headline">Origins</span></h3> <p>There is no
mention of them in Indian history prior to the reign of the <a href="/
encyclopedia/Peshwas" onmouseover="pv(event, 48)" onmouseout="unpv
(48)" style="">Peshwas</a> because they did not hold any powerful
position in the political structure and were content more or less in
performing clerical jobs unlike their counterpart of desh who were
performing religious duties.<span class="preview" id="pv48"> This
article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of
quality. ...</span>
</p> <p><br/>The earliest reference to the Chitpavans in Indian
literature can be found in the Sahyadri Khand, a section of the <a
href="/encyclopedia/Skanda-Purana" onmouseover="pv(event, 49)"
onmouseout="unpv(49)" style="">Skanda Purana</a>. It may have been
composed sometime during 8-12th century by a scholar from a rival
group.<span class="preview" id="pv49"> Skanda Purana, one of the
major eighteen Puranas, a Hindu religious text believed to be written
and compiled over a long period, from 6th century to 15th century, is
the largest Purana, and is devoted mainly to the life and deed of
Kartikeya (also called Skanda), a son of Shiva...</span>
</p> <p><br/>The following is the summary of the legend from Sahyadri
Khand. <a href="/encyclopedia/Parashurama" onmouseover="pv(event, 50)"
onmouseout="unpv(50)" style="">Parashurama</a>, the sixth <a href="/
encyclopedia/Avatara" onmouseover="pv(event, 51)" onmouseout="unpv
(51)" style="">avatara</a> of <a href="/encyclopedia/Vishnu"
onmouseover="pv(event, 52)" onmouseout="unpv(52)" style="">Vishnu</a>
was so defiled by the slaughter of the <a href="/encyclopedia/
Kshatriyas" onmouseover="pv(event, 53)" onmouseout="unpv(53)"
style="">Kshatriyas</a> that Brahmins refused to perform any
ceremonies for him. At that time the bodies of fourteen persons
happened to be cast ashore by the sea which then washed the foot of
the <a href="/encyclopedia/Sahyadri" onmouseover="pv(event, 54)"
onmouseout="unpv(54)" style="">Sahyadri</a> hills. These "corpses"
Parashurama purified, by burning them on a funeral pyre or <i>chita</
i>, and restored them to life. He taught them the Brahmin rituals, and
made them perform ceremonies to free them from guilt. Parashurama
wished to give these new Brahmins some land; and since the <a href="/
encyclopedia/Deccan" onmouseover="pv(event, 55)" onmouseout="unpv(55)"
style="">Deccan</a> had already been given to other Brahmins, he
prayed to the God of the sea to spare him some of his domain.
Initially the sea god did not agree to retire. Hence, Parshurama
decided to throw a <a href="/encyclopedia/Bramhastra" onmouseover="pv
(event, 56)" onmouseout="unpv(56)" style="">Bramhastra</a> (missile)
on the sea to render it dry. Then the scared sea god agreed to retire
as far west as the Bramhastra would hit the waters from the crest of
the Sahyadris. The arrow was shot and reclaimed a belt of land about
thirty miles broad. The banks of the Vashishthi, about forty miles
north of <a href="/encyclopedia/Ratnagiri" onmouseover="pv(event, 57)"
onmouseout="unpv(57)" style="">Ratnagiri</a>, were set apart for the
new Brahmins, and in memory of the process by which they had been
purified they were called <i>Chitpavans</i> ('chita - pavan', meaning
'pyre purified' in <a href="/encyclopedia/Sanskrit" onmouseover="pv
(event, 58)" onmouseout="unpv(58)" style="">Sanskrit</a> (it could
also mean a 'pious mind' 'chit - mind,pavan - pious) and their
settlement Chitpolan. After establishing this settlement, Parashurama
retired to <a href="/encyclopedia/Gokarna" onmouseover="pv(event, 59)"
onmouseout="unpv(59)" style="">Gokarna</a> in North <a href="/
encyclopedia/Kanara" onmouseover="pv(event, 60)" onmouseout="unpv(60)"
style="">Kanara</a>. Much to speculation, many scientists from Europe
conducted Y DNA tests from various communities connected to these set
of Brahmins and found that, the Y Chromosome was rare, found only in
Konkanastha Brahmins and it directly matched DNA prominent among
Southern Europeans. Particularly, the French, Greeks, Italians,
Iberian people and the Irish. To a lesser extent in Southern England.
Many still carry the original Y DNA Haplogroup type in Ireland and
France. Not to forget the Konkanastha Brahmins. It is noted that, the
first to arrive on the Coast of this region, must have been Fair to
medium height, well built with light brown to red hair and possessed
Greyish to Green eyes, which is still found in many descendants of the
first visitors.<span class="preview" id="pv50"> It has been
suggested that this article or section be merged with Bhargava Rama
and Parshuram (Discuss) Parashurama Bhargava or Parasurama (Axe-
wielding Rama), according to Hindu mythology is the Sixth avatar of
Vishnu, belongs to the Treta yuga, and is the son of Jamadagni &
Renuka. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv51"> See Avatar (disambiguation) for
other meanings. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv52"> Vishnu (IAST , Devanagari ,
with honorific Shri Vishnu; , ), (also frequently referred to as
Narayana) is the most popularly worshipped form of God in Hinduism
[1]. Within the Vaishnava tradition he is viewed as the Ultimate
Reality or Supreme God (similarly to Shiva within Shaivism). ...</
span>
<span class="preview" id="pv53"> A Kshatriya is a member of the
military or reigning order, according to the law-code of Manu the
second ranking caste of the Indian varna system of four castes, the
first being the Brahmin or priestly caste, the third the Vaishya or
mercantile caste and the lowest the Shudra. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv54"> The Western Ghats or Sahyadri
mountains run along the western edge of Indias Deccan Plateau, and
separate the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian
Sea. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv55"> The Deccan Plateau is a vast plateau
in India, encompassing most of Central and Southern India. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv56"> This article belongs in one or more
categories. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv57"> Ratnagiri is a city in India, located
in the southwestern part of Maharashtra State on the Arabian Sea
coast, in the Ratnagiri district. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv58"> The Sanskrit language ( , ) is a
classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism,
Buddhism, and Jainism, and one of the 22 official languages of
India. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv59"> Gokarna meaning Cows Ear is a small
town situated in North Kannada district coastal Karnataka, India. ...</
span>
<span class="preview" id="pv60"> The Kanara or Canara (called
Kannada in Karnataka) districts comprise three districts of Karnataka
- North Kanara (Uttara Kannada) whose administrative headquarters is
Karwar, Udupi, and South Kanara (Dakshina Kannada), whose
administrative headquarters is Mangalore. ...</span>
</p> <p><br/><a name="Rise_to_power" id="Rise_to_power"></a></p> <h3>
<span class="mw-headline">Rise to power</span></h3> <p>Until the rise
of Balaji Vishvanath Peshwa, who belonged to Chitpavan Brahmin sub-
caste, they held a low position and were known chiefly as clerks in
the <a href="/encyclopedia/Deccan" onmouseover="pv(event, 62)"
onmouseout="unpv(62)" style="">Deccan</a>. Even after several
generations of living in the Deccan, with strict attention to Brahmin
rituals and austere life, other classes of Brahmins refused to eat
with them. One story is that when <a href="/encyclopedia/Bajirao-II"
onmouseover="pv(event, 63)" onmouseout="unpv(63)" style="">Bajirao II</
a>, the last of the Chitpavan Brahmin Peshwas (1796-1818), was in
Nasik he was not allowed to go down to the Godavari river using the
same flight of steps as the priests from the local <a href="/
encyclopedia/Trimbakeshwar" onmouseover="pv(event, 64)"
onmouseout="unpv(64)" style="">Trimbakeshwar</a> temple.<span
class="preview" id="pv62"> The Deccan Plateau is a vast plateau in
India, encompassing most of Central and Southern India. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv63"> Baji Rao II was the last Peshwa of
the Maratha Confederacy. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv64"> Trimbakeshwar is an ancient Hindu
temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas. ...</
span>
</p> <p><br/>They were relatively unknown outside Konkan until the
16th century. Later the ruler of Maratha kingdom Chhatrapati Shahu
Maharaj appointed a Chitpavan Brahmin, <a href="/encyclopedia/Balaji-
Vishwanath" onmouseover="pv(event, 65)" onmouseout="unpv(65)"
style="">Balaji Vishwanath Bhatt</a> as his Peshwa or Prime Minister
in , aroung 18th century. It was the first time a Brahmin of Konkan
origin held an important position in Deccani politics in Maharashtra.
Eventually, many Chitpavan Brahmins joined the service of Marattha
kingdom and in due course called the plateau of Deccan their
home.<span class="preview" id="pv65"> Balaji Vishwanath - (1712 to
1721) In 1712, Shahuji died and his minister or Peshwa, Balaji
Vishwanath a Brahmin took over the throne. ...</span>
</p> <p><br/>Before the Peshwas, the community was predominantly found
in the Konkan coastal belt of Maharashtra state of India but
afterwards migrated to various parts of India. Today the community is
found mainly in the state of Maharashtra particularly the Konkan
coastal belt and the Deccan Plateau. They are also scattered in small
pockets in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh,
Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in a tiny percentage. Many of these DNAs' are
also found among the Coorgis (a warrior caste in south India). Many of
this community members have migrated to the Middle East Gulf States -
particularly U.A.E. and also to U.K, Australia and U.S.A. Together,
they form less than 1% of Total Indian population. It is known that
the Konkanastha Brahmins are a homogeneous community. It was only
after the late 18th century, that they began to form sub DNA groups.
Originally the Menfolk may have taken to the natives' women as their
wives and neglected their culture.</p> <p><br/><a
name="Article_on_Chitpavans_by_Linda_Cox"
id="Article_on_Chitpavans_by_Linda_Cox"></a></p> <h2> <span class="mw-
headline">Article on Chitpavans by Linda Cox</span></h2>
<p><b>Diaclaimer:</b> This article was originally published in the
February 22, 1970 issue of the Illustrated Weekly of India, which is
now defunct. The original article does not carry any copyright notice,
so it is being presented here.</p> <p><br/>Unheard of before 1700, the
Chitpavan Brahmins of Maharashtra had come to dominate the fields of
social reform, law, scholarship, government service and the arts by
the nineteenth century. Their two names, Konkanasth and Chitpavan,
suggest their origins. The first indicates the rocky, unyielding land
in the Ratnagiri district of the Konkan, which they have traditionally
farmed. All Konkanasths can trace their history as far as the Konkan.
The name, Chitpavan, would seem to have come from the Konkan town of
Chitpol.</p> <p><br/>When you spot a Maharashtrian with blue or green
eyes, ten to one he is a Chitpavan. And his fair colouring suggests a
foreign origin. A history of the <a href="/encyclopedia/Bene-Israel"
onmouseover="pv(event, 67)" onmouseout="unpv(67)" style="">Bene
Israel</a>, who settled in the Kolaba district of the Konkan, claims
the Chitpavans as fellow Jews who became separated from their
shipmates. Other accounts have guessed at a homeland anywhere from
Iran to just north of Sholapur.<span class="preview" id="pv67"> The
Bene Israel (Sons of Israel) are a group of Jews who, in the mid-
twentieth century, lived primarily in Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi,
Ahmadabad and Karachi. ...</span>
</p> <p><br/>As long as they remained in the Konkan, the Chitpavans
were simply an obscure Brahmin community of farmers and priests. The
land that they tilled afforded only a poor living to the Chitpavans.
But money has rarely been their primary goal. Even today few are known
for their wealth. They were neither the largest nor the purest in the
Brahmin hierarchy - the Deshasth Brahmins claimed to be that - but
their hard-headed outlook and intelligence readied them for a climb
over the Ghats to power.</p> <p><br/>The change in fortune came when
Balaji Vishwanath Bhat took a job with the Maratha Government in the
early 1700s. Balaji Viswanath had a talent for making himself useful -
so useful that within seven years, Shivaji's grandson Shahu had
appointed him Peshwa! When Balaji died in 1720, his son Bajirao
succeeded him and thus began a century of rule by the Chitpavan
Peshwas. Lured by the good fortune of their caste fellows, the
Chitpavans migrated in large numbers to the Deccan, especially to
Poona, the seat of the Peshwas. There they quickly rose in stature and
influence, getting jobs as clerks, military men and diplomats and
claiming economic privileges as well.</p> <p><br/>The end of power and
glory seems to have come in 1818, when the British swallowed up the
Maratha kingdom. But the Chitpavans have a remarkable ability to rise
to the top in any situation. They were helped by the British decision
initially to support traditional Indian society. Thus Brahmin
privileges and leadership were left undisturbed for a time. The
Chitpavans hastened to fill the same kind of clerical government jobs
they had held before, this time for the Bombay Presidency instead of
the Maratha Kingdom.</p> <p><br/>But, if they were willing to serve
the British Raj, not all were happy with the state of things. They
remained loyal servants of the Crown, until the moment came to strike.
Vasudeo Balwant Phadke was one man who dreamed of restoring the Peshwa
to his prime. In 1879 he left his job as an insignificant Government
clerk to lead a motley group of Ramoshis in the countryside.. He was
captured but not before inspiring a few fellow Chitpavans and giving
the British a good scare.</p> <p><br/>Even before Phadke's attempt,
the British distrusted the Chitpavans. Montstuart Elphinston, first
Governor of the Bombay Presidency after the land of the Marathas was
acquired, described them venomously as an "intriguing, lying, corrupt,
licentious race of people". Perhaps his bitterness stemmed from
learning of a plot reported by a British officer: allegedly some
Chitpavans were planning to murder all the Europeans in Poona and
Satara. While the British sputtered over this, the Chitpavans quietly
acquired the western education which had become the key to success in
changed Maharashtra. Soon they were flocking into the new fields of
law, journalism and western scholarship.</p> <p><br/>The effects
varied. Some were dazzled and attracted by the new ideas. Students of
Deccan College in Poona chose, in 1892, as a motto for their literary
quarterly:</p> <p><br/>Stepping westward seems to be, A kind of
heavenly destiny.</p> <p><br/>This was later changed.</p> <p><br/
>Among social reformers was D. K. Karve, who established a home and
school for young widows. Encouraging widow marriage, he practised as
he preached by marrying a widow himself. Many, like M.G. Ranade,
debated and wrote in favour of widow marriage and raising the age of
consent. Whether it was by devoting their lives to service in G. K.
Gokhale's Servants of India Society or sacrificing their lives by
murdering British officers, the Chitpavans have rarely been slow to
act. They have used their pens to stir the fires of social reform and
nationalist feeling. Lokamanya Tilak and Shivram Mahadeo Paranjpe both
landed in jail for their pains. Vishnushashtri Chiplunkar wrote Our
Country's Condition -to attack British rule on the one hand and
Mahatma Phule's non-Brahmin movement on the other.</p> <p><br/>Yet
some of the strongest resistance to change has come from the very same
community. Jealously guarding their Brahmin stature, the orthodox
among the Chitpavans were not eager to see the Shastras challenged,
nor the conduct of the Brahmins become indistinguishable from that of
the Sudras. In any case resistance to change is not surprising from a
group that benefited so much from the status quo. The Chitpavans were
on top, so why move? The vanguard and the old guard clashed many
times. Ranade and other reformers were forced to offer penance for
breaking purity rules. D. K. Karve was ostracised. Even Tilak made a
visit to Varanasi so that he would not be excommunicated.</p> <p><br/
>Diverse as the community was, it shared one thing : the memory
of the Peshwas. Ever since Balaji showed up in the Maratha Court , the
Chitpavan have had a hand in government. This tradition was carried on
by men like Justice Ranade and Gopal Krishna Gokhale. Both urged
peaceful reforms in British policy. Ranade and another young Chitpavan
intellectual - G. V. Joshi - formed the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha in 1870
as a representative body to recommend changes to the Government. And
moderates like Gokhale and Ranade led the Congress in its early
ventures in political reform.</p> <p><br/>But there was another side
to the Chitpavan's political activity: terrorism. The Chapekar
Brothers formed the Society for the Removal of Obstacles to the Hindu
Religion. One of the obstacles, apparently, was Plague Commissioner
Rand, and on a June night in 1897 he was "removed".</p> <p><br/>Other
conspiracies brewed, sometimes among students of <a href="/
encyclopedia/Fergusson-College" onmouseover="pv(event, 68)"
onmouseout="unpv(68)" style="">Fergusson College</a>, which had been
established by such eminent Chitpavans as Tilak, V. S. Apte and
Gokhale. Another pair of young brothers Vinayak and Ganesh Savarkar,
planned with their friends ways of overthrowing the British. When
Ganesh was convicted of writing inflammatory verse, in 1909, the
District Magistrate of Nasik was murdered in revenge. Twenty-seven men
were convicted as members of the conspiracy. Most of them were
Chitpavans.<span class="preview" id="pv68"> Main Building of
Fergusson College Kimaya, the cultural center Fergusson
College is one of the elite colleges in western India, in the city of
Pune. ...</span>
</p> <p><br/>If any man reconciled the opposing elements in this
diverse community, it was Bal Gangadhar Tilak. A revered public
figure, he was at one and the same time orthodox and revolution.
Though not against all social change, he opposed British social
legislation, insisting that it must come from the people. Tilak was a
master in drawing the masses into political movements. He revived the
Ganapati celebration and renewed people's interest n Shivaji, making
both vehicles of political action.</p> <p><br/>For two centuries, the
Chitpavans stayed a step ahead, always moving fast enough to retain
positions of power. But, with Tilak's death in 1920, history passed
them by. The Congress Party, which Tilak had so greatly influenced,
became the party of Gandhiji. Discontented Maharashtrian Brahmins now
began to leave the Congress and non-Brahmins quietly took their places
in the 1930s and 1940s. When Independence came, the Chitpavans found
the Congress dominated by non-Brahmins. Though they were among the
leaders in other parties, democracy was bound to belittle minorities.
The Brahmins -one or two per cent of the population - could not hope
to carry much weight politically.</p> <p><br/>Nathuram Vinayak Godse
was probably the last of the Chitpavan terrorists and certainly the
most infamous. When the news of his assassination of Gandhiji reached
Maharashta, violence was directed against the communalist Hindu
Mahasabha and the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh, but, to many
observers, the riots were essentially anti-Brahmin. Once and for all,
the idea of a unified society content with Brahmin paternalism was
exposed as a myth.</p> <p><br/>When the mobs had gone home, the
problem of anti-Brahmin feeling remained. The Chitpavans were forced
to seek new life-patterns for a world that was suddenly less friendly.
Politically, the trend has been to stay away from the Congress. One
scholar notes that Brahmin votes go to both 'Left' and 'Right'
candidates but not to the Congress. Indeed, the Chitpavans have
continued to supply political leadership on both sides of the fence -
to the Communist and Socialist Parties as well as to the Hindu
Mahasabha and Jana Sangh. Their national leaders include N. G. Goray
of the Praja Socialist Party and S. M. Joshi of the Samyukta Socialist
Party. V. D. Savarkar was for years leader of the revivalist Hindu
Mahasabha.</p> <p><br/><a name="How_to_tell_a_Chitpavan"
id="How_to_tell_a_Chitpavan"></a></p> <h2> <span class="mw-
headline">How to tell a Chitpavan</span></h2> <p>A typical Chitpavan
is usually fair of complexion, has a sharp nose and steel-grey eyes.
He can be called handsome. <a href="/encyclopedia/Nanasaheb-Peshwa"
onmouseover="pv(event, 70)" onmouseout="unpv(70)" style="">Nanasaheb
Peshwa</a> (18th century), from a portrait that is available may be
called best specimen of Chitpavan manhood. Nanasaheb's son Vishwasrao,
when 18, was killed in the Third Battle of Panipat (1761). Kashiraj
has described him as the most handsome among the Marathas; even in
death he looked so handsome that Ahmedshah Abdali ordered his dead
body to be brought before him - in order to have a look at his
handsome person. The Chitpavans cannot be classed among the well-built
communities of Maharashtra. Chitpavan girls possess good physical
features but tend to look pale. A few historians and anthropologists
are of the view that the Chitpavans came to India from Egypt, while
others say they came from Greece. The Chitpavans are generally
extremists, hence their behaviour is full of contradiction. A
Chitpavan may sacrifice his life for his country but he will not
easily part with his purse. That is why perhaps the Chitpavan
community has produced a number of fiery patriots but not a single
saint. Chitpavan's are generally assumed to be tidy, clean and
industrious. Typical Chitpavan surnames are Abhyankar, Apte, Bapat,
Bhide, Marathe, Phadke, Ranade, Tilak, Gokhale, Joshi,
Ketkar,Paranjpe, Karve, Sathe, Bhate Chitale and At last
Puranik's<span class="preview" id="pv70"> Nanasaheb Peshwa (also
called Balaji Bajirao )(born 1720 or 1721 - Died 1761) was one of the
Peshwas of the Maratha Empire. ...</span>
</p> <p><br/>Some traditional chitpavans are also know to tend to
promulgating debatable issues of caste bias.</p> <p><br/><a
name="See_Also" id="See_Also"></a></p> <h2> <span class="mw-
headline">See Also</span></h2> <ul> <li><a href="/encyclopedia/
Brahmins" onmouseover="pv(event, 72)" onmouseout="unpv(72)"
style="">Brahmins</a></li> <li><a href="/encyclopedia/Forward-Castes"
onmouseover="pv(event, 73)" onmouseout="unpv(73)" style="">Forward
Castes</a></li> </ul> <p><a name="Eminent.
2FFamous_Konkanastha_Brahmins" id="Eminent.
2FFamous_Konkanastha_Brahmins"></a><span class="preview"
id="pv72"> Young Indian brahmachari Brahmin A Brahmin (less
often Brahman) is a member of the Hindu priestly caste. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv73"> now. ...</span>
</p> <h2> <span class="mw-headline">Eminent/Famous Konkanastha
Brahmins</span></h2> <p><a name="Literature.2FScholars" id="Literature.
2FScholars"></a></p> <h3> <span class="mw-headline">Literature/
Scholars</span></h3> <ul> <li>Vasant Sathe (Ex. Union Cabinet Minister
of India )</li> <li><a href="/encyclopedia/G.-N.-Dandekar"
onmouseover="pv(event, 76)" onmouseout="unpv(76)" style="">G. N.
Dandekar</a> (Go Ni Dandekar)</li> <li>Prin. V.K. Joag (Modern
Education Society)</li> <li><a href="/encyclopedia/Irawati-Karve"
onmouseover="pv(event, 77)" onmouseout="unpv(77)" style="">Irawati
Karve</a></li> <li><a href="/encyclopedia/Hari-Narayan-Apte"
onmouseover="pv(event, 78)" onmouseout="unpv(78)" style="">Hari
Narayan Apte</a></li> <li><a href="/encyclopedia/Gangadhar-Gadgil"
onmouseover="pv(event, 79)" onmouseout="unpv(79)" style="">Gangadhar
Gadgil</a></li> <li>Shivram Ganesh Barve(satode valpoi Goa ..eminent
freedom fighter</li> <li><a href="/encyclopedia/Shri.-Ja.-Joshi"
onmouseover="pv(event, 80)" onmouseout="unpv(80)" style="">Shri. Ja.
Joshi</a></li> <li>Raghunath D. Joshi, Writer and Critic of Indian
Philosophy</li> <li>Na. Si. Phadke</li> <li><a href="/encyclopedia/
Malti-Bedekar" onmouseover="pv(event, 81)" onmouseout="unpv(81)"
style="">Malti Bedekar</a>, feminist and Marathi novel writer</li>
<li><a href="/encyclopedia/Pandurang-Vaman-Kane" onmouseover="pv
(event, 82)" onmouseout="unpv(82)" style="">Pandurang Vaman Kane</a>
(Bharat Ratna awardee)</li> <li><a href="/encyclopedia/S-N-Pendse"
onmouseover="pv(event, 83)" onmouseout="unpv(83)" style="">S N Pendse</
a> (Shri Nā)</li> <li>Vi Ka Rajwade (Itihasacharya Rajwade)</li>
<li><a href="/encyclopedia/Vasant-Kanetkar" onmouseover="pv(event,
84)" onmouseout="unpv(84)" style="">Vasant Kanetkar</a></li> <li><a
href="/encyclopedia/Vinda-Karandikar" onmouseover="pv(event, 85)"
onmouseout="unpv(85)" style="">Vinda Karandikar</a> (Jnanapeeth
Awardee 2003)</li> <li>Madhav Vaze</li> <li>Vishram Bedekar</li>
<li>Krishnaji Keshav Damle(Keshavsoot)</li> <li>Wrangler Paranjpe</li>
<li>Durga Bhagwat, Writer, Scholar and Critic of Indological studies</
li> <li>Vivekanand Godbole, Historian (author of ``Subhey Kalyan",
``Hindu Sanskruti Anee Kalyan")</li> <li><a href="/encyclopedia/Ashok-
Gadgil" onmouseover="pv(event, 86)" onmouseout="unpv(86)"
style="">Ashok Gadgil</a>, Scientist with LBL.</li> <li>Kedar Joshi,
Superultramodern Science / Philosophy</li> <li><a href="/encyclopedia/
Narendra-Karmarkar" onmouseover="pv(event, 87)" onmouseout="unpv(87)"
style="">Narendra Karmarkar</a>, renowned computer scientist at Bell
labs who invented his own algorithm for linear programming for which
he won ACM's <a href="/encyclopedia/Paris-Kanellakis-Award"
onmouseover="pv(event, 88)" onmouseout="unpv(88)" style="">Paris
Kanellakis Award</a></li> <li>Navakanta Bhat, Swarnajayanti
Fellowship, 2004-2005, IISc</li> <li>Dr.Prabhakara Joshi, Yakshagana
Talamaddale performer, Critic, Scholar, Educator</li> <li>Daji Nagesh
Apte, Sanskrit/Jyotish scholar</li> <li>Prakash M. Apte, Eisenhower
Exchange Fellow USA 1988, Town Planner of new capital of Gujarat.</li>
</ul> <p><a name="Politics.2FSocial_Reform_.3D" id="Politics.
2FSocial_Reform_.3D"></a><span class="preview" id="pv76"> G. N.
Dandekar is an eminent Marathi author and a Sahitya Kala Akademi award
winner. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv77"> Irawati Karve (1905 - 1970) was an
Indian anthropologist. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv78"> Hari Narayan Apte (1864-1919) is
acknowledged to be the founder of the modern Marathi novel and of the
modern Marathi short story as well. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv79"> Gangadhar Gadgil (born August 25,
1923 in Mumbai) was a Marathi fiction writer. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv80"> S. J. Joshi (1915-1989) was an award-
winning Marathi novelist. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv81"> Malti Bedekar (nee Vibhavare
Shirurkar) was the first feminist Marathi author. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv82"> Dr. Pandurang Vaman Kane
(1880-1972) was a famous Indologist and Sanskrit scholar. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv83"> To meet Wikipedias quality standards,
this article or section may require cleanup. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv84"> Vasant Shankar Kanetkar Vasant
Shankar Kanetkar or Vasant Kanetkar (March 20, 1922 - December 29,
2000) was an Indian playwright who wrote in the Marathi language. ...</
span>
<span class="preview" id="pv85"> Govind Vinayak Karandikar (born
August 23, 1918), better known as Vinda Karandikar is a famous Marathi
poet. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv86"> Ashok Gadgil is a Berkeley,
California based scientist who invented the now widely-used UV-
disinfection method for ridding drinking water of cholera and other
harmful infectious agents for pennies per ton, thus making safer
drinking water available cheaply for millions, especially in third-
world countries. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv87"> Narendra K. Karmarkar (b. ...</
span>
<span class="preview" id="pv88"> The Paris Kanellakis Theory and
Practice Award is granted yearly by the Association for Computing
Machinery to honor specific theoretical accomplishments that have had
a significant and demonstrable effect on the practice of
computing. ...</span>
</p> <h2> <span class="mw-headline">Politics/Social Reform =</span></
h2> <ul> <li>Achyutrao Patwardhan</li> <li><a href="/encyclopedia/
Anant-Kanhere" onmouseover="pv(event, 90)" onmouseout="unpv(90)"
style="">Anant Kanhere</a></li> <li><a href="/encyclopedia/Bal-
Gangadhar-Tilak" onmouseover="pv(event, 91)" onmouseout="unpv(91)"
style="">Bal Gangadhar Tilak</a></li> <li>Balukaka Kanitkar</li>
<li>Bhai Vaidya</li> <li>Bhausaheb Patankar</li> <li>Chandrashekhar
Hari Joshi</li> <li>Chintamanrao Appasaheb Patwardhan(Padmabhushan,
ruler of Sangli)</li> <li><a href="/encyclopedia/Dhondo-Keshav-Karve"
onmouseover="pv(event, 92)" onmouseout="unpv(92)" style="">Dhondo
Keshav Karve</a></li> <li>Raghunath Keshav Khadilkar (Union Minister
of Labour and Rehabilitation, Member of Parliament)</li> <li><a href="/
encyclopedia/Veer-Savarkar" onmouseover="pv(event, 93)"
onmouseout="unpv(93)" style="">Veer Savarkar</a></li> <li>R. N. Mandlik
{Ramabhau Mandlik} (IS THIS PERSON A KONKANASTHA BRAHMIN ??)</li>
<li>Ganu Vaidya</li> <li>Gopal Ganesh Agarkar</li> <li><a href="/
encyclopedia/Gopal-Krishna-Gokhale" onmouseover="pv(event, 94)"
onmouseout="unpv(94)" style="">Gopal Krishna Gokhale</a></li>
<li>Gurudeo Ranade</li> <li>Kakasaheb Gadgil</li> <li>Krantiveer
Chapekar</li> <li>Krushnaji Gopal Karve</li> <li>Laxmibai Tilak</li>
<li><a href="/encyclopedia/Mahadev-Govind-Ranade" onmouseover="pv
(event, 95)" onmouseout="unpv(95)" style="">Mahadev Govind Ranade</a></
li> <li>N. V. Tilak (Reverend Tilak)</li> <li>N.G.Gore</li>
<li>Narubhau Limaye</li> <li><a href="/encyclopedia/Sane-Guruji"
onmouseover="pv(event, 96)" onmouseout="unpv(96)" style="">Sane
Guruji</a></li> </ul> <ul> <li><a href="/encyclopedia/Nathuram-Godse"
onmouseover="pv(event, 97)" onmouseout="unpv(97)" style="">Nathuram
Godse</a> (Hutatma Pandit Nathuram Godse)</li> <li><a href="/
encyclopedia/Pandita-Ramabai" onmouseover="pv(event, 98)"
onmouseout="unpv(98)" style="">Pandita Ramabai</a></li> <li>Peshawas</
li> <li><a href="/encyclopedia/Raghunath-Dhondo-Karve" onmouseover="pv
(event, 99)" onmouseout="unpv(99)" style="">Raghunath Dhondo Karve</
a></li> <li>Ramray Kelkar Maharaj</li> <li>S.M. Joshi</li> <li><a
href="/encyclopedia/Senapati-Bapat" onmouseover="pv(event, 100)"
onmouseout="unpv(100)" style="">Senapati Bapat</a></li> <li>Shankarrao
Soman</li> <li>Shivram Paranjape (Kaal Karte Paranjape)</li>
<li>Shivajirao Patwardhan{Padmashri}</li> <li><a href="/encyclopedia/
Sudhir-Joshi" onmouseover="pv(event, 101)" onmouseout="unpv(101)"
style="">Sudhir Joshi</a></li> <li>Swami Swaroopananda</li> <li>Vasant
Bapat</li> <li><a href="/encyclopedia/Vinayak-Damodar-Savarkar"
onmouseover="pv(event, 102)" onmouseout="unpv(102)" style="">Vinayak
Damodar Savarkar</a> (Swatantryaveer Savarkar)</li> <li><a href="/
encyclopedia/Vinoba-Bhave" onmouseover="pv(event, 103)"
onmouseout="unpv(103)" style="">Vinoba Bhave</a></li> <li>Vitthalrao
Gadgil</li> <li>Wamanrao Joshi</li> <li>Babarao Bhide</li> </ul> <p><a
name="Industry" id="Industry"></a><span class="preview" id="pv90">
This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...</
span>
<span class="preview" id="pv91"> Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1856 - 1920),
was an Indian nationalist, social reformer and freedom fighter who was
the first popular leader of the Indian Independence Movement. ...</
span>
<span class="preview" id="pv92"> Maharshi Dhondo Keshav Karve fought
throughout his life for the upliftment of women. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv93"> Veer Savarkar SEE Vinayak Damodar
Savarkar External links Was Veer Savarkar a Nazi? - Dr Koenraad
Elst Categories: Indian people stubs ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv94"> Gopal Krishna Gokhale
(गोपाल
कृष्‍ण
गोखले)
born May 9, 1866, in Kolhat, Maharashtra, India was one of the
founding social and political leaders during the Indian Independence
Movement against the British Empire in India. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv95"> Mahadev Govind Ranade (16 January
1842 - 16 January 1901) was an Indian lawyer, reformer and
author. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv96"> Pandurang Sadashiv Sane, known as
Sane Guruji to his followers, was a famous Marathi author and social
activist. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv97"> Nathuram Vinayak Godse (May 19, 1910
– November 15, 1949) born at Baramati, Poona
District, is best known as the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi, the
principal leader of the Indian Independence Movement. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv98"> Pandita Ramabai (23rd April
1858, Maharashtra- 5th April 1922) was an eminent social reformer and
activist. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv99"> Raghunath Karve (1882-1953) was a
reformer and a visionary. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv100"> Senapati Bapat (November 12, 1880
- November 28, 1967) was a major figure in the Indian independence
movement. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv101"> Sudhir Joshi(1948- Died 14 December
2005) was Indian Marathi actor and comedian. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv102"> Vinayak Damodar Sarvakar
Vināyak Dāmodar Sāvarkar (Marathi:
विनायक
दामोदर
सावरकर)
(May 28, 1883 – February 27, 1966) was an Indian
revolutionary and Hindu nationalist political leader, who is credited
with developing a Hindu nationalist political ideology he termed as
Hindutva (Hinduness). ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv103"> Vinoba Bhave, born Vinayak Narahari
Bhave (September 11, 1895 - November 15, 1982) often called Acharya
(In Sanskrit and Hindi means teacher), is considered as a National
Teacher of India and the spiritual successor of Mahatma Gandhi. ...</
span>
</p> <h3> <span class="mw-headline">Industry</span></h3> <ul> <li>C.V.
Joag (<a href="/encyclopedia/Bank-of-Maharashtra" onmouseover="pv
(event, 105)" onmouseout="unpv(105)" style="">Bank of Maharashtra</a>)
</li> <li>Chitale Bandhu (makers of fine sweets)</li> <li>Dandekars
(CAMLIN)</li> <li>P. N. Gadgil (Bullionaires since 1832)</li>
<li>Waman Hari Pethe (Bullionaires since last 100 years)</li>
<li>Dadasaheb Velankar (coaching class owner)</li> <li>Vikram Pandit</
li> <li>Mohan Vijay Vaze (Vaze Consultancy)</li> <li>Mangesh Vijay
Vaze (Vaze Consultancy)</li> <li>Jayant Joshi (publishers of Pravasi
Diary)</li> <li>Sathe (Sathe biscuits and chocolates co.)</li> <li>Mr.
Mukund Bhogale MD, Nirlep Industries</li> </ul> <p><a name="Sport"
id="Sport"></a><span class="preview" id="pv105"> Bank of Maharashtra
(BOM) is a medium sized regional bank, with very strong concentration
in the western state of Maharashtra in India. ...</span>
</p> <h3> <span class="mw-headline">Sport</span></h3> <ul> <li><a
href="/encyclopedia/Ajit-Agarkar" onmouseover="pv(event, 107)"
onmouseout="unpv(107)" style="">Ajit Agarkar</a> (Indian National
Cricket team)</li> <li><a href="/encyclopedia/D.-B.-Deodhar"
onmouseover="pv(event, 108)" onmouseout="unpv(108)" style="">D. B.
Deodhar</a> (Cricket Maharshi Deodhar)</li> <li><a href="/encyclopedia/
Hemant-Kanitkar" onmouseover="pv(event, 109)" onmouseout="unpv(109)"
style="">Hemant Kanitkar</a>(Indian National Cricket team)</li> <li><a
href="/encyclopedia/Hrishikesh-Kanitkar" onmouseover="pv(event, 110)"
onmouseout="unpv(110)" style="">Hrishikesh Kanitkar</a>(Indian
National Cricket team)</li> <li><a href="/encyclopedia/Harsha-Bhogle"
onmouseover="pv(event, 111)" onmouseout="unpv(111)" style="">Harsha
Bhogle</a>(International Cricket Analyst, Commentator, Television Host)
</li> </ul> <p><a name="Medicine" id="Medicine"></a><span
class="preview" id="pv107"> Ajit Bhalchandra Agarkar (born December
4, 1977 in Bombay - now Mumbai) is an Indian cricketer. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv108"> Dinkar Balwant Deodhar (14 January
1892 - 1993) is a former Indian first class cricketer. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv109"> Hemant Shamsunder Kanitkar (born
December 8, 1942, Amravati, Maharashtra) is a former Indian cricketer
who played in 2 Tests in 1974. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv110"> Hrishikesh Kanitkar (born November
14, 1974 in Maharashtra) is an Indian cricketer. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv111"> Harsha Bhogle is an Indian cricket
commentator and journalist. ...</span>
</p> <h3> <span class="mw-headline">Medicine</span></h3> <ul>
<li>Anandibai Joshi, first woman doctor of India</li> <li>Ajit Phadke,
<a href="/encyclopedia/Urologist" onmouseover="pv(event, 113)"
onmouseout="unpv(113)" style="">urologist</a> and surgeon of Bombay</
li> <li>RV Sathe, <a href="/encyclopedia/Physician" onmouseover="pv
(event, 114)" onmouseout="unpv(114)" style="">physician</a> and Vice-
Chancellor, University of Bombay</li> <li>Ravi Bapat, surgeon at the
K.E.M. Hospital</li> <li>Sudhakar Sane, noted Surgeon and Forensic
Pathologist</li> <li>Santosh Karmarkar Pediatric surgeon, at Mumbai,
Maharashtra</li> <li>Govind Datar Pediatric Surgeon, at Pune,
Maharashtra</li> </ul> <p><a name="Information_Technology"
id="Information_Technology"></a><span class="preview" id="pv113">
Urology is the field of medicine that focuses on the urinary tracts of
males and females, and of the male reproductive system. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv114"> The Doctor by Samuel Luke
Fildes This article is about the term physician, a type of doctor;
for other uses of the word doctor see Doctor (disambiguation). ...</
span>
</p> <h3> <span class="mw-headline">Information Technology</span></h3>
<p><a name="Cinema.2FTheatre" id="Cinema.2FTheatre"></a></p> <h3>
<span class="mw-headline">Cinema/Theatre</span></h3> <ul>
<li>Kashinath Ghanekar</li> <li><a href="/encyclopedia/Aditi-
Govitrikar" onmouseover="pv(event, 117)" onmouseout="unpv(117)"
style="">Aditi Govitrikar</a></li> <li>Archana Joglekar</li>
<li>Asawari Joshi</li> <li>Ashvini Bhave</li> <li>Atul Parchure</li>
<li>Bhakti Barve</li> <li>Chittaranjan Kolhatkar</li> <li><a href="/
encyclopedia/Dadasaheb-Phalke" onmouseover="pv(event, 118)"
onmouseout="unpv(118)" style="">Dadasaheb Phalke</a></li> <li><a
href="/encyclopedia/Madhuri-Dixit" onmouseover="pv(event, 119)"
onmouseout="unpv(119)" style="">Madhuri Dixit</a></li> <li><a href="/
encyclopedia/Mohan-Agashe" onmouseover="pv(event, 120)"
onmouseout="unpv(120)" style="">Mohan Agashe</a></li> <li>Mohan
Gokhale</li> <li>Mohan Joshi</li> <li>Mrunal Dev</li> <li>Dr.Girish
Oak</li> <li>Nishigandha Wad</li> <li>Pradeep Bhide</li> <li><a href="/
encyclopedia/Prashant-Damle" onmouseover="pv(event, 121)"
onmouseout="unpv(121)" style="">Prashant Damle</a></li> <li>Sai
Paranjape</li> <li>Sanjay Mone</li> <li>Rima Lagoo</li> <li>Vidyadhar
Gokhale</li> <li><a href="/encyclopedia/Vikram-Gokhale" onmouseover="pv
(event, 122)" onmouseout="unpv(122)" style="">Vikram Gokhale</a></li>
<li><a href="/encyclopedia/Shriram-Lagoo" onmouseover="pv(event, 123)"
onmouseout="unpv(123)" style="">Shriram Lagoo</a></li> <li><a href="/
encyclopedia/Sudhir-Joshi" onmouseover="pv(event, 124)"
onmouseout="unpv(124)" style="">Sudhir Joshi</a></li> <li>Vikram
Phadnis</li> <li>Govind Ballal Deval (Natyacharya)</li> <li>Vishnudas
Bhave</li> <li>Nachiket and Jayoo Patwardhan</li> <li>Kiran Karmarkar</
li> <li>Rakesh Bapat (Hindi Movie: Tum Bin)</li> <li>Milind Soman</li>
</ul> <p><a name="Music" id="Music"></a><span class="preview"
id="pv117"> Aditi Gowitrikar is an Indian model and actress. ...</
span>
<span class="preview" id="pv118"> Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, popularly
known as Dadasaheb Phalke (Marathi:
दादासाहेब
फाळके)
(April 30, 1870 - February 16, 1944) is known as the father of Indian
cinema. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv119"> Madhuri Dixit (Marathi:
माधुरी
दीक्षित)
pronunciation: or ) (born as Madhuri Shankar Dixitin a maharashtrian
koknastha bramhin family on May 15, 1967) is an Indian Bollywood
actress. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv120"> Mohan Agashe is an accalimed Indian
actor. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv121"> To meet Wikipedias quality
standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv122"> (Sometimes credited as Vikram
Gokhle) A well known theatre and Marathi and Hindi film actor. ...</
span>
<span class="preview" id="pv123"> Dr. Shriram Lagoo is an Indian film
and theatre actor. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv124"> Sudhir Joshi(1948- Died 14 December
2005) was Indian Marathi actor and comedian. ...</span>
</p> <h3> <span class="mw-headline">Music</span></h3> <ul> <li><a
href="/encyclopedia/Vishnu-Digambar-Paluskar" onmouseover="pv(event,
126)" onmouseout="unpv(126)" style="">Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar</
a></li> <li><a href="/encyclopedia/Vishnu-Narayan-Bhatkhande"
onmouseover="pv(event, 127)" onmouseout="unpv(127)" style="">Pandit
Vishnu Narain Bhatkhande</a></li> <li>Ramkrishnabua Vaze(Vazebua)</li>
<li><a href="/encyclopedia/Sadhana-Sargam" onmouseover="pv(event,
128)" onmouseout="unpv(128)" style="">Sadhana Sargam</a> (Ghanekar)</
li> <li><a href="/encyclopedia/Sudhir-Phadke" onmouseover="pv(event,
129)" onmouseout="unpv(129)" style="">Sudhir Phadke</a></li> <li>Meena
Joshi</li> <li>Shreedhar Phadke</li> <li>Vasant Sathe</li> <li>Gajanan
Watve</li> <li>Yashawant Dev</li> <li>Veena Sahasrabudhe</li> <li>Arun
Date</li> <li>Shaila Datar</li> <li>Sanjeev Abhyankar</li> <li>Ashwini
Bhide</li> </ul> <p><a name="Typical_Last_Names"
id="Typical_Last_Names"></a><span class="preview" id="pv126">
Vishnu Digambar Paluskar Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar (August 18,
1872 – August 21, 1931) was an Indian classical
musician. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv127"> Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande
Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande (August 10, 1860 - September 19,
1936) was a Hindustani classical musician widely acclaimed to have
brought in a renaissance in Hindustani music. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv128"> Sadhana Sargam is one of the well-
known singers from India. ...</span>
<span class="preview" id="pv129"> Singer-composer Sudhir Phadke,
83, popularly known as ‘Babuji’ to
millions of his fans, died in Mumbai on 29 July 2002 after a brain
hemorrhage. ...</span>
</p> <h2> <span class="mw-headline">Typical Last Names</span></h2>
<p>The <a href="/encyclopedia/List-of-Chitpavan-last-names"
onmouseover="pv(event, 131)" onmouseout="unpv(131)" style="">List of
Chitpavan last names</a> enumerates all the last names found in the
Chitpavan community. "Achari",
"Acharya","Dixit","Patwardhan","Katke","Kapse","Kaketkar","Vyas","Puranik",
"Sahastrabudhe","Bakshi",are some of the surname which were given as
per the profession or as a "UPADHI", "REWARD", "BAKSHISI". This
happened in between seventeen and eighteen's ,when Chitpavan community
was at rising stage , they joined in the "ARMY" and won various
territories, won "Debate" and become "Sahastrabudhe" ,learn Vedanta
and become "Pandit", "Acharya","Dixit", took too many rewards and
become "Patwardhan","Thorat","Bakshi" . Similar to this according to
the occupation , "Achari","Devdhar", "Swayampaki","Wagh", "Heer",
"Pandive", "Reshmekhar", "Pathekar" ,
"Sukhadkar","Harbude","Khangle","Khule","Rajwade","Mahabal","Rajmachikar","Nagarkar",
and lot many Surname's were given as per the profession or as a
"UPADHI" to Chitpavan community. This may or may not be in use
today.<span class="preview" id="pv131"> The following is a list of
last names of the Konkanstha Brahmins of the state of Maharashtra in
India listed in alphabetical order. ...</span>
</p> <p><br/><a name="Typical_First_Names" id="Typical_First_Names"></
a></p> <h2> <span class="mw-headline">Typical First Names</span></h2>
<p><a name="Male_names" id="Male_names"></a></p> <h3> <span class="mw-
headline">Male names</span></h3> <p>Amod Amrith Amol</p> <ul>
<li>Aditya</li> <li>Amay/Amey/Ameya</li> <li>Anand</li> <li>Anant</li>
<li>Ashok</li> <li>Chandrashekhar</li> <li>Chintamani</li>
<li>Gajanan</li> <li>Gopal</li> <li>Hrishikesh</li> <li>Kedar</li>
<li>Mandar</li> <li>Manish</li> <li>Omkar</li> <li>Parshuram</li>
<li>Prashant</li> <li>Ranjan</li> <li>Rohan</li> <li>Shreyash</li>
<li>Shrikant</li> <li>Shrirang</li> <li>Sourabh</li> <li>Swapnil</li>
<li>Tushar</li> <li>Shridhar</li> <li>Shantanu</li> <li>Saurabh</li>
<li>Deepak</li> <li>Vinayak</li> <li>Ballal</li> <li>Prasad</li> </ul>
<p><a name="Female_names" id="Female_names"></a></p> <h3> <span
class="mw-headline">Female names</span></h3> <ul> <li>Aditi</li>
<li>Ashwini</li> <li>Ketaki</li> <li>Manjiri</li> <li>Namrata</li>
<li>Prajakta</li> <li>Purnima</li> <li>Shruti</li> <li>Vidya</li>
<li>Janhavi</li> <li>Medha</li> <li>Vanita</li> <li>Nirmala</li>
<li>Amey</li> <li>Varsha</li> </ul> <p><a name="Trivia" id="Trivia"></
a></p> <h2> <span class="mw-headline">Trivia</span></h2> <ul> <li>Sir
Raghunathrao P. Paranjpe, grandfather of noted Hindi and Marathi film
director Sai Paranjpe, was the first Indian Wrangler (Wrangler-
Mathematics topper at Cambridge University, England). Sai, daughter of
Sir R.P.P.'s daughter and a Russian father is a noted Hindi and
Marathi movie and drama director, having given major hits like Chashme
Baddoor, Katha, Sparsh, etc.</li> </ul> <p><a name="References"
id="References"></a></p> <h2> <span class="mw-headline">References</
span></h2> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.dixitfamily.com/
chitpavan.html" class="external text" title="http://
www.dixitfamily.com/chitpavan.html">Chitpavanism - by Jagannath Dixit</
a></li> <li>Chitpawan - by Na. Go. Chapekar (1940, reprinted 1968)</
li> <li>Amhi sare chitpawan - by M.C. Dixit (2002)</li> </ul> <p><a
name="External_links" id="External_links"></a></p> <h2> <span
class="mw-headline">External links</span></h2> <ul> <li><a
href="http://www.kokanastha.com" class="external text" title="http://
www.kokanastha.com">Kokanastha</a></li> <li><a href="http://
groups.yahoo.com/group/chitpavan" class="external text" title="http://
groups.yahoo.com/group/chitpavan">Yahoo! Group - Chitpavan</a></li>
<li><a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kobraweb" class="external
text" title="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kobraweb">Yahoo! Group -
Kobraweb</a></li> </ul> <!-- Pre-expand include size: 2188 bytes Post-
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<td colspan="2" style="padding-bottom: 5px"><a href="http://
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caste - Article and Reference from OnPedia.com</b></a> <font
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<tr><td valign=top style='padding-right: 7px; padding-top:
2px'><img src=http://images.nationmaster.com/images/a.gif></td><td
style="padding-bottom: 5px"> The <b>Brahmins</b> (the word comes from
<a href="/encyclopedia/Sanskrit" title="Sanskrit" class=fl>Sanskrit</
a> for 'knowledge', root word Vid 'to know') are the priestly caste,
and are responsible for all religious affairs of society, and must
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<tr><td valign=top style='padding-right: 7px; padding-top: 2px'><img
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style="padding-bottom: 5px"> <b>Brahmin</b> (priest), <a href="/
encyclopedia/Kshatriyas" title="Kshatriyas" class=fl>Kshatriya</a>
(warrior, nobility), Vaishya (large group of ordinary workers,
merchants, businessmen, etc.) and Shudras (menial workers, janitors,
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duty it was to act as gurus (teachers) for new generations of
<b>Brahmins</b>, by culling those worthy of Brahminhood from all the
young boys of the society, began discriminating based on caste.</td></
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has caused many <a href="/encyclopedia/Marathi-language"
title="Marathi language" class=fl>Marathi</a> people to worry about
the fate of their language, a concern which is compounded by the <a
href="/encyclopedia/Marathi-language" title="Marathi language"
class=fl>Marathi</a> middle class's increasing preference for English-
medium schools.In addition to this, increasing use of Hindi in urban
<a href="/encyclopedia/Maharashtra" title="Maharashtra"
class=fl>Maharashtra</a> has saddened <a href="/encyclopedia/Marathi-
language" title="Marathi language" class=fl>Marathi</a> people and
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<tr><td valign=top style='padding-right: 7px; padding-top: 2px'><img
src=http://images.nationmaster.com/images/a.gif></td><td
style="padding-bottom: 5px"> <b>Maharashtrians</b> and Konkanis in
Goa have had bitter fights over the official language issue. </td></
tr>
<tr><td valign=top style='padding-right: 7px; padding-top: 2px'><img
src=http://images.nationmaster.com/images/a.gif></td><td
style="padding-bottom: 5px"> Samvedi is spoken in the interiors of
Nala Sopara and Virar region to the north of Mumbai in the Vasai
Taluka, Thane District of <a href="/encyclopedia/Maharashtra"
title="Maharashtra" class=fl>Maharashtra</a>.</td></tr>
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