The first classification of Brahmins might have been called for during the Vedic age itself. Consequently, the concept of Gotra came into existence. The gotra concept was probably propounded during the later Vedic period. It’s a system of classification and identification of various families and indicating common descent mainly from eight ‘root’ rishis. Young Indian brahmachari Brahmin A Brahmin (less often Brahman) is a member of the Hindu priestly caste. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A gotra is the lineage or clan assigned to a Hindu at birth. ... A gotra is the lineage or clan assigned to a Hindu at birth. ... In Hinduism, a Rishi ( ऋषि) is a sage and/or seer who heard (cf. ...

Gaur Brahmins and Dravida Brahmins

Then as the Aryanization and Sanskritization of the Indian subcontinent proceeded, it might have felt that the whole Brahmin community (by then spread almost over the whole subcontinent) should be further subdivided. Thus the Brahmins were divided into two main regional subgroups. Brahmins residing north of Vindhyachal-Satpura mountain range (this mountain range roughly divides the north-south expansion of Indian subcontinent) were called as Gaur Brahmins, whereas the inhabitants of south of the range were known as Dravida Brahmins. Sanskrit was still considered as the main language of literary and administrative activities during those times. It was the main language of the courts of the kings and the primary mode of communication among the literates throughout the subcontinent. Most of the literary works in astronomy, astrology, mathematics, economics, political science, literature and general used to be written in this language. However, a few other languages like Prakrit, Pali etc., in the north and Tamil (old) in the south existed side-by-side. Yet those languages seemed to be considered as the languages of masses. Satellite image of the Indian subcontinent Map of South Asia (see note) This article deals with the geophysical region in Asia. ... A Brahmin (anglicised from the Sanskrit adjective belonging to Brahma, also known as Brahman belonging to ; Vipra, Dvija twice-born, Dvijottama best of the twice born or earth-god) is considered to be the highest class (varna) in the Indian caste system of Hindu society [1] [2], although this status... Young Indian brahmachari Brahmin A Brahmin (less often Brahman) is a member of the Hindu priestly caste. ... The Sanskrit language ( , for short ) is an old Indo-Aryan language from the Indian Subcontinent, the classical literary language of the Hindus of India[1], a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 official languages of India. ... Prakrit (also spelt Pracrit) (Sanskrit: , original, natural, artless, normal, ordinary, usual, i. ... Pali may refer to: Pāli, a Middle Indo-Aryan language Pali, Rajasthan, a town and district in Rajasthan, western India Pali, a Hawaiian word, meaning cliffs Nuuanu Pali, a region on the Hawaiian island of Oahu Ballaleshwar Pali, the Ganapati temple of pali and place in Maharastra This is... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

'Panch-Gaur' Brahmins and 'Panch-Dravida' Brahmins

As the development of languages (and / or dialects) in different regions of the sub-continent shaped, Sanskrit started being replaced as the language of courts and literary activities. That further prompted the classification of Brahmins. Thus another division among Brahmin communities on geographical and linguistic basis took place. The Sanskrit language ( , for short ) is an old Indo-Aryan language from the Indian Subcontinent, the classical literary language of the Hindus of India[1], a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 official languages of India. ... A Brahmin (anglicised from the Sanskrit adjective belonging to Brahma, also known as Brahman belonging to ; Vipra, Dvija twice-born, Dvijottama best of the twice born or earth-god) is considered to be the highest class (varna) in the Indian caste system of Hindu society [1] [2], although this status...

(1) Pancha-Gaur, i.e., five main subgroups of Brahmins stemming from the erstwhile Gaur subgroup. Considering west, north-west to east, these were: Young Indian brahmachari Brahmin A Brahmin (less often Brahman) is a member of the Hindu priestly caste. ...

• Saraswat Brahmins
• Gaur Brahmins
• Kanyakubja Brahmins
• Maithili Brahmins
• Utkal Brahmins

The Gaur Brahmins group mentioned here appears to be the remnants after other groups parted away from the primary Gaur group. It is to be noted that 'Gaur' (some authors refer to as 'Gauda' due to various ways of transliterating a word written in Devnagari script to the Roman script) was the first parent subgroup of Brahmins in the north and still many Brahmin families continue to be identified as Gaur Brahmins. The Saraswat Brahmins claim descent from a Brahmin caste mentioned in ancient Hindu scriptures as inhabiting the Saraswati River valley, the geographic location of which is unknown. ... Maithil Brahmins This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Transliteration is the practice of transcribing a word or text written in one writing system into another writing system. ... च् + छ = च्छ Devanagari in Unicode The Unicode range for Devanagari is U+0900 . ... The Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most widely used alphabetic writing system in the world today. ... Young Indian brahmachari Brahmin A Brahmin (less often Brahman) is a member of the Hindu priestly caste. ... A Brahmin (anglicised from the Sanskrit adjective belonging to Brahma, also known as Brahman belonging to ; Vipra, Dvija twice-born, Dvijottama best of the twice born or earth-god) is considered to be the highest class (varna) in the Indian caste system of Hindu society [1] [2], although this status...

(2) Pancha-Dravida, i.e., five main subgroups of Brahmins originating from the earlier mentioned Dravida subgroup. These subgroups seem to be reckon with regional languages. Young Indian brahmachari Brahmin A Brahmin (less often Brahman) is a member of the Hindu priestly caste. ...

• Maharashtrian Brahmins
• Kannada Brahmins
• Telugu Brahmins
• Tamil Brahmins
• Malayali Brahmins

Kannada Brahmins are Brahmins whose mother-tongue is the Kannada language. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Brahmin. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Further classification

But the parting away of Brahmin families from their parent subgroup (i.e., subgroups under Pancha-Gaur and Panch-Dravida) continued and the process generated scores of sub-castes mainly on the possible grounds: A Brahmin (anglicised from the Sanskrit adjective belonging to Brahma, also known as Brahman belonging to ; Vipra, Dvija twice-born, Dvijottama best of the twice born or earth-god) is considered to be the highest class (varna) in the Indian caste system of Hindu society [1] [2], although this status...

(1) Since Vedic age, most Brahmins had been leading simple and ascetic lives. Thus their sustenance of livelihood and intellectual pursuits depended mainly on contributions or help provided by the kings, big landlords etc. This 'search for support' often incited them to wander. But some Brahmin families remained confined to smaller geographical locations because they might have availed the financial means for generations at those places. In some cases, their locational existence even confined to a couple of districts. These families might have got used to local dialects, customs etc., in course of time. They, however, originally belonging to a particular parent subgroup, might have thought of identifying themselves separately from the other members of the subgroup. The Vedic civilization is the Indo-Aryan culture associated with the Vedas, the earliest known records of Indian history. ... Young Indian brahmachari Brahmin A Brahmin (less often Brahman) is a member of the Hindu priestly caste. ... A Brahmin (anglicised from the Sanskrit adjective belonging to Brahma, also known as Brahman belonging to ; Vipra, Dvija twice-born, Dvijottama best of the twice born or earth-god) is considered to be the highest class (varna) in the Indian caste system of Hindu society [1] [2], although this status...

(2) Some Brahmin families moved to totally different geographical area from the bounds of their parent subgroup and accordingly espoused local language, customs etc., in due course. This might have inspired them to classify themselves separately from the other subgroup's members. A Brahmin (anglicised from the Sanskrit adjective belonging to Brahma, also known as Brahman belonging to ; Vipra, Dvija twice-born, Dvijottama best of the twice born or earth-god) is considered to be the highest class (varna) in the Indian caste system of Hindu society [1] [2], although this status...

(3) Many lines of descent from the root rishis were grouped separately. Accordingly, the root gotras were divided into ganas (subdivisions) and each gana was further divided into group of some families, known as sub-gana. Since then the term gotra have frequently been applied to the ganas and sub-ganas. Some Brahmin families, having ganas and sub-ganas as their gotras stemming only from one 'root' rishi, might have classified themselves separately from the other members of the parent subgroup. In Hinduism, a Rishi ( ऋषि) is a sage and/or seer who heard (cf. ... A gotra is the lineage or clan assigned to a Hindu at birth. ... A gotra is the lineage or clan assigned to a Hindu at birth. ... A Brahmin (anglicised from the Sanskrit adjective belonging to Brahma, also known as Brahman belonging to ; Vipra, Dvija twice-born, Dvijottama best of the twice born or earth-god) is considered to be the highest class (varna) in the Indian caste system of Hindu society [1] [2], although this status... A Gotra indicates lineage in the Hindu community. ... In Hinduism, a Rishi ( ऋषि) is a sage and/or seer who heard (cf. ...

(4) Some Brahmin families started paying adherence primarily to one God (say, Shiva or Vishnu) or started observing certain ritualistic order and might have thought of identifying themselves separately. A Brahmin (anglicised from the Sanskrit adjective belonging to Brahma, also known as Brahman belonging to ; Vipra, Dvija twice-born, Dvijottama best of the twice born or earth-god) is considered to be the highest class (varna) in the Indian caste system of Hindu society [1] [2], although this status...

Brahmins' sub-castes

Some of the existing sub-castes from Panch-Gaur group of Brahmins are:

• Bengali Brahmins
• Bhargav Brahmins
• Bhumihar Brahmins
• Dadhich Brahmins
• Gaur Brahmins
• Gautam Brahmins
• Kashmiri Pandits
• Khandelwal Brahmins
• Khedaval Brahmins
• Mohyal Brahmins
• Kanyakubja Brahmins
• Kota Brahmins
• Kulin Brahmins
• Maithili Brahmins
• Rajapur Saraswat Brahmins
• Sanadhya Brahmins
• Saraswat Brahmins
• Saryupareen Brahmins
• Shrimali Brahmins

Some of the existing sub-castes from Panch-Dravida group of Brahmins are: Bengali Brahmins are those Brahmins who traditionally reside in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent, currently comprising the Indian state of West Bengal, and Bangladesh. ... Bhumihar Brahmins (भूमीहर ब्राह्मण), also known as Bhumihars (भूमीहार) are an influential Brahmin subcaste who have traditionally resided in fertile regions of Indo-Gangetic plains of North India, in the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. ... The Kashmiri Pandits (Hindus) are the original inhabitants of the Valley of Kashmir. ... Mohyal (sometimes Muhiyal or Mahjal) is the name of an endogamous group of seven lineages arising from the Gandhara region, once a great center of Indian learning. ... Maithil Brahmins This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Rajapur/Balavalikar Gauda Saraswat Brahmans (RSB), as they are known, belong to the Pancha (five) Gauda Brahmana groups or Gaudadi Panchakas. Rajapur Saraswat Brahmins are a branch of the saraswat brahmins, who were supposed to have resided on the banks of the legendary Saraswati River. ... The Saraswat Brahmins claim descent from a Brahmin caste mentioned in ancient Hindu scriptures as inhabiting the Saraswati River valley, the geographic location of which is unknown. ... Sarupareen Brahmins or Saryuparin are a caste of North Indian Brahmins who reside on the eastern plain of the Saryu River. ... Shrimal a place in Indias Rajasthan State . ...

• Bardai Brahmins
• Chitpavan Brahmins (Konkanasth)
• Daivajna Brahmin
• Dhima Brahmins
• Deshastha Brahmin
• Gouda Saraswat Brahmins
• Havyaka Brahmins
• Hoysala Karnataka Brahmins
• Iyers, Iyengar (Vadakalai Thenkalai )
• Kandavara Brahmins
• Kannada Brahmins
• Karhade Brahmins
• Koota Brahmins
• Koteshwara Brahmins
• Nagar Brahmins
• Namboothiri (Namboodiri, Namboodiripad, Bhatathiripad)
• Padia Brahmins
• Pushpaka Brahmins (Ambalavasi Brahmins)
• Saklapuri Brahmins
• Sanketi Brahmins
• Shivalli Brahmins
• Sthanika Brahmins
• Telugu Brahmins (Vaidiki, Niyogi)
• Tuluva Brahmins

The Chitpavan, Chitpawan, or Konkanastha Brahmins (कोकणस्थ ब्राम्हण) are a Brahmin community of Konkan, the coastal belt of western Maharashtra. ... The Daivadnya (also spelled Daivajna) community is a Hindu caste from the western coast of India, the Konkan. ... Deshastha Brahmins (Marathi: देशस्थ ब्राह्मण) are a Hindu Brahmin sub-caste primarily from the Indian states of Maharashtra and Northern Karnataka. ... Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... The Hoysala Karnataka Brahmins are a well known subject of Smarta Brahmins, which has produced many eminent scholars, musicians, philosophers, generals and religious pontiffs, over the centuries. ... Iyer is the name given to a community of Brahmins (members of the priestly class / caste) of India whose members profess the advaita philosophy propounded by sri Shankaracharya and whose ancestors have had strong ties with the Tamil region,for many centuries. ... Iyengar (also Ayyangar, Aiyangar, Ayengar, Iengar) is the name of a community of Tamil Brahmins of South India whose members subscribe to the Visishtadvaita philosophy codified by Ramanuja. ... Vadakalai Iyengars are a subset of Iyengars. ... Therkku in the Tamil language means South. ... Kannada Brahmins are Brahmins whose mother-tongue is the Kannada language. ... Karhade Brahmins (Karhádé Bráhmeņ) form the smallest of the four major sub-castes of Maharashtrian Brahmins, the other three being Deshastha Brahmins, Saraswat Brahmins and Konkanastha Brahmins. ... Koota Brahmins hail from the Kundapur and surrounding areas of Udupi district in Karnataka. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... The Namboothiris (Malayalam :നമ്പൂതിരി) are the Brahmins of Kerala, thought to be the most orthodox brahmins in India. ... Pushpaka Brahmins, commonly known as Ambalavasi Brahmins, is a caste of Semi-Brahmins in Kerala. ... Ambalavasi is a caste of Semi-Brahmins in Kerala. ... Sanketi is the name of a community as well as their language. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Brahmin. ... Niyogis are a sect of Brahmins and are predominantly Telugu speakers. ...

See Also

• Brahmins
• Forward Castes