Barnwal

Barnwal (Hindi: बर्णवाल), also spelt as Baranwal, Varanwal or Barnawal, is a Baniya community in India and Nepal.

Legend

The Barnwal community is descended from King Ahibaran, a Suryavanshi Kshatriya of Tomar origin and sometimes assumed to be the great grandson of the legendary king Agrasen.[1][2][3] His ancestors had moved to Ahar in North India. He renamed the Ahar kingdom after himself and founded its capital as Varna-vati which was later called "Baran-sahar" (identified with modern Bulandshahar in present day Western Uttar Pradesh).[4] His direct descendents were called Barnwals. They were the oldest and most prominent families of the Bulandshahr region.[5][6][7][8]

The city of BulandShahar (literal meaning - High City, due to being situated at a high place) derives its name from the fort of Barnwals located at a very high mound/ hillock. The old name 'Baran' can be still be traced in the old Government documents and in all the historical documents written before or around 19th century.

According to the book Agrasen Agroha Agrawal, written by Dr. Swarajya Mani Agrawal, the Barnwals were a part of the Agrawal community, but later separated out.

There are 36 gotras in Barnwals. These are Garg, Vatsil, Goval, Gohil, Kraw, Deval, Kashyap, Vats, Atri, Vamdev, Kapil, Galb, Sinhal, Aaranya, Kashil, Upmanyu, Yaimini, Parashar, Kaushik, Maunas, Katyaapan, Kaundilyam, Pulishh, Bhrigu, Sarvay, Angira, Krishnabhi, Udhhalak, Aashvalayan, Bhardwaj, Sankrit, Mudgal, Yamadgri, Chyevan and Vedpramiti.[9]

History

It is traditionally believed by Barnwals that their ancestors adopted Vanika Dharma for promoting trade, commerce, development and peace in their region.[10]

References

  1. ^ William Crooke (1890). An ethnographical hand-book for the N.-W. provinces and Oudh. North-Western provinces and Oudh government press. http://books.google.com/books?id=xeQqAAAAYAAJ. Retrieved 19 December 2011. 
  2. ^ Asian Folklore Institute; Society for Asian Folklore; JSTOR (Organization); American Theological Library Association (1972). Asian folklore studies. Asian Folklore Institute; [sold by Cellar Book Shop, Detroit, Mich.]. http://books.google.com/books?id=ENcfAQAAMAAJ. Retrieved 19 December 2011. 
  3. ^ Singh, Suresh Kumar (2008) (in English). People of India, Volume 16, Part 1 (1st ed.). India: Anthropological Survey of India. pp. 131. ISBN 8170463025. http://books.google.co.in/books?id=dw8wAQAAIAAJ&q=ahibaran&dq=ahibaran&hl=en&ei=2jt7Tcq4FYjLrQf0mMTIBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CEQQ6AEwBg. Retrieved 16 May 2011. 
  4. ^ North-western provinces (1876). Statistical, descriptive and historical account of the North-western Provinces of India, ed. by E.T. Atkinson [and others.]. Board of Revenue. http://books.google.com/books?id=CJ4IAAAAQAAJ. Retrieved 19 December 2011. 
  5. ^ Atkinson, E.T. (1876). Statistical, descriptive and historical account of the North-western Provinces of India. India: Board of Revenue. pp. 84, 125, 129. http://books.google.co.in/books?id=CJ4IAAAAQAAJ. 
  6. ^ Beyond ujamaa in Tanzania: underdevelopment and an uncaptured peasantry By Göran Hydén; page no 8 http://books.google.com/books?id=odtcxVDaANQC
  7. ^ Book:Statistical, descriptive and historical account of the North-western Provinces; page no:125; Edwin Thomas Atkinson. url: http://books.google.co.in/books?ei=r_kgTOWjEsqHkQXc26wQ&ct=result&id=CJ4IAAAAQAAJ&dq=baranwal+hindu&q=baranwal
  8. ^ Book: An ethnographical hand-book for the N.-W. provinces and Oudh; William Crooke - 1890
  9. ^ "2" (in Hindi). Baranwal Samvad. Gorakhpur, India: Akhil Bhartiya Baranwal Vaishya Mahasabha. 2010. 
  10. ^ "2" (in HIndi). Baranwal Chandrika. 3 (22 ed.). Gorakhpur, India: Barnwal Vaishya Mahasabha. pp. 23–34.