Roman Catholic Brahmin

The Roman Catholic Brahmin (RCB) also referred to as "Bamon" in Konkani, are a caste of modern day descendants of Brahmin converts to Roman Catholicism. As such, it is considered by some to be a Brahmin sub-caste which practises Christianity. The origins of this particular community can be traced back to the first Portuguese missionaries who arrived in India in the early 15th century to spread the message of Christianity. It was during this period that the missionaries converted the very first Hindu brahmins to the Christian faith. The RCB are usually found in Goa, Sawantwadi (Maharashtra), and along the west coast region of Karnataka, particularly the South Canara region and encompassing the districts of Mangalore, Udupi, Karkal, etc.

History

The origins of Roman Catholic Brahmin community (RCB) can be attributed to the Portuguese Franciscan and Jesuit missionaries who landed on the Indian west coast mainly Cochin and nearby coastal regions in the early 15th century. They started prosletyzing to the locals and converted many of them to Christianity. The fact that the Portuguese colonized Goa even during the British rule as late as 1961 may have helped this community in practicing the established traditions and norms which were followed for many generations.

It is widely regarded that Roberto de Nobili (1577-1656 A.D) was the first missionary who was instrumental in converting several Hindu Brahmins to the Christian faith. Roberto de Nobili came to India along with the very first missionaries to Goa to spread Roman Catholicism. He started by converting low caste people and soon found that converted Goans were Christians only for name sake and most of them came from very poor family and had no inclination to lead a pious life. Hence he went to Madurai--The temple city, which was a great cultural center to understand more about hinduism so that it would help him better in converting these people to Christianity.

He began learning Sanskrit, Tamil as well as various Hindu manners, customs and also the vedic scriptures. He found very close resemblance between life of Hindu monks and Christian missionaries. He tried to convince the locals that he himself was an ascetic having given up all worldly attachments. But people were not convinced. They thought all "firangis" (foreigners) were unclean, ate beef and drank liquor. Roberto had a tough time. He was convinced that converting only the poorest brought no credit to Christianity. He had great admiration for brahmins, who were very much respected in society and thought converting some brahmin scholars will help him serve his mission better.

However it was not easy to convert brahmin scholars easily to Christianity since they were deep rooted in that religion and practiced it strictly. Hence Roberto himself learned the Vedas, and he started to debate with Hindu Brahmin scholars often arguing the good virtues of Christianity. He often used the very strengths of Hinduism to lead them to the cross.

He started wearing ochre-robes, wooden shoes, gave up meat and carried danda (stick) and kamandalu (water jug) like a Hindu monk. Started wearing Gandha (Sandal paste) and shaved his head. But he was careful enough to obtain prior permission from Archbishop stationed at Crangnoor. He engaged a Brahmin cook, ate only rice and vegetables and started sleeping on the floor. He spent time studying Sanskrit and holy books besides writing Christian psalms and prayers in Tamil. Opened a school of catechism and slowly started introducing Christian theology. He became an "Iyer" (preceptor) to local people who started venerating him for his austere life, kind manners and healing powers which he had acquired modestly.

He did not criticize the customs like Sati, which were outrageous to foreign eyes. In fact, he was an eyewitness to the scene of four hundred women committing Sati on the death of Nayaka of Madurai. He actually praised the extraordinary courage and steadfastness of these women.

Impact

There was lots of opposition among Christians about the mode of living and preaching Roberto had adopted and they complained to papal authority. Secret enquiry was instituted by the church. But by now Nobili had converted a good number of people (more than 100) to Christianity, had built a church modeled on a Hindu temple and had very good following among natives. He wrote psalms on palm leaves like a brahmin pundit and studied Sanskrit from the Telugu brahmin Shivadharma who spent hours and days teaching Roberto Hindu philosophy and mythology. Ultimately Shivadharma himself got converted to Christianity.

He was allowed to wear sacred thread (which is only worn by Brahmins in Hindu religion) with cross and continue with tuft. This prompted others who wanted to retain the traits of their earlier faith to become Christians, drawn to teachings of Christ, and saintly living and guiding by Roberto. Roberto De Nobili was a rare missionary who tried to understand Indian ethos in an age when intolerance, superstitions and ignorance ran roost, and is often referred to as the first Roman Catholic brahmin. Thus, the people he converted also started following his rituals, traditions and customs which was a blend of 2 different religions. Thus the vast number of people over generations came to be known as Roman Catholic Brahmins which practised customs, rituals and traditions of both Hinduism as well as Christianity.

Followers

After his death, de Nobili's mission went through many vicissitudes. But the techniques that of deceiving people into believing that they were "Roman Brahmins," the show of austerities remained the ones he had pioneered. Mosheim recorded of de Nobili's successors,

"These fictitious Brahmins, who boldly deny their being Europeans or Franks, and only give themselves out for inhabitants of the northern regions, are said to have converted a prodigious number of Indians to Christianity; and if common report may be trusted to, the congregations they have already founded in those countries grow large and more numerous from year to year. Nor indeed, do these accounts appear, in the main, unworthy of credit, though we must not be too ready to receive, as authentic and well attested, the narrations that have been given of the intolerable hardships and sufferings that have been sustained by these Jesuit-Brahmins in the cause of Christ.

"Many imagine, and not without good foundation, that their austerities are, generally speaking, more dreadful in appearance than in reality; and that, while they outwardly affect an extraordinary degree of self-denial, they indulge themselves privately, in a free and even luxurious use of the creatures, have their tables delicately served, and their cellars exquisitely furnished, in order to refresh themselves after their labors."

Even to this day RCB mainly consists of Hindu brahmin descendants who were converted centuries ago to Christianity. They still practise many of the hindu religion customs due to habitual reasons along with the catholic customs and traditions which they have followed since many generations.

Rituals and Customs

A Roman Catholic Brahmin wedding is always held in a church where a Holy Mass is conducted according to the rituals followed by the Roman Catholic Church but it should also be noted that the couple exchanges wedding rings and vows in the presence of family and friends. The Hindu custom of tying a mangalsutra called piduk in Konkani is also observed and during the nuptials the bridegroom ties it around the bride's neck. The priest blesses a black beaded necklace or the piduk and the groom ties it around the bride's neck in the church. The piduk bears the same significance as the traditional mangalsutra (Hindu symbol of a married lady).

List of ceremonies
1. Mudi (Engagement)
2. Roce (Anointing the bride and groom)
3. Church ceremony (Holy Matrimony)
4. Reception (Post wedding celebrations)

Common surnames

Mascarenhas
Sequeira
D'souza
D'silva
Rasquinha
Alvares
Rodericks/Rodrigues
Rebello
Fernandes
Mendonca
Coelho
Albquerque
Colaco
Pinto
Saldanha
Lobo
Nazareth

Notes

• Roman Catholic Brahmin by Jyotsna Kamat, Kamat's Potpourri
• Roman Brahmin by Arun Shourie
• Malabar Rites in the Catholic Encyclopedia (1911)
• Italian Jesuit in 17th century India
• APA citation. Castets, J. (1911). Robert de' Nobili. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. [1]

See also

• Christianity in India
• Saraswat Brahmin
• Konkani people
• Shenoy
• Konkani
• Goan Catholics
• Mangalorean Catholics
• Caste system among Indian Christians
• Roman Catholicism in Goa
• Roman Catholicism in Mangalore