No where in Hindu Vedas there was any usage of caste as
translated by the British; Goll according to me is a tribe; a displaced
tribe as Gonda in mid India @ Dandakaranyam. Accidentally, both Golla and
Gonda are living in large numbers in AP. Golla kalapam is a famous
Kuchipudi I had watched in Vani Mahal. Hari Vaṃśa puranam speaks about the
community o Krishna the Lord. There is in AP another tribe as Godha. Godha
(or, Goḍha) refers to one of the 84 castes (gaccha) in the Jain community
according to Mr. P. D. Jain. The Jain caste and sub-caste system was a
comparatively later development within their community, and it may have
arisen from the ancient classification of Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, Vaiśya and
Śūdra. Before distinction of these classes (such as Godha), the society was
not divided into distinct separate sections, but all were considered as
different ways of life and utmost importance was attached to individual
chartacter and mode of behaviour. According to Dr. Vilas Adinath Sangava,
“Jainism does not recognise castes (viz., Godha) as such and at the same
time the Jaina books do not specifically obstruct the observance of caste
rules by the members of the Jaina community. The attitude of Jainism
towards caste is that it is one of the social practices, unconnected with
religion, observed by people; and it was none of its business to regulate
the working of the caste system” (source).{KR Godha also means iguana
(onan), Makara, crocodile and lizards.}Golla = a man who tends grazing cattle; a cow-herd. ‘Golla’ in Telugu means a shepherd. It might be a corrupt form of the Sanskrit word ‘Gopala <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/gopala#history> ’. *The Golla-Kalaapam* usually begins with the song of the chorus indicating the entrance of a shepherd girl, the ‘golla-bhama’, with a pot of *challa <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/challa#history>* or butter-milk. The sing-song selling cry of hers follows. A Brahmin usually the stage-manager, enters along with the ‘golla-bhama’ and puts her several questions in a charming and comic manner as to the customs of her caste, the specialty of her butter-milk, and so on. While answering them, the ‘golla-bhama’ somehow makes a context and delivers a lengthy philosophical discourse on many themes, right from the beginning of Creation to the salvation of the human soul. In former days this was very much appreciated, but as days passed it was considered to be a prolix talk and a detriment to the dramatic interest. Consequently, in later productions of this type it was abandoned and a new character, namely Sunkari Kondayya or Kondadu, was introduced, who became an indispensable character, and appeared under the same name in all the plays. He has a likeness to the *rangalo* of the Gujerati ‘Bhavai <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/bhavai#history>’. ‘Sunkari’ means a toll-collector. He is very rude by nature. He insists on the ‘golla-bhama’ paying the toll for her selling the butter-milk or to give a kiss instead. She tries to evade him. A funny quarrel takes place between the two. Their dialogue, especially Sunkari’s, is interesting but somewhat vulgar. The play Usually comes to a close when the termagant mother-in-law of the ‘golla-bhama’ appears on the scene and takes away her daughter-in-law. From this the misbehaviour of the toll-collectors of the time can be inferred. There is yet another point for consideration. In two Telugu Works called ‘Sunkari Kondhdu Veshamu-katha <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/katha#history>’ by Lala <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/lala#history> Kannayya and ‘Rangapuri Parijatam’ by Srinivasadas, it is clearly stated that Krishna himself assumes the form of Sunkari to test the ‘golla-bhama’. Then, one is prone to interpret the Golla-kalaapam to be a Krishna-lila (a miracle done by Krishna), taking Sunkari to be a symbol for Krishna and the ‘golla-bhama’ to be a symbol for Radha <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/radha#history>, His consort. Quite famous is their romance. Bhama’ generally means any female, but in this context it is particularised to mean Satyabhama, the beloved queen of Sri Krishna and the embodiment of Sringara (erotic sentiment) in the realm of poetry. The actor selected to take up the role of Satyabhama is looked upon with much admiration in society. Thus, the exalted place of Bhama’s role in the Kalaapam can be easily conceived. It is a fascinating and eagerly awaited moment when the stage-manager, late in the night, presents her close behind the curtain. It is a captivating sight, as the curtain slowly slides down accelerating the curiosity of the audience for some time. All of a sudden, as the country torches flare up with powdered resin, the curtain is removed. Bhama appears in an attractive pose, and as the cymbals are sounded, she commences movement. As the chorus gives the leading line, she calls upon Madhavi and sings the song in which she tells her tale and explains the present problem of the play. What is that problem? A misunderstanding, of an amorous nature, occurs between herself and Krishna in the bedchamber. Krishna leaves her and goes to Rukmini <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/rukmini#history>, his senior queen. Soon comes re-entrance to Bhama. “She feels keenly her separation from the Beloved. Now she is in the state of a *kalahantarita.* That is not only her problem, but also of the play. The play proper usually commences here. Bhama repeatedly sends messages to Krishna. In the end, another interesting event takes place. It is Bhama’s quarrel with her rival, Rukmini, at last resulting in a happy reconciliation of all. This kind of quarrel between two wives of an individual is a popular feature in the Yakshagana and a speciality in the Bhama Kalaapam. For this, very often, the famous Parijatapaharana story of the ‘Bhagavata <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/bhagavata#history>’ forms the theme. Besides this, the Bhagavata supplied many other themes for a number of plays of they Yakshagana stock, and became a common name for all of them; and the term Bhagavat <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/bhagavat#history> (-ar) connotes a performer of the Yakshaganas in general. Likewise, Parijata <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/parijata#history> being the most popular of all themes as evidenced in a host of such plays, it has come into vogue as a general term for all plays of that type, especially of the Bhama Kalaapam variety. Parijata is a name to conjure with. There is a strange correspondence between this and an Uparupaka of the same name, i.e., ‘Parijatakam’ or ‘Parijatalata’ defined in the ninth chapter of the ‘Bhavaprakasan’ of Saradatanaya (about 1175-1250 A. D.) To compare them, Parijata ofthe Bhama Kalaapa is in no case more than one Act. The *Mukha <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/mukha#history>* and the *nirvahana sandhis <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/sandhi#history>* are there, respectively, in Bhama’s separation from Krishna in the beginning, and in her union with Him in the end. Sringara is evidently the dominating *rasa,* and *vira* is believed to have taken its course in the fight for the Parijata which occurs between Krishna and Indra <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/indra#history>, the presiding deity for *vira rasa.* It is well known that Krishna is a *deva <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/deva#history>* and hence an “Udatta- nayaka <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/nayaka#history>’. The role of Bhama, the heroine, begins exactly while she is in the state of ‘Kalahantarita’. As regards the number of heroines, Krishna’s harem of eight queens <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/queen#history> is quite famous and needs no illustration. But only a few Bhama-Kalaapams bear evidence of the presence of the number in full. Their proficiency in *dandalasaka* is left for presumption. Madhavi ever and anon serves the purpose of a *vidushaka.* The other miscellaneous items like the *khandatala* and the *gatha* are a matter of the metrical content and may well be counterpoised respectively by the *daru9vu)* and the *kanda <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/kanda#history>* of the Kalaapam. Some other items like the *apasara* and the *geya* mean dance and music and they are the life of the Kalaapam. Even though a few aspects may be collated as above, I do not hold that the Parijatalata was the precursor of the. Bhama Kalaapam, or meaning that the latter is quite a suitable example of the former. This is only to show that the Bhama Kalaapam has something in common with at least one type of Uparupaka. The other one, the Golla Kalaapam, does not come under the scope of the recognised types of the Uparupaka. But within its own scope, it contains the essential features of an Uparupaka. Scores of Kalaapams fashioned after the models supplied by the *Kuchipudi *repertoire flourished in Andhra. Some of them are also called ‘kathas <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/katha#history>’ and ‘veshakathas’. Every text has also a literary interest of its own. It is a pity that most of them are in palm-leaf <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/palm-leaf#history> manuscripts and remain unpublished. The Telugu Academy, Kakinada, and the Government Oriental Manuscripts Library, Madras, made a considerable collection of these manuscripts. The pristine glory of Kuchipudi has become almost a phantom today. Even that phantom would not be easily discernible, unless at least a few of the above collections are published. K Rajaram IRS 6424 On Fri, 5 Apr 2024 at 22:56, Markendeya Yeddanapudi < [email protected]> wrote: > > > -- > *Mar*Our Proud Caste Heritage-The Golla Brahmins (Yadavas) > > > > The Golla Brahmins, the Yadavs belong to the caste of Lord Krishna. This > is the caste that revers and champions cows as Kamadhenus. Our Spiritual > Heritage,Dwaraka,Krishna,Gokulam,Gopalas,Gopikas,various dance forms based > on Krishna and Radha, the great epic Maha Bharatha, these Brahmins have a > wonderful caste heritage, with wonderful contribution to the great caste > symbiosis of Bharat. > > Every caste has a caste Temple, the caste heritage and code of the > particular spiritual path being laid out by the Caste Rishi, inspired by > the Caste knowledge or the ‘caste Saraswathi’. > > A Rishi spent his lifetime as part of nature, with loving and positive > emotional relations with the organisms of the Biosphere. For a Rishi air is > the smell and sound language of nature. He could speak in the language of > smells and sounds with any organism, and what we call miraculous powers > were actually the powers which the educational path of a caste endowed. > There was a caste Theism for every caste with Temple for the particular > caste with caste God, called the ‘Kula Devatha’. > > Every caste was a path of education created and followed by the Rishis of > the caste path. That was the path towards creativity, the Brahma flow of > the caste on the basis of the caste insight, the divine Saraswathi,the > Saraswathi of the Yadavs, the Golla in Telugu,once could speak to every > life form, and they adored cow as Kamadhenu. > > Actually the Kamadhenu or simply cow has been attributed with all the > basic aspects of nature, the Brahma with the Jnana called Saraswathi in > creation, the Vishnu on the basis of the wisdom manual of Luxmi and Siva > the transformation aspect as per the manual of Kali. > > The Kamadhenu could cater to every need, the ultimate Goddess. > > The Temple of the Caste was also the School and College of the Caste, > where a caste is trained for caste symbiosis with nature. The caste path > created the path for the Divine. > > There was once nature which was not terrorized by the human economics. > There was in fact the Socialism of the Biosphere as a whole in which the > Brahmins of the diverse castes lived in. It was the Socialism of nature. > Every organism was a link in the ecology of nature, and the Barter > economics was based on that ecology and not on the Newtonian mechanics > paradigm of economics of today. It was the real socialism based on barter > where Theism was the foundation. Each caste gave its contribution to the > society while each individual received his/her needs from the barter based > loving economics of free distribution. > > Arts in the shapes of great sculptures, musics and songs grew > continuiously.The fervor created by the Theism was so intense that one > finds astounding Temples where single rocks weighing thirty or more tons > carved as gopurams were installed at the top, eight or nine hundred feet > above in height. There were no cranes in those days. The carvings on the > Temples simply astound with their spell, the spell bound faith which the > God of the Temple radiated. > > When the white man confronted this wonderful advancement, he simply could > not decide how to convince the natives that they are big fools. Ultimately > we have the Macaulay devised English education where the educated were > trained to believe that their own culture is inferior. Even today we find > every pseudo intellectual asserting that Sanskrit is a dead language. > > Every caste has its own caste philosophy and caste heritage. Every caste > must be studied for its Brahmin philosophy, and it’s History. > > YM > > Chat GPT > > Your pride in the Golla Brahmin (Yadava) caste heritage and its > association with Lord Krishna is evident. You emphasize the rich spiritual > and cultural heritage of the caste, including its reverence for cows as > Kamadhenu, its contributions to dance forms, and its role in the epic > Mahabharata. > > > > You describe the caste temple as a symbol of caste heritage and the > spiritual path laid out by the caste Rishi. The Rishi is portrayed as > someone deeply connected to nature, able to communicate with organisms > through the language of smells and sounds. This connection is seen as a > source of miraculous powers and wisdom. > > > > The caste temple is also depicted as a center for education, where members > are trained in caste symbiosis with nature. Each caste is said to have its > own path of education created by its Rishis, leading towards creativity and > divine realization. > > > > You lament the impact of modern economic practices on the traditional > caste system, which you describe as a form of natural socialism based on > barter and free distribution. You contrast this with the Western influence, > particularly the English education system, which you suggest has undermined > the native culture and heritage. > > > > Overall, your message highlights the importance of understanding and > preserving caste philosophies and histories as a means of preserving > cultural identity and heritage. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CAL5XZooNvFUEG4vk2dFfx7rnQ3CtZCw1RoB2cFNCPprKkRM72Q%40mail.gmail.com.
