HISTORICAL GLANCE ON KALINGA-VAlSYA COMMUNITY OR ‘KUMUTI’ CASTE
The word ‘KUMUTI’; is only a distortion of a sweet word ‘KUMUSTIH’. The community servers people of the whole country including its own through business of different commodities contributing a lot for the prosperity of all in a dedicated service attitude. Thus he who keeps ‘KU’ (meaning ‘World’) in his own fist is called a ‘Kumustih’.
We can not notice much of variations on different historical opinions as to how the people of this community came to ‘Utkal’. Popular saying goes that the then Maharaja of ORISSA on their victorious expedition of ‘South India’ centuries ago, observed
the glorious tradition in commerce due to a community of people in South. He was very fond of getting some of the ‘KUMUTI’ community people with him for expansion of commercial activities in Orissa. He allowed them to settle and donated graciously landed property etc. From those days ‘Kumuties’ settled on undivided districts of Ganjam, Purl, and Cuttack mostly and in almost all parts of Orissa. Since then, they are the front line partners in prosperous commercial and business sphere of Orissa. Some opine that King Ananga Bhima Deo have brought them from South during his stay at puri. The necessity was probably for proper up-keep and up-dating of accounts of Durbar of Gajapati Maharaja. ‘KUMUTI’ of South were vegetarian. As per prevailing practice, it was difficult for ‘KUMUTI’ people from South to settle in ORISSA. On some or other pretension, the Maharaja on advice of the own ministers served both veg and non-veg food together and unknowingly they partook the edibles and felt very much delighted. Thus under compulsions the ‘KUMUTI’ people continued to take non-veg. items in their dishes and the same precedence is being continued. Those people are called KALINGA KUMUTIS since they lived within the periph- ery of the then KALINGA Empire which touched the banks of rivers Godavari in South. They have contributed a lot to the prosperity of the region.
From time inunemorial, although ‘KUMUTI’s are saivite in belief they worship ‘KANYAKA PARAMESWARI (Goddess Lakshmi). Goddess ‘Kanayaka – Parmeshwari’ is considered to be the incarnation of both Goddess Lakshmi & Durga. Long long ago, in distant past – in a town namely PENUGONDA (Now in Andhra) there was a great devout SAIVITE by the name ‘Vasavi Kusum Shrosthi’. Kusuma Shrosthi and his wife ‘Kusummama were blessed with a very beautiful daughter, who was named as ‘KANYAKA PARMESHWARI’. She was the incarnation of both Goddess Durga and Lakshmi. During succeeding years, when the youth KANYAKA PARMESWARI, for the upliftrnent of glorious tradition of the community, sacrificed herself in holy sacrificial fire and uphold the prestine glory of the society and became immortal. Mother Kanayaka Parmeswari is the ‘Deity’ of own community. From the days of Maharaja of ORISSA or KAINGA i.e. Pratap Rudra Dev, those Kumutis living in Northern part of KALINGA EMPIRE were largely influenced by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and there by accepted ‘Vaishnav’ culture. KMUMUTI people living in southern parts of empire were mostly in the spiritual influence of sect of RAMNUJA the great preceptor or continued to remain as devotees of Lord Siva’ i.e. called Saivite. In days of yore, Kalinga was famous for maritime navigation and commerce. They were called ‘SADHAV PUA’. They were forefathers of presently called ‘KUMUTI’ people. We are very proud of our own parentage and are true successors of our glorious past and traditional culture. These KUMUTI people or ” SADHAV PUA “not only enriched the country through commerce but also generously donated to the Lord Jagannath out of pious earnings. The most valuable gem stone now in the forehead of Lord Jagannath is the contribution of our forefathers. In 1295, the KALINGA emperor Narasingh Deva’s illustri- ous remarks on ‘KUMUTI community deserves further research.
