Devanga


Devanga is a Hindu caste from South India that traditionally followed the occupation of weaving, mostly found in the Indian states of Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Odisha, where they are known as Deras.

Origin and culture

The caste claims to be descended from Devala, an ancient Hindu sage.

Religion

There is a theory that the Devanga and Padmashali communities were once a single entity, with a split arising when the Devanga element took up Lingayatism. While some Devangas wear the yagnopaveetam or janivara, others consider the Viramustis as their traditional preceptors, from whom they take precepts and wear lingam.
The main goddess of the Devanga people is Sri Ramalinga Chowdeshwari Amman.

Devanga Purana

Around 1532, Devanga people requested the Telugu poet Bhadralinga Kavi to write their kulapuranam, or mythological history. He composed the Devanga Purana in the dasimatra-dvipadi style.

Occupation

Most members of this community were professional weavers and used to mainly produce pure cotton apparel. They were accordingly primarily concentrated around major textile centres in the Godavari district.
They were known for good craftsmanship in weaving clothes of all varieties and they weave superfine quality cotton clothes. Weaving the loom is usually done by men whereas women dye the yarn and spin the thread and children assist tasks such as looming. They are also very good entrepreneurs and expert in marketing of clothes. Some of them are also engaged in trading vegetables, groceries etc.

Punishment for inter-caste marriage

In 2004, the Devanga leaders of a small village in Belagur, Chitradurga district, Karnataka, fined and socially excluded ten families from the community for marrying people outside the caste. The decision was criticised and alleged to be unconstitutional but a similar thing happened to five families in Shivani village, Ajjampura, Chikmagalur district in 2011.