Re: History of Audichya Brahmin

[Ghanshyam Jani]

On Fri, Nov 25, 2011 at 2:15 AM, Audichya Brahmin all <audichya-b...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

The Audichaya Brahman have a wide distribution but their main
concentration is in Ahmedabad, Patan, Mehsana, Kheda, Bharuch,
Surendranagar, SabarKantha, and Panchemahal districts.
The Audichaya Brahman families invited from different regions of
Northern India consisted of 105 from Prayag Kshetra. 100 from the
Ashram of Chavyan Rishi, 100 families from the bank of the river
Saryau; 200 from Kannauj, 100 ‘Kashi Kshetra’ 100 ‘Haridwar’: 100 from
‘Kurukshetra’: 100 from ‘Naimishaaranya’; and 132 from Pushkar
Kshetra. Thus, a total of 1037 families of learned Brahmins were
invited for participation in the Rudra Mahalaya (at Sidhpur) and Rydra
Yagna performed by Prince Mulraj Solanki. It is said that a group of
1000 Audichaya Brahman accepted the gifts offered by king Mulraj and
their descendents are known as Audichaya Shastra Brahmins. Of the
remaining group of 37 Brahmins. Mulraj and his ministers divided them
into different groups according to their merit and their Vedic
Knowledge.
The Audichya Brahmins have a number of ‘Gotras’. The ‘Gotras’ are
Vatsa, Bhargava, Dalabhya, Dron, Maunas, Gangayan, Sankratrutya,
Sankruit, Panlastya, Mandakya, Shaunak, Bhardwaj, Kaudinya,
Artio,Krushnatri, Swetatri, Chandratri, Gautam, Kutsas, Anfiras,
Vashishtha, Upmanu, Udvah-Audvah, Parashas, Laugashi, Kashyap,
Shandilya, Gabhil, Pipplad, Udalak, Audalals, Garga, Kaushik, and
Hirnyagarbha.
There are more than sixty different ‘ataks’ (Surnames) among the
Audichaya Brahmans. These atak names which are used as surnames are
based on their profession and field of proficiency. The most common
among them are Dave, Pandya, Thaker, Upadhhyaya, Trivedi, Jani ,
Pandit, Acharya, Raval, Joshi etc. Earlier there were only 16 Surnames
but in course of time the number went up to 60. The Brahmans who
studied and taught the Vedas to other Brahmans were known as Acharya.
The Brahmans who study and teach the Vedas in different regions come
to be known as Upadhyayas are also referred to as Ozas, Pundits,
Pathaks and Pandas. The Brahmans serving Rajput Kings at the marriages
of princes and princesses were call Purohits irrespective of their
original surnames. Brahmans residing in Panchal Pradesh were called
‘Pancholi’ while those who were well versed in Astrology are known as
Joshis. Thakar Brahmans were those who gave up their original vocation
to manage their villages. The Brahmans who possessed the knowledge of
all the four Vedas were known as Chaturvedis, those who possessing the
knowledge of three Vedas become Trivedis or Tripathis and those
familier only with two Vedas are called Dwivedi and Dave. The Brahmans
doing clerical work were called Mehtas and those who were experts in
making preparations of Yagna were called Yagnik. The Brahmans
possessing knowledge of the Vedas were called Vyas. One can understand
that the community self perception of its status is on a pride in
occupying the biggest position in the varna hierarchy.
The Audichaya Brahman practices endogamy at the community level and
exogamy at the gotra level. The community is characterized by and
internal social hierarchy with those belonging to Siddhpur occupying
the highest position, followed by those of the Zalawad region and
below them are those belonging to the Sihor-kathiawad region.
Formerly, these sections had commenced relations but did not exchange
brides. Now these restrictions are not observed. But they follow
sapinda and pravar exogamy.
The Audichaya Brahman families invited from different regions of
Northern India consisted of 105 from Prayag Kshetra. 100 from the
Ashram of Chavyan Rishi, 100 families from the bank of the river
Saryau; 200 from Kannauj, 100 'Kashi Kshetra' 100 'Haridwar': 100 from
'Kurukshetra': 100 from 'Naimishaaranya'; and 132 from Pushkar
Kshetra. Thus, a total of 1037 families of learned Brahmins were
invited for participation in the Rudra Mahalaya and Rydra Yagna
performed by Prince Mulraj Solanki. It is said that a group of 1000
Audichaya Brahman accepted the gifts offered by king Mulraj and their
descendents are known as Audichaya Shastra Brahmins of the remaining
group of 37 Brahmins. Mulraj and his ministers divided them into
different groups according to their merit and their Vedic Knowledge.

The Audichya Brahmins have a number of 'Gotras'. The 'Gotras' are
Vatsa, Bhargav, Dalabhya, Dron, Maunas, Gangayan, Sankratrutya,
Sankruit, Panlastya, Mandakya, Shaunak, Bhardwaj, Kaudinya,
Arti,Krushnatri, Swetatri, Chandratri, Gautam, Kutsas, Angiras,
Vashishth, Upmanu, Udvah-Audvah, Parashas, Laugashi, Kashyap,
Shandilya, Gabhil, Pipplad, Udalak, Audalals, Garga, Kaushik, and
Hirnyagarbh.
There are more than sixty different 'ataks' (Surnames) among the
Audichaya Brahmans. These atak names which are used as surnames are
based on their profession and field of proficiency. The most common
among them are Dave, Pandya, Thaker, Upadhhyaya, Trivedi, Jani,
Pandit, Acharya, Raval, Joshi etc. Earlier there were only 16 Surnames
but in course of time the number went up to 60. The Brahmans who
studied and taught the Vedas to other Brahmans were known as Acharya.
The Brahmans who study and teach the Vedas in different regions come
to be known as Upadhyayas are also referred to as Ozas, Pundits,
Pathaks and Pandas. The Brahmans serving Rajput Kings at the marriages
of princes and princesses were call Purohits irrespective of their
original surnames.

Brahmans residing in Panchal Pradesh were called 'Pancholi' while
those who were well versed in Astrology are known as Joshis. Thakar
Brahmans were those who gave up their original vocation to manage
their villages. The Brahmans who possessed the knowledge of all the
four Vedas were known as Chaturvedis, those who possessing the
knowledge of three Vedas become Trivedis or Tripathis and those
familiar only with two Vedas are called Dwivedi and Dave. The Brahmans
doing clerical work were called Mehtas and those who were experts in
making preparations of Yagna were called Yagnik. The Brahmans
possessing knowledge of the Vedas were called Vyas.

[Audichya Brahmin all]