| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Indian state of Karnataka | |
| Languages | |
| Havyaka Kannada, a dialect of Kannada, Sanskrit | |
| Religion | |
| Hinduism |
Havyaka Brahmins also and originally called Havika Brahmana are a Hindu Brahmin community native to districts of Shivamogga, Uttara Kannada, Dakshina kannada and coastal Karnataka, and the Kasaragod district of Kerala. Havyakas are known by their unique culture and language. They fall under the Pancha-Dravida Brahmin category are followers in general of mostly Yajurveda and some Rigveda and Samaveda Shakas. They follow the Advaita philosophy propounded by Adi Shankaracharya.
The words as attested by linguists Sediyapu Krishna Bhat is a derivation from Ahichatra[spelling?] Brahmana. Its change to Ahika and then Havika is agreed to on by scholars Sediyapu and Nadahalli Ranganatha Sharma. The word Ahichatra Brahmana is atested in inscriptions. Other etymology that is popular for Havyaka is argued to have derived from the Sanskrit word havya which means "sacred oblation". Thus Havyaka could mean "performer of Havana rituals". However, according to Shri Sediyapu Krishna Bhat, the word "Havyaka" is a Sanskritization of Ahika-Havika. They are referred to as "Haviga" in colonial-era documents by British ethnographers. Some variations of this name are "Haiga" and "Havika"; "Haiga" is also the name of the region that is centred around Gokarna and is bounded by Tulu Nadu to the south; this region is also called Parashuramakshethra, Gorastradesha, Gokarnamandala. Sanskrit scholar Mahamahopadhyaya Nadahalli Ranganatha Sharma rejects Havya+kavya derivation as grammatically incorrect. The word Havyaka was not used in official records until 1928 including in mathas and there is no basis for it in inscriptions.
Havyakas are descended from Brahmins brought from Northern India by the king Mayurasharma who founded the Kadamba dynasty. These Brahmins were originally from the Ahichchatra kingdom near the modern-day Ramnagar village in the modern-day Bareilly district in Uttar Pradesh. They were brought in order to perform Vedic rituals and were originally housed at Banavasi, which is 24 kilometers from Sirsi. From there, they spread out in the nearby regions, primarily following areas which were suitable for areca nut plantation, which they have historically been involved in.
Havyakas are native to the Uttara Kannada and the Dakshina Kannada districts of Karnataka and the Kasaragod district of Kerala. A smaller percentage can also be found in the Shivamogga, Chikmagalur and Kodagu districts. They are found in Sirsi, Siddapura, Yellapura, Kumta and Honnavar in Uttara Kannada, in Puttur and Sullia in Dakshina Kannada, sagara in shivamogga and the northern parts of the Kasaragod district such as Kumbla.
They are now spread all over India, especially in metropolitan cities of Bengaluru, Mumbai and New Delhi. A small number of them have also emigrated to Goa. Havyakas are also now settled in countries like the United States of America, the United Kingdom, U.A.E., Australia and other places outside India. A significant percentage of Havyakas now live in Bengaluru where they have moved for employment opportunities. They visit their native villages on occasions and holidays.
Havyakas today are guided by the Advaita philosophy of Shankaracharya. Havyakas derive their last names from the jobs that they perform rather than by their origin. They usually have their names end with either Bhat, Shastri, Hegde, Vaidya, Upadhyaya, Madhyastha, Joshi, Pandit, Sharma. Till recently Havyakas were primarily engaged in Vedic professions or they were in agriculture especially growing betel nut, paddy, banana, coconut, etc. A few decades ago they also started entering into all other vocations like business, education, employment, etc.
Men undergo the Upanayana when they turn seven years old to initiate them into Vedic studies.[1] It is also known as Brahmopadesha. The key ritual during the Upanayana is that of putting a sacred thread called yajnopavitha or janivaara consisting of three cotton strands across the left shoulder of the boy. The initiate is called a dvija "twice-born" and is expected to perform the Sandhyavandana at least twice daily. Yajnopavitha has a special knot in it which is called as "Brahma Gantu". Havyaka Brahmins also undergo the Upakarma, where the sacred thread is changed. In old vedas it is mentioned that after upanayana he enters the stage of Brahmacharya ashrama, leading a celibate and austere life of a student in his teacher's home, eating from handouts given by the generous neighbours. It is equivalent to say he will undergo studies excluding all other aspects in modern days. When he has accomplished his studies of the Vedas, he enters the Grahastha ashram, a married man becoming head of his household. During the wedding the groom wears two janivaaras at the same time to signify his marriage.
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Main article: Havigannada dialect |
The Havyakas are united by their unique language, known as Havigannada, which is a dialect of Kannada with many archaic features, which gives it a slight resemblance to Malayalam which is spoken further down south the Malabar coast. There are two distinct dialects of Havyaka language. One in Uttara Kannada and Shivamogga districts, and another in Dakshina Kannada and Kasaragodu districts. The dialect differs so much from mainstream Kannada that non-Havyakas who understand and speak Kannada cannot understand Havigannada. Like most Indians, the Havyakas are multilingual; apart from their native dialect Havigannada, they also speak and understand mainstream Kannada (particularly, the Havyakas living in Bangalore speak Bangalore Kannada outdoors and Havigannada at home); the Havyakas who are native to Dakshina Kannada also understand Tulu and those from Kasaragod speak Havigannada at home and Malayalam outdoors. Havyakas who are settled in Goa and Karwar understand and speak Konkani. Apart from this, many of them, especially those living in metropolitan cities, can speak Hindi and English.
The Havyakas follow a lacto-vegetarian diet. Compared to the cuisines of other communities of South India, Havyaka cuisine is milder and less spicy. Rice, curds, buttermilk and vegetables are the staples used in Havyaka cuisine. Coconut is used in a lot of dishes. Some popular Havyaka dishes include:
Jackfruit plays an important role in Havyaka cuisine. Curries are prepared from unripe jackfruits and the ripe jackfruit is used to cook items such as dosas and halvas.
The different varieties of dosas include banana dosa (both ripe and unripe), jackfruit dosa (both ripe and unripe), coconut dosa, cucumber dosa. Different varieties of rice cakes are eaten. Rice cakes are cooked with plain rice and also other ingredients such as: jackfruit, cucumber,"Halugumbala kayi kadubu", and many more.
There are some unique recipes, like "Tellavu", "Todadavvu", "Odape", "Kanchikaayi gojju", "Mavinakai gojju", "Kayi saasve", "Karakali", "Majjige palya", "Holige", "Halasinakayi melaara", "Halasina happala", "Halasina hannina kadubu", "Kayi rasa", "Atthrasa", "Kesari", "Sandige", "Shavige Rasayana", "Marge gojju" etc.
The Havyakas Brahmins follow the gotra system.