Gahoi

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Gahoi (Sanskrit Grihapati) is a merchant community in central India. Its main centers are in the Bundelkhand region. [1]. Their original center is said to have been at Kharagpur in Bundelkhand region [2].

Gahoi community is basically in south Uttar Pradesh and North Madhya Pradesh. The regions covered are Jhansi, Orai, Katni, Chirgaon, Gwalior, Sagar, Jabalpur, Bhind, Morena and Lalitpur. The main occupation of the community is trading.

National poet Dr. Maithili Sharan Gupt (Kankane), who can be said as the face of the community[3], was from Chirgaon. With his immortal 'Bharat-Bharti', He inspired not only the nation to fight for the freedom struggle but also encouraged the community to participate actively in fight for India's freedom and support Mahatma Gandhi.

Gahoi community actively participates in the community work. They provide scholarships for poor girls. There are many Gahoi Dharamshalas (Places to stay for very nominal charges) in Jhansi, Katni, Gwalior etc.

Gahois are divided into 12 gotras, each gotra is divided into six alls [4]. However currently about 169 clans are counted, some of them because of spelling differences [5]They have traditionally interdined with the Parwar Jain community of Bundelkhand, suggesting long social association..

The oldest known Gahoi (Grahapati-anvaya) inscription is of samvat 1011 mentioning Pahilla, who built a Jain temple during the reign of Dhanga. This temple still stands in Khajuraho[6][7].

The Gahoi Vaisya Mahasabha was founded in 1914[8] by Nathuram Reja of Narsingpur, who also started a magazine called Gahoi Vaishya.

Contents

[edit] Origin

There are several theories about the origin of the word Gahoi.

  • Grahapati (Pali Gahapati, Prakrit Gahavai, common term used for merchants)
  • Guha, Guhyak, Guhya (hidden)
  • "Which is left or the residue" [1]
  • Gahmoi[9]
  • Gobhuj [10]

[edit] Historical mentions

A number of inscriptions mentioning the Grahapatis have been found[11] in Bundelkhand region, from Sam. 1058 to Sam. 1288, all of them from the Chandella period:

  • Khajuraho: Sam 1058 Kokalla Vaidyanath inscription[12][13], 1205 Shreshthi Trivikram (2), 1215 shresthi Salhe[14]
  • Ahar: Sam 1207 Sadhu Udachandra, 1207 Sadhu Divachandra, 1207 Sadhu Matan, 1207 Vaanpure Kochhil Gotre harisena, 1207 Sadhu Ralhana with Paurapata, 1209 Sadhu Matan (2), 1210 Sadhu Kuladhar, 1213 Sadhu Nane, 1213 Kochhil gotra Vanapur ..Sadhu Harishena, 1216 Sahu Mamde, 1213 Vanapure Jahad (descendant of Banpur Sahasrakute temple builder), 1237 Sadhu Deu, ? Sadhu Kuldhar, 1288 with Golapura Sadhu Palhu,
  • Panagar (Hoshangabad): 1264 Sadhu Asadkhela,
  • Mahoba[15]: 1114 Sadhu Vudhau, 1209 Sadhu Dalukta
  • Horniman Museum[16]: 1208 Shreshti Mahipati.

Text: In Vardhamana Purana of Navalsah Chanderia, Sam. 1825.

[edit] Prominent Gahois

[edit] Also see

[edit] References

  1. ^ Siddhantacharya Phulachandra Shastri, Parwar Jain Samaj ka Itihas, 1990, Jabalpur
  2. ^ The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India, by R. V. Russell, 1916
  3. ^ गौरवशाली इतिहास http://www.gahoijagat.com/history.html
  4. ^ Jwalaprasad Mishra, Jati Bhaskar, 1914, Khmeraj Shrikrishnadas.
  5. ^ About Us, http://www.gahoi.net/about.html
  6. ^ Kasturchand Jain Suman, Bharatiya Digambar Jain Abhilekh aur Tirth Parichay, Madhya-Pradesh: 13 vi shati tak, Delhi, 2001
  7. ^ H.V. Trivedi, "Inscriptions of the Paramaras, Chandellas, Kachchhapaghatas and two minor Dynasties", part 2 of the 3-part Vol III of Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum, 1974 (published in 1991).
  8. ^ श्री गहोई वैश्य महासभा एवं समाजिक समितियाँ http://www.gahoijagat.com/mahasabha.html
  9. ^ Motilal Nagaria Gahoi jati ka sachitra Itishas, 1950 http://gahoimatrimony.com/
  10. ^ About Us
  11. ^ Most from Bharatiya Digambar Jain Abhilekh, Kasturchand Jain Suman, 2001
  12. ^ Khajuraho, Kanhaiyalal Agrawal, McMilan, 1980.
  13. ^ http://www.jainworld.com/literature/jainhistory/chapter11.aspJain History, Social - Divisions, Dr. K. C. Jain
  14. ^ Also discussed in Trivedi regarding term "Grahpati"
  15. ^ Digmbar jain Directory, 1915
  16. ^ Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum, Vol III, Pt III, Inscriptionsof the Parmaras, Chandellas, .., Ed. H.V. Trivedi, 1969