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 ( ...

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

s in

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 studi ...

economic An economy is an area of the production, distribution and trade, as well as consumption of goods and services. In general, it is defined as a social domain that emphasize the practices, discourses, and material expressions associated with th ...

and social activities of this region both before and during the British period. They have occupied an important administrative posts in the courts during the time of Gujarat Sultanate 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

", 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 Bo ...

(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 astro ...

), 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 and

, 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 Ahmedab ...

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