Some Opinions On Chittapavan
- A very frugal, pushing active, intelligent, well-taught astute, self-confident and overbearing class. They follow almost all callings and generally with success.
(Ratnagiri Gazetteer) - They are clean, neat,thrifty and orderly (Kolaba gazetteer)
- In 1872, there were totally 21317 brahmins in the Thane district (including Panvel and Karjat).This figure was 2.78 % of the total population. There were 8722 Konkanstha Brahmins. They were known as Bhatela. There were about 2000 deshastha Brahmins here, but they were not there in Mubad, Shahapur area. The Konkansthas have come from Ratnagiri district and most of them have their houses, and lands in Kolaba and South Konkan districts. The Konkanstha Brahmins have a fair height, but good physical health, feline eyes, bright lustrous skin, and a spark of intelligence on the face. Women are small in structure but with small eyes, without any spark (may be because they live mostly by the side of the hearth burning wood fire), but neat and graceful. These people live a clean, neat and disc. iplined life, are thrifty, and cautious in their behavior. They earn their livelihood by doing agriculture, writing, trading and begging in the name of religion. (Madhukari). They observe the 16 conditioning i.e. impressions or sanskars in life, out of which birth, naming, marriage and death are main their impressions. They are smart and follow Shankaracharya. (Thane Gazzeteer 1882).
- It is not that necessary they are white in colour, but they are bright. There is a spark of intelligence on the face. 12 % people have greenish eyes. Hair are at least of auburn colour and short. The eyeball is shining. 50% persons have their earlobes loose. (Dr. Karve and Dr. Malhotra)
- Sir George Wordwood’s (1832-1917) opinion : “The Konkan region is the land of habitation of Konkansthas, and a haven for the Vedic tradition. People at the shore of the Ganga regard this caste as resurrected from the ashes, but understand it to be a lower caste.” But this uncharitable mention is definitely a result of competition and jealousy. If the Chittapavans have to be related to the pyre, then why not take it as the caste that has been miraculously saved from the non-Vedic fire of thoughts sweeping of the entire India?”.