{{short description|Hindu weavers caste found in various Indian states}} {{pp|small=yes}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019}} {{Use Indian English|date=May 2019}} {{Infobox ethnic group | group = Padmasali | native_name = | native_name_lang = | popplace = Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu | langs = Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Marathi, Gujarati, Tulu | rels = Hinduism | related = Devanga, Pattusali, Pattariyar, Saliya }}
'''Padmasali''' (also spelt as '''Padmashali, Padmasale''') is a Hindu caste residing in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/scrolls-masks-how-telanganas-400-yr-old-cheriyal-paintings-have-evolved-87843|title=From scrolls to masks: how Telangana's 400 years old cheriyal paintings have evolved|website=www.thenewsminute.com|date=5 September 2018|access-date=2019-08-25}}</ref> Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bfAMAQAAMAAJ|title=Communities, Segments, Synonyms, Surnames and Titles|last=Singh|first=Kumar Suresh|date=1996|publisher=Anthropological Survey of India|isbn=978-0-19-563357-3|location=|page=1654|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L3YMAQAAMAAJ|title=Identity, ecology, social organization, economy, linkages and development process: a quantitative profile|last1=Singh|first1=Kumar Suresh|last2=India|first2=Anthropological Survey of|date=1996|publisher=Anthropological Survey of India|isbn=978-0-19-563353-5|location=|page=109|language=en}}</ref> In coastal Karnataka they are called Shettigar. Their traditional occupation is weaving.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FH_tAAAAMAAJ|title=Indian silk industry|last=Shivappa|first=H. V.|date=2001|publisher=Ganga Kaveri Pub. House|isbn=9788185694351|location=|page=67|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kMyAAAAAMAAJ|title=Man in India|last=Roy|first=Sarat Chandra|date=1992|publisher=A. K. Bose|isbn=|location=|page=143|language=en}}</ref>
== Etymology == The term ''Padmasali'' is derived from two words ''Padma'' and ''Sali''; Padma means lotus and Sali means weaver.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DAb2jb5redYC|title=The Indian Textile Journal|last=|first=|date=1984|publisher=Business Press|isbn=|location=|page=63|language=en}}</ref> The word Padma refers to the myth of the thread that was a lotus which sprang from the navel of Vishnu.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-lY6AAAAMAAJ|title=The loom of interdependence: silkweaving cooperatives in Kanchipuram|last=Arterburn|first=Yvonne J.|date=1982|publisher=Hindustan Pub. Co.|isbn=9780391027497|location=|page=46|language=en}}</ref>
== History == The Padmasalis are part of the wider community of Telugu weavers, who are known as "Sale" or "Saliya". Historically, they were also referred to by other castes as "Julai".{{Sfn|Kumaran|1992|p=141, 153}}
The Padmasalis follow their historical origins and ''Puranas'' such as ''Kulapurana'' and ''Markandeya Purana''.<ref name="world" />
The Padmasalis and the Devangas, who are another caste of weavers, were originally a single caste in ancient times and followed Vaishnavism. The caste then split due to differences in faith, with the Devangas being influenced by Lingayatism and accepting Chamundeswari, the fierce form of Durga as their kuladevi. The Padmasalis maintained their belief in Vaishnavism. The Padmasalis eventually specialised in weaving clothes of all varieties.<ref name="world">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t5XlI91kP3YC&pg=PA31|title=The World of the Weaver in Northern Coromandel, C.1750-C.1850|last1=Swarnalatha|first1=P.|publisher=Orient Longman Private Limited|year=2005|isbn=978-8-12502-868-0|edition=2005|location=Hyderabad|pages=31–41}}</ref>
The Padmasalis are of Shudra origin,<ref>{{Cite book|last=Evans-Pritchard|first=Edwards Evans|title=Peoples of the Earth: The Indian subcontinent (including Ceylon)|publisher=Danbury Press|year=1973|pages=53}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Bhargav |first=Nimmagadda |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Stringers_and_the_Journalistic_Field/NAymEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=padmasali+shudra&pg=PT32&printsec=frontcover |title=Stringers and the Journalistic Field: Marginalities and Precarious New Labour in Small-Town India |publisher=Taylor & Francis |year=2023}}</ref> but through the process of Sanskritisation they claim to be of Brahmin status. They created various myths in order to reconcile their low-status in the Hindu caste-system with their claims to high-caste Sanskritic Brahmin status. In one myth, for example, the sage Markandeya performed a sacrifice and out of the sacrifice came Bhavanarishi, who married two daughters of the sun god Surya and had 101 sons. The Padmasalis claim to be the descendants of these 101 sons and claim that they followed Brahmin rites and customs until Kali Yuga, the last of the four ages in Hindu chronology. According to the myth, one member of the caste refused to reveal the secrets of the caste gem, the Padmaksha, to the god Ganapati. Angered, Ganapati cursed them to be of low status.<ref name="Kumaran">{{Cite book|last=Kumaran|first=K. P.|title=Migration Settlement and Ethnic Associations|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|year=1992|pages=142–145, 153}}</ref>
The 101 children correspond to the 101 gotras of the Padmasalis. These gotras are used to regulate marriages, however Husan noted in 1920 that the many illiterate Padmasalis were unaware that their caste had gotras. Only a few Padmasalis have the Brahmin gotras. The guru of the Padmasalis, Tata Acharya, and his deputy, Pattabhai Ramaswamy, traveled throughout regions where the Padmasalis lived and tried to raise their social and religious status. They along with the Padmasali Mahasabha advised the Padmasalis to become vegetarians, to not drink liquor, to prohibit the re-marriage of widows, to prohibit child-marriage, to wear the sacred thread, and perform Brahmanical rites. This was done as the previous religious customs of the Padmasalis were seen as being indicative of their low status in the Hindu caste system, and so sought to erase them in order to obtain greater socio-religious status.<ref name="Kumaran"/>
Members of the Padmasali community migrated into Tamil-speaking regions from Andhra Pradesh.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=20 March 2000 |title=The 'soft' corner for silks |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-others/article29056071.ece |access-date=2020-03-26 |website=Business Line |language=en |quote=Born into the Padmasaliyar weaving community, which has a hoary tradition going back to the Chola period, Nalli Kuppusami Chettiar is proud of his lineage.}}</ref> Their descendants continue to speak Telugu at home. After migration, the Padmasalis lived in ''Saliya Teru'' (weavers' street) specially assigned to them by royal patrons in the temple town of Kanchipuram.<ref name=":1" /> Major silk retail houses like Nalli are owned by Padmasali families.<ref name=":1" />
== Present == The Padmasalis are further divided into two groups based on Sampradaya, being the Shaivas and the Vaishnavas. While the Shaivas give preference to worshipping Shiva, the Vaishnavas give preference to worship of Vishnu. These religious and occupational distinctions are no bar to interdining and intermarriage.<ref name="world" /> They worship local goddesses such as Chamundeswari and Yellamma. The latter is traditionally considered to be the mother of Parasurama and is identified with Renuka.<ref name="world" /> The Padmasalis wear the sacred thread.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Subrahmanyam|first=Y. Subhashini|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=es4iAAAAMAAJ|title=Social Change in Village India: An Andhra Case Study|date=1975|publisher=Prithvi Raj Publishers|isbn=|location=|pages=76|language=en}}</ref> However, this practice has declined in recent years, along with desires of Sanskritisation and high caste status.<ref name="Kumaran"/>
== Notable people == * Pragada Kotaiah<ref>{{cite news |date=20 July 2011 |title=Pragada Kotaiah birth anniversary on July 27 |work=The Hindu |location=Vijayawada |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/pragada-kotaiah-birth-anniversary-on-july-27/article2261646.ece |accessdate=2 March 2016}}</ref> * Konda Laxman Bapuji<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-09-27 |title=KCR unveils Konda Lakshman Bapuji's statue at Padmashali Bhavan |url=https://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Telangana/2014-09-27/KCR-unveils-Konda-Lakshman-Bapujis-statue-at-Padmashali-Bhavan/109373 |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=The Hans India |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jJczAQAAIAAJ&q=konda+laxman+bapuji+padmasali |title=Census of India, 1971: Series 1: India |date= |publisher=Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India |pages=198 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Gosikonda |first=Sreeramulu |date=2022-11-02 |title=Padmashalis in Telangana: Lack of political representation hurts traditional weaving community |url=https://thesouthfirst.com/telangana/padmashalis-in-telangana-lack-of-political-representation-hurts-traditional-weaving-community/ |access-date=2023-07-26 |website=The South First |language=en-GB}}</ref> * Nalli Kuppuswami Chetti<ref name=":1" /> * Ale Narendra<ref name=":2" /> * Panchumarthi Anuradha<ref>{{Cite web |last=Basani |first=Shivakumar |date=24 March 2023 |title=MLC Elections: అనూహ్య రీతిలో విజయం.. ఎవరీ పంచుమర్తి అనురాధ? |url=https://telugu.samayam.com/andhra-pradesh/vijayawada/who-is-this-panchumarthi-anuradha/articleshow/98949463.cms |access-date=2023-07-26 |website=Samayam |language=te |quote=విజయవాడకు చెందిన, పద్మశాలి సామాజిక వర్గానికి చెందిన అనురాధ ...... గత 15 సంవత్సరాలుగా పద్మశాలి ఇంటర్నేషనల్ వెల్ఫేర్ అసోసియేషన్ ఆధ్వర్యంలో తీరప్రాంతంలోని చేనేత సామాజిక వర్గానికి సేవలందిస్తున్నారు.}}</ref>
== See also == *Puttapaka Saree *Kaikala * Pattusali * Telugu castes
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links ==
* [http://www.markandeyaSangam.com Padmasali (Markandeya) Sangam, Padmashali Directory is available here, Hyderabad] * [http://www.padmashaliinternational.org/ Padmashali International Welfare Association, Vijayawada]
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Category:Indian castes Category:Social groups of Telangana Category:Social groups of Andhra Pradesh Category:Weaving communities of South Asia Category:Social groups of Maharashtra Category:Social groups of Karnataka Category:South Indian communities Category:Social groups of Tamil Nadu