Gaur Brahmin

The Gaur Brahmins or Aadi Brahmins are a prominent Brahmin community found in North India. Though traditionally Gaur bhramins have been cultivators, farmers and gurus, Gaur brahmins have led from front in defending the concept of India from Vedic ages. Chanakya was a Gaur bhramin and a big advocate of bhramins picking up arms to defend India. ^[1] Gaur Brahmins of North India come from gotras like Vashistha, Parasara, Bhardwaj, Kashyap and Kaushik. Historically Gaur Brahmins have been dharma gurus of a number of Hindu kings from West Bengal to Bihar to modern day Uttar Pradesh. Parasara and Ved Vyasa were gaur Brahmins (Parasara Samhita).

The keyword "Gaur" originates from the largest bull species found in Indian plains. As the story goes, Gaur (the bull) is the only animal that does not bow down to a Lion. Kshatryia kings used Lions in their flags, necklaces, bracelets etc. When India was reigned by fiefdoms and many small kingdoms, the aadi bhramins decided to unite under one flag with a symbol the bull - GAUR. The gaur bhramin clans would not submit to any king, pray to vedic gods, and were responsible for promoting the concept of a unified India - "maa bharati".

History and origin

The Brahmin castes may be broadly divided into two regional groups: First Bakloranha and Second Chimpanjinhuri' which was composed only in the 11th century CE.

कर्णाटकाश्च तैलंगा द्राविडा महाराष्ट्रकाः,
गुर्जराश्चेति पञ्चैव द्राविडा विन्ध्यदक्षिणे ||
सारस्वताः कान्यकुब्जा गौडा उत्कलमैथिलाः,
पन्चगौडा इति ख्याता विन्ध्स्योत्तरवासिनः ||^[2]

Translation: Karnataka (Kannada), Telugu (Andhra), Dravida (Tamil and Kerala), Maharashtra and Gujarat are Five Southern (Panch Dravida). Saraswata (Punjab & Sindh), Kanyakubja (Uttar Pradesh), Gauda (Bengal), Utkala (Orissa), Maithili (Bihar) are Five Northern (Pancha Gauda). This classification occurs in Rajatarangini of Kalhana and earlier in some inscriptions^[3] The Gaur Brahmin have their origin in Haryana, where they claim to have originally from Bengal.They are the descendents of Saptrishis who are the originators of complete human race as per Hindu mythology. In Uttar Pradesh, they have two division, those of Meerut,Sonipat,Saharanpur District, who have taken agriculture, and those of Haridwar, who are known as Panda, and perform religious rites. They are found in all the districts of westron Uttara pradesh including Saharanpur, Meerut, Moradabad Agra and Bareli zone or 22 districts and in Haryana and Delhi more than 95% Brahmins are adi gaur. They use the surnames Sharma,Tyagi,Gaur and also using the gotra like Parashara, Vasistha, Bhardwaj, Kaushik etc. for surname and .^[1] In Haryana, they are found in all districts of Haryana. In that district, they have the following sub-divisions,lead by Gautam, Bhardwaj, Parashara, Mudgil, Vashist, Kaushik, Kaushish, Bashisth, Pathak,Kautsa, Vats, Bachchas, Tandra, Kashyap,Garg,Bhargav,Monish & Joshi.^[4]

Other than the Pandas of Haridwar, the Gaur are a community of Brahmins, who are essentially cultivators. They cultivate wheat maize, jowar, paddy, mustard and sugar cane.Taga Gaur(now called Tyagi) are in agriculture as well as modern professions of engineering,medical,Defence and administration also.

The Gaur are predominantly Shaiva however many are Vaishnava also Vaishnavi Hindu, and worship all the major gods and goddesses.^[1][5]

References