Madgi Madiga caste is last name of many people in Indian subcontinent. Madgi Madiga caste definition is The Telugu caste of workers in leather corresponding to the Chamars which numbers nearly 1 millions in Madras Mysore and Hyderabad. In 1911 there were nearly 6000 Madgis in the Central Provinces and 3000 in Berar. According to tradition the Madigas derive their name from that of a sage called Matanga Muni and it is said that a dynasty belonging to the caste once ruled in the Canarese country. The following legend of their origin comes from Mysore:57 In former times the sage Jambava Rishi was habitually late in attending at Sivas court. Siva asked him why this happened and he replied that he was occupied in tending his children. On this Siva took pity on him and gave him the sacred cow Kamdhenu from which all the needs of the children could be satisfied. But one day while Jambava was absent at Sivas court another sage Sankhya visited his hermitage and was hospitably entertained by his son Yugamuni. The cream which Sankhya was given was so good that he desired to kill the cow Kamdhenu thinking that her flesh would taste even better. In spite of Yugamunis objections Sankhya killed the cow and distributed the meat to various persons. While this was in progress Jambava returned and on hearing what had been done dragged Sankhya and Yugamuni before Sivas judgment seat. The two offenders did not enter the court but stood outside the doorway Sankhya on the right side and Yugamuni on the left. Siva condemned them to become Chandalas or outcastes and the descendants of Sankhya have become the right-hand Holias while those of Yugamuni and his wife Matangi are the left-hand caste of Madigas. The latter were set to make shoes to expiate the sin committed by their ancestor in killing a cow. Another story given in the Central Provinces is that the Golla caste of cowherds corresponding to the Ahirs and the Madgis are the descendants of two brothers. The brothers had a large herd of cattle and wanted to divide them. At this time however cattle disease was prevalent and many of the herd were affected. The younger brother did not know of this and seeing that most of the herd were lying on the ground he proposed to the elder brother that he himself should take all the cattle lying on the ground and the elder brother all those which were standing up as a suitable method of division. The elder brother agreed but when the younger came to take his cattle which were on the ground he found that they were all dead and hence he had no alternative but to take off the hides and cure and sell them. His descendants continued his degraded profession and became the Madgi caste. In Chanda the following six subcastes of Madgis are reported: The Nulka Chandriah or caste priests; the Anapa or leather dealers; the Sindhi who are supposed to have been performers of dramas; the Masti or dancers; the Kommu or tellers of stories; and the Dekkala or genealogists of the caste. It is said that Kommu really means a horn and Dekka a hoof. These last two are the lowest subdivisions and occupy a most degraded position. In theory they should not sleep on cots pluck the leaves of trees carry loads on any animal other than a donkey or even cook food for themselves but should obtain their subsistence by eating the leavings of other Madgis or members of different castes. The Nulka Chandriah or priests are the highest subdivision and will not take food or water from any of the others while the four remaining subcastes eat and drink together but do not intermarry. There are also a number of exogamous groups most of which have territorial names; but a few are titular or totemistic as Mukkidi noseless; Kumawar a potter; Nagarwar a citizen; Dobbulwar one who possesses a dobbulu or copper coin; Ippawar from the mahua tree; Itkalwar from itkal a brick and so on. The caste customs of the Madigas need not be recorded in detail. They are an impure caste and eat all kinds of food and the leavings of others though the higher subdivisions refuse to accept these. They live outside the village and their touch is considered to convey pollution.. Madgi Madiga caste is one of the many castes subcastes of India.
India has thousands of castes and subcastes, they are in existence and practice since the Vedic times. They were created to solve the problem of division of labor. Madgi Madiga caste name could indicate the type of work people belonging to the Madgi Madiga caste do or did in earlier times. Many last names in India indicate the place the person originally belongs to. All castes sub castes are primarily divided into 4 categories:
1.Brahmins – The learned or priestly class
2.Khastriyas – The warrior class or those with governing functions
3.Vaishyas – The trader, agriculturalists or cattle rearers class
4.Shudra – The class that serves other three categories
Madgi Madiga caste belongs to one of the above 4 categories. Indian caste system is the best system to solve the problem of division of labor. In earlier times there was no rigidity in caste system. Indian caste system is still the best solution for the problem of division of labor, the only change that is needed as per changed times is that rather than having a vertical hierarchical system with Brahmins on top and Shudras at bottom, it would be good to have a horizontal socialist system with Brahmins, Khastriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras all at same level.
The caste system of India is in ruins at present. It is also cause of bloody quarrels in certain parts of the rural India. People of backward castes have reservations in government jobs, this facility is widely misused in India. Many of the backward caste people have become rich and still use the facility for their benefit. Many in India believe reservation in jobs should be given on the basis of poverty rather than caste because there are many poors in upper castes as well.
Many foreginers and followers of Abrahmic religions criticize the Indian caste system because of bad material condition of lower castes but if they observe in an unbiased way they would find that there are many in upper castes with bad material conditions. The problem lies in power not in castes, power can corrupt anyone be it from upper caste or lower caste.
Secondly I have seen Abrahmic religions especially Muslims and Christians claiming that they have no caste system – It is an utter lie. All cultures, all countries, all religions have caste system in one form or the other. Christians have different churches depending on the region or language or skin color of people. Muslims have a priestly class that tries to control everything. Arab Muslims before the oil boom were so much divided among tribes that if you drank water from a well of a different tribe you could be shot dead. Tribal divisions still exists among Muslims. You can also see the caste system in a different form in your corporate companies. I had seen different food and drinking facilities for people at different levels.
Madgi Madiga caste is also known as Madgi Madiga Gotra.
Caste situation is quiet different in urban India, people in urban areas especially youngsters don’t bother about castes. Inter caste, inter religious, inter lingual marriages are quiet common in urban India. Inter caste, inter religious and inter lingual marriages in rural areas attract severe criticism and many times people are expelled from community for not marrying as per religious and caste rules.
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