Chari-
Vishwakarma or Panchal Brahmins of Goa.
Goa is alos known as the Konkan Kashi, one of the
important place in India. Present boundaries of it spread from Pedne to Canacona
talukas. But in olden days it was stretched from Achra River to Gngavalli river.
Chari (‘च्यारी/चारी’) is a community of artist in Goa. They are the
traditional Hindu carpenter in Goa. In this community every person has the
surname as Chari.
History
Chari
belong to Panchal Brahmans which is also known as Viswakarma Brahmins. They
were also called as ‘Shivabrahman’. ‘Saiyadri Khanda’ of ‘Scanda Puran’- puran
that gave Puranic importance of Goa says artist of ancient Goa were called as
‘Shaivagayatri Brahmins’. Those Chari who fled Goa during Portuguese time to
prevent them being getting converted to Christianity & settled in Solapur
district are still known as ‘Shiva Brahma Sutar’
Since
Chari are traditional carpenters of Goa their main occupation is carpentry.
They do smithery also. In fact, they are master in most of the technical work;
so they are also referred as a borne engineers.
Panchal Brahmin of Goa.
Traditionally caste wise Panchal Brahmin of Goa
Categorized in 3 different castes. They are Vishwakarma Brahmin Chari,
Daivadnya Brahmin or Sonar & Twasta brahmin or Kasar Community.
Meticulously studying these three castes we find Chari & both Daivadny
& Twasta kasar it conclude that have not developed & originated from
the same ethnic group but are belongs to different people migrated at different
time. Though all the above groups are Panchal Brahmin by caste but do not
shared any relation since from their migration to Goa. There was exchange of
food or the matrimonial relation seen in these above caste. This clearly
indicates that they are not from common origin. Secondly the Gurupith of Chari
i.e. Lohamath set up 778 AD did not accepted both Daivadny & Twasta kasar
as the disciple of the Math. This clearly indicates that there was no relation
of any kind between Chari & Daivadny & Twasta kasar since 778AD or
before. This math had disciple from Carpenter & Ironsmith family then why
people doing work on gold & brass were not accepted. As per history dates of saraswat migration in
Goa is 700AD. So it seems that both Daivadny & Twasta kasar must have
migrated to Goa during this time.
Recently many Daivadnya youth are claiming
themselves that they are not Vishwakarma Brahmin but Daivadnya Brahmin itself
is a total different caste & do not have any link with Vishwakarma
Brahmins. Article on such claim are mostly seen on the internet.
Chari- Original Panchal
Brahmin of Goa.
Chari are the original Panchal Brahmins of Goa.
Since the earlier times they do works iron, wood stone, copper & even gold
& silver. Later after the migration of the Daivadny & Twasta Kasar they
adhere themselves only to Iron smithery & wood work. Due to Gramsanstha an
old village association in Goa they are only restricted themselves to the carpentry
& iron smithery. But in reality Chari are masters of all works & are
panchal that is having people working on all five profession. They are not only
decedent of Manu & Maya the first two sons of Lord Vishwakarma but do have
progeny Twasta Shipli & Daiwadny too. Till today we see the Chari
Practicing all the five crafts in the Goa Society.
Different names of Chari popular in Goa.
Different names of Chari popular in Goa.
Chari were known
with the different names since ancient Times. Following are some of the
name.
- Acharya- Meaning teacher
of religion. Today it changed Acharya-Achari-Chari.
- Mest/Mestri -At many
place where Chari stays is known as Mestawado. There is Mestawado in
Mandre, Vasco, Betoda, Kurti, Usgaon etc. In Goa there are places in
known as Mestbhat in Mershi & Madgaon.
- Kumbhar - The word
Kumbar is derived from the Sanskrit word Stambh meaning piller. A good
piller carver are termed as Kumbar .At some places in Goa there are paddy
field Qumarachi Namshi allotted to old Chari resident.This word is fond for Vishwakarma artist in Sahyadrikhanda.
- Shiva Brahmin
- Chari was called Shaiva brahmin in Goa during ancient times.Skanda
Purana antargat Sahyadri Khanda refers artist of Goa as Shivagaytri
Brahmin.
- Sutar - The word Sutar
has derived from the word Sutradhar. There are Sutarwado at many places in
Goa.
- Vinani - Vinani in old
Konkani meaning blacksmith & was adhered to Chari. There are lands
allotted by the Gaunkari to Chari in many of the villages of Goa with the
name Vinani.
- Zo Ferrieiro - All the Portuguese documents refers Chari with surname as Zo Ferreiro. The word Ferreiro has been derived from latin ferrarius meaning blacksmith. Zo can be from the word Oja. Zo word got corrupted from Oja-OJo-Zo. Oja means Upadhya. Name mostly found among the ancient artist of Karnataka. In Goa reference of Oja dates back to 7th century in the inscription found at Chandor.
Etymology of the word Chari
& other names.
The Chari
is corrupt form of the word Acharya (Sanskrit: आचार्य) which means the teacher
of religion. Surname Acharya is still present in Chari in some part of south
India. Those Chari who has left Goa long ago has a surname as Charya (Sanskrit:
चार्य). So in
short Chari derived from Acharya –Charya/Chari. Since Portuguese ruled Goa for
450 years the surname Chari is only present in Goa .They are also referred as
‘Sutar’ which has derived from Sanskrit word ‘Sutradhar’ which means the
designer in Ancient India. Sometimes they are referred as ‘mest’ or ‘thavoi’
which means carpenter & stapathi respectively. Those who were good artist
were called ‘Fishal’ by the Portuguese. For some Chari Portuguese gave surname
as Zo. Portuguese used to refer Chari as Zo Ferreiro. Earliest reference of the
name is found in Portuguese document Dated 18th September 1781 where
Mr. Vito Zo Ferreiro from Verem was given land on lease for three generation. Ferreiro
meaning ironsmith.
 |
| Chari Male |
 |
| Chari Women (1940) |
Goa Gavkari & temple rituals.
Goan
village administration in olden was basically controlled by the old village
association called Gavkari that was referred later as communidade by Portuguese.
This had the same work as what is done by today’s village Panchayat. One who
established village & sets its administration association were named as
Gaunkar. Gaunkar were bascically of caste Saraswat, Kharade, Daivadnya,
Kshatriya Maratha, Bhandari, Vaishya, Gawade. In Goa only Nasnode of Bardez
taluka we find Chari were the Gaunkar. Chari are the traditional carpenter &
Blacksmith of Goa so they were adopted by the village Gaunkari as the artist to
support the village agriculture in the form the tools & equipment they
produce. They were specifically reserved with the tax free land named Namshi.
Chari were getting land Vinaniche Namashi. Vinani meaning blacksmith in Old
Konkani Language. Chari being an artist most of the temples were done by them.
So in Goan society they had much importance. They have been given rights in
many of temples of Goa as sevekari meaning servant of the temple. Without Chari
many of rituals performed in temples cannot complete. Place like the Sal
Gade which is very famous all over Goa & in India, Chari shares one
of the integral part of the overall rituals performed in the temples & the
village. Same is case in the village temples spread all over Goa & Sindudurga
district of Maharashtra. Rampurush or Sutarpurush is worshipped by the Chari.
Its referred as Kulapurush i.e ancestral God of the community. Rampurush is among the 12 deity that has role
in the temples rituals.
 |
| Tarang one is hold by cha |
 |
