Panchagrama Brahmins
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| Regions with significant populations | |
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Udupi District, Karnataka Shimoga district, Karnataka Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka | |
| Languages | |
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Standard Kannada, Kundgannada, Sanskrit | |
| Religion | |
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The Panchagrama Brahmins (Kannada: ಪಂಚಗ್ರಾಮ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣರು) are a Brahmin community that follow the Smartha Sampradaya. They belong to the Indian state of Karnataka, and reside primarily in the districts of Udupi, Shimoga and Chikmaglur, Bengaluru and other cities.
Etymology
The words Panchagrama Brahmin (पंचग्रामब्राह्मण) are from Sanskrit and the term translates as one Brahmin from five villages.
Classification
The Panchagrama Brahmins belong to the group of Pancha Dravida Brahmins in Karnataka. Though the Panchagramis primarily speak Kannada, they are classified as one of the six subdivisions of Tulu Brahmins, along with other Kannada and Tulu speaking Brahmins of South Canara.[1] This is because Tulu is predominant in the erstwhile South Canara district (of which the present Udupi district was a part). Majority of the community stays in Shimoga and Chikamagalur district.
Language
The Panchagrama Brahmins speak Kannada as their first language. The standard dialect is spoken by those in Shimoga and Chikmanglur, whereas in the Kundapura taluka of Udupi district, Kundagannada is in parlance. Additionally, Sanskrit is used for religious rituals.
Family deity
The Shankaranarayana Temple at Shankaranarayana, whose deity is a confluence of both Shankara (Shiva) and Narayana ( Vishnu), houses the family deity of the Panchagramis. The Udbhava Linga, a naturally formed lingam of Lord Shankara and Lord Narayana, is the main deity of this temple. The lingam is a foot below ground, inside the Garbhagudi and only its mirror image can be seen by the devotees.[2] A legend ascribes the founding of the holy place to Maharishi Parashurama as one of seven others. The village is located in a valley near the Sahyadris in Udupi district, at a distance of 25 km from the coast. Shankaranarayana, Subrahmanya, Udupi, Kumbhakaashi, Koteshwara, Kolluru and Gokarna are the seven holy places which constitute the Parashurama Kshetra.[2] At the same time majority of this community who are in Shimoga and Chikamagalur district also worship Lord Venkateshwara of Tirumala as family deity.
Mutt
The Panchagrama Brahmins identify with the Tirthamukthapuri Shri Matha,[3] Tirthamuttur, located in the Thirthahalli taluk of Shimoga district. This Matha came into existence during the period of the Vijayanagara Empire.[4] It is located on the banks of the Tunga river, along with an ancient Yoga Narasimha Swamy temple.
1st Mutt (Mula Matam) was started at Shankaranarayana (Dist Udupi), which was located North to the Sri Kroda Shankaranarayana Temple, by Sri Jnanedra Bharati (1st) Swamiji,(AD 1389) coronated then by Sri Sri Chandrashekara Swamiji (1st) of Sringeri Peetam. 17th and the last of the Guru was Sri Jnanendra Bharati Swamiji (5th). He attained Brahmaikya in AD 1985. After 615 years of Guruparampara, now the Peetam is vacant, and presently Shishya Sabha Trust is maintaining the Matam. Popularly this mutt is referred to as KELAMATA, since the other mutt at Tirthamukthapuri or Thirthamuttur is situated above Western Ghats.
See also
References
- ↑ Denis Larionov & Alexander Zhulin. "Read the ebook Castes and tribes of southern India (Volume 1) by Edgar Thurston". Ebooksread.com. Retrieved 2013-05-19.
- 1 2 "Shankaranarayana Temple – Official Website". Shankaranarayana.org. Retrieved 2012-09-01.
- ↑ "Yoga Narasimha Temple & Mutt, Tirthamuttur". Wikimapia.org. Retrieved 2013-05-19.
- ↑ "Biography of Sri Vidyaranya". Sringeri Sharada Peetham.