Konkani Brahmins are Brahmins whose mother-tongue is Konkani. Konkani Brahmins hail mainly from the southern part of the Maharashtra coast, Goa and coastal Karnataka. Most of them have assimilated into larger Marathi community.
Most Konkani Brahmins belong to the Smartha sect, which adheres to the Advaita philosophy expounded by Adi Shankaracharya. Others belong to the Madhva sect, who follow the Dvaita philosophy expounded by Madhvacharya. A small minority are also Vaishnavas. Prominent communities among the Konkani Brahmins include:
- Konkani Saraswat Brahmins, including:
- Goud Saraswat Brahmins—speak Konkani and Marathi.
- Chitrapur Saraswats Brahmins—speak Konkani and Marathi.
- Rajapur Saraswat Brahmins—speak Malvani a dialect of Marathi.
- Daivajna Brahmins known as Shet (Shreshtha) in coastal region.
- Chitpavan Brahmins, also known as "Konkanastha" Brahmins. They speak Marathi.
- Karhade Brahmins They speak Marathi.
- Padye—speak a dialect of Konkani called Bhati Bhasha.
- Bhatt Prabhu—speak the standard Antruzi dialect of Konkani.
Famous quotes containing the word brahmins:
“The Brahmins say that in their books there are many predictions of times in which it will rain. But press those books as strongly as you can, you can not get out of them a drop of water. So you can not get out of all the books that contain the best precepts the smallest good deed.”
—Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910)