Brahmin communities

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Brahmin communities in India are traditionally divided into two regional groups: Pancha-Gauda Brahmins and Pancha-Dravida Brahmins according to the following shloka found in the Rajatarangini of Kalhana (12th century):

कर्णाटकाश्च तैलंगा द्राविडा महाराष्ट्रकाः ।
गुर्जराश्चेति पञ्चैव द्राविडा विन्ध्यदक्षिणे ॥
सारस्वताः कान्यकुब्जा गौडा उत्कलमैथिलाः ।
पन्चगौडा इति ख्याता विन्ध्स्योत्तरवासिनः ॥
"The Karnatakas, Tailangas, Dravidas, Maharashtrakas and Gurjaras; these five (-types who- ) live south of Vindhya (- mountains) are (called-) "Dravida" (- brahmins); (whereas-) Saraswatas, Kanyakubjas, Gaudas, Utkalas, and Maithilas, who live north of Vindhya (- mountains) are known as "five Gauda" (- brahmins)."

The shloka only identifies the caste-system present on the basis of their regional presence. The classification of Brahmins, the highest varna, on the basis of Region is debatable (compare the Brahmin gotra system).[citation needed]

Contents

[edit] Vishwabrahmin

Vishwabrahmin

[edit] Pancha-Gauda

Main article: Pancha-Gauda

Those from Uttarapatha (Aryavarta) (northern and eastern India.)

Approximately ordered according to geographical regions, from West to East

[edit] Saraswat

[edit] Kanyakubja

[edit] Gauda

 It has been suggested that Gauda brahmins be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

Sanskrit gauḍa is a vrddhi derivation of guḍa, literally "sugar molass", but also the name of a tribe of the Madhyadesha. A school of thought believes that Gauda is sometimes taken to mean the Gaur 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 ॥[citation needed]


[edit] Maithil

[edit] Utkal


[edit] Pancha-Dravida

Those from Dakshinapatha (South India, including Gujarat and Maharashtra).

[edit] Gujarat

[edit] Maharashtra

[edit] Karnataka

[edit] Andhra Pradesh

[edit] Tamil Nadu and Kerala

[edit] List of sub-castes

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


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

[edit] References

  1. ^ GSB World
  2. ^ The Tale of Tuluva Brahmins


[edit] See also

[edit] External links