{{Short description|Caste of Goa}} {{multiple issues| {{original research|date=December 2023}} {{more citations needed|date=December 2023}} }} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}} {{infobox ethnic group | group = Gomantak Maratha Samaj | image = | pop = | popplace = Primary populations in: Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka & Deccan <br> Diaspora populations in: Anglosphere | langs = Konkani, Marathi, Kannada & others | rels = Hinduism | related = | native_name = | native_name_lang = }}
'''Gomantak Maratha Samaj''' is a Hindu community found in the Indian state of Goa.<ref>{{cite book|last= Gracias|first=Fatima da Silva|title=Kaleidoscope of women in Goa, 1510–1961 |pages=80}}</ref> They are known as '''''Nutan Maratha Samaj''''' in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra and '''''Naik Maratha Samaj''''' in Maharashtra, Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, also Telangana respectively.
==Origin== {{original research section|date=December 2023}} Gomantak Maratha is a relatively new ameliorative name.<ref name="Satoskar">"Gomantak Prakruti ani Sanskruti" by B.D.Satoskar</ref> adopted by a community of traditional Hindu temple servants. They were previously known by the following names:<ref>{{cite book|last= Gracias|first=Fatima da Silva|title=Kaleidoscope of women in Goa, 1510-1961 |pages=80}}</ref>
===Kalavantin/ Kulambini=== *Those who participated in music or singing and Dancing were known as ‘Kalavantini’ and '' Kalavant '', literally meaning ''an artiste'', they enjoyed a high status in the community. They were beauties with high Intelligence with vast knowledge of Hinduism, traditional puranic stories, honesty, and high devotion. Earlier they meant to remain celibate and provide music and dance for their Deity. They used to sing and dance in front of palanquin too during ritual ceremonies of their temple.<ref name="Satoskar"/> The Kalavant women (sometimes called as ''Narikin'')<ref> {{cite conference |first = Remy A. |last = Dias |title = Marry 'gods', merry with 'lords' |book-title = Old and New Worlds: the Global Challenges of Rural History |publisher = ISCTE - Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, Centro de Investigação e Estudos de Sociologia |date = January 2016 |location = Lisbon |doi = 10.15847/CIESIUL/2016.onw.105 |hdl = 10071/10753 |hdl-access = free }}</ref> as a custom became mistresses of Brahmin men who paid a huge sum of money to her mother.According to B.D. Satoskar They did not practice Prostitution, rather they chose monogamy. It were the Bhavin who did so and was thus called "Naikinn".<ref>{{Cite book |title=People of India, Vol. 21: Goa|publisher=Anthropological Survey of India|year=1993|isbn=9788171547609|pages=79}}</ref> <ref name="Satoskar"/>
===Chedvaan, Chede, Bandi, Farjand=== They were not always connected to the temple but with the Brahmin landlords (Bhatkars), at whose residences they performed all types of household work.<ref name="Satoskar"/>
The Gomantak Maratha Samaj is formed by combining the three Main sub - groups and Minor group Perni given above. Gomantak is not to be taken in the regional sense of the word or place, but in the sense of a native adjective. It means that Gomantak Maratha is not some Maratha caste of Gomantak, but it is to be taken to mean that this caste is having origin of the community which is in Goa, under the people's living there. As the old vast Gomantak extended from Kankavali to Gangavali, all the three sub - Groups of Above Mentioned were spread in this ancient Gomantak.<ref name="Satoskar"/>
==History== The Devdasi system of temple servants had been prevalent in Goa since times immemorial.<ref name=dhume>{{cite book |last=Sinai Dhume |first=Anant Ramkrishna |title=The Cultural History of Goa from 10000 B.C. to 1352 A.D. |year=1986 |publisher=University of Michigan |pages=310–311}}</ref> The Kalawantin community finds references throughout Goan history.<ref name="Mitragotri 1999">{{cite book |title=A Socio-cultural History of Goa from the Bhojas to the Vijayanagara |first=Vithal Raghavendra |last=Mitragotri |date=1999 |publisher=Institute Menezes Braganza |location=Panjim}}</ref> From ancient times, Hindu upper-caste widows originally sought shelter in the temples if they did not commit ''Sati'' after the husband's death.<ref name="Mitragotri 1999"/> These widows would then become the mistresses of the Brahmins. Any resulting daughters from the relationship would either be sold by their mothers to become mistresses of Brahmins or become temple servants and entertainers. The sons would also become temple servants and musicians.<ref>{{cite book |title=Gomantak Prakruti ani Sanskruti |first=B. D. |last=Satoskar |date=1979 |location=Pune |publisher=Shubhada Saraswat Prakashan}}</ref>
The Portuguese called them ''bailadeiras'' (dancers). In 1598, the Viceroy {{ill|Francisco da Gama|pt}} passed a law on behalf of King Philip I of Portugal that prohibited members of the community from entering the Velhas Conquistas on the grounds that the community members "perform many obscene dances, sing dirty songs and do all sorts of things that only reflect a diabolic state."<ref>{{Cite book |last=de Mendonça |first=Délio |year=2002 |title=Conversions and citizenry: Goa under Portugal 1510–1610 |publisher=Concept Publishing Company |isbn=978-81-7022-960-5 |pages=425–427 }}</ref> During British colonial rule, many Kalawantin community members moved for economic reasons to the city of Bombay and other areas of British India. Most of these emigrants followed Hindustani classical music gharanas to improve their art and talent. Those who remained in Goa began organizing themselves after the Portuguese First Republic period. In 1910, Rajaram Painginkar started ''Kalawantin Movement'' from Poinguinim village in Goa. In 1917, ''Maratha Gayan Samaj'' (Maratha Singers Society) was formed in Kakode. In 1925, the Gomantak Maratha Samaj (G.M.S.) was formed under the leadership of Panginkar.<ref name="Review">[http://www.goa-world.com/goa/books/briefrev.htm Goa world book review] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090105185115/http://www.goa-world.com/goa/books/briefrev.htm |date=5 January 2009 }}</ref><ref name="Waman"> {{cite book |title=Purushartha |first=Waman |last=Radhakrishnan |publisher=Rajhauns |location=Panjim |date=1998}}</ref>
Following the Annexation of Goa, the G.M.S. was formally included by the Government of Goa as an Other Backward class.<ref name="Waman"/>
==Notable members== * Mangeshkar Family<ref name="Review"/> * Kishori Amonkar<ref name="Review"/> * Dayanand Bandodkar<ref name="Review"/> * Shashikala Kakodkar<ref name="Review"/> * Kesarbai Kerkar<ref name="Review"/> * Moghubai Kurdikar<ref name="Review"/> * Anjanibai Malpekar<ref name="Sá1997">{{cite book|author=Mário Cabral e Sá|title=Wind of fire: the music and musicians of Goa|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fmefAAAAMAAJ|pages=163–164|year=1997|publisher=Promilla & Co.|isbn=978-81-85002-19-4}}</ref> * Raghunath Mashelkar<ref name="Review"/> * Rattan Bai Wairikar<ref>{{Cite web |title=About – Gomantak Maratha Samaj – Goa |url=https://gomantakmarathasamajgoa.org/about/ |access-date=2024-05-25 |language=en-US}}</ref> * Vithal Nagesh Shirodkar<ref name="Review"/>
==See also== *Konkani people *Devadasis *Harijans
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Ethnic and social groups of Goa and Konkan}}{{Social groups of Maharashtra}}
Category:Society of Goa Category:Hinduism in Goa Category:Social groups of Goa