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The Rajapur Saraswat Brahmin (RSB) community, also called the Balavalikar Saraswat Brahmin (BSB) community, is a Hindu Smarta Brahmin community, which is found mainly in Maharashtra, Kerala and Karnataka. They are also known as Rajpuri or Rajapur.
They belong to the Saraswat Brahmin sub-caste and are closely related to the Gaud Saraswat Brahmin community.
Some people consider the RSB community to be a sub-section of the GSB community, but the two are separate.
History
The Saraswat Brahmins claim to have originated from the basin of the legendary Sarasvati river, which historians believe was located either in North India (Ghaggar-Hakra river) or in Afghanistan (Helmand, Arghandab and Harut rivers). They migrated from that region into Kashmir, the Gangetic Plain, Central India and the Konkan coast.
The Rajapur Saraswat Brahmin community separated from the mainstream Saraswat Brahmins in the Rajapur taluka in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra. They then shifted to Goa. However, after being subjected to atrocities under Portuguese rule, they migrated further south into Karnataka. They now mainly reside in Udupi, Mangaluru and Kasaragod.
They share common ancestors with the Gaud Saraswat Brahmins.
Culture
Some people from the community eat goat, fowl and fish but most are vegetarian and mainly eat rice. Alcohol consumption is common among some sub-communities. According to N. K. Singh, one section of them, called the Kudlukaras follow customs similar to Brahmins. They worship their ancestors and do not consume non-vegetarian food on the day of worship.
They belong to the Smarta tradition, while the GSBs mostly belonged to the Madhva tradition. Smartism has now become popular among GSBs as well.
The common surnames include Nayak and Prabhu, though many have started adopting other surnames as well.
Both Gaud Saraswat Brahmins and Rajapur Saraswat Brahmins speak Konkani as their mother tongue, though the dialects vary considerably.
The Rajapur Saraswat Brahmins are affiliated with the Gaudapadacharya Math (Kavale Math).
Legal status
According to the National Commission for Backward Classes, the Rajapur Saraswat Brahmins are an OBC community and they are registered on the official list of OBCs in Karnataka as "Rajapuri", "Rajpur" and "Balavalikar" communities.
Unlike GSBs, they are not officially considered to be Brahmins, hence they listed as OBCs. However, since they are culturally Brahmins, many of them prefer to identify with the General category.
Some of the Rajapur Brahmins also identify with the Gaud Saraswat Brahmins in terms of language, culture and legal status.
References
- ^ Nagendra Kr Singh, ed. (2006). Global Encyclopaedia of the South Indian Dalit's Ethnography, Volume 1. Global Vision Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-8220-167-5.
- K. S. Singh (1998). Indias Communities. oxford university press. p. 2925.
In Kerala, the Rajapuri / Rajapura Saraswat are called Rajapura Saraswat in the contiguous area of Dakshin Kannad
- "National Commission For Backward Classes". www.ncbc.nic.in. Retrieved 2024-05-21.