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The '''Nagar Brahmin''' are a Hindu [[caste system in India|caste]] of India. They are primarily found in [[Gujarat]] but have a history of migration to [[Rajasthan]], [[Uttar Pradesh]] and [[Madhya Pradesh]], in the north and central, [[Maharashtra]] and [[Karnataka]] further west and into the south, and as far as [[West Bengal]] in the east.
The '''Nagar Brahmin''' are a Hindu Brahmin [[caste system in India|caste]] of India. They are among the most ancient of all Brahmin communities. They are primarily found in [[Gujarat]] but have a history of migration to [[Rajasthan]], [[Uttar Pradesh]] and [[Madhya Pradesh]], in the north and central, [[Maharashtra]] and [[Karnataka]] further west and into the south, and as far as [[West Bengal]] in the east. In [[North India]], the [[Bias Brahmin]] community includes Nagar Brahmins and two other Brahmin groups from Gujarat: the [[Audichya Brahmins|Audichya]] Brahmins and the [[Bardai Brahmins|Bardai]] Brahmins. Many modern day Nagar families are settled outside of India in the [[United States]], [[Canada]], the [[United Kingdom|UK]] and [[Australia]].


In [[North India]], the [[Bias Brahmin]] community includes Nagar Brahmins and two other Brahmin groups from Gujarat: the [[Audichya Brahmins|Audichya]] Brahmins and the [[Bardai Brahmins|Bardai]] Brahmins.
Historians claim the origin of Nagars to be purely [[Aryan]], having come to India from [[Southern Europe]] and [[Central Asia]]. They migrated through the [[Hindu Kush]] to the [[Kashmir]] valley and made their way down to Kurukshetra and later to Western India.


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)|Bania]] caste.<ref>{{cite journal |title=British versus Princely Legacies and the Political Integration of Gujarat |first=John R. |last=Wood |journal=The Journal of Asian Studies |volume=44 |issue=1 |date=November 1984 |pages=65-99 |doi=10.2307/2056747 |jstor=2056747}}</ref>
It is also believed that before Nagars first came to [[Gujarat]] in 404 A.D., they lived in [[Sindh]]. Historians assert that Nagar Brahmins originated from [[Greece]], [[North Macedonia|Macedonia]], [[Syria]] or regions surrounding these places. According to Somerset Pain, they are of Turkish-Syrian descent. According to Sir Herber Ridley, Nagar Brahmins are [[Indo-Scythians]]. Another historian claims that they originated from the ancient Nagar community of [[Iran]].


They are known for travelling and settling across [[the subcontinent]], adopting the local language but writing in their own [[Kaithi script|Nagari-variant of Kaithi]] instead.<ref>{{cite book|title=Bangla Bishwakosh|volume=12|editor=[[Nagendranath Basu]]|language=bn|page=731|chapter=Devanagar}}</ref> This is the case in [[Sindh]], [[Multan]], [[Sylhet]] and [[Varanasi]]. Baitali Kaithi was a former script used to write [[Hindustani language|Hindustani]] at a similar time, and it was identical to Sylhet Nagri with the exception that the latter had a ''matra'' (upper horizontal line used in [[Brahmic scripts]]).<ref>{{cite book|pages=751-779|title=Report of All Asia Educational Conference (Benares, December 26-30, 1930)|chapter=The Origin of the Alphabet and Numbers|author=Saha, RN|location=[[Allahabad]], [[India]]|editor=Khattry, DP|publisher=The Indian Press Ltd|year=1935|url= https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.124177/page/n772/mode/2up}}</ref> Many converted and became [[Nagar Muslims]], though retained the practice of the Nagri script (named after them) for poetry.<ref name=brahmin>{{cite book|title=Proceedings And Transactions Of The Sixth All India Oriental Conference, December 1930|location=[[Patna]], [[Bihar]]|year=1933|publisher=Bihar and Orissa Research Society|chapter=Bengali Section: Presidential Address|author=[[Nagendranath Basu|Basu, Nagendranath]]|pages=262-264}}</ref>
In Gujarat, the Nagar community laid down its roots in the ancient town of [[Vadnagar]] in the [[Mehsana district|Mehsana]] district of North Gujarat. As time passed, the city of Vadnagar was invaded on more than one occasion. Invasions led to Nagar families seeking refuge in the adjacent areas of [[Saurashtra (region)|Saurashtra]] and [[Rajasthan]].  
 
Nagars predominantly worship Lord Shiva in the form of the deity Shree Hatkeshwar Mahadev. The oldest account of the Nagars is given in the [[Nagara Khanda]], a part of the ''[[Skanda Purana]]'' a [[Hindu]] religious text. They are known to have a strong work ethic and are often leaders, whether politically, intellectually, spiritually or socially. Many Nagar families were chieftains of [[Princely state|princely states]], notably in two in [[Gujarat|Gujarati]] peninsula [[Kathiawar]]'s Sorath prant : [[Kuba State]] and [[Vasavad]]. Many were awarded titles from Rajput and Muslim rulers.


== References ==
== References ==

Revision as of 10:30, 13 November 2021

Nagar Brahmins
Nagar Brahmins in Western India (c. 1855-1862)
ReligionsHinduism
LanguagesGujarati, Hindi, English
CountryIndia
Populated statesGujarat, Rajasthan
RegionNorth West India
EthnicityIndian

The Nagar Brahmin are a Hindu Brahmin caste of India. They are among the most ancient of all Brahmin communities. They are primarily found in Gujarat but have a history of migration to Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, in the north and central, Maharashtra and Karnataka further west and into the south, and as far as West Bengal in the east. In North India, the Bias Brahmin community includes Nagar Brahmins and two other Brahmin groups from Gujarat: the Audichya Brahmins and the Bardai Brahmins. Many modern day Nagar families are settled outside of India in the United States, Canada, the UK and Australia.

Historians claim the origin of Nagars to be purely Aryan, having come to India from Southern Europe and Central Asia. They migrated through the Hindu Kush to the Kashmir valley and made their way down to Kurukshetra and later to Western India.

It is also believed that before Nagars first came to Gujarat in 404 A.D., they lived in Sindh. Historians assert that Nagar Brahmins originated from Greece, Macedonia, Syria or regions surrounding these places. According to Somerset Pain, they are of Turkish-Syrian descent. According to Sir Herber Ridley, Nagar Brahmins are Indo-Scythians. Another historian claims that they originated from the ancient Nagar community of Iran.

In Gujarat, the Nagar community laid down its roots in the ancient town of Vadnagar in the Mehsana district of North Gujarat. As time passed, the city of Vadnagar was invaded on more than one occasion. Invasions led to Nagar families seeking refuge in the adjacent areas of Saurashtra and Rajasthan.

Nagars predominantly worship Lord Shiva in the form of the deity Shree Hatkeshwar Mahadev. The oldest account of the Nagars is given in the Nagara Khanda, a part of the Skanda Purana a Hindu religious text. They are known to have a strong work ethic and are often leaders, whether politically, intellectually, spiritually or socially. Many Nagar families were chieftains of princely states, notably in two in Gujarati peninsula Kathiawar's Sorath prant : Kuba State and Vasavad. Many were awarded titles from Rajput and Muslim rulers.

References

External links