Vasavi Kanyaka Parameswari

The head priest of king Vishnuvardhana's kingdom was a renowned Bramhin named Bhaskaracharya and the author of Kanyaka Puranamulu. Varnashrama had not fully taken root in the south of Vindhyas and duties for caste groups had to be appropriated according to their Varna. The Komatis were engaged in trade and supporters of Jaina Dharma. However, since these Komatis were being organised as Vysya's by Bhaskarachrya and imposition of Varnashrama had to be organised by occupation and birth for the benefit of the society. The duty of the King was not suitable for Kusuma Sresti since he had to become a Vysya during the reorganization of society, ruling was not his occupation and would contradict his Varna and Dharma. The Vasavi puranamulu was written to show the ill efforts of following an occupation that contradicts Varna and Dharma. The varnashrama dharma maintains the Brahmins right to perform priestly duties or take up the duties of Kings and the Kshatriyas the right to rule. The right to trade existed with the Bramhins and Kshatriyas if they weren't interested in their prescribed duty. Agriculture and cattle rearing was prescribed as a means of livelihood for the Vysyas and Shudras. Vysyas along with the Bramhins and Kshatriyas also had the right to take up trade.

According to Jain beliefs, Vasavi is a Jain princess of a prosperous kingdom. Her father was a benevolent king and well loved by his subjects. His kingdom was attacked by another powerful king who wanted to plunder the kingdoms wealth. Jaina Komatis believed in Vasavi Matha to be a true apostle of peace who was able to convince the king of his short coming through Ahimsa and he repented for his mistake and became a Jain wandering monk and gave up his kingdom. She also was able to prove Non Violence isn't just physical but should also not wish for violence in the mind and blessed the Jaina Komatis to prosper in business. Most Komatis still adhere to this principle and follow the practice of Ahimsa and Vegetarianism abstaining from Meat and meat products. They also do not take up profession which requires slaughter of animals.

There is no authentic version of Vasavi Puranamulu and different versions exist among-st castes who are Komati and those that are not even Komtis such as interdependent castes like Veeramushtis a part of the Veerashaiva sect, Mailaris, Jakkali-vandlu etc., All these stories point towards a time when the Komatis faced stressful times or faced persecution and various versions exist which vary according to region, religious sects, castes and sub castes.

Jangam Komtis are a sub group of the Veerashaivas who believe Kanyaka become an ardent devotee of Shiva who became a mendicant.

Shaivate tradition of the story mentions the Kanyaka as Kanyaka Parameshwari who cursed a king and killed him. She later showed herself as an incarnation of Parvati and went to Kailasa marrying Shiva who was worshipped as Nagareshwara. This tradition is more common among-st Beri Komatis and Gavara Komatis or Arya Vysys's whose family deity is Shiva.

This version has further evolved in recent years where the orthodox sections have dropped even the name Vasavi and only call her Kanyaka Parameshwari which is a very violent form of Parvati with 10 hands armed with multiple weapons like swords, spears, tridents, chakras who is blood thirsty and one of her many hands hold the severed head of the king, She is seated on a ferocious lion whose mouth is dripping with blood and human flesh pouncing on the decapitated body of King Vishnu Vardhana. Orthodox Arya Vysyas offer many kinds of Vedic sacrifices which includes killing of animals to appease the violent form of the goddess.

Vaishnavite Tradition of the story exists among-st Trivarnika's and Gavara Komtis for whom Venkateshwara is their family deity. Kanyaka is not associated with Parameshwari but as an incarnation of goddess Laxmi. They pay homage to Lord Venkateshwara in the Tirumala hills. They believe in Vaishnavism which spread down south during the reign of King Vishnu Vardhana along with a decline of Jainism and Buddhism.

Komtis who practice Ahimsa worship her as Shanti Matha Vasavi Devi who convinced the King to give up his kingdom who later became a Jain monk through the teaching of Ahimsa. She blessed all komatis to take up Ahimsa and prosper in trade. Her clever reasoning saved the lives of Komatis and non Komatis alike.

Kusuma Sresti, the king of the Arya Vysyas was ruling the kingdom making Vasavi Penugonda (called the Kasi of Arya Vysyas) (Jestasailam) as capital city for all the 18 mahapattana's during 10th–11th century AD. Kusumamba was his wife. They were ideal couple and led a peaceful domestic life. They were worshipping Lord Siva (Nagareswara swamy) and Lord Vishnu (Janardhana Swamy) as the part of their daily duties. His kingdom was part and parcel of Vengidesha, which was ruled by Vishnu Vardhana-7 or Vimaladitya Maharaj.

The couple were childless and became concerned about who would succeed them. They approached Kulaguru (family teacher) Bhaskaracharya. He advised them to perform Puthra Kamestiyaga which Dasharatha had observed.

During the auspicious hour, Kusuma Sresti couple started the yaga. The Gods were pleased and sent prasadam (a blessed fruit from god) through Yagneswara (fire god). There was a divine utterance that they would get children after eating prasadam. With utmost devotion they ate Prasadam, and within a few days the sign of pregnancy was found with Kusumamba. She expressed unusual desires, which indicated that she would give birth to children who would fight for the welfare of all.

The Komatis who accepted the Varnashrama had to submit themselves to the ruling authority of the Kshatriyas regularly paying taxes and filling up the coffers of the kings (Raja Bokkasum) and follow the instructions of Brahmins to conduct all rituals. They had to give charities and had to feed Bramhin's regularly in order to maintain their caste status as Vaishya. However the Niyogi's, a powerful Bramhin caste who are also successful traders opposed them and clashes are recorded and riots occurred between Bramhins and such Komatis who took up Varnashrama. This period saw Komatis going back to Jainism and some sections embracing Buddhism and people in Karnataka and Maharashtra becoming Lingayats. Today Komatis who call themselves Arya Vysya are accepted as one of the many south Indian Vaishya castes whether they engage in trade or are in services.

Sections of Komatis are covered either in OBC or EBC reservations based on central, state or region based guidelines.

Shri Kannika Parameshwari Kathe was a big screen Kannada movie released in 1966 starring Dr. Raj Kumar, Pandhari Bai, BS Dwaraknath, Ramachandra Shastry, Narasimha Raju and Ramadevi as main star cast. This movie was produced and directed by Hunsur Krishnamurthy.

In 2012 a Telugu movie "Sri Vasavi Vaibhavam" was released depicting Goddess Kanyaka Parameshwari Devi life. Actress Meena acted as Goddess Parvati and actress Suhasini played the main role of Goddess Kanyaka Parameshwari.

• NRI Vasavi Association
• www.penugondavasavi.org