Daivadnya Vishwa -Socio econmics

<script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-2620722398252040"
     crossorigin="anonymous"></script>
<!-- Daivadnya vishwa -->
<ins class="adsbygoogle"
     style="display:block"
     data-ad-client="ca-pub-2620722398252040"
     data-ad-slot="7241076448"
     data-ad-format="auto"
     data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>
<script>
     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
</script>

Daivajna  ( Sanskrit: दैवज्ञ also spelled Daivadnya  and pronounced Daivagna  in Karnataka, Daivadnya  in Goa and Maharshtra ) is a community that hails from west coast of India, predominantly from Goa, coastal Karnataka, coastal Maharashtra. The community's roots are in Goa (Sanskrit: गोमन्तक, Gomantak or Gomant, meaning abode of the cows ), but for many socio-economic reasons, they migrated to different parts of India.

The community members are into jewellery trade, and are commonly known as shett ( शेठ or ಶೆಟ್ಟ ) in the coastal region. The word Shet  is a corrupt form of the word “Shreshta (Sanskrit: श्रेष्ठ )"meaning superior. As the time progressed the word was transformed from “Shreshta” to “Shet”.

The traditional occupation of Daivajña people is the jewellery trade. Why this became their occupation is not known. There are no mentions of the Śeṭs practising this occupation in the early history, although they used to make gold and silver images for the temples, which old texts suggest they have inherited this art from the Bhojaks^[30] who made idols of the Sun god, hence were also called as Murtikāras. They were well versed in Śilpaśāstra and in Sanskrit hence received royal patronage.^[44] Dhume mentions that the Śeṭs also studied medicine, astrology, astronomy^[119] in ancient university of Brahmapuri in Goa.^[120]

They were renowned for their skills even in the western world and were the first to introduce exquisite jewellery designs to Europe,^{[citation needed]} and were extensively involved in gold, silver, perfumes, black pepper export^{[citation needed]} and even silk, cotton textiles, tobacco^[121] and import of horses during Portuguese and pre-Portuguese era.^[122] Texts maintain names of many wealthy traders e.g. Virūpa Śeṭī of Coḍaṇe,^[122]Āditya Śeṭī of Śivāpura or Śirodā^[123] Viṭhṭhala Śeṭī, Dama Śeṭī, who was appointed as an administrator of the Bhatkaṭa port by the Portuguese,^[124] and others. Ravala Śeṭī from Caraim who was summoned to Lisbon by the king of Portugal,^[125][126] was a collaborator with Afonso de Albuquerque and retained a high office in Goa. Since days of yore their business has been flourishing on the banks of river Mandovi, historical records mention them as prosperous and wealthy traders and business class. These traders, merchants with their fellow artisans, craftsmen had organised themselves into Śreṇīs or guilds,^[127] Śreṣṭhīs or the head of the guilds were very wealthy, and made huge donations to the temples, and their guilds also served as local banks and treasuries.^[16]

Few of them also worked as interpreters in king's court and were called Dubash, Gaṇa Śeṭī from Loutolim village was in Kadamba rajas court.^[128] From the old documents it can be also seen that few of them were involved in politics,^[129] and were employed by the kings for their service. Some of them were even associated with salvage operation of the vessels, and sometimes even provided the Portuguese with troops, ships and crew.^[130]

They assisted the kings in minting and designing the coins;^[44] during Maratha rule some Daivadnya families were given a title of Potdar, which literally means treasurer in Persian, who were in charge of testing the genuineness of the minted coins and their prescribed weight,^[131] and played an important role in the revenue system of the Marāṭhas.^[132]

The tradition of studying Vedas amongst the Goan Śeṭs does not exist any more,^[74] but Daivadnyas from Gokarṇa, Honnavara and many other places in coastal Karnataka and Koṅkaṇa division of Maharashtra have kept this tradition alive. Many of them are priests who offer religious services to the community,very few of them are astrologers and temple priests.^[9]

Along with educationally advanced communities in the 1850s – the CKPS, Pathare Prabhus, Saraswats, Parsis;Daivadnyas were one of the communities in the Bombay Presidency that allowed female education.^[133]

Daivadnyas in the state of Maharashtra and Karnataka are classified by National Commission for Backward Classes as an Other Backward Class.^[134]