Panchkalshi

Panchkalshi or SKP is a Hindu community. They are one of the original native communities of Mumbai, India. Since the 19th century the community has called itself Somvanshi Kshatriya Pathare[1]

History

They are one of the communities, who migrated to Mumbai in 13th century AD along with Yaduvanshi king, Raja Bhimdev[2] as their followers but they were not originated from Yadavs or Yaduvanshi linages. As it has not been mentioned in any dharmic or spiritual scriptures of them being descendants from Yaduvanshi linage. According to tradition, the Panchkalshis derive their name from the fact that their former headman used to sit on a canopied throne surmounted by five kalashas.[3] A census from 1780 of Mahim and Bombay fort showed SKP community to be 8% and 4% of the population of these two localities respectively.[4] During the Portuguese occupation of Bassein, many hindus including some Panchkalshi adopted Christianity.[5] During the British era in Mumbai, the community took to carpentry, contract work and architecture.[6] Panchkalshi consider themselves one notch above Chaukalshi.[7] This community was one of first communities to advocate widow re-marriage.

Culture

Even though being a small community and having been exposed to western culture due to centuries of European rule of the place, people from the SKP community celebrate their festivals so as to pass down their traditions to the next generation. Exceptions to certain celebration like the high caste Hindu sacred thread ceremony "Munja Ceremony", which was abolished in the early 20th centuries by the leaders of the society, because as such it is unnecessary expense and was not relevant in this day and age. So a lot of educated families at that time stopped the tradition of "Munja Ceremony". Also, widow remarriage was accepted. [8]

Pachkalshi have founded at least three Hindu temples in Mumbai like Malkeshwar temple in Parel and also Mahadev temple named after famous Parli Vaijnath temple is said to have been built by them. Another temple built by them is of their Kuldevi Vajreshwari devi.[9][10] The community celebrates a unique festival.On Pithori Amavasya,(last date in Lunar Shaka month of Shravan) the women in the family pray to 64 yoginis for the well-being of the children.The women make offerings to figurines of the 64 deities made of flour.The eldest woman in the family holds the figurines on her head and the children surround her.It signifies that the deities will keep a watch on the children.[11]

The community is often confused with the Pathare Prabhus because during the British era both communities were recorded as the same in the census.Although the culture of both communities may be similar, the two are in fact separate communities.[12]

Surnames

Being natives of Mumbai, many families in the community use surnames derived by adding the suffix -kar to names of the old Mumbai villages (now suburbs) such as Goregaon, Bhayandar, Thane, Chembur, Dadar, Mahim, Parel, virar, Juhu and Worli.

Notables
  • Gangaji Naik was a prominent Maratha warrior and sardar of the 18th century. He was the prime ally of Chimaji Appasaheb Peshwa during the battle of Vasai during 1737-38.[13][14]
  • Dr Sakharam Arjun (1839-1885)-Physician and a founding member of the Bombay Natural History Society[15][16].Step-father of the pioneering woman physician Rukhmabai
  • Dr Rukhmabai (1864-1955) - One of the first Indian lady doctors.[17]

References
  1. Govinda Nārāyaṇa Māḍagã̄vakara (2009). Govind Narayan's Mumbai: An Urban Biography from 1863. Anthem Press. pp. 9–. ISBN 978-1-84331-305-2.
  2. Da Cunha, Joseph Gerson (2004). The origin of Bombay. New Delhi: Asian Educational service. p. 42. ISBN 9788120608153.
  3. Bombay: social change, 1813-1857
  4. BRAHME, Sulabha. 39 GROWTH AND METAMORPHOSIS OF BOMBAY THROUGH FOUR CENTURIES OF GLOBALISATION. In: City, Space+ Globalization: An International Perspective: Proceedings of an International Symposium, College of Architecture and Urban Planning, the University of Michigan, February 26-28, 1998. College of, 1998. p. 312 (PDF). S2CID 29038598.
  5. D'Silva, R.D. “EARLY PHASE OF CHRISTIANITY IN BASSEIN.” Proceedings of the Indian History Congress, vol. 33, 1971, pp. 342–349., www.jstor.org/stable/44145351. Accessed 16 July 2020.
  6. Sahoo, Priyanka (2015). "Melting pot: For the past eight centuries, the Panchkalshi community has helped build Mumbai, literally" (July 25, 2015). Indian Express. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  7. Bombay: the cities within
  8. http://www.skpworld.com/traditions
  9. The gazetteer of Bombay city and island (1910)
  10. The Rise of Bombay: A Retrospect By Stephen Meredyth Edwardes
  11. Sahoo, Priyanka (2015). "Melting pot: For the past eight centuries, the Panchkalshi community has helped build Mumbai, literally" (July 25, 2015). Indian Express. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  12. Sahoo, Priyanka (2015). "Melting pot: For the past eight centuries, the Panchkalshi community has helped build Mumbai, literally" (July 25, 2015). Indian Express. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  13. Sardesai, H. S. (2002). Shivaji, the Great Maratha. Cosmo Publications. ISBN 978-81-7755-286-7.
  14. Harischandra, Prakash (2019-11-03). Chimaji Appasaheb Peshwa: The Slayer of the Portuguese Regime: Story of the Unsung Hero of the Peshwa Regime. Independently Published. ISBN 978-1-6977-5165-9.
  15. Millard W. S. (1932). "The founders of the Bombay Natural History Society". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 35. No. 1 & 2: 196–197.
  16. Reuben, Rachel (2005). "The Indian Founders". Hornbill (April–June): 13–15.
  17. Chandra, S., 1992. Whose laws?: Notes on a legitimising myth of the colonial Indian state. Studies in History, 8(2), pp.187-211
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