Gaur Brahmins
Gaur Brahmins (spelling variations: Gor or Gour), also Gauda Brahmins (spelling variations: Gaud, or God), also known as Adi Gauda/Gaur, is a group of Brahmin communities in India. The Gauda Brahmins are one of the five Pancha Gauda Brahmin communities that lives in the north of the Vindhyas.[1][2]
Gaur Brahmins likely originated from Kurukshetra region.[3] Initially inhabiting tracts of land between the Yamuna and Sutlej rivers. Today they are most numerous in the western half of Northern India, particularly in the states of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan as well as in the western parts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh and a significant amount are present in other northern states of India as well.[4]
The Gaurs claim that the other four main divisions of North Indian Brahmins were originally Gaur, and have acquired their present designations of Saraswat Brahmins, Kanyakubja Brahmins, Maithil Brahmins and Utkala Brahmins by immigrating to the provinces where they are now domiciled. In Sir George Campbell's Ethnology of India, it is suggested that Gaurs may have derived their names from the Ghaggar-Hakra River, which, in ancient times, was a tributary of Saraswati and now discharges its waters into the Sutlej near Firozpur. [3] Adi Gaurs practise agriculture and till their soil with their own hands and there is class class of Gaurs known as Taga Gaurs.[5]
References
- ^ James G. Lochtefeld (2002). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: N-Z. Rosen. pp. 490–491. ISBN 9780823931804.
- ^ D. Shyam Babu and Ravindra S. Khare, ed. (2011). Caste in Life: Experiencing Inequalities. Pearson Education India. p. 168. ISBN 9788131754399.
- ^ a b Jogendra Nath Bhattacharya, ed. (1896). Hindu Castes and Sects: An Exposition of the Origin of the Hindu Caste System and the Bearing of the Sects Towards Each Other and Towards Other Religious Systems. Spink Thacker. p. 52. ISBN 9781298966339.
- ^ James G. Lochtefeld (2002). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism. Rosen. ISBN 9780823931804.
- ^ Bhattacharya, Jogendra Nath (1896). Hindu Castes and Sects: An Exposition of the Origin of the Hindu Caste System and the Bearing of the Sects Towards Each Other and Towards Other Religious Systems. Thacker, Spink.