Girnara Brahmin

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The Girnara Brahmin are a Hindu caste found in the state of Gujarat in India. They are a sub-group of the Brahmin community.^[1]

History and origin

The Girnara Brahmin get their name from the town of Girinagar, now Junagadh, where they lived before the arrival of the Audichya Brahmin. Another interpretation of their name is that it was acquired on the fact that they lived on the foothills of the Girnar hills. The community is said to have originated in the Himalayas, and settled in the Girnar hills, which is considered as sacred by both the Hindus and Jains of Saurashtra. They are now found mainly in the districts of Junagadh, Jamnagar and Kutch. The Girnara are a Gujarati speaking community.^[1]

Present circumstances

The Girnara have five sub-groups, the Madhavpura, Chorwadia, Ajakia,Jamnagar, Panai and Bardai. These subgroups are named after the villages where they first settled. For example, Madhavpur and Chorwad are situated near Junagadh and Ajaka near Porbander. All these groups are of equal status. The community is further divided into gotras, the main ones being the Bharadwaj, Kashyap, Kauchchas, Kaurvas, Maundas, Saudamas, Kaushas, Krishnatri, Sandilya, Vats, Bhaginas, Vashsist and Gargwa. Like other Hindu communities, they are endogamous and practice clan exogamy.^[1]

The Girnara are essentially a community of landowners and cultivators. Prior to the carrying out of land reforms after the independence of India, the Girnara together with the Nagar Brahmins were the largest landowners in Saurashtra ^{[citation needed]}. Many Girnara are still employed as temple priests. The community have its own caste association, the Samast Brahmin Samaj, which acts as a community welfare association.^[1]

References

↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 People of India Gujarat Volume XXI Part One edited by R.B Lal, P.B.S.V Padmanabham, G Krishnan & M Azeez Mohideen pages 414-417

v t e Gujarati people

Brahmin communities	Anavil Brahmin Audichaya Brahmins Bardai Brahmins Bhattmewada Brahmins Chauriyasi Mewada Brahmin Girnara Brahmin Jaiswal Brahmin Khedaval Brahmin Modh Brahmins Nandwana Brahmins Nagar Brahmins Sachora Brahmins Sidhra-Rudhra Brahmins Shrimali Brahmins Sompura Brahmins Sompura Salats Modh Brahmins

Kshatriya communities	Yaduvanshi Ahirs Babaria Bhatti Chavda Chauhan Chudasama Devda Dodiya Garasia Kapadi Karadiya Khant Gohil Jadeja Jethwa Jhala Kutch Gurjar Kshatriya Mahyavanshi Makwana Mandora Parmar Puvar Rathor Rajputs of Gujarat Sarvaiya Sagar Solanki Thakore Vala Vihol Vaghela Yadava

Vaishya communities	Bania Soni Modh Bania

Farming communities	Kurmi (Patel Kunbi Patidar Koli) Anjana Chaudhari

Genealogist communities	Barot Bhatt Charan Gadhvi

Artisan communities	Bhambi Khalpa Bhambi Rohit Bhambi Sindhi Mochi Bhavsar Brahma Kshatri Gihara Gurjar Kshatriya Kadia Kadia Koshti Mistry Mestri Panchal Gurjar Suthar Prajapati Shenva Sompura Salat Vankar Vanzha Valand

Tribal communities	Agri Bamcha Bharwad Bhil Bhil Dungri Garasia Bhil Vasava Bhoi Chaudhari Damor Dangi Dhanka Dhodia Dubla Gamit Godha Kharwa Kolis Mangela Kolis Meghwal Naikda Padhar Padharia Patanwadia Pateliya Rathodia Rathwa Sathwara Siddi Tirgar Thori Vagri Warli

Muslim communities	Alavi Bohra Ansari Baloch Bhadala Chhipa Chundrigar Dawoodi Bohra Halaypotra Hingorja Hingora Jats of Kutch Juneja Kadia Kagzi Ker Khaskheli Khoja Machiyar Makrani Malik of Gujarat Mandali Mansoori Memon Meta Qureshi Miyana Molesalam Momna Multani Multani Lohar Mutwa Nagori Nayak Node Panar Patani Bohra Patni Jamat Pathans of Gujarat Salaat Samma Sandhai Muslims Shaikhs of Gujarat Shaikhda Sayyid of Gujarat Siddi Sipahi Soomra Sulaymani Bohra Sunni Bohra Tai Turk Jamat Vora Patel Vyapari Wagher

Jain communities	Navnat Humad Narsingpura Oswal Porwad Visa Oswal Nema

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Girnara Brahmin

History and origin

Present circumstances

See also

References