Critical Analysis by Shri Upendra Hosbettu Surtkal.

At last a Mogaveera writes about the Mogaveera Community, the day we have been waiting for. Many Mogaveeras have touched upon the subject often quoting local writers or foreign travelers. But what Mr. S. K. Uchila has come out with is an exhaustive, well researched volume which could be a reference manual for all those who wish do research on the Mogaveera community. He has traced the journey of the fishing community (Mogaveeras included) from the likely origin at the Sindhu valley to the present habitat on the Karnataka coast. Wherever no written records exist, he has, as he himself says ‘depended on reasonable hypothesis and drew reasonable conclusions’.

Apart from the usual details about the Mogaveeras what could be of interest and debate for the younger readers is to go through the chapter ‘Interpretation of Data’ and ponder over some of the issues raised. Issues like the primary membership to women in our traditional organizations, energy and money spent on constructing religious ‘monuments’ vis-a-vis educational institutions, revival of ‘Kulaguru Parampara’ and ‘Institution of Gurikaras’, ‘Rakthahara and Daiva Darshan’ and the need to rationalize our traditional institutions.

Then there are some interesting issues which need further research to correct the historical biases. The Mogaveeras had introduced certain practices, such as, contributions from the fishing units to Grama Sabhas which might have led to the modern concepts of ‘Tax Deduction at Source’ (TDS), a combination of Mutual Benefit Scheme and life Insurance, known as ‘Marana Phandu’ and co-ownership in fishing units, such as, Rampani etc. as co-operative society which did not get recorded anywhere in the history.Similarly, Mogaveera Naval Commanders Chennapa Gurikara and Kunja Marakala who led the fisher folk from Ullal to Barkuru under Rani Abbakka Devi and defeated the Portuguese in 1555, 1561 and 1581 and the fact that Kunja Marakala was stealthily captured and killed by the Portuguese who was the first martyr of Indian freedom struggle, does not find a place in the recorded history.

Similar is the fate of an event which could have been the precursor to the ‘Salt Sathyagraha’, a petition made to Government of Madras Presidency objecting the salt tax on ‘Mannuppu’ (a naturally formed salt) in 1894 by Mogaveeras living in Mumbai much before the resistance against levy in tax on salt in 1930.

The author has dealt with available information and cited source materials. But it is up to our youngsters to take up the challenge and record the facts in proper perceptive.