That’s me and that too a proud one. We are known by different names at different palaces, ‘dorke’, ‘kokke’… to name a few, our official name being “Gowd Saraswat Brahmin’ or GSB in short.
I got this as a forward, I thought I’ll share these lesser known facts about our community, since very less is know about us, but before anything, I’d like to clarify one thing: this post is not intended to instill communalism, and definitely not to anger my people.
Many people may not easily assosaite with whats written here…but I’m sure my fellow community members will have a good laugh reading this.
Anyway, coming back to ‘Amchigele’ (that is how we address our brethren in our language), here is list of things which are typical of people residing in my part of the world a.k.a Dakshin Kannada (presently Mangalore and Udupi).
- He/She is always bothered about the neighbor’s issues and starts spreading it to the other houses – Panchadik.
- An amchigel guy goes with a gal on his motorbike and happens to go past the temple square by mistake. When he reaches home he is grilled on who the girl is and what he was doing with her near a temple.
- Temple is always the first priority and all other work is only done at the last minute.
- A lot of the family members are from one of the Canara Schools in Mangalore…
- All ‘Theru’ in Dakshina kannada have to be attended by law.
- All sentences in konkani begin and end with “KASA VARSHIK RE!!!”
- A lot of other words like ‘MaaDE, VOCCHUN MAR RE’ etc have to be included in between a conversation.
- ‘Bibey upkari’ is a solid form of Amruth, you have attained nirvana once it is consumed.
- ‘Dali thoy’ is eaten with additional sound effects.
- You have to have a Sharada Calendar in your house or else you will not know when the Kodial theru is!!!
- Your second cousin’s wife’s sister’s son is having a moonji, you have to make it even if it means changing three buses. You reach just in time for lunch, which means you have attended the program.
- All exercise books should be bought from School Book Company to show your loyalty to your caste..
- The more you eat the more healthy you will be; food has to have its quota of excess ghee. Cholesterol is unheard of.
- If an amchigel has some work and if someone asks him ” Kai vath re??” he comes back running. Legend says that one should not ask such a disastrous question before any work is going to get done.
- All servings are either less or more than 3 spoons.
- If one hasn’t tasted the bajje from that car street Balli shop and also hingashtak = major problems to the power infinity
- Panchadik during the waiting process before the thera jevana is mandatory and panchadik is about some person X who is of no relation to the speaker, however, speaker gets tensed and has double the share of food.
- All college going students are first asked whether they study in KREC or MIT… other colleges don’t exist.
- Every sunday at least one person in the family has to go to Tajmahal Hotel. All the effort is to just have a cup of coffee .
- ‘Keerlu’ is eaten slowly…every bite is tender so that one can taste every part of the piece. Come on its a seasonal delicacy!!! …eat with care.
I would like others to bring in a few that I have missed. I am sure you have a lot more to share. Come on Amchigeles!!
…please also find time to go through the following links, gives a detailed history of how and where we originated from. Gave me much needed sense of belonging, felt good to know that even I had a history.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goud_Saraswat_Brahmin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saraswat
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karkala
Enjoy!
Pandy
