Monday, September 10, 2007

Who is Kupari?

Kupari is a community in Bassein (Vasai), India, which is about 60 kilometers north of Mumbai. Kuparis are mostly in northern Vasai. The population is about 40,000 to 45,000. The language spoken by the Kupari community is called Kadodi or Samvedic, which is a mixed dialect of Marathi, Konkani, and Marwari with very few words derived from Portuguese, and which is similar to the language spoken by their counterparts the Samvedic Brahmin community. 97% of this population is Roman Catholic, and the remaining minority is a mixed population of various Christian Protestant sects. The community came into existence during the Portuguese rule of Vasai during 15th century when most of the Samvedic Brahmins were converted to Christianity. The traditional costume of Kupari consists of a dhoti, shirt and a red cap with earring pierced in the left ear for men, and a red blouse with red checkered kashta (a type of sari) for women.[1] Till the late 1960s and early 1970s the population was highly dependent on farming, but in recent years it has shown a drastic transition towards various other sectors of the society including engineering, medicine, and corporate enterprises. The considerable amount of Kupari population has also moved to the United States, Europe, and Australia.
Kupari community is mostly concentrated around these villages in northern Vasai.
Nirmal
Agashi
Nandakhal
Gass
Bhuigaon
Umraala
Naanbhat
Shrilaiwadi
Bolinj
Mardes - Wagholi
Gomes Ali
Rajodi