Everything about Billava totally explained
Billava is one of the largest
Hindu communities of
Tulu and also found among
Kannada speaking
Kundapura region of
Karnataka and some parts of
Kerala including
Kasargode District. They were previously engaged in Martial Arts (Garadi), Toddy tapping, Ayurvedic and liquor business and racially same as of
Ilava (now known as
Ezhava) community of
Kerala. This community was reformed under
Sree Narayana Guru’s teachings.
Origins
Etymology
It is believed that
billava and
ilava are derived from a Proto-Dravidian word. The word Billava is the variation of
Villavars or Archers who were a warrior caste among the Dravidians who ruled most of India, along with their allies Meenavars(fishermen)during ancient times.Villavars founded the Chera kingdom and the Chera king was addressed as Villavar Kon. The meaning of Billu in
Tulu is Bow. Martial act centres of Billawas are known as Garadi. Reading, writing and teaching of bows, arrows and martial arts were the main activities of this Garadi, similar to
Kalari practiced by some of the
Ilava(now known as
Ezhava) community in Kerala . Thus the word billava, meaning fighters, could be derived from word billu or Villu in Tamil.Billavas,Illavars and
Bhils(
Bhil Meena) of North India all descend from the ancient Villavar warriors.
Billavas are also known as 'Biruva's. This again strengthens the name derivation from Dravidian/Tulu root "bow". Tulu words for bow are 'billu' or 'biru'
Some of the traditional occupations of
Edigas and
Gouds of
Karnataka and
Andhra Pradesh are similar to Billavas and State Governments of the both states included them in same category.
Language
Tulu is the main language spoken by Billavas. In some areas of
Karnataka where Billavas also speak Kannada and identifies themselves as Kannada Billavas. The Tulu dialect spoken by the Billava people is known as common
Tulu. There are also group within Billavas also called Thiyyabillas or Malaylali Billavas in South Canara district who considered part of the
Malayalee community.Other tulu speakers are
bunts,
mogaveeras.
Garadi or Gardi
The coastal regions of
Karnataka and
Kerala had a very active martial traditions. Many Billava families, though now handicapped by the caste rules, didn't lose this tradition . Very soon they developed some kind of community identity. They built
Garadis in the line of
Kalaris in Kerala in honour of their folk heroes
Koti and Chennayya.The
Tulu term Garadi is derived from
Kannada word
Garodi which means gymnasium. These
garadis became major religious and martial centre of Billavas all over coastal areas of Karnataka. Though this tradition was common to their equivalent caste in Kerala, due to rigid caste rules they lost all their independent religious/martial traditions.
Billava is Kannadised word for Birwa. Billawas still follows matrilineal system and a highly centralised community. Marrying ones own sisters daughter is strictly prohibited except few cases among Belthangady Billawas.
Maliyali Billawas speak Byari language and their Kula God is Baghavathi. Billavas are believers in ancestral worship. However some people are trying to Braminise Billawas.
MALIYALI BILLAWAS SPEAK BYARI LANGUAGE AND THEIR KULA GOD IS BAGAVATHI
Nema
Just like
Theyyam in
Kerala, Tulu regions have
Nema, a kind of spirit worship. Billavas were important part of this native worship.
Bobbariya is most common bhuta worshipped by the community.
Distillation is one of work of Billawas. However some politicians are involved in country liquor manufacturing business are projecting liquor distillation is the main caste job of the Billavas .
Tuluva paddanas
Tuluva paddanas are sung narratives which are a part of several closely related singing traditions, similar to
Vadakkan Pattukal(Northern ballads) of north
Kerala and which could be called ballads or epics or ritual songs, depending on the context or purpose in which they're sung. The community have special occasions in which it's traditional to sing paddanas. They will sing the paddana of
Koti-Chennaya during a ceremony on the evening before a marriage. Women of the caste who sing the song in the fields will sing those episodes appropriate to the tonsure of the young heroes.
Nagaradhane
Nagaradhane or snake worship, along with Bhuta Kola, is one of the unique traditions prevalent among Billavas of coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi in
Karnataka.
Aliya Kattu
Aliya Kattu (Nephew lineage) is a matrilineal system of property inheritance and other associated traditions practiced among Tulu/Malayalee Billavas in coastal
Karnataka and
Kerala.
Yakshagana
Yakshagana is a
Tulu classical
folk art form in
India mostly popular in
Tulu Nadu areas of
South India. Billavas contributed ennomously to the development of this folk dance. This dance form was very famous and were taught in billava Gordis.
Sri Anada Kuthpady(pen named as Yakshananda Kuthpady), hails from community, awarded with 'Yaksha Kavya' State Level Award for his contribution to Yakshagana.
Sub sections
The community have different subsections based on language and culture. The sect which involved nagaradhana are called
Baidya while those involved spirit worship called Nema are called
Poojary. These sections fall under two major subsections called Malayali or Tulu billava. The malayali billavas are also called Thiyya Billavas or Belchadas.
Poojari
The word
Poojary or
Poojari literally means "worshiper". In olden
Tulunadu region the Poojarys had very important role in
Nema or
Bhuta Kola which is a kind of spirit-worship, a practice seen amongst the tribal communities of
Tulunadu. Tribal communities of Tulunadu like
Koragas and
Mansas were practicing spirit worship but were not supposed to take the role in
Pooja related matter. This sub-sect of Billawa community was perforforming the
Pooja activity during spirit-worship. That is how the name Poojary came for this community.
Malayali Billava
They were the inhabitants from time immemorial concentrated between north of
Chandragiri river (
Kasaragode) and south of
Kalyanpura river (Hejamamdi) and West to East between the shores of the Arabian sea to
Sulya region. There exist 18 important Bhagavathi Kshetras apart from many
Tharavadu(Family) shrines spread over
Kasaragode,
Mangalore and
Udupi districts. Though the ruling deity of community is
Bhagavathi,there are temples dedicated to
Vishnumoorthy, Wayandu Daiva and Korathi- the later to are believed to be incarnation of Lord
Shiva and
Shakthi respectively. Chaitanyas like
Kallurutti, Panjurli,Guliga, Naagadevan are being devotionally worshipped by this community and regular
Kola,Thamblia, Kaliyatha etc are performed to invoke their blessings. The community is divided into 8
Illams which traces it’s origin to one Amruthamani born out of the Lord
Shiva’s grace and seven others born to the Sapthamathas through the same Lord’s divine blessings, which means Thiyas are the progeny of Lord
Shiva. Marriage between the same
Illams is considered a taboo being Sagothra. Link
(External Link
)
Surnames
The common Surname used by the communty are Kunder, Poojari, Salian, Sanil, Shriyan, Palan, Kotian, Nayak, Baidya, Baishya, Bangera, Suvarna, Karkera, Amin, Gujran, Kukiyan, Upiyan, banan, Jathanna, Kirodian etc.
Shri Narayana Guru
Sree Narayana Guru (1856-1928), who was born into a religious Billava family, was a great sage and social reformer of India. Billavas were a backward class people, however they emerged dramatically mainly due to the role played by
Sri Narayana Guru, a great saint and social reformer who preached a message of self-help, self-improvement, and self-esteem. During Guru's time, he exhorted people to educate themselves and to improve themselves through industry and thrift; but most of all, he preached the dignity of the individual: a universal message for our troubled times.
But never once did the Guru attack Hinduism. He never advocated hatred for any faith or its priests.'No matter what the religion, man must improve,' he said. He personally believed the core of the
Vedanta teachings was eternal and truthful and universal. The social excrescences that had attached themselves to those sublime philosophies could and would be excised.
An order of monks called the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) was established by Guru. The SNDP Yogam has gained immense popularity as one which nurtures the material and spiritual welfare of the community at large.
He has visited all parts of Kerala, South Canara, Srilanka and Tamil Nadu and built temples for the Billava community and had given the foundation for the progress of the community. When he established his own temples, he was challenged by the upper castes. When challenged about his right to consecrate a Shiva image once, he replied, that it was Billava
Shiva that he'd consecrated and that
Brahmins have no right to question it.
The Billawa Community was being traditionally suppressed by the upper caste, who treated them as 'untouchables'. It is in such a scenario that the community found a leader in
Sree Narayana Guru.
Sree Narayana Guru has been regarded as the up lifter of the downtrodden and a visionary social servant.
Learning about the work undertaken by
Sree Narayana Guru in establishing social equality through his temple in
Sivagiri,
Kerala, a prominent Billava leader from
Mangalore,
Sahukar Koragappa visited the Guru along with the leaders of the community in 1908. The delegation appraised
Sree Narayana Guru about the problems faced by the Billawas.
Sree Narayana Guru visited
Mangalore on invitation from this delegation and ascertained for himself, the exactness of the then prevailing situation. After visiting the place,
Sree Narayana Guru himself selected the place in
Kudroli and advised the community elders about a suitable location to build their temple and the work began under his direction. Elders such as Sahukar Koragappa took the initiative in ensuring smooth progress in the temple's construction.
Sree Narayana Guru himself formally consecrated the temple in February 1912 with the establishment of sacred
Shiva Linga, which was brought by him. He also named this place as
Sri Gokarnanatheshwara Kshethra.
Sree Narayana Guru advocated that all of God's creation had the right to worship the Almighty and preached that people irrespective of the caste, creed or religion must worship one divine force, known by different names.
As per the Guru's advice, idols of
Lord Ganapathy, Lord Subramanya, Goddess Annapoorneshwari, Lord Bhairava, the Nava Grihas (Lords of nine planets), Lord Shanishwara and Lord Shri Krishna has been installed at the Kshethra. This has helped devotees worship at all these sannidanams (abode) and seek blessings and solace for their varied problems.
Sahukar Koragappa then donated the land needed for the Kshethra. He was also chosen as its first administrative head.
Social conditions and present social status
Once a thriving community, after the arraival of
Brahmins from north, many families were forced do jobs like toddy tapping and brewing arrack and were declared impure as the
caste rules were implemented and prohibited from entering temples. Many social restrictions were imposed upon this community. As a result, until the social reforms in twentieth century the community faced many a hardships. It is in such a scenario that the community found a leader in
Sree Narayana Guru. After the construction of
Kudroli Gokarnanatheshwara Temple at
Mangalore, he asked community leaders to work together for the progress of the community by starting schools and industrial establishments. He asked them organize themselves and after guru's instruction many Sri narayana organizations have been formed by the community members.
Under the leadership many Sri Narayana organization and hard-work, Billavas are today fast improving and gaining strength economically, culturally, spiritually and politically. A large number of Billawas have been settled in Persian Gulf and cities like
Mumbai,
Delhi,
Bangalore have contributed enormously for the community development.
Famous politicians
As Billavas are the largest community of South Kanara and Udupi district is led primarily by Billava politicians. To name the few -
- Mr. Janardhana Poojary, Rajy Sabha MP, Indian National Congress leader;
- Mr. Vinay Kumar Sorake, former Congress MP;
- Mr. Gopal Poojary, MLA - Baindoor;
- Mr. Somappa Suvarna;
- Mr. Basavaraj, Sasthana-Brahmavara;
- Mr. Vasanta Bangera;
- Mr. Prabhakara Bangera;
- Mr. Rukmayya Poojary
Further Information
Get more info on 'Billava'.
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