Mahajan
Mahajan is an Indian surname or title, (e.g., Gaurav Mahajan) found among several castes and communities. The word "Mahajan" is an amalgam of two Sanskrit words: Maha meaning great, and Jan meaning people or individuals (Respectful people). Over the years, the word Mahajan has become a common generic job title used to describe people involved in money lending. The royal khatri punjabi people, who were richest among their community and who helped their community to grow, were named as 'Mahajan',
Caste
Mahajans originally are believed to be descendants of "Gupt" dynasty (not to be confused with the famous Vaishya Gupta dynasty of the Gupta Empire) who migrated from the Malwa region of central India to Rajasthan and then to Punjab region several hundred years back. However when people started confusing 'Gupt' with 'Gupta' and started to think of Mahajans as Vaishyas or money lenders, a renowned social reformer called Hans Raj Mahajan urged people to replace "Gupt" by 'Mahajan' as their surname in the early 20th century .The Mahajan community of North India is based in the Punjab region. Though they are related to money lending business, they are not considered to be Vaishyas, the traditional economic elite. They are concerned in money lending activities for centuries within the Punjab prior to their migration. This migration occurred very early to Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir, the present-day state of Punjab, the Punjab province and the North West Frontier area. Most of these Mahajans speak Punjabi and Dogri, and reside in the regions of the Punjab, Jammu, Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.
Mahajans of Jammu and Punjab were landlords, traders and business men who were highly respected and had a major influence in their society.
Gujrat and Madhya Pradesh
Some people in Gujarat or Madhya Pradesh's Nimar region also bear Mahajan as a common surname. They also use other common surnames such as Nema. They believe in Srinathji at Nathdwara (Rajasthan) and are staunch vegetarians. In Gujarat, the Bhatia caste also use the "Mahajan" suranme, as the Mahajan community was traditionally associated with money lending..
Maharashtra
Some people with the surname Mahajan in Maharashtra originally belong to the Brahmin, sect. Pramod Mahajan, a late BJP leader belongs to this sect. This surname got replaced with earlier due to respectful jobs offered by King...
Sub-castes
Mahajans surname have been found in many sub castes such as Swaar, Mahotra, Beotra, Sanghois, Phagetra, Jandials, Vaid, Bangwathiya, Langars, Rarotra, Fave (Phave), Padotra, Kubre, Gadhede, Chunne, Manath, Karmotra, Kankaal, Lamhe, Khadyals, Kanghal/kaag, Sadad, Paba, Jugnal, Ukhalmunde, Bucche, Gadri, Laira, Kalsotra, Chapate, Bharray, Jadyal, Parru, Rometra, Malguria, Chukarne, Iddar, Chogga, Thathar and Lamma. Many individuals of these sub castes gather at their respective religious centres. Each sub caste believes in its own deity, known as devte.The Swaar baradri worships Baba BramhDev Ji as their devta or their deity . Manath Mahajans revered Satyavati Mata and Nag Devta as their deity. Mahajans created temples at these centres, the temples being located in many locations such as Batala, Punjab to Jammu and Gurdaspur. Temple for Lanagrs is at Kalith in Jammu, similarly for Swaar's it is in Rajpura in Jammu. This gathering is called a Mail of Mahajans. Gadhede has their deity (devte) in bhaddu (jammu and kashmir). At this gathering, Mahajans worship their deity after taking bath at the temple. These temples are managed by managing committee called sabha. This committee organise langar on the day of gathering. Certain other family ceremonies are also performed in these temples by the persons belonging to the caste such as sutra and mundan ceremonies. There is no particular day fixed for these ceremonies. This day of mail (gathering) is celebrated on the occasion of Sri Guru Nanak Dev's Birthday, usually in November. Like Phagetra Mahajans gather at Changia village in Arnia sector (R.S. Pura) for their Mail on dushehra and beotra family gather in batala on guru nanak's birthday every year and Bangwathiya's gather at Bishnah, Jammu. Similarly the members of the SWAAR Baradari gather at village Rajpura in Kathua district of Jammu & Kashmir every year on Guru Nanak Dev Jayanti. Jandials have their deity in talab tillo (Jammu and Kashmir). The members of Manath Baradari gather at Village Changran (Distt. Kathua, J&K)for annual Mail on Day of Guru Nanak Purnima.
Traditionally, Mahajans do not marry into the same sub caste. A Kubra boy does not marry a Kubra Girl because they are brother and sister, according to the their belief.
Some Mahajans use the castes of Gupta and Jandiyals. The Gupta surname is mostly used by the Mahajans of the Jammu region.
Mahajan as a generic title
Mahajan is also used a generic job title referring to people involved in money lending. In this case, a person involved in money lending is referred to as a Mahajan whether or not he is a Mahajan by caste.
In the coastal state of Goa, Mahajan is not used as a family name.It means elders (Maha — great and Zan — person) or respectable people.The Mahajans originally referred to rich merchants,traders,moneylenders and bankers.In later its meaning changed to mean the founders of Hindu temples, their patrons and their descendants,who mostly were descendants of the older Mahajans,mentioned before.The Portuguese codified Mazanias which are associations of a religious nature,who were the patrons of the temples,Mahajan or Mhajan(in Konkani) is an appellation which is used by the members of Mazanias[1] These people mostly belong to castes such as Gaud Saraswat Brahmins, Daivajnas, very few Padyes as well Kshatriyas,and some Vaishya Vanis.[2]