Jump to content

Bengali Brahmin: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
m Undid revision 568051955 by 117.194.38.138 (talk)
(5 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 376: Line 376:


* '''Paschatya Vaidikas'''
* '''Paschatya Vaidikas'''
Traditionally they are believed to have migrated from Kanyakubja (or Kanauj), the traditional origin of both Radhi and Varendra brahmins, to Bengal via Tirhoot, during the commencement of Muslim rule in India. Most of the vaidikas were invited by Hindu chiefs and rajas who used to rule in various parts of Bengal during the Muslim ascendancy.<ref>cf. Hindu Castes and Sects, Jogendranath Bhattacharya, Part III, Chap 1, Pg 36</ref> As per one account, a king called Shyamal Varma, invited five Brahmins from Kānyakubja who became the progenitors of the Paschatya Vaidika Brahmins. They have gotras found in the Brahmin community of Kanyakubj (Bharadwaj, Garga, Gautam, Katatayan, Kaushik, Kashyap, Krishnatreya, Rathitara, Parashar, Sankrityayan, Shandilya, Savarna, Srivats, Shaunak, Vashista, Valmiki, Upmanyu).
Traditionally they are believed to have migrated from Kanyakubja (or Kanauj), the traditional origin of both Radhi and Varendra brahmins, to Bengal via Tirhoot, during the commencement of Muslim rule in India. Most of the vaidikas were invited by Hindu chiefs and rajas who used to rule in various parts of Bengal during the Muslim ascendancy.<ref>cf. Hindu Castes and Sects, Jogendranath Bhattacharya, Part III, Chap 1, Pg 36</ref>


* '''Dakshinatya Vaidikas'''
* '''Dakshinatya Vaidikas'''
Traditionally it is believed that during his reign, Vijaya Sena (1097 to 1160 C.E), brought brahmins from South India to Bengal, who integrated themselves with the varendra barhmins and came to be known as Dakshinatya vaidika barahmins.<ref>Samaj Biplab ba Brahman Andalon, Dinabandhu Acharya Vedashastri</ref> Other texts say that it was during the Chalukya invasion of Gauda under Vikramaditya VI (1076–1126 CE) that brahmins from south came and settled in Bengal.
Traditionally it is believed that during his reign, Vijaya Sena (1097 to 1160 C.E), brought brahmins from South India to Bengal, who integrated themselves with the varendra barhmins and came to be known as Dakshinatya vaidika barahmins.<ref>Samaj Biplab ba Brahman Andalon, Dinabandhu Acharya Vedashastri</ref>

[[Kulin Brahmins]] are those Brahmins in Bengal who can trace themselves to the five families of Kanauj (Kanyakubja), Uttar Pradesh who migrated to Bengal. The five families were of the five different gotras (Shandilya, Bharadwaj, Kashyap, Vatsya and Saavarna). They are widely believed to be at the apex of Bengal's caste hierarchy.

The kulin families are further divided into two sections:

Barendra : Belonging to those families who settled at the north or north east region of the Ganges or Padma river.
Rarhi : Belonging to those families who settled at the south or southwest region of the Ganges or Padma river.


==Divisions among Bengali Brahmins==
==Divisions among Bengali Brahmins==


* '''[[Varendra]]''', from Varendra region (NE&E Bengal (Bangladesh))
* '''''Rādhi'''''' from [[Radh]] (SE Bengal, approximately modern West Bengal SW of the Ganges.
* '''Vaidika''', migrant brahmins from other parts of India.

Other minor divisions are :
* Saptaśati
* Pirāli
* Patita
* Parashor Bipra
It is believed that the Brahmins of Bengal adapted kulinism from a similar hierarchical system used by the Brahmins of Mithilā, although Kānyakubja and more especially Saryupāriya were also highly scrupulous. The five original Brahmins belonged to five gotras : Śāndilya, Kāśyapa, Vatsa, Bhārdvāja, {{IAST|Sāvarṇa}}
Both Brahmins and Kayasthas in Bengal have followed a system that ranks the clans hierarchically. The Kulinas formed the higher ranking clans.
Both Brahmins and Kayasthas in Bengal have followed a system that ranks the clans hierarchically. The Kulinas formed the higher ranking clans.


Line 407: Line 390:


*'''''Vamśaja''''' is the third rank which was a result of kulinas marrying outside kulinas.<ref name="Brahmin Clans page 283">Kuladīpīkā quoted in History of Brahmin Clans,page 283</ref>
*'''''Vamśaja''''' is the third rank which was a result of kulinas marrying outside kulinas.<ref name="Brahmin Clans page 283">Kuladīpīkā quoted in History of Brahmin Clans,page 283</ref>

Major titles adopted by the high Rādhi brahmins :
*'''Mukhopādhyāya''' and its adaptation '''[[Mukherjee]]''' a '''[[Kulin Brahmin|Kulin]]''' brahmin
*'''Bandyopādhyāya''' and its adaptation '''[[Banerjee]]''' a '''[[Kulin Brahmin|Kulin]]''' brahmin
*'''Chattopādhyāya''' and its adaptation '''[[Chatterjee]]''' a '''[[Kulin Brahmin|Kulin]]''' brahmin
*'''Gangopādhyāya''' and its adaptation '''Ganguli''' / '''[[Ganguly (surname)|Ganguly]]''' a '''[[Kulin Brahmin|Kulin]]''' brahmin

*'''Goswami ''' and its adaptation ''' Swami of ones own Gow '''/ ''' further Gow stands for 5 Sense of human body, so sanyasins are those who can master their own senses.


Jāti-{{IAST|Bhāṣkar}} mentions that those who were given grants along the Ganges by Ballāl Sena were called Gangopādhyāya (literally 'the Vedic teachers in the regions around the Ganges').<ref>Jāti-{{IAST|Bhāṣkar}} quoted in History of Brahmin Clans,page 285</ref>
Jāti-{{IAST|Bhāṣkar}} mentions that those who were given grants along the Ganges by Ballāl Sena were called Gangopādhyāya (literally 'the Vedic teachers in the regions around the Ganges').<ref>Jāti-{{IAST|Bhāṣkar}} quoted in History of Brahmin Clans,page 285</ref>


Mukhopādhyāya means chief Vedic teacher. Bandopādhyāya is a Sanskritized form of 'Banodha + upādhyāya', Banodha being the ancient name of Raebareli-Unnāva whence their ancestors had come from.<ref>History of Brahmin Clans,page 287</ref>
Mukhopādhyāya means chief Vedic teacher. Bandopādhyāya is a Sanskritized form of 'Banodha + upādhyāya', Banodha being the ancient name of Raebareli-Unnāva whence their ancestors had come from.<ref>History of Brahmin Clans,page 287</ref>

Bhattāchārya meant 'expert of Vedic rituals'. This was an honorary title awarded to a Rādhi, Vārendra or Vaidika brahmin who excelled in spiritual and vedic matters. The Bhattāchārya's are generally referred to as the Hindu Priests in Bengal.

Goswami is a typically a title bestowed on people who choose the path of Sannyasa. The sanyasins or disciples of Adi Shankaracharya are also called "Dash Nam" as the Title Goswami is further divided into ten groups viz. Giri, Puri, Bharti, Ban, Aranya, Sagar, Aashram, Saraswati, Tirth, Yogi and Parwat. These all dashnam Goswamis are associated with four Math in four corners of India, established by Adi Shankaracharya. Initially all the disciples were Sanyasins who embraced sanyas either after marriage or without getting married. Since, sanyasins are considered as Brahmin therefore during the course of time, those who embraced married life on the order of their guru and their decedents are considered Brahmins with the surname Goswami. Being a Goswami Sanyasin includes a vow of celibacy. Some religious traditions use the title Swami for those who had never married, and Goswami for those who had been married in that life and vow not to marry again. This is also the source of the surname Gosain. Goswami can also refer to an individual from the Brahmin caste of the Hindu religion.


===Vaidikas===
===Vaidikas===
{{main|Vaidiki Brahmins}}
{{main|Vaidiki Brahmins}}
⚫
{{unreferenced|section}}
⚫
These are of two types :

⚫
These are of two types:
*'''{{IAST|Dākṣiṇātyas}}''', coming from [[utkala brahmin|Orissa]] & [[Vaidiki Brahmins|Andhra]] originally but now part and parcel of Bengali brahmins.
*'''{{IAST|Dākṣiṇātyas}}''', coming from [[utkala brahmin|Orissa]] & [[Vaidiki Brahmins|Andhra]] originally but now part and parcel of Bengali brahmins.
*'''Pāschātyas''', coming from western and northern India originally but now part of Bengali brahmins.
*'''Pāschātyas''', coming from western and northern India originally but now part of Bengali brahmins.


These were experts of Vaidika knowledge who were invited to Bengal in different ages, later than the original five brahmins from which Rādhi brahmins originated.
These were experts of Vaidika knowledge who were invited to Bengal in different ages, later than the original five brahmins from which Rādhi brahmins originated.

===Saptaśati===
Before the coming of Five Brahmins, there were 700 houses of brahmins in Bengal, but now they are few. They were less learned than the migrants and therefore were deprived of patronage{{Citation needed|date=July 2011}}. Some of them mixed with the immigrants, which explains their decline in relative population. Many Saptaśatis became priests of lower castes and were labelled as Agradāni and grahavipra{{Citation needed|date=July 2011}}. Main titles are '''Arath, Bālkhāvi, Jagāye, Pikhoori, Mulkajoori, Bhagāye, Gāi,''' etc.

===Others===
* Pirāli : literally, ''boycotted'' Brahmins. Some ''kulin'' Brahmins mixed with Muslims in eating and other activities and were therefore boycotted by the orthodox sections. Prominent among these were Thākurs, anglicised as Tagores. Thākurs literally meant lords and were big landowners.
* Patita : Some Bengali Brahmins were publicly declared to be ''fallen'' Brahmins.
* [[Chakraborty]] (Chakravarti) is a title suitable for emperors granted to some Bengali Brahmins.

Another peculiar title is ''Chir Kori'' or ''{{IAST|Chir Koḍi}}''.


== Genetics ==
== Genetics ==
Line 456: Line 419:
|}<ref name="Sengupta et al. 2005">{{Harvcoltxt|Sengupta et al.|2005}}</ref><ref name="Sharma et al. 2009">{{Harvcoltxt|Sharma et al.|2009}}</ref>
|}<ref name="Sengupta et al. 2005">{{Harvcoltxt|Sengupta et al.|2005}}</ref><ref name="Sharma et al. 2009">{{Harvcoltxt|Sharma et al.|2009}}</ref>
Haplogroup R1a1, which has originated either in South Asia<ref>{{cite web|author=European Journal of Human Genetics |url=http://www.nature.com/ejhg/journal/v18/n4/full/ejhg2009194a.html |title=European Journal of Human Genetics - Separating the post-Glacial coancestry of European and Asian Y chromosomes within haplogroup R1a |publisher=Nature.com |date= |accessdate=2012-07-13}}</ref><ref>http://www.nature.com/jhg/journal/v54/n1/full/jhg20082a.html</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=European Journal of Human Genetics |url=http://www.nature.com/ejhg/journal/v17/n10/full/ejhg20096a.html |title=European Journal of Human Genetics - Y-Chromosome distribution within the geo-linguistic landscape of northwestern Russia |publisher=Nature.com |date=2009-03-04 |accessdate=2012-07-13}}</ref> or Central Asia<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2156/7/42 |title=BMC Genetics &#124; Full text &#124; Genetic affinities among the lower castes and tribal groups of India: inference from Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA |publisher=Biomedcentral.com |date= |accessdate=2012-07-13}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/19058044/ |title=Presence of three different paternal li - PubMed Mobile |publisher=Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov |date=2012-05-24 |accessdate=2012-07-13}}</ref> or Eastern Europe<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ichg2011.org/cgi-bin/showdetail.pl?absno=20168 |title=Abstract/Presentation |publisher=Ichg2011.org |date=2011-10-14 |accessdate=2012-07-13}}</ref> is the most prevalent haplogroup amongst the Bengali Brahmins. The haplogroup is associated with the spread of the [[Indo-European]] culture in Indian sub-continent. A very high percentage of 72.22% among Bengali Brahmins which is also one of the highest found frequencies within world groups hints at its presence as a founder lineage for this caste group.<ref name="Sharma et al. 2007">{{Harvcoltxt|Sharma et al.|2007}}</ref>
Haplogroup R1a1, which has originated either in South Asia<ref>{{cite web|author=European Journal of Human Genetics |url=http://www.nature.com/ejhg/journal/v18/n4/full/ejhg2009194a.html |title=European Journal of Human Genetics - Separating the post-Glacial coancestry of European and Asian Y chromosomes within haplogroup R1a |publisher=Nature.com |date= |accessdate=2012-07-13}}</ref><ref>http://www.nature.com/jhg/journal/v54/n1/full/jhg20082a.html</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=European Journal of Human Genetics |url=http://www.nature.com/ejhg/journal/v17/n10/full/ejhg20096a.html |title=European Journal of Human Genetics - Y-Chromosome distribution within the geo-linguistic landscape of northwestern Russia |publisher=Nature.com |date=2009-03-04 |accessdate=2012-07-13}}</ref> or Central Asia<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2156/7/42 |title=BMC Genetics &#124; Full text &#124; Genetic affinities among the lower castes and tribal groups of India: inference from Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA |publisher=Biomedcentral.com |date= |accessdate=2012-07-13}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/19058044/ |title=Presence of three different paternal li - PubMed Mobile |publisher=Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov |date=2012-05-24 |accessdate=2012-07-13}}</ref> or Eastern Europe<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ichg2011.org/cgi-bin/showdetail.pl?absno=20168 |title=Abstract/Presentation |publisher=Ichg2011.org |date=2011-10-14 |accessdate=2012-07-13}}</ref> is the most prevalent haplogroup amongst the Bengali Brahmins. The haplogroup is associated with the spread of the [[Indo-European]] culture in Indian sub-continent. A very high percentage of 72.22% among Bengali Brahmins which is also one of the highest found frequencies within world groups hints at its presence as a founder lineage for this caste group.<ref name="Sharma et al. 2007">{{Harvcoltxt|Sharma et al.|2007}}</ref>

==Impact of British occupation==
⚫
{{unreferenced section|date=October 2011}}
The kulinist system degenerated during the 18-19th century and is no longer popular. The British occupation of Bengal radically transformed the Bengali culture. Bengal has now gone through two centuries of [[Christian]] missionary efforts and a quarter century of a Marxist government in the state of West Bengal. Bengal was divided by the British colonial rulers. Eastern Bengal was a Muslim majority region which resulted in the [[Partition of Bengal (1905)|first partition of Bengal in 1905]], and then [[Partition of Bengal (1947)|final partition in 1947]]. Although the interaction with the British resulting in what is termed the [[Bengal Renaissance]] (almost wholly Brahmin and Kayastha) it altered the hold of traditional mainstream Hinduism in the region.

==Naming conventions==
{{unreferenced section|date=October 2011}}
Many Bengali Brahmin family names are written in two different ways. For example, [[Chattopadhyay]] (compound of village name "{{IAST|Chaṭṭa}}" and "upādhyāya" denoting "priest, teacher" originally granted with the village named {{IAST|Chaṭṭa}}) is the [[Sanskritisation|Sanskritized]] form of the local [[Prakrit]] word "chaturjye", [[Anglicisation|anglicized]] to [[Chatterjee]].

Similar analyses may be performed on Mukhurjye/[[Mukherjee]]/Mukhopādhyāya, Banurjye/[[Banerjee]]/Bandyopādhyāya, and Ganguli/[[Ganguly (surname)|Ganguly]]/Ganggopādhyāya. [[Bhattacharya|Bhattāchārya]] which is made by two words [[Bhatt]] or Bhatta (Vedic [[priest]]) and [[Acharya|Achārya]] which means teacher also called as Bhattāchārjee. Tagore is the anglicized form of [[Thakur (Indian title)|Thakur]], meaning "lord". Other Bengali Brahmin family names are anglicized in particular ways that have become the standard English spellings over time. Other Bengali Brahmin surnames are Goswami, [[Chakraborty]], Sanyal, Ghoshal etc.

The most famous Bengali Brahmin family which originally belonged to Calcutta (Kolkata) are the Sabarna Roy Choudhury family (originally Ganggopādhyāyas,who later adopted the zamindari title Roy Choudhury and Sabarna, implying their gotra, which is also the gotra of Ganggopādhyāyas), which had transferred the tenancy rights of Sutanuti, Gobindapur and Kolikata to the East India Company at the behest of the Mughal Emperor.


==List of Bengali Brahmin Gotras==
==List of Bengali Brahmin Gotras==
Line 499: Line 450:
* [[Nityananda]] (1478-1532), companion and disciple of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
* [[Nityananda]] (1478-1532), companion and disciple of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
* [[Advaita Acharya]] (1434–1539), companion and disciple of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
* [[Advaita Acharya]] (1434–1539), companion and disciple of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
* [[Lakshmikanta Roychoudhury]] (1570–1649), Founder of [[Sabarna Roy Choudhury]] clan and first family of [[Kolkata]] who leased it to East India Company.
* [[Ratneshwar Roychoudhury]] (1670–1720), Founder of [[Uttarpara]] town and member of [[Sabarna Roy Choudhury]] clan of [[Kolkata]].


===1757-1947===
===1757-1947===

Revision as of 12:59, 11 August 2013

Bengali Brahmins
Aum

বাঙ্গালী ব্রাহ্মণ .

Personalities

Ancient

Portal:Hinduism

 ·

Medieval
Chaitanya · Jayadeva · Raghunatha Siromani · Kamalakanta Bhattacharya ·

Modern

Ramakrishna ·

Hinduism

Deities
Philosophy
Scriptures
Practices
Philosophers
Other Topics

Hinduism Portal
Hindu Mythology Portal

The Bengali Brahmins (Bengali: বাঙালি ব্রাহ্মণ) are those Hindu Brahmins who traditionally reside in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent, currently comprising the Indian state of West Bengal, Tripura, Assam and Bangladesh. When the British left India in 1947, carving out separate nations (see partition), a number of families moved from the Muslim-majority East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) to be within the borders of the newly defined Republic of India, and continued to migrate for several decades thereafter.

In the 19th (held at Prayag) and 20th (held at Lucknow) national convention of Kanyakubja Brahmins by Kanyakubja Mahati Sabha, in 1926 and 1927 respectively, it appealed for unity among Kanyakubja Brahmins whose different branches included Sanadhya, Pahadi, Bhumihar, Jujhoutia, Saryupareen, Chattisgarhi, and different Bengali Brahmins.[1] Historically, the Bengali Brahmins have been the standard bearers of Madhyadeshiya culture in Bengal (Madhyadesh is the historic-cultural region of the upper Ganges–Yamuna doab which was the seat of Panch-Gauda brahmins).

Bengali Brahmins are categorized as Pancha-Gauda Brahmins (the Brahmins who traditionally lived to the north of the Vindhyas).[2]

History

The earliest historically verifiable presence of brahmins in Bengal can be ascertained from Dhanaidaha copper-plate inscription of Kumargupta 1 of the Gupta Year 113 (433 C.E.) which records the grant of land to a brahmin named Varahasvamin of the Samavedi school.[3] A copper-plate grant from the Gupta period found in the vicinity of Somapura mentions a Brahmin donating land to a Jain vihara at Vatagohali. Literary sources like Ramayana, Mahabharata, Jain and Buddhist works, however record the presence of brahmins in various parts of Bengal during earlier periods.[4] Historical evidence also attests significant presence of Brahmins in Bengal during the Maurya period. The Jain Acharya Bhadrabahu, regarded to be the preceptor of Chandragupta Maurya is said to have been born in Brahmin family of Pundravardhana ( or Puṇḍra, the region north of the Ganges and west of Brahmaputra in Bengal, later known as Vārendra). Such evidences suggest Puṇḍra or Vārendra and regions west of Bhagirathi (called Radha in ancient age) to be seats of brahmins from ancient times; Rādhi and Varendra are still chief branches of Bengali brahmins settled in these regions.[5] Medium to large scale migrations of Brahmins from various parts of India like Mithila, Kanyakubja region, Kolancha, southern India and Pushkar in Rajasthan, among other places, occurred from time to time, especially during Pala and Sena periods.[6]

Traditionally, Bengali brahmins are divided into the following categories:[4][7][8]

  • Rādhi from Radh (region south-west of the Ganges)
  • Varendra, from Vārendra region (North-East) or Puṇḍra. Vārendra originally meant rain-maker magicians.[9]
  • Vaidika (migrants, originally experts of Vedic knowledge)
    • Paschatya Vaidika (Vedic brahmins from west of Bengal)
    • Dakshinatya Vaidika (Vedic brahmins from south of Bengal)
  • Madhya Sreni (brahmins of the midland country)
  • Shakdvipi/ Grahavipra (migrant brahmins of Shakdvipa in Central Asia)
  • Saptaśati

Traditional accounts

The different brahmin communities of Bengal have their own traditional accounts of origin, which are generally found in various genealogical texts known as kulagranthas or kulapanjikas. Other details may also be obtained from court chronicles of various kings of Bengal. Important writers are Harimishra (13th century C.E), Edu Mishra (13th century C.E), Devivara Ghatak (15th century C.E), Dhruvananda Mishra (post 15th century C.E), Vachaspati Mishra, Rajendralal Mitra among others.[4]

  • Radhi and Varendra

The traditional origin of both Radhi and Varendra brahmins has been attributed to a king named Ādiśūra who is said to have invited five Brahmins from Kolancha (as per Edu Mishra and Hari Mishra[10]) and/or from Kanyakubja,[11] (as per Dhruvananda Mishra) so that he could conduct a yajña, because he could not find Vedic experts locally. Some traditional texts mention that Ādiśūra was ancestor of Ballāl Sena from maternal side and five brahmins had been invited in 1077 C.E.[12] Other texts like Varendrakulapanjika, Vachaspati Mishra's account and Edu Mishra's account attribute a date of 732 C.E for the migration. Additionally, other sources like Sambandhanirnaya, Kulanrava and others attribute various dates like 942 C.E, 932 C.E and others.[4]

Historians have located a ruler named Ādiśūra ruling in north Bihar, but not in Bengal [citation needed]. But Ballāl Sena and his predecessors ruled over both Bengal and Mithila (i.e., North Bihar). It is unlikely that the brahmins from Kānyakubja may have been invited to Mithila for performing a yajña, because Mithila was a strong base of brahmins since Vedic age.[13] However some scholars have identified Ādiśūra with Jayanta, a vassal chief of the Gauda king around middle of 8th century C.E.[4] and is also referred to as a contemporary of Jayapida (779 to 812 C.E) of Kashmir (grandson of Lalitaditya) in Kalhana's Rajatarangini.[14]

  • Paschatya Vaidikas

Traditionally they are believed to have migrated from Kanyakubja (or Kanauj), the traditional origin of both Radhi and Varendra brahmins, to Bengal via Tirhoot, during the commencement of Muslim rule in India. Most of the vaidikas were invited by Hindu chiefs and rajas who used to rule in various parts of Bengal during the Muslim ascendancy.[15]

  • Dakshinatya Vaidikas

Traditionally it is believed that during his reign, Vijaya Sena (1097 to 1160 C.E), brought brahmins from South India to Bengal, who integrated themselves with the varendra barhmins and came to be known as Dakshinatya vaidika barahmins.[16]

Divisions among Bengali Brahmins

Both Brahmins and Kayasthas in Bengal have followed a system that ranks the clans hierarchically. The Kulinas formed the higher ranking clans.

  • Rādhi Rādhi (also Rāṭhi in some old texts) is the major branch of Western Bengali brahmins . The descendants of these five Pancyājñika brahmins were hierarchically organised into three categories :
  • Śrotriya is the second rank among the descendants of these five brahmins because they were deft in Vedic knowledge but were considered to be somewhat inferior to the Kulina brahmins (possessing 8 out of 9 noble qualities).
  • Vamśaja is the third rank which was a result of kulinas marrying outside kulinas.[17]

Jāti-Bhāṣkar mentions that those who were given grants along the Ganges by Ballāl Sena were called Gangopādhyāya (literally 'the Vedic teachers in the regions around the Ganges').[18]

Mukhopādhyāya means chief Vedic teacher. Bandopādhyāya is a Sanskritized form of 'Banodha + upādhyāya', Banodha being the ancient name of Raebareli-Unnāva whence their ancestors had come from.[19]

Vaidikas

Main article: Vaidiki Brahmins

These are of two types:

  • Dākṣiṇātyas, coming from Orissa & Andhra originally but now part and parcel of Bengali brahmins.
  • Pāschātyas, coming from western and northern India originally but now part of Bengali brahmins.

These were experts of Vaidika knowledge who were invited to Bengal in different ages, later than the original five brahmins from which Rādhi brahmins originated.

Genetics

Bengali Brahmins showed positive results for only three Y-Haplogroups R1a1, R2a and H1. Y-Haplogroups and their respective percentages are shown in the following table.

R1a1 R2a H1
72.22% 22.22% 5.56%

[20][21]

Haplogroup R1a1, which has originated either in South Asia[22][23][24] or Central Asia[25][26] or Eastern Europe[27] is the most prevalent haplogroup amongst the Bengali Brahmins. The haplogroup is associated with the spread of the Indo-European culture in Indian sub-continent. A very high percentage of 72.22% among Bengali Brahmins which is also one of the highest found frequencies within world groups hints at its presence as a founder lineage for this caste group.[28]

List of Bengali Brahmin Gotras

The bulk of Bengali Brahmin gotras are:[29]

Besides the above mentioned, other gotras can also be found at low frequencies within the Bengali Brahmin community.

Notable Bengali Brahmins

Pre-1757

1757-1947

Post-1947

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Saraswati, Swami Sahajanand (2003). Swami Sahajanand Saraswati Rachnawali in Six volumes (in Volume 1). Delhi: Prakashan Sansthan. pp. 519 (at p 68–69) (Volume 1). ISBN 81-7714-097-3.
  2. ^ A History of Brahmin Clans, p.288
  3. ^ cf. Some Historical Aspects of the Inscription of Bengal, page xii
  4. ^ a b c d e cf. Banger Jatiya Itihash, Brahman Kanda, Vol 1
  5. ^ cf. History of Brahmin Clans,page 281
  6. ^ cf. Banger Jatiya Itihash, Brahman Kanda, Vol 3, Chapter 1
  7. ^ cf. Hindu Castes and Sects, Jogendranath Bhattacharya, Part III, Chap 1, Pg 35
  8. ^ cf. Samaj Biplab ba Brahman Andalon, Dinabandhu Acharya Vedashastri
  9. ^ Vāri+indra, Vāri meant water : cf.A History of Brahmin Clans , page 283.
  10. ^ cf. Harimishra, कोलांचदेशतः पंचविपरा ज्ञानतपोयुताः । महाराजादिशूरेण समानीताः सपत्नीकाः ॥
  11. ^ cf. History of Brahmin Clans,page 281-283
  12. ^ cf. History of Brahmin Clans,page 281 : this book quotes Krishna-Charita by Vidyāsāgar for dating.
  13. ^ cf. D.D. kosambi, p. 123.
  14. ^ cf. Rajatarangini, Tarang 4, Verse 421
  15. ^ cf. Hindu Castes and Sects, Jogendranath Bhattacharya, Part III, Chap 1, Pg 36
  16. ^ Samaj Biplab ba Brahman Andalon, Dinabandhu Acharya Vedashastri
  17. ^ Kuladīpīkā quoted in History of Brahmin Clans,page 283
  18. ^ Jāti-Bhāṣkar quoted in History of Brahmin Clans,page 285
  19. ^ History of Brahmin Clans,page 287
  20. ^ Sengupta et al. (2005)
  21. ^ Sharma et al. (2009)
  22. ^ European Journal of Human Genetics. "European Journal of Human Genetics - Separating the post-Glacial coancestry of European and Asian Y chromosomes within haplogroup R1a". Nature.com. Retrieved 2012-07-13.
  23. ^ http://www.nature.com/jhg/journal/v54/n1/full/jhg20082a.html
  24. ^ European Journal of Human Genetics (2009-03-04). "European Journal of Human Genetics - Y-Chromosome distribution within the geo-linguistic landscape of northwestern Russia". Nature.com. Retrieved 2012-07-13.
  25. ^ "BMC Genetics | Full text | Genetic affinities among the lower castes and tribal groups of India: inference from Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA". Biomedcentral.com. Retrieved 2012-07-13.
  26. ^ "Presence of three different paternal li - PubMed Mobile". Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. 2012-05-24. Retrieved 2012-07-13.
  27. ^ "Abstract/Presentation". Ichg2011.org. 2011-10-14. Retrieved 2012-07-13.
  28. ^ Sharma et al. (2007)
  29. ^ cf. Hindu Castes and Sects, Jogendranath Bhattacharya

References

  • Swami Sahajanand Saraswati Rachnawali (Selected works of Swami Sahajanand Saraswati), Prakashan Sansthan, Delhi, 2003.
  • Kalhana's Rajatarangini: A Chronicle of the Kings of Kashmir; 3 Volumes > M.A.Stein (translator), (Introduction by Mohammad Ishaq Khan),published by Saujanya Books at Srinagar,2007, (First Edition pub. in 1900),ISBN 81-8339-043-9 / 8183390439.
  • A History of Brahmin Clans (Brāhmaṇa Vaṃshõ kā Itihāsa) in Hindi, by Dorilāl Śarmā,published by Rāśtriya Brāhamana Mahāsabhā, Vimal Building, Jamirābād, Mitranagar, Masūdābād,Aligarh-1, 2nd ed-1998. (This Hindi book contains the most exhaustive list of Brahmana gotras and pravaras together their real and mythological histories).
  • Jāti-Bhāṣkara by Pt. Jwālā Prasād Misra, published by Khemaraj Shrikrishnadas, (1914).
  • An Introduction to the Study of Indian History, by Damodar Dharmanand Kosāmbi, Popular Prakasan,35c Tadeo Road, Popular Press Building, Bombay-400034, First Edition: 1956, Revised Second Edition: 1975.
  • Nagendra Nath Basu, Banger Jatiya Itihas (in Bengali), 2 vols, Calcutta, 1321 BS.
  • Atul Sur, Banglar Samajik Itihas (Bengali), Calcutta, 1976
  • NN Bhattacharyya, Bharatiya Jati Varna Pratha (Bengali), Calcutta, 1987
  • RC Majumdar, Vangiya Kulashastra (Bengali), 2nd ed, Calcutta, 1989.
  • Benoychandra Sen, Some Historical Aspects of the Inscription of Bengal, Calcutta, 1942.
  • Sengupta; et al. (2005), "Polarity and Temporality of High-Resolution Y-Chromosome Distributions in India Identify Both Indigenous and Exogenous Expansions and Reveal Minor Genetic Influence of Central Asian Pastoralists", Am. J. Hum. Genet., vol. 78, no. 2, pp. 202–21, doi:10.1086/499411, PMC 1380230, PMID 16400607 {{citation}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help).
  • Sharma; et al. (2007), "The Autochthonous Origin and a Tribal Link of Indian Brahmins: Evaluation Through Molecular Genetic Markers" (PDF), THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HUMAN GENETICS 57th Annual Meeting {{citation}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |last= (help)
  • Sharma; et al. (2009), "The Indian origin of paternal haplogroup R1a1(*)substantiates the autochthonous origin of Brahmins and the caste system", J. Hum.Genet., 54 (1): 47–55, doi:10.1038/jhg.2008.2, PMID 19158816 {{citation}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |last= (help)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bengali_Brahmin&oldid=568069857"