Brahmin communities
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Brahmin communities in India are traditionally divided into two regional groups: Pancha-Gauda Brahmins and Pancha-Dravida Brahmins as per the shloka, The shloka only identifies the caste-system present on the basis of their regional presence. The classification of Brahmin, the Highest Varna on the basis of Region is debatable. The duties of a Brahim are defined already in the Vedas. Such classification should also identify if the duties differed along with the region. If such the duties of a brahim did not differ then why was this necessary?
कर्णाटकाश्च तैलंगा द्राविडा महाराष्ट्रकाः,
गुर्जराश्चेति पञ्चैव द्राविडा विन्ध्यदक्षिणे ||
सारस्वताः कान्यकुब्जा गौडा उत्कलमैथिलाः,
पन्चगौडा इति ख्याता विन्ध्स्योत्तरवासिनः ||
The classification first occurs in Rajatarangini of Kalhana.
Contents |
[edit] Pancha-Gauda
Those from Uttarapatha (Aryavarta) (northern and eastern India.)
Approximately ordered according to geographical regions, from West to East
[edit] Saraswata
- Saraswat Brahmins
- Kashmiri Pandits
- Mohyal Brahmins
- Dhima Brahmins
- Rajapur Saraswat Brahmins
- Gouda Saraswat Brahmins
- Shakdwipi Brahmins
[edit] Kanyakubja
- Kanyakubja Brahmins
- Saryupareen Brahmins
[edit] Gauda
- Khandelwal Brahmins
- Kota Brahmins
- Dadhich Brahmin
- Gaur Brahmin
- Sanadhya Brahmins
Note: Gauda is sometimes taken to mean a region of Bengal. However the original meaning of the term coincides with region termed as Brahmakshetra:
ब्रह्मक्षेत्रं गुडारण्यं मत्स्यपाञ्चालमाथुराः एष ब्रह्मर्षि देशो वै ब्रह्मावर्त समम्बरम् ||
ब्रह्मक्षेत्रं कुरुक्षेत्रं ब्रह्मदेशः प्रकथ्यते आदिगौदर्षिदेशान्तं हर्यारण्यमिहोच्यते ||
[edit] Utkal
- Utkala Brahmins
[edit] Purvi
- Bhumihar Brahmins
- Maithili Brahmins
- Kulin Brahmins
- Bengali Brahmins
- Bardai Brahmins
[edit] Pancha-Dravida
Those from Dakshinapatha (South India, including Gujarat).
[edit] Gujarat
- Nagar Brahmins
- Bardai Brahmins
- Girinarayan Brahmins
- Shrimali Brahmins
- Khedaval
- Anavil Brahmin
- Awadhich Brahmins
[edit] Maharashtra
- Chitpavan Brahmins (Konkanasth)
- Deshastha Brahmin
- Karhade Brahmins
- Samvedi Brahmins
- Devrukhe Brahmins
[edit] Karnataka
- Kannada Brahmins
- Daivajna Brahmins
- Hoysala Karnataka Brahmins
- Badaganadu Brahmins
- Babburu Kamme Brahmins
- Ulucha Kamme Brahmins
- Niyogi Brahmins
- Madhva Brahmins
- Vaishnava Brahmins
- Sri Vaishnava or Hebbar Sri Vaishnava or Mysore Iyengars
- Mysore Iyers
- Mulukanadu Brahmins
- Sankethi Brahmins
- Sarawat Brahmins, totally different from Gowda Saraswat Brahmins and one of the smallest groups of Brahmins in terms of population.
- Gauda Saraswat Brahmins (Generally considered Pancha-Gauda)[1]
- Tuluva Brahmins[2]
- Shivalli Brahmins
- Sthanika Brahmins
- Koteshwara Brahmins
- Padia Brahmins
- Saklapuri Brahmins
- Kandavara Brahmins
- Koota Brahmins
- Havyaka Brahmins
- Maratha Brahmins
- Karadiga Brahmins
[edit] Andhra Pradesh
- Telugu Brahmins
- Niyogi Brahmins
- Vaidiki Brahmins
[edit] Dravida (Tamil Nadu and Kerala)
- Iyers
- Iyengars (of Vadakalai and Thenkalai sects)
- Namboothiri Brahmins
- Pushpaka Brahmins (Ambalavasis)
