Poojary
Encyclopedia
Poojary also known as Poojari or Pujary or Pujari, is a sub-sect of the Billava
community of Tulu Nadu
region of southern Indian state. The mother tongue of Poojary community is mainly Tulu
but in Kundapura
taluk these people speak Kannada. It is very difficult differentiate between Billava and Poojary in a broader view.
culture more commonly known as brahmins.They are priests associated with Tantric
culture ( a more ancient culture than Vedic
culture in Hinduism). In ancient Tulunadu Poojaries were the previledged class associated with the rituals of Bhuta Kola in Tulu Nadu
, which is practiced even today.
families were brought and made to settle in the region. Later Jains
too made an advent and started to settle in the places of Tulunadu. The Brahmins enjoyed religious supremacy in the Hindu Chaturwarna system. Eventually the original inhabitants of Tulunadu were forced to leave villages. However Billawas managed to live in the outskirts of villages. In the Tulunadu region communities such as Koragas and Mansas were practicing Nema or Bhuta Kola, a kind of spirit worship, but were not supposed to take a priestly role; this role was undertaken by certain members of the Billawa community. Numerically Billavas are more than any other community of Tulunadu.
Today most of the people from the Poojary community are well educated due to the modern education and urbanization. Job opportunities in the oil rich gulf countries contributed to the economic growth of Poojarys. Some went into business and many are famous professionals in the field of medicine and engineering. Some of the wealthiest people in Mangalore belong to this community.
Billava
The Billava, or Ilava people make up one of the largest Hindu communities of the Tulu ethnic group in India. They are also found in the Kannada-speaking Kundapura region of Karnataka and some parts of Kerala, including Kasaragod district...
community of Tulu Nadu
Tulu Nadu
Tulu Nadu is a Tulu-speaking region spread over to parts of present Karnataka and Kerala States of India. It consists of the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts of Karnataka and the northern parts of the Kasaragod district of Kerala up to the Payaswini River...
region of southern Indian state. The mother tongue of Poojary community is mainly Tulu
Tulu language
The Tulu language |?]]]) is a Dravidian language spoken by 1.95 million native speakers mainly in the southwest part of Indian state Karnataka known as Tulu Nadu. In India, 1.72 million people speak it as their mother tongue , increased by 10 percent over the 1991 census...
but in Kundapura
Kundapura
-Languages and culture :The town mainly consists of Kannadigas who speak Kundagannada, Konkanis and Tuluvas. The Goud Saraswat Brahmins who fled Goa during the Portuguese arrival in the 16th century arrived by Boat in Basrur and some settled in Kundapura and surrounding villages. These people and...
taluk these people speak Kannada. It is very difficult differentiate between Billava and Poojary in a broader view.
Etymology
The word Poojary literally means "priest" .But the poojary community in tulu nadu do not belong to the priests associated with the vedicVedic
Vedic may refer to:* the Vedas, the oldest preserved Indic texts** Vedic Sanskrit, the language of these texts** Vedic period, during which these texts were produced** Vedic pantheon of gods mentioned in Vedas/vedic period...
culture more commonly known as brahmins.They are priests associated with Tantric
Tantra
Tantra , anglicised tantricism or tantrism or tantram, is the name scholars give to an inter-religious spiritual movement that arose in medieval India, expressed in scriptures ....
culture ( a more ancient culture than Vedic
Vedic
Vedic may refer to:* the Vedas, the oldest preserved Indic texts** Vedic Sanskrit, the language of these texts** Vedic period, during which these texts were produced** Vedic pantheon of gods mentioned in Vedas/vedic period...
culture in Hinduism). In ancient Tulunadu Poojaries were the previledged class associated with the rituals of Bhuta Kola in Tulu Nadu
Tulu Nadu
Tulu Nadu is a Tulu-speaking region spread over to parts of present Karnataka and Kerala States of India. It consists of the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts of Karnataka and the northern parts of the Kasaragod district of Kerala up to the Payaswini River...
, which is practiced even today.
History
During the rule of Kadamba Dynasty in Tulunadu certain BrahminBrahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
families were brought and made to settle in the region. Later Jains
Jainism
Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...
too made an advent and started to settle in the places of Tulunadu. The Brahmins enjoyed religious supremacy in the Hindu Chaturwarna system. Eventually the original inhabitants of Tulunadu were forced to leave villages. However Billawas managed to live in the outskirts of villages. In the Tulunadu region communities such as Koragas and Mansas were practicing Nema or Bhuta Kola, a kind of spirit worship, but were not supposed to take a priestly role; this role was undertaken by certain members of the Billawa community. Numerically Billavas are more than any other community of Tulunadu.
Today most of the people from the Poojary community are well educated due to the modern education and urbanization. Job opportunities in the oil rich gulf countries contributed to the economic growth of Poojarys. Some went into business and many are famous professionals in the field of medicine and engineering. Some of the wealthiest people in Mangalore belong to this community.
Notable personalities
- Mahendra Poojary, politician
- Jaya Suvarna , former chairman of The Bharat Co-Operative Bank (Mumbai) Ltd.
- Suresh Poojary, founder and chairman of Sukh Sagar Group of Hotels Ltd.
- Gopal Poojary, former MLA of Baindoor
- Devdas Narayan Suvarna [ Industrialist ]
- Prakash Kumar,District and Sessions Judge,Bangalore
See also
- BillavaBillavaThe Billava, or Ilava people make up one of the largest Hindu communities of the Tulu ethnic group in India. They are also found in the Kannada-speaking Kundapura region of Karnataka and some parts of Kerala, including Kasaragod district...
A TuluvaTuluvaThe Tuluva -Geographic Distribution :Though most of the Tuluva population is found in the Tulu Nadu region, migrant poplulations are found the world over. In recent times, the first period of migration started at the beginning of the 20th century to places such as Mumbai and Chennai and other...
Community of Dakshina KannadaDakshina Kannada- Geography :The district geography consists of sea shore in the west and Western Ghats in the east. The major rivers are Netravathi, Kumaradhara, Phalguni, Shambhavi, Nandini or Pavanje and Payaswini which all join Arabian sea. Vast areas of evergreen forests which once covered this district, have...
and KeralaKeralaor Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions.... - EzhavaEzhavaThe Ezhavas are a community with origins in the region presently known as Kerala. They are also known as Ilhava, Irava, Izhava and Erava in the south of the region; as Chovas, Chokons and Chogons in Central Travancore; and as Tiyyas, Thiyas and Theeyas in Malabar...
A Malayalam community of KeralaKeralaor Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....