The Nagar Brahmin is a
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
Brahmin
Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (guru ...
subcaste
Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultural ...
mainly from the Indian state of
Gujarat
Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
.
Author T. Sasaki says, Among
Brahmin
Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (guru ...
s in
Gujarat
Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
Nagar Brahmins were most prominent subdivision in the
political
Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that studies ...
,
economic
An economy is an area of the Production (economics), production, Distribution (economics), distribution and trade, as well as Consumption (economics), consumption of Goods (economics), goods and Service (economics), services. In general, it is ...
and
social activities of this region both before and during the
British period
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
. They have occupied an important administrative posts in the courts during the time of
Gujarat Sultanate
The Gujarat Sultanate (or the Sultanate of Guzerat), was a Medieval Indian kingdom established in the early 15th century in Western India, primarily in the present-day state of Gujarat, India. The dynasty was founded by Sultan Zafar Khan Muza ...
and the
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire was an early-modern empire that controlled much of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the d ...
.
History
The Brahmins mentioned in the
Nidhanpur and
Dubi inscriptions of king
Bhaskaravarman bore surnames "which are at present used by
Kayasthas of Bengal and Nagara Brahmins of
Gujarat
Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
", and historians suggest the Bengali Kaysathas may have originated from the same group as Nāgar Brahmins.
During the rule of the
Caulukya and
Vāghela dynasties, the Nāgars held prestigious positions in royal courts along with Jains and other Brahmins. Their occupations included writing Sanskrit literature, performing Vedic rituals, and conducting royal funerals; they were also famed throughout India as pilgrimage officiants at ''tīrtha'' (holy water) sites.
The ''Nāgara Khaṇḍa'' is a quasi-caste purana for the Vadnagar Nāgars. It was partly composed before the late 13th century and was added to the existing ''
Skanda Purāṇa'', as part of a wider trend of adding mainly unrelated khaṇḍas to the text. The text extols the holy sites around Vadnagar (historically known as Ānarta, Ānandapura, and Camatkārapura).
According to the ''Vastupāla Carita'' of Jinaharṣa Gaṇi, the Vāghela king Vīsaladeva formed the branches of the Nāgars at a
yajña
Yajna ( sa, यज्ञ, yajña, translit-std=IAST, sacrifice, devotion, worship, offering) refers in Hinduism to any ritual done in front of a sacred fire, often with mantras.SG Nigal (1986), Axiological Approach to the Vedas, Northern Book ...
(sacrifice) at Darbhavatīpura (modern
Dabhoi
Dabhoi is a town and a municipality in the Vadodara district in the state of Gujarat, India.
History
Dabhoi was historically known as Darbhavati, Darbikagrama, Darbhavatipura, and Dabhohi. It is first mentioned in the sixth century astrono ...
), the branches being the Vīsalanagara, Ṣaṭpadra, Kr̥ṣṇapura, Citrapura, and Praśnika branches.
In the later periods many Nāgars also became financiers and moneychangers.
During the rule of the
Gujarat Sultanate
The Gujarat Sultanate (or the Sultanate of Guzerat), was a Medieval Indian kingdom established in the early 15th century in Western India, primarily in the present-day state of Gujarat, India. The dynasty was founded by Sultan Zafar Khan Muza ...
and
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire was an early-modern empire that controlled much of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the d ...
, the Nāgars learned Persian and held important posts in royal courts. Similarly under
British rule, the Nāgars learned English and held administrative posts.
In the late 19th century, many leaders of the
Gujarat Vernacular Society
Gujarat Vidya Sabha, originally called Gujarat Vernacular Society, is a literary institution for the promotion of vernacular Gujarati literature and education, and for the collection of manuscripts and printed books; located in the city of Ahmed ...
were Nāgars, along with
Vaniyas
One notable member of the community was the educationist Hansa Jivraj Mehta, whose inter-caste marriage to
Jivraj Narayan Mehta in the 1920s provoked what historian John R. Wood describes as a "mild sensation". Her husband was from the
Bania caste.
Notable People
*
Ranchhodlal Chhotalal
Ranchhodlal Chhotalal, Rai Bahadur
"Memoir of Rao Bahadur Ranchhodlal Chhotalal, C.I. ...
*
Hansa Jivraj Mehta
Hansa Jivraj Mehta (3 July 1897 – 4 April 1995) was a reformist, social activist, educator, independence activist, feminist and writer from India.
Early life
Hansa Mehta was born in a Nagar Brahmin family on 3 July 1897. She was a daughter ...
References
External links
{{commons category, Nagar Brahmins
Nagar.org
Brahmin communities of Madhya Pradesh
Brahmin communities of Rajasthan
Brahmin communities of Gujarat
Brahmin communities of Karnataka
Brahmin communities of Uttar Pradesh