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The 'Chitpavan', 'Chitpawan', or 'Konkanastha Brahmins' (कोकणस्थ ब्राम्हण) are a brahmin community of Konkan, the coastal belt of western Maharashtra. Sometimes they are affectionately referred to as 'Kobra' (short for KO-nkanastha BRA-hmin). (Since ''Konkanastha'' is actually a general geographic label, meaning "Resident of Konkan" in Sanskrit, the name ''Chitpavan'' is preferable. In this text, however, the names Chitpavan, Konkanastha, and Kobra are used interchangeably.
The Kobras gained prominence during the reign of Shahu in the 18th century and since have established themselves firmly in the Indian social hierarchy. In 1713, the fourth Chattrapati Shahu appointed a Chitpanvan Brahmin from Kokan, Balaji Vishwanath Bhat, as Peshwa or prime minister. After the death of Shahu from 1749 to 1761, the Peshwas enjoyed ''de facto'' status till battle of Panipat. Afterwards, with exception of Madhavrao, all other peshwas remained ceremonial head of Maratha confederacy like their master Chattrapati.

Contents

History and mythology

Origins and genetics

Rise to power

Eminent/Famous Konkanastha Brahmins

Literature/Scholars

Politics/Social reform

Industry

Sport

Medicine

Information Technology

Cinema/Theatre

Music

See also

References

External links

History and mythology

Origins and genetics

Well known for their 'European-like' features of light skin and grayish to green eyes, recent studies (Kivisild et.al. 2003, Gaikwad et.al. 2005) on the genetics of Konkanasta Brahmins have been quite surprising. Unlike previous claims of exclusive European origins, it appears that the Chitpavans are a group of people with diverse genetic origins.
On the paternal side (Y-DNA), R1a (Y-DNA) is the most frequently found haplogroup. Incidentally this haplogroup is also commonly found amongst North Indians (Sahoo et.al. 2006), many Central Asians, and a lot of East Europeans. The presence of a deep common ancestry between these regions remains a puzzle to this day. Some (Wells et.al. 2001) have cited this as evidence for the controversial Aryan migration theory. Haplogroup J2 (Y-DNA) is another frequently found haplogroup considered to be of Middle-Eastern origins and found in a lot of higher-caste Indians. There is also a significant presence of Haplogroups R2 (Y-DNA), L (Y-DNA), and H1 (Y-DNA) which are believed to be of Indian origin and dominantly found in Western and South Indians (Sahoo et. al. 2006).
The origins on the maternal side (mt-DNA) are equally surprising. Unlike most other Indians whose maternal origins can be almost exclusively traced to the single macro-haplogroup M (mt-DNA), studies (Kivisild et.al. 2003, Gaikwad et.al. 2005) indicate that the Chitpavan gene-pool shows the presence of various other Central Asian and European mt-DNA haplogroups, in particular, the U (mt-DNA), H (mt-DNA), HV (mt-DNA), X (mt-DNA), R
★ (mt-DNA), and N1 (mt-DNA) haplgroups.
Based on the current evidence therefore, it does seem then that the aforementioned racial characteristics can be most likely traced to their maternal side.
There is no mention of Chitpavans in Indian history prior to the reign of the Peshwas because they did not hold any powerful position in the political structure and were content more or less in performing clerical jobs unlike their counterpart of desh who were performing religious duties.
The earliest reference to the Chitpavans in Indian literature can be found in the Sahyadri Khand, a section of the Skandha Purana. Considering that the version of Skandha in south India does not carry any reference to Chitpavans; It may have been later on composed sometime during 14-15th century by a scholar from a rival group and included as the Sahyadri Khand possibly in an attempt to explain / justify a sudden rise of chitpavans. (rival group, because firstly, most references and myth like story depicted in it does not speak very kindly of this community and secondly, the Skandh Purana with the Sahyadri khand inclusion traditionally would be a part of the rival group's literary collections.)
The following is the summary of the legend from Sahyadri Khand. Parashurama, the sixth avatara of Vishnu was so defiled by the slaughter of the Kshatriyas that Brahmins refused to perform any ceremonies for him. At that time the bodies of fourteen persons happened to be cast ashore by the sea which then washed the foot of the Sahyadri hills. These "corpses" Parashurama purified, by burning them on a funeral pyre or ''chita'', and restored them to life. He taught them the Brahmin rituals, and made them perform ceremonies to free them from guilt. Parashurama wished to give these new Brahmins some land; and since the Deccan had already been given to other Brahmins, he prayed to the God of the sea to spare him some of his domain. Initially the sea god did not agree to reite. Hence, Parshurama decided to throw a Bramhastra (missile) on the sea to render it dry. Then the scared sea god agreed to retire as far west as the Bramhastra would hit the waters from the crest of the Sahyadris. The arrow was shot and reclaimed a belt of land about thirty miles broad. The banks of the Vashishthi, about forty miles north of Ratnagiri, were set apart for the new Brahmins, and in memory of the process by which they had been purified they were called ''Chitpavans'' ('chita - pavan', meaning 'pyre purified' in Sanskrit (it could also mean a 'pious mind' 'chit - mind,pavan - pious) and their settlement Chitpolan. After establishing this settlement, Parashurama retired to Gokarna in North Kanara.

Rise to power

Until the rise of Balaji Vishvanath Peshwa, who belonged to Chitpavan Brahmin sub-caste, they held a low position and were known chiefly as clerks in the Deccan. Even after several generations of living in the Deccan, with strict attention to Brahmin rituals and austere life, other classes of Brahmins refused to eat with them. One story is that when Bajirao II, the last of the Chitpavan Brahmin Peshwas (1796-1818), was in Nasik he was not allowed to go down to the Godavari river using the same flight of steps as the priests from the local Trimbakeshwar temple.
They were relatively unknown outside Konkan until the 16th century. Later the ruler of Maratha kingdom Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj appointed a Chitpavan Brahmin, Balaji Vishwanath Bhatt as his Peshwa or Prime Minister in , aroung 18th century. It was the first time a Brahmin of Konkan origin held an important position in Deccani politics in Maharashtra. Eventually, many Chitpavan Brahmins joined the service of Marattha kingdom and in due course called the plateau of Deccan their home.
Before the Peshwas, the community was predominantly found in the Konkan coastal belt of Maharashtra state of India but afterwards migrated to various parts of India. Today the community is found mainly in the state of Maharashtra particularly the Konkan coastal belt and the Deccan Plateau. They are also scattered in small pockets in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in a tiny percentage. Many of these DNAs' are also found among the Coorgis (a warrior caste in south india). Many of this community members have migrated to the Middle East Gulf States -particularly U.A.E. and also to U.K, Australia and U.S.A. Together, they form less than 1% of Total Indian population. It is known that the Konkanastha Brahmins are a homogeneous community. It was only after the late 18th century, that they began to form sub DNA groups. Originally the Menfolk may have taken to the natives' women as their wives and neglected their culture.

Eminent/Famous Konkanastha Brahmins

Note-
Ramdas Swami,Madhu Dandwate,Bhai Vaidya,Ramesh Dev and Manohar Joshi are Deshathas whereas Rima Lagoo, Madhu Sapre and Durga Bhagwat are Karhades thus,please do not add their names here.

Literature/Scholars

★ Vasant Sathe (Ex. Union Cabinet Minister of India )

★ G. N. Dandekar (Go Ni Dandekar)

★ [Prin. V.K. Joag (Modern Education Society)

★ Irawati Karve

★ Hari Narayan Apte

★ Gangadhar Gadgil

★ Shri. Ja. Joshi

★ Raghunath D. Joshi, Writer and Critic of Indian Philosophy

★ Na. Si. Phadke

★ Malti Bedekar, feminist and Marathi novel writer

★ Pandurang Vaman Kane (Bharat Ratna awardee)

★ S N Pendse (Shri Nā)

★ Vi Ka Rajwade (Itihasacharya Rajwade)

★ Vasant Kanetkar (I am pretty sure that Kanetkar is a Karadhe too! Kanitkar is Konkanastha.)You are right, He is a Karhade Brahmin.

★ Vinda Karandikar (Jnanapeeth Awardee 2003)

★ Madhav Vaze

★ Vishram Bedekar

★ Krishnaji Keshav Damle(Keshavsoot)

★ Wrangler Paranjpe

★ Vivekanand Godbole, Historian (author of ``Subhey Kalyan", ``Hindu Sanskruti Anee Kalyan")

★ Ashok Gadgil, Scientist with LBL.

★ Kedar Joshi, Superultramodern Science / Philosophy

★ Narendra Karmarkar, renowned computer scientist at Bell labs who invented his own algorithm for linear programming for which he won ACM's Paris Kanellakis Award

★ Navakanta Bhat, Swarnajayanti Fellowship, 2004-2005, IISc

★ Dr.Prabhakara Joshi, Yakshagana Talamaddale performer, Critic, Scholar, Educator

★ Daji Nagesh Apte, Sanskrit/Jyotish scholar

★ Prakash M. Apte, Eisenhower Exchange Fellow USA 1988, Town Planner of new capital of Gujarat.

Politics/Social reform

★ Pandurang Sadashiv Sane(sane Guruji)

★ Achyutrao Patwardhan

★ Anant Kanhere

★ Bal Gangadhar Tilak

★ Balukaka Kanitkar

★ Bhausaheb Patankar

★ Chandrashekhar Hari Joshi

★ Chintamanrao Appasaheb Patwardhan(Padmabhushan, ruler of Sangli)

★ Dhondo Keshav Karve

★ Veer Savarkar

★ Gopal Ganesh Agarkar

★ Gopal Krishna Gokhale

★ Gurudeo Ranade

★ Kakasaheb Gadgil

★ Krantiveer Chapekar

★ Krushnaji Gopal Karve

★ Laxmibai Tilak

★ Mahadev Govind Ranade

★ N. V. Tilak (Reverend Tilak)

★ N.G.Gore

★ Narubhau Limaye

★ Nathuram Godse

★ Pandita Ramabai

★ Peshawas

★ Raghunath Dhondo Karve

★ Ramray Kelkar Maharaj

★ S.M. Joshi

★ Senapati Bapat

★ Shankarrao Soman

★ Shivram Paranjape (Kaal Karte Paranjape)

★ Shivajirao Patwardhan{Padmashri}

★ Swami Swaroopananda

★ Vasant Bapat

★ Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (Swatantryaveer Savarkar)

★ Vinoba Bhave

★ Vitthalrao Gadgil

★ Wamanrao Joshi

★ Babarao Bhide

★ Yadavendra Patwardhan (Trainer) (Full name- Sri Balaji Yadavendra Bhat Aditya Mahendrao Acharya Balajirao Keshavan Madhava Govindam Rao Patwardhan

Industry

★ C.V. Joag (Bank of Maharashtra)

★ Chitale Bandhu (makers of fine sweets)

★ Dandekars (CAMLIN)

★ P. N. Gadgil (Bullionaires since 1832)

★ Waman Hari Pethe (Bullionaires since last 100 years)

★ Dadasaheb Velankar (coaching class owner)

★ Mohan Vijay Vaze (Vaze Consultancy)

★ Mangesh Vijay Vaze (Vaze Consultancy)

★ Jayant Joshi (publishers of Pravasi Diary)

★ Sathe (Sathe biscuits and chocolates co.)

★ Dr. Anupam Bhide President and CEO,Calsoft Inc.

★ Mr. Mukund Bhogale MD, Nirlep Industries

★ Dattatraya Dhamankar, Founder, HICO Ltd.

★ G.M. Abhyankar, Former MD, HICO Ltd.

★ Sachin Joshi, Director and CIO, Infotek Netalia Limited.

★ Deepak GhaisasCEO iflex solutions

Sport

★ Ajit Agarkar

★ D. B. Deodhar (Cricket Maharshi Deodhar)

★ Hemant Kanitkar

★ Hrishikesh Kanitkar

Medicine

★ Anandi Gopal Joshi, first woman Medical student from India

★ Ajit Phadke, urologist and surgeon of Bombay.

★ Anita Dongre

★ Ravi Bapat, surgeon at the K.E.M. Hospital

★ Ajit Phadke, Orthopaedic surgeon at Yavatmal, Maharashtra

★ Sudhakar Sane, noted Surgeon and Forensic Pathologist.

★ Nidhi Marathe, noted Electro-Homeopathic Practitioner at Durg, Chhattisgarh.

★ Vivek Gharpure Pediatric surgeon, at Aurangabad, maharashtra

★ Santosh Karmarkar Pediatric surgeon, at Mumbai, Maharashtra

★ Satish Dharap, General surgeon, Prof. of Surgery, L.T. Medical College, Mumbai

★ Govind Datar Pediatric Surgeon, at Pune, Maharashtra

★ Padma Karve Pediatric surgeon at Pune, Maharashtra

★ Sachin Watve Orthopaedic surgeon MRCS(Edin)UK

★ Sanjay Oak Pediatric surgeon, Dean, Nair Hospital

★ Uday Bhat Plastic surgeon, Nair Hospital

★ Ramesh Ghanekar Physical Medicene, Iselin, NJ

Information Technology

★ Lokesh Ghangrekar

★ Narendra Karmarkar

Cinema/Theatre

★ Aditi Govitrikar

★ Archana Joglekar

★ Asawari Joshi

★ Ashvini Bhave- Bopordrikar

★ Atul Parchure

★ Bhakti Barve- Inamdar

★ Chittaranjan Kolhatkar

★ Dadasaheb Phalke

★ Madhuri Dixit

★ Mohan Agashe

★ Mohan Gokhale

★ Mohan Joshi

★ Dr.Girish Oak

★ Nishigandha Wad-Deulkar

★ Pradeep Bhide

★ Prashant Damle

★ Sai Paranjape

★ Sanjay Mone

★ Vidyadhar Gokhale

★ Vikram Gokhale

★ Shriram Lagoo

★ Sudhir Joshi

★ Govind Ballal Deval (Natyacharya)

★ Vishnudas Bhave

★ Nachiket and Jayoo Patwardhan

★ Kiran Karmarkar

★ Rakesh Bapat (Hindi Movie: Tum Bin)

★ Milind Soman

★ Sanjay Pethe (Professional Photographer)

Music

★ Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar

★ Pandit Vishnu Narain Bhatkhande

★ Ramkrishnabua Vaze(Vazebua)

★ Sadhana Sargam (Ghanekar)

★ Sudhir Phadke

★ Meena Joshi

★ Shreedhar Phadke

★ Vasant Sathe

★ Gajanan Watve

★ Veena Sahasrabudhe

★ Arun Date

★ Shaila Datar

★ Sanjeev Abhyankar

★ Shyamala Bhave

See also

★

References

★ Chitpavanism - by Jagannath Dixit

★ Chitpawan - by Na. Go. Chapekar (1940, reprinted 1968)

★ Amhi sare chitpawan - by M.C. Dixit (2002)

External links

★ Kokanastha

★ Chitpavans