Pancha-Gauda

Last updated

Pancha Gauda is one of the two major groupings of Brahmins in Hinduism, of which the other is Pancha-Dravida.

Contents

In Rajatarangini

According to Kalhana's Rajatarangini (c. 12th century CE), the Pancha Gauda group includes the following five Brahmin communities, which according to the text, reside to the north of the Vindhyas: [1] [2]

In the Sahyadri-khanda

The Sahyadri-khanda , considered a part of the Skanda Purana , also mentions the same classification as the Rajatarangini. [3] For example, fragments of the Sahyadri-khanda, featured in Hemadri's Chatur-varga-chintamani (13th century), quote Shiva to provide this classification. The text identifies its heroes, the Shenvis, as Sarasvatas. In the text, Shiva also provides an alternative classification of Pancha Gaudas, stating that the ancient sages made these divisions: [4]

In the kaifiyats

The Maratha-era kaifiyats (bureaucratic records) of Deccan, which give an account of the society in the southern Maratha country, mention the following Brahmin communities as Pancha-Gaudas [5]

According to the kaifiyats, the Pancha Gaudas could be either Smarta, Vaishnavas or Bhagavats. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ravana</span> Primary antagonist in the Hindu epic Ramayana

Ravana is a multi-headed rakshasa king of the island of Lanka, and the chief antagonist in the Hindu epic Ramayana. In the Ramayana, Ravana is described as the eldest son of sage Vishrava and Kaikasi. He abducted Prince Rama's wife, Sita, and took her to his kingdom of Lanka, where he held her in the Ashoka Vatika. Rama, with the support of vanara King Sugriva and his army of vanaras, launched an invasion against Ravana in Lanka. Ravana was subsequently slain, and Rama rescued his beloved wife Sita.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brahmin</span> Varna (class) in Hinduism, one of four castes

Brahmin is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra. The traditional occupation of Brahmins is that of priesthood at Hindu temples or at socio-religious ceremonies, and the performing of rite of passage rituals such as solemnising a wedding with hymns and prayers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lingayatism</span> Shaivite sect founded by Basava in 12th century

Lingayatism is a Hindu denomination based on Shaivism. Initially known as Veerashaivas, since the 12th-century adherents of this faith are known as Lingayats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Konkan</span> Region of Southwest India

The Konkan is a stretch of land by the western coast of India, bound by the river Daman Ganga at Damaon in the north, to Anjediva Island next to Karwar town in the south; with the Arabian Sea to the west and the Deccan plateau to the east. The hinterland east of the coast has numerous river valleys, riverine islands and the hilly slopes known as the Western Ghats; that lead up into the tablelands of the Deccan. The region has been recognised by name, since at least the time of Strabo in the third century CE. It had a thriving mercantile port with Arab tradesmen from the 10th century. The best-known islands of Konkan are Ilhas de Goa, the site of the Goa state's capital at Panjim and the Seven Islands of Bombay, on which lies Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra and the headquarters of Konkan Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lalitaditya Muktapida</span> Maharaja of Kashmir under the Karkota dynasty (r. 724–760 CE)

Lalitaditya alias Muktapida was a monarch belonging to the Karkota dynasty of Kashmir region in the Indian subcontinent.

Saraswat Brahmins are Hindu Brahmins, who are spread over widely separated regions spanning from Kashmir and Punjab in North India to Konkan in West India to Kanara and Kerala in South India. The word Saraswat is derived from the Rigvedic Sarasvati River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shashanka</span> Maharajadhiraja

Shashanka was the first independent king of a unified polity in the Bengal region, called the Gauda Kingdom and is a major figure in Bengali history. He reigned in the 7th century, some historians place his rule between circa 600 CE and 636/7 CE, whereas other sources place his reign between 590 and 625 CE.

Karhaḍe Brahmins are a Hindu Brahmin sub-caste mainly from the Indian state of Maharashtra, but are also distributed in states of Goa, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bengali Brahmin</span> Hindu caste originating from the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent

Bengali Brahmins are the community of Hindu Brahmins, who traditionally reside in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent, currently comprising the Indian state of West Bengal and the country of Bangladesh.

<i>Skanda Purana</i> Medieval era Sanskrit text, one of eighteen major Puranas

The Skanda Purana is the largest Mukhyapurana, a genre of eighteen Hindu religious texts. The text contains over 81,000 verses, and is of Shaivite literature, titled after Skanda, a son of Shiva and Parvati. While the text is named after Skanda, he does not feature either more or less prominently in this text than in other Shiva-related Puranas. The text has been an important historical record and influence on the Hindu traditions and rituals related to the war-god Skanda.

<i>Padma Purana</i> Medieval era Sanskrit text, one of eighteen major Puranas

The Padma Purana is one of the eighteen Major Puranas, a genre of texts in Hinduism. It is an encyclopedic text, named after the lotus in which creator god Brahma appeared, and includes large sections dedicated to Vishnu, as well as significant sections on Shiva and Shakti.

Gaud Saraswat Brahmins (GSB) are a Hindu Brahmin community, who are part of the larger Saraswat Brahmin community that migrated to Konkan from Gaud, as per the Skanda Purana in ancient India. They belong to the Pancha Gauda Brahmins group. They primarily speak Konkani and its various dialects as their mother tongue.

The caste system in Goa consists of various Jātis or sub-castes found among Hindus belonging to the four varnas, as well as those outside of them. A variation of the traditional Hindu caste system was also retained by the Goan Catholic community.

Kanyakubja Brahmins are an endogamous Brahmin community mainly found in northern India. They are classified as one of the Pancha Gauda Brahmin communities native to the north of the Vindhyas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Utkala Brahmin</span> Hindu Brahmin Community

Utkala Brahmins, also known as Odia Brahmins, are a Brahmin community who belong to the state of Odisha, India. Utkala Brahmins are the historical caretakers of the Jagannath Temple in Puri. The Utkala Brahmins are one of the five Pancha Gouda Brahmin communities that originally resided to the north of the Vindhyas. They constitute about 8%-10% of Odisha's population as of 2010.

Pancha Dravida is one of the two major groupings of Brahmins in Hinduism, of which the other is Pancha-Gauda.

Gaur Brahmins are a community of Brahmins in India. They are one of the five Pancha Gauda Brahmin communities that live north of the Vindhyas.

Padhye Brahmin community hails from Goa, commonly known as "Bhatt", they speak a unique dialect of Konkani known as "Bhati Bhasha".

Sahyādri-khaṇḍa is a Sanskrit-language text, notable for containing the founding myths of several Brahmin communities of south-western India. The text claims to be a part of the Skanda Purana. It is actually a collection of disparate texts that date from 5th to 13th centuries, and have been organized as part of a single text relatively recently.

Dandabhukti was an ancient and medieval territory located between the two rivers, Dwarakeswar and Subarnarekha, and situated in the Rarh region of the ancient Bengal. It covered the present-day districts of Bankura, Hooghly, Paschim Medinipur, and Purba Medinipur in West Bengal, India.

References

  1. James G. Lochtefeld (2002). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: N-Z . Rosen. p.  491. ISBN   9780823931804.
  2. D. Shyam Babu and Ravindra S. Khare, ed. (2011). Caste in Life: Experiencing Inequalities. Pearson Education India. p. 168. ISBN   9788131754399.
  3. J. Gerson da Cunha (1877). Sahyadri-Khanda. Thacker, Viring & Co.; Marathi version edited by Gajanan shastri Gaytonde, published by Shree Katyani Publication, Mumbai
  4. Rosalind O'Hanlon (2013). "Performance in a World of Paper: Puranic Histories and Social communication in Early Modern India". Past and Present. Oxford University Press / The Past and Present Society (219): 104. JSTOR   24543602.
  5. 1 2 Krishnaji Nageshrao Chitnis (1994). Glimpses of Maratha Socio-economic History. Atlantic. pp. 95–96. ISBN   978-81-7156-347-0.