SHIMOGA: "Education, music, gamaka, agriculture, vedadhyana (study of vedas) and Sanskrit have made the Sankethi community's presence significant on the world map," said Padmashree awardee and executive director of Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan Dr Mattur Krishnamurthy.
Talking to Express on the occasion of maiden World Sankethi Conference to be held in the twin MatturHosahalli villages, 6 km from Shimoga, he said the community lays stress on Vasudaiva Kutumbakam philosophy (the entire world is our family).
When this handful of families from Shenkottai village in Kerala migrated to Karnataka about 600 years ago, under the guidance of a saintly lady, Macharamma, they embraced the people, land, water and language of the state.
Sankethi language is a blend of Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Sanskrit and Telugu with a predominantly Malayalam accent. This has helped the people of this community pick up other Dravidian languages
easily.
The total population of the community is about 30,000 spread across the globe.
There are about 5,000 persons spread in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. In
Karnataka they are seen in pockets of Shimoga, Hassan, Mandya, Mysore and in Chikmagalur districts.
"When we migrated, we were bestowed with lands by the Mysore Maharajas and significantly spread on the banks of river Kaveri and Tunga," says Mattur Krishnamurthy. Sankethis are Smartha Brahmins worshipping five deities namely Aditya (Sun), Ambike (incarnation of Godess Lakshmi and Durga) Gananatha (Ganesh), Lord Vishnu and Lord Eshwara along with Hanuman.
One can see temples of these gods in all 65 Sankethi villages of Karnataka.
"Ours is a literate community and we strongly believe in educating our children," says a proud
Bhanuprakash.
Over the past three decades, the community started migrating across the globe and made a mark in areas of science, technology, astrology, IT, literature, music and sports too. Sankethi community is known for their brilliance and expertise in Carnatic music, Vedas and Gamaka, both Vachana and Vykhyana (reciting in a musical style and explanation) of epics.
Earlier, marriages were restricted between a couple of villages. Now, the community is liberal in welcoming brides or grooms from other Brahmin sects like
Vaishnavas or Smarthas or
Srivaishnavas too.
The conference will focus on how to conserve their tradition for future generations.
Several sessions on brides and grooms (family), agriculture (occupation), Vedas, industry and commerce (how to generate jobs) and how nonresident Sankethis can benefit the community. in the nation.
