Any suggestions - 2

[Michael Witzel]

any suggestions? -not really...

However, one may note that the Kashmiris (Syamilaka through Bilhana) make
fun of the Gujaratis (e.g., of their style of wearing dhotis).

Syamilaka if of course rather early, probably too early (c. Hun time) for
the entry of the Gu(r)jara into the subcontinent (at 600 CE?-- not yet
found in Mbh;-- note the Gujar herders  in the S. Kashmir hills, and
Gujranwala in Panjab).

However, their presence may have give rise to some 'unorthodox' behavior,
though I cannot think of a specific item.  Of course, we have some 100
subdivisions of Gujarat Brahmins, so there is ample space for a 'HuuN'
version of them  (as indeed found in Rajasthan). --

By  1700 all of this may have become a topos.

Also, there are the *early* (BSS/BDhS) Karaskara --I think in Saurastra--
who are 'off limits' for 'proper' people, just as Andhra, Kalinga  etc. was
forbidden territory: when one traveled there  one was in need of a
prayascitti  - an early 'kala pani'.


We have to ask the Gujarat  specialists.


MW





>In the 17th-18th century text Vedavicaara that I am editing and
>translating, there is an interesting line explaining why the draaviDa
>brahmans of the south do not have any interaction/co-participation with the
>gurjara brahmans, though the gurjaras are technically considered to be
>draaviDas.  The text says:
>
>gau.dadezavad gurjaradeze 'py anaacaarabaahulyaat te.saam
>aacaaryazaapa-dagdhatvaat keraladeziiyabraahma.naadivat
>samvyavahaaraabhaava.h
>
>Like the the GauDa region, there is profusion of misbehavior (anaacaara)
>even in the Gurjara region, and hence, by being cursed by the aacaarya
>(who?), there is no dealing with them, as there is no dealing (for similar
>reasons) with brahmans from Kerala etc.
>
>I wonder if anyone has come across this story of some aacaarya cursing the
>brahmans of Kerala and Gurjara regions for their supposed misbehavior?  I
>suppose the anaacaara in Kerala refers to the relations of brahmans with
>nayar women.  What sort of anaacaara is alleged for the Gurjara brahmans?
>
>                                        Madhav Deshpande

========================================================
Michael Witzel
Department of Sanskrit & Indian Studies, Harvard University
2 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge MA 02138, USA

ph. 1- 617-496 2990 (also messages)
home page:  http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~witzel/mwpage.htm