The Daivadnya, (also known as Sonar or Panchal or Vishwa Brahmin), is a community from Goa and Karnataka, who claim to have descended from Vishwakarma. Although they claim themselves to be Brahmin, but these claims are not accepted by Brahmins. They are native to the Konkan and are mainly found in the states of Goa and Damaon, Canara (coastal Karnataka), coastal Maharashtra, and Kerala. Daivadnyas in the state of Karnataka are classified by National Commission for Backward Classes as an Other Backward Class.
Daivadnya Sonars in Maharashtra claim to be Brahmins and call themselves as Daivadnya Brahmins however this is not accepted by Brahmin communities of Maharashtra. The Poona government of the Peshwa era did not accept the claim either but the Bombay Sonars continued with the claim. However, Oliver Godsmark, a researcher on late colonial and early postcolonial South Asia, considers them a subcaste of the Brahmins that were originally from the coastal regions of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa. They are popularly known in Goa as Shets. This word is derived from the word Shrestha or Shresthin"Gomantak Prakruti ani Sanskruti", Part-1, p. 224, B. D. Satoskar, Shubhada Publication
Names Their name has many alternative spellings, including Daivajna, Daivajnya, Daiwadnya, and Daivadnea.
Daivadnyas are commonly known as Shet. This appellation comes from their guild organisations, during the medieval ages. European documents mentions them as "Chatim" or "Xette", which is corruption of Konkani Shett, or Shetty. The guild or members of the guilds of traders, merchants, and their employees who were mainly artisans, craftsmen, and husband-men in ancient Goa like elsewhere in ancient India, were called Shreni, and the head of the guilds were called Shrestha or Shresthi, which meant His Excellency. Of all the trade guilds, the Daivadnya guild, was highly esteemed in Goa. These guilds enjoyed such a reputation for trustworthiness that people deposited money with these guilds, which served as local banks and also made huge donations to the temples. Gomantak Prakruti ani Sanskruti, a comprehensive work on Goan culture also suggests that they called themselves Sreshtha to distinguish themselves from other groups who were assigned status of Sankra jati or mixed origin in the Shastras."Gomantak Prakruti ani Sanskruti", Part-1, p. 221 by B. D. Satoskar, published by Shubhada Publication.The Hindu Castes Their Religion and Customs Author: Arthur Steele Publisher Mittal Publications,1986 (page 91-93)460 pages
Old Portuguese documents mention them as Arie Brahmavranda Daivadnea class (Orgon Somudai)."Goa: Hindu Temples and Deities", pp. 121–122. By Rui Pereira Gomes
Traditional history Though their history is obscure, Daivadnyas claim to have descended from Davidnya or Vishvadnya the younger son of Vishwakarma, the Hindu architect god. Shets or Daivadnyas also claim Brahmin varna status, however, this is not accepted by local Brahmins and other communities of the region.Maharashtriya Jnanakosha, Part-1, pp. 198–226 There is also a claim that Daivdnyas are descent from the Vedic Rathakara as mentioned in Taittiriya Brahmana of Yajurveda, and Smritis, however Daivadnya community deny this. Hindu doctrines Hiraṇyakeśisutra, Bṛhajjātiviveka, Jātiviveka, Saṅkha smṛti, and Añjabila mention different types of Rathakaras. Most of them can be called Saṅkara Jāti or mixed caste, and their social status varies from those with high social status, who are ritually pure and have the right to perform "strata-smarta" rituals and to those considered fallen or degraded. Daivadnyas (during the conflicts that arose in the 19th century) refuted this claim, which called them Rathakaras of impure descent, on the basis of Shastra
Medieval and modern history Migrations Author Vithal Raghavendra Mitragotri says, The Bhojas are well-known sculptures and have migrated to various regions of India. Therefore, the Sthapatis who themselves claim to be Brahmins may have been descendants of Bhojas. The gold-smiths claim themselves to be Daivadnya Brahmins. According to Viṭhṭhala Mitragotrī, the migration to Goa dates back to the early 4th to 6th century CE, with the Bhoja dynasty. Bā. Da. Sātoskār in his encyclopedic work on Goan culture, suggests that they are a part of the tribe and reached Goa around 700 BC. From 1352 to 1366 AD Goa was ruled by Khiljī.In 1472, the Bahāmanī Muslims attacked, demolished many temples, and forced the Hindus to convert to Islam. To avoid this religious persecution, several Śeṭ families fled to the neighbourhood kingdom of Sondā."Karnataka State Gazetteer" By Karnataka (India), K. Abhishankar, Sūryanātha Kāmat, Published by Printed by the Director of Print, Stationery and Publications at the Govt. Press, 1990, p. 251 Several families from western India had settled down in Kashi since the late 13th century.
In 1510 the Portuguese invaded Goa. King John III of Portugal issued a decree threatening expulsion or execution of non-believers in Christianity in 1559 AD; the Daivadnyas refused conversion and had to decamp. Thousands of Daivadnya families fled to the interior of Maharashtra and coastal Karnataka."Karnataka State Gazetteer" By Karnataka (India), K. Abhishankar, Sūryanātha Kāmat, Published by Printed by the Director of Print, Stationery and Publications at the Govt. Press, 1990, p. 254 About 12,000 families from the Sāsaṣṭī region of Goa (from Raia, Cuncolim, Loutolim, Verṇa and other places), mostly of the Śeṇavīs and the Shetṭs, including Vaishya Vani, Kudumbi, and others, departed by ship to the southern ports of Honnāvara to Kozhikode."Journal of Kerala studies" By University of Kerala Published by University of Kerala., 1977, p. 76 A considerable number of the Sheṭts from Goa settled in Ratnagiri and the Thane district of Maharashtra, especially the Tansa River valley, after the Portuguese conquest of Goa.
Portuguese period
Daivajnas and Christianity
The Portuguese imposed heavy restrictions on all Goan Hindus, but the Shetṭs were granted exemption from certain obligations or liabilities. It is rare to find a Christian Goan Shetṭ, while all the other castes find some representation in the convert society; this is because the economic power the Śeṭs wielded in the sixteenth century enabled them to live and work in Goa on their own terms or emigrate with their religion intact. Their commercial knowledge and skills were held in high esteem by the Portuguese; because of the protection the Portuguese gave them, they had a little religious freedom. For example, they were permitted to wear the horizontal Vibhutī caste-mark on the forehead, and were even exempted from punishment when they committed crimes.Hidden Hands: Master Builders of Goa By Heta Pandit, Farah Vakil, Homi Bhabha Fellowships Council Published by Heritage Network, 2003, p. 19 The very few who converted were assigned the caste of Bamonn among the Goan Catholics. According to the gazetteer of Goa state they are called Catholic Śeṭs, but no such distinction is found amongst Goan Catholics. A detailed study of Comunidades shows that Whether Hindu or Catholic, the community always enjoyed their social status, and were permitted to remain in Christianised parts of Goa, provided they kept a low profile, observed certain disciplines, and paid a tax of three xeraphims of (gold mohor) annually to the Portuguese.
A few Daivadnya families who converted to Catholicism migrated to Mangalore due to attacks by the Marathas in Goa during the late 17th and early 18th century.
Relationships with other communities The trade in Goa was mainly in the hands of three communities classes, being the Gaud Saraswat Brahmins, the Vanis and the Sets.
Conflict between Daivadnyas and Vaishyas, in 1348 in Khaṇḍepar or Khaṭegrama, is mentioned in Khaṇḍepar copperplate. This issue was solved in Gaṇanātha temple in Khāṇḍepār, its antecedents are not known."Gomantak Prakruti ani Sanskruti" by B. D. Satoskar, published by Shubhada Publication Another conflict in the 17th century, between Shenvi Brahmins and Shets of Goa, these over social status was evidenced in arguments about use of traditional emblems like Suryapan, parasol etc. during religious rituals, functions and festivals. The hatred was so severe until the 19th century that only fear of the police kept the peace. Later, the Portuguese banned the use of Hindu symbols and wedding festival processions."Gomantakatil sūryapan Chatri vād" written by Dr. P. P. Shirodkar, in "Gomant Kalika"(monthly), published by Kalika Prakashan Vishwast Mandal"Gomantak Prakruti ani Sanskruti", Part-1, p. 225 by B. D. Satoskar
Diaspora
Documents mention a Gramanya that lasted from 1822 to 1825, between the Daivadnyas and the Brahmins of Pune or the Puna Joshis. This dispute started because the Puna Joshis were against Daivadnyas employing their own priests and not employing the Vyavahare Joshis for their religious functions. These Daivadnya families had migrated from Ratnagiri, to Pune during the reign of Baji Rao I, who always upheld their claims against the Vyavahare Brahmans or the Puna Joshis. The opponent Brahmins were against the Daivadnyas administering Vedokta Karmas or Vedic rituals, studying and teaching Vedas, wearing dhoti, folding hands in Namaskar. They urged the Peshwas, and later, the British to impose legal sanctions, such as heavy fines to implement non-observance of Vedokta Karmas, though the later had been always observing the Vedic rites. The Joshis denied their Brahmin claim, allegedly argued that they are not even entitled to Upabrāhmaṇa status which are mentioned in the Śaivāgama. Thus they claimed that latter were not entitled to Vedokta Karmas and should follow only Puraṇokta rites and they were also against the Brahmins who performed Vedic rituals for the Daivadnyas, they incriminated that Daivadnyas have an impurity of descent and have a mixed-caste status or Saṅkara Jāti. The British also issued orders to the Daivadnyas by which the Vedas not be applied for an improper purpose, the purity of the Brahmin caste be preserved and did not impose any restrictions on the Daivadnyas. This dispute almost took a pro-Daivadnya stance in Bombay in 1834, and were ordered to appoint the priests of only their own Jāti and not priests of any other caste as per the tradition. It is during these disputes Daivadnya Pundits came up with extensive literature like versions of Sahyadrikhanda of Skandapurana, to clear their maligned image by the Pune Brahmins.
In 1849, the king of Kolhapur, Shahu Maharaj, provided land grants to the Daivadnyas who had migrated to princely states of Kolhapur and Satara and helped them build their hostels for the students pursuing education.
Many families like the Murkuṭes, the Paṭaṇkars, the Seṭs of Karvara and Bhaṭkala kept their tradition alive and excelled in trade, playing a major role in socio-cultural development of the major metropolis of India such as Bombay.
The Daivadnya priests who officiated at the Gokarṇa Mahabaleswara temple were prosecuted in 1927 by the Havyakas of Gokarṇa, who thought they would take over the puja authority at the temple. The case reached the Bombay High Court, which ruled in favour of the Seṭs."Mahan Daivadnya Sant ani Vibhuti", p. 74, by P. P. Shirodkar, published by Kalika Prakashan Vishwast Mandal
Modern period Some Goan Daivadnya families migrated to Pune and overseas. The Akhīla Bharatiya Daivajña Samajonnati Pariṣat has existed since 1908 for their betterment.
Similarly, about 3500 Sheṭts migrated to Bangalore city after 1905 from South Canara. Many families have migrated to Mumbai and have founded organisations such as the Kanara Daivajna Association, and Daivajna Shikṣṇa Maṇḍala. The Shimoga, Chikkamagaluru, Koḍagu, Davangere, and Hubli-Dharwad districts of Karnataka now have a considerable Daivadnya population.