कोंकणी वैश्य - Konkani Vaishya

Konkani Bania: 

Also Kunams or Kunbi Vanis or Maratha traders. The names in common use among men are Bapu, Balvant, Dhondu, Govind and Rania; and among women, Bhagirathi, Chimani, Ganga, Manu, Sakhi, Salu and Thaki. They add the word shet or merchant to the names of men and bai to the names of women. Their surnames are Avari, Ahir, Bodake, Borule, Dandnaik, Dhavare, Golade, Gujar, Hagvane, Holkar, Jagdale, Kadekar, Kalaskar, Kale, Kasid. Mitkari, Motale, Nandure, Nikam, Pabbore, Pansambal, Sajgure, Sabele, Sadavarte, Todekari, Vaskar,Yevari etc. Persons bearing the same surname cannot inter-marry. Their family-gods are Bahiroba of Sonari in Amadnagar, Devi of Tuljapur and of Rasin in Ahmadnagar, Dayal Malik in the town of Ahmadnagar, Khandoba of Jejuri near Pune, and Vyankatesh of Tirupati in North Arkot. They have two divisions, one which wears and one which does not wear the ling, and who differ in no points except that the ling-wearers rub their brows with cowdung ashes. They eat together and intermarry. They do not differ from local Maratha, Kunbis in appearance or dress. They are a religious people, worshipping all Brahmanic gods and keeping all Hindu fasts and feasts. They almost have equal reverence to Shiv and Vishnu and go on pilgrimage to Alandi, Banaras, Jejuri, Tuljapur and Tirupati. The priest of those who wear the ling is a Jangam, but they also call a Brahman to their chief ceremonies. They are Sampradais or followers of Tukaram who lived in the seventeenth century, wear rosaries of basil beads, and repeat his couplets or abhangs in honour of Vithoba of Pandharpur. Their religious teacher is a devotee of Vithoba and a follower of Tukaram, whom they bow and offer un-cooked food, flower and sandal paste. They worship local gods, and believe in witch-craft, sooth-saying, and spirits, whom they scare by repeating prayers and with the help of Deyrushis or Hindu exorcists. The followers of Tukararn burn their dead and mourn ten days; lingwearers bury with Lingayat rites but hold after-death ceremonies in Brahman fashion. They have a caste council or panch, and settle social disputes at meetings of caste-men under the control of the council. A head-man, called shetya, attends marriages, and the fathers of the bride and bridegroom, groom present him with betel and mark his brow with sandal paste, His office, is hereditary, and traders consult him on trade questions. He fixes the market rates and all members of the community are forbidden to under-sell on pain of fine or loss of caste. 

Divisions: 

Angane, Ahir, Angre, Avari, Bagrao, Bagwe, Bande, Bhagore, Bhalekar, Bhogale, Bhoite, Bhorate, Bhoware, Bodake, Borule, Dabhade, Dadhe, Dalvi, Dandnaik, Darbare, Devkate, Dhamale, Dhamdhere, Dhavare, Dhawle, Dhekale, Dhone, Dhumak or Dhumal, Dhybar, Dige, Gaikwad, Gavane (or Gavase), Ghatge, Golade, Gujar, Hagvane, Harane, Harphale, Holkar, Jagdale, Jagdhane, Kakde,Kadekar, Kalaskar, Kale, Kank, Kasid, Khadtare, Khaire, Kokate, Kshirsagar, Lokhande, Madhure, Mahadik, Mahakule, Malap, Malusare, Mane, Mhambar, Misal, Mitkari, Mohite, Motale, Nalwade, Nandure, Nikam, Pabbore, Palande, Pansambal, Parte (or Pathare or Phadtare), Phakde, Phalke, Pingale, Pudhare, Rasal, Renuse, Sabele, Sadavarte, Sajgure, Sambhare, Shankpal, Shirke, Shitole, Surve, Tawde, Teje, Thorat, Thote, Todekari,Ubale, Varade, Vaskar, Vichare, Wagh and Yevari.