The Shivalli Brahmins are a

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

Brahmin Brahmin (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical social classes) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the ''Kshatriya'' (rulers and warriors), ''Vaishya'' (traders, merchants, and farmers), and ''Shudra'' (labourers). Th ...

community mainly in Tulunad region of South West India. They are divided into two groups, the first of who follow the Dvaita philosophy founded by the Vaishnava saint

Madhvacharya Madhvacharya (; ; 1199–1278 CE or 1238–1317 CE), also known as Purna Prajna () and Ānanda Tīrtha, was an Indian philosopher, theologian and the chief proponent of the ''Dvaita'' (dualism) school of Vedanta. Madhva called his philosophy ...

of Udupi are called Shivalli Madhva Brahmins, and the second of who follow the Advaita philosophy of

Adi Shankara Adi Shankara (8th c. CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya (, ), was an Indian Vedanga, Vedic scholar, Hindu philosophy, philosopher and teacher (''acharya'') of Advaita Vedanta. Reliable information on Shankara's actual life is scant, and h ...

are known as Shivalli Smartha Brahmins. Majority of Shivalli Brahmins (Shivalli Brahmana's) are Madhvas and only a few of them are Smarthas.

Udupi cuisine

Shivalli Brahmins are famous for ''Udupi hotels'' (vegetarian restaurants) known for serving typical south Indian dishes like idli, vada, dosa, shira and upma etc. Shivalli Brahmins have a unique style of cooking, serving and eating meals. The meal is served on a plantain (banana) leaf and is usually eaten by hand, seated with padmasana like position on the floor.

Rituals and customs

Rituals

Shivalli Brahmin males undergo the Upanayana when they turn seven years old to initiate them into Vedic studies. It is also known as Brahmopadesham. The key ritual during the Upanayana is that of putting a sacred thread consisting of three cotton strands across the left shoulder of the boy, called Janivara. The initiate is called a '' dvija'' "twice-born" and is expected to perform the sandhyavandanam at least twice daily. Dvija has a special knot in it which is called as "Brahma Gantu". Shivalli Madhwa Brahmins also undergo the Upakarma, where the sacred thread is changed once a year and mudradharana is performed. Mudradharana is a ritual where Vaishnavite

symbols A symbol is a mark, sign, or word that indicates, signifies, or is understood as representing an idea, object, or relationship. Symbols allow people to go beyond what is known or seen by creating linkages between otherwise different concep ...

like the conch or the wheel are etched on bodies as a ritual of purification.

Marriage

Present day marriages of Shivalli Madhva Brahmins are a four-day ceremony, sometimes condensed to a single day due to the fast pace of today's life. On the occasion of wedding, three more strands are added to the sacred thread Janivara.

Festivals

Shivalli Brahmins celebrate all major Hindu festivals such as Ganesh Chaturthi, Deepavali, Navaratri, Sankranti, Madhwanavami, Janmashtami, Maha Shivaratri, Bisu Parba(Tulu New Year), Ramanavami, Hanuman Jayanthi etc. They also believe in Nagaradhane and rituals of Bhuta Kola.

Eminent Shivalli Madhva Brahmana's

* Bannanje Govindacharya * V.S.Acharya * K. K. Hebbar * S. U. Paniyadi * H.V.K. Udupa * K. N. Udupa * B.Vittalacharya * Harini (Kannada actress) * Uliyar Padmanabha Upadhyaya * P.Gururaja Bhat * B.V.Acharya * Vyasaraya Ballal

Notes

References

*Gururaja Bhat, P., ''Studies in Tuluva History and Culture'', 1975.
Gururaja Bhat, P., ''Tuḷunāḍu'', 1963
*Hebbar, Neria H.,

, 2 March 2003. *Hebbar, Neria H.,

, p. 2, 12 January 2003. *Rajalakshmi, U.B., ''Udupi Cuisine'', Bangalore: Prism Books, {{ISBN, 978-81-7286-175-9

External links

Shivalli Brahmins
Tulu Brahmins Karnataka society Udupi Mangalorean society Kerala society Social groups of Karnataka Social groups of Kerala Ethnic groups in India Indian castes South Indian communities Brahmin communities of India