Culture of Mangalorean Catholics - Historical Society

Historical Society

Mangalorean Catholics had retained the same caste system which their ancestors had in Goa. They were divided into four castes — Bāmaṇs, Charodis, Shudras, and Gaudis. The biggest group were the Bāmaṇs (the Konkani word for Brahmins). They were converts from the Brahmin caste (priestly class), and especially included the Goud Saraswat Brahmin converts from Goa. The Charodis, the second largest group, were converts from the Kshatriya (warrior class) and Vaishya (merchant class) castes. The artisan converts formed the third biggest group and were known as Shudras (labour class). The converts from the fisher-caste residing around Ullal, Kuloor and other places around the sea coast were called Gaudis, and formed the fourth group. Other minor castes, included the Padvals, who the historian Severine Silva, in his book "The Marriage Customs of the Christians in South Canara, India", assumes to be local Jain converts.

It was difficult for the few priests who had accompanied the Christian emigrants to South Canara to look after them properly. Thus, the gurkar system came into existence. Gurkars were Mangalorean Catholic men of good moral character who were selected as headmen in Christian settlements. They were entrusted the work of social and religious supervision of the community. After migration, the only possible occupation of a Mangalorean Catholic was agriculture, since they were skilled farmers. Every farmer practised carpentry but it was quite primitive and unskilled. Other crafts and industries were non-existent. By the later half of the 19th century Mangalorean Catholics were involved in the Mangalore tile industry, Coffee plantations and trade in plantation products. The mass was celebrated in Latin; but the sermon, the cathecism, and the explication of the mysteries were delivered to the congregation in Konkani.

A widow had to remain indoors practically for the rest of her life. Canon Law did allow remarriage for widows and therefore there was no direct prohibition for widows to remarry in the society of the Christians of South Canara, but few women had the courage to go against the strict conventions of their community. A widow who remarried was looked down upon, pitied and shunned as unlucky. But she was not ill-treated or made an outcast. No stigma was attached to her husband.