Gaur Brahmins: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Group of Brahmin communities in India}}
{{for|the Southern Indians caste|Goud}}
{{for|the Southern Indians caste|Goud}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox ethnic group
{{Infobox ethnic group
| group            = Gaur Brahmin
| group            = Gaur Brahmin
| native_name      =
| image            =  
| image            = Maharaja Hemu Bhargava - Victor of Twenty Two Pitched Battles, 1910s.jpg
| image_caption    =  
| image_caption    = [[Hemu]], a Gaur Brahmin of [[Bhargav]] gotra re-imagined in this 1910s bazaar-art poster in very Mughal courtly style, and glorified in Hindi, Persian (from the Akbar-namah), and English, as "the last Hindu emperor of Hindustan", with his genius certified by the Imperial Gazetteer.
| popplace        = [[Haryana]] • [[Rajasthan]] • [[Western Uttar Pradesh]] • [[Madhya Pradesh]] • [[Delhi]]
| popplace        = [[Delhi]] • [[Rajasthan]] • [[Punjab]] • [[Haryana]] • [[Himachal Pradesh]] • [[Uttarakhand]] •  [[Western Uttar Pradesh]] • [[Madhya Pradesh ]] • [[North India]]
| languages        = [[Haryanvi]] • [[Rajasthani Languages|Rajasthani]] • [[Western Hindi]]
| languages        = [[Haryanvi]] • [[Punjabi Language|Punjabi]] • [[Rajasthani Languages|Rajasthani]] • [[Pahari language|Pahari]] •  [[Western Hindi|Hindi]]
| religions        = [[Hinduism]]
| religions        = [[Hinduism]] • [[Islam]] • [[Sikhism]]
| related_groups  = [[Brahmins]] • [[Pancha Gauda]] • [[Garha]]
| related_groups  = [[Brahmins]] • [[Haryanvi People|Haryanvis]] • [[Punjabis]] • [[Garha]]
}}
}}
'''Gaur Brahmins''' (also spelled '''Gor''', '''Gour''', '''Gaud''' or '''Gauda'''), is a landholding class of [[Brahmin]] community in India. The Gauda Brahmins are one of the five [[Pancha Gauda]] Brahmin communities that lives in the north of the [[Vindhya]]s.<ref name="JGL_2002">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/illustratedencyc0000loch |url-access=registration |title=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: N-Z |author=James G. Lochtefeld |publisher=Rosen |year=2002 |isbn=9780823931804 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/illustratedencyc0000loch/page/490 490]–491 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lXyWE6KbG8oC&pg=PA168 |title=Caste in Life: Experiencing Inequalities |editor=D. Shyam Babu and [[R. S. Khare|Ravindra S. Khare]] |publisher=Pearson Education India |year=2011 |isbn=9788131754399 |page=168 }}</ref>
'''Gaur Brahmins''' ({{IPA|hi|ɡɔːɽ|ipa}}, also spelled '''Gor''', '''Gour''', '''Gaud''' or '''Gauda''') are a community of [[Brahmin]]s in India. They are one of the five [[Pancha Gauda]] Brahmin communities that live north of the [[Vindhya Range|Vindhyas]].&lt;ref name="JGL_2002"&gt;{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/illustratedencyc0000loch |url-access=registration |title=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: N-Z |author=James G. Lochtefeld |publisher=Rosen |year=2002 |isbn=9780823931804 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/illustratedencyc0000loch/page/490 490]–491 }}&lt;/ref&gt;&lt;ref&gt;{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lXyWE6KbG8oC&amp;pg=PA168 |title=Caste in Life: Experiencing Inequalities |editor=D. Shyam Babu and [[R. S. Khare|Ravindra S. Khare]] |publisher=Pearson Education India |year=2011 |isbn=9788131754399 |page=168}}&lt;/ref&gt;
[[File:Indiahills.png|thumb|196x196px|Map showing hills and elevated regions of India mostly Gaurs live above of the [[Vindhya Range]] which is shown in the map by line in center.]]
 
== Origins ==
Gaur Brahmins likely originated from [[Kurukshetra]] region.<ref name=":0" /> Initially inhabiting tracts of land between the [[Yamuna]] and [[Sutlej]] rivers. Today they are most numerous in the western half of [[Northern India]], particularly in the states of [[Delhi]], [[Haryana]], [[Punjab]], [[Rajasthan]] as well as in the western parts of [[Uttar Pradesh]] and [[Madhya Pradesh]] and a significant amount are present in other northern states of India as well.<ref name="NJC_2017">{{cite book |author=James G. Lochtefeld |url=https://archive.org/details/TheIllustratedEncyclopediaOfHinduism.../page/n273/mode/2up |title=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism |publisher=Rosen |year=2002 |isbn=9780823931804 |pages= |url-access=registration |archive-url= |archive-date=}}</ref>
 
In Sir George Campbell's Ethnology of India, it is suggested that Gaurs may have derived their names from the [[Ghaggar | Ghaggar-Hakra River]], which, in ancient times, was a tributary of Saraswati and now discharges its waters into the [[Sutlej]] near [[Firozpur]].<ref name=":0">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xlpLAAAAMAAJ |title= Hindu Castes and Sects: An Exposition of the Origin of the Hindu Caste System and the Bearing of the Sects Towards Each Other and Towards Other Religious Systems |editor=[[Jogendra Nath Bhattacharya]] |publisher=Spink Thacker |year=1896 |isbn=9781298966339 |page=52 }}</ref>
 
'''Description of Brahmins of [[Kurukshetra]] area in [[Manusmriti]]''':
{{blockquote|text=[[Kurukshetra]] and the land of [[Matsya (tribe)|Matsyas]], [[Pañcāla]] and [[Surasena|Sursenkas]] constitutes the land of Brahmin seers which borders on the Brahmavarta. All the people on Earth should learn their respective practices from a [[Brahmin]] born in that land.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Manu (Lawgiver) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VmfXnfB-474C&pg=PA24 |title=The Law Code of Manu |date=2004 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-280271-2 |language=en}}</ref>}}
 
== Classification ==
Mostly Gaur Brahmins practice agriculture and {{not a typo|till}} their soil with their own hands and do other secular professions. There are different  sub sections of Gaurs such as Gurjar Gaur, Shri Gaur, Tyagi Gaur and Sanadhya Gaur, all of them belong to '''Gaurs/Adi Gaurs''' ([[Adi (name)|Adi]] means "the first one").<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bhattacharya |first=Jogendra Nath |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xlpLAAAAMAAJ&q=gaur |title=Hindu Castes and Sects: An Exposition of the Origin of the Hindu Caste System and the Bearing of the Sects Towards Each Other and Towards Other Religious Systems |date=1896 |publisher=Thacker, Spink |language=en}}</ref>
 
[[File:Ghaggar-Hakra ancient river bed.svg|thumb|Ghaggar-Hakra river bed where Gaur Brahmins originates and they still found in heavy numbers in this area i.e. Karnal Belt<ref name="Pioneer">{{Cite web |last=Pioneer |first=The |title=Karnal: Brahmin belt of Haryana to see straight BJP-Cong contest |url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/2019/state-editions/karnal--brahmin-belt-of-haryana-to-see-straight-bjp-cong-contest.html |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=The Pioneer |language=en}}</ref>]]


== Demographics ==
== Demographics ==
[[File:Brahmin distribution.jpg|thumb|A Map Depicting the Distribution and Diversity of Brahmin Communities, with Gaur Brahmins Boldly Standing Out.]]Gaurs are mostly concentrated in below states with significant population.
Gaur Brahmins are most numerous in the western half of [[Northern India]], particularly in the states of [[Haryana]], [[Rajasthan]], and western parts of [[Western Uttar Pradesh|Uttar Pradesh]] and [[Madhya Pradesh]], but a significant number are present in other northern states of India also.&lt;ref name="NJC_2017"&gt;{{cite book |author=James G. Lochtefeld |url=https://archive.org/details/TheIllustratedEncyclopediaOfHinduism.../page/n273/mode/2up |title=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism |publisher=Rosen |year=2002 |isbn=9780823931804 |pages= |url-access=registration |archive-url= |archive-date=}}&lt;/ref&gt;
{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Gaurs concentration in North India'''
!S. No
!State
!Population
|-
|1.
|[[Haryana]]  
|10-16%<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2022-05-26 |title=हरियाणा में चुनाव से पहले गरमाई ब्राह्मण वोटों की सियासत, घिर सकती है बीजेपी |url=https://www.aajtak.in/india/haryana/story/haryana-brahmin-politics-bjp-cm-demand-congress-rajya-sabha-caste-politics-ntc-1470109-2022-05-26 |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=आज तक |language=hi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda eyes non-Jat voters now, pushes MLA Venod Sharma's name |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/story/bhupinder-singh-hooda-non-jat-vote-bank-brahmin-vote-bank-venod-sharma-haryana-congress-218398-2013-11-22 |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Pioneer"/>
|-
|2.
|[[Delhi|Delhi (capital of India)]]
|14%<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Pioneer |first=The |title=Fight for Brahmin votes intensifies |url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/2013/india/fight-for-brahmin-votes-intensifies.html |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=The Pioneer |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|3.
|[[Rajasthan]]
|10-12%<ref>{{Cite web |last=Studio |first=Rajasthan |date=2021-04-30 |title=8 Communities Of Rajasthan - Full Of Culture And Life |url=https://rajasthanstudio.com/8-communities-of-rajasthan-full-of-culture-and-life/ |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=Rajasthan Studio |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Web Desk |first=Outlook |date=5 Feb 2022 |title=Distribution Of Brahmin Population |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/distribution-of-brahmin-population/220442 |website=Outlook India}}</ref>
|-
|4.
|[[Western Uttar Pradesh]]
|17%<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hindi News: हिंदी समाचार, Latest News in Hindi, Live Breaking News {{!}} Patrika |url=https://www.patrika.com/ |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=Patrika News |language=hi-IN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Apki |first=Khabar |date=2017-01-19 |title=भाजपा को बड़ा झटका: यूपी का सबसे बड़ा वोट बैंक भाजपा के खिलाफ करेगा मतदान … |url=https://khabarapki.wordpress.com/2017/01/19/%e0%a4%ad%e0%a4%be%e0%a4%9c%e0%a4%aa%e0%a4%be-%e0%a4%95%e0%a5%8b-%e0%a4%ac%e0%a5%9c%e0%a4%be-%e0%a4%9d%e0%a4%9f%e0%a4%95%e0%a4%be-%e0%a4%af%e0%a5%82%e0%a4%aa%e0%a5%80-%e0%a4%95%e0%a4%be-%e0%a4%b8/ |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=Khabar Apki |language=en}}</ref> (including [[Tyagi|Tyagi Gaurs]])
|}


== Social status ==
Brahmins, mostly Gaurs, have a significant population in [[Delhi]], around 12% - 14%, larger than the combined population of [[Jats]] and [[Gujjars]]. They play a dominant role in the region's politics.&lt;ref name=":3"&gt;{{Cite news |last=Kumar |first=Rajesh |date=4 December 2013 |title=Fight for Brahmin votes intensifies |url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/2013/india/fight-for-brahmin-votes-intensifies.html |work=The Pioneer |access-date=27 April 2023}}&lt;/ref&gt;{{clarify|reason=source seems to contradict itself, mentioning Gaur &amp; then a long list of others|date=October 2023}}&lt;ref&gt;{{Cite book |last=Yadav |first=Sanjay |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CTBBL1q5C_EC&amp;pg=PA14 |title=The Invasion of Delhi |date=2008 |publisher=Worldwide Books |pages=14,15 |isbn=978-81-88054-00-8}}&lt;/ref&gt;
In places where Gaur Brahmins reside, Brahmins who are not of the Gaur community are often considered to have an inferior status.<ref>https://books.google.com/books?id=XyCBDwAAQBAJ&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&pg=PT80&dq=anomalies+have+always+have+been+there+regarding+rank&hl=en</ref>
 
In Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, too, Gaur Brahmins enjoy a higher social status relative to communities such as the [[Saraswat]] and [[Kanyakubja Brahmin]].<ref>https://books.google.co.in/books?id=gf1m6isJ8JgC&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&dq=Dichhat+are+known+as+Gaur+Brahmins++Chhajwan+,+Ror+and+Sitya+have+a+lower+social+status&q=Dichhat+are+known+as+Gaur+Brahmins++Chhajwan+,+Ror+and+Sitya+have+a+lower+social+status&hl=en&redir_esc=y</ref>


== Military ==
== Military ==
During [[British Raj]], [[Brahmins]] were described as '[[Martial race|the oldest martial community]]'. Gaur Brahmins were one of the Brahmin sub-castes who were described as "[[martial race]]" by British.
During World War I, Gaur Brahmins were recruited to regiments and companies of the [[British Indian Army]], notably the [[1st Brahmans]] and [[3rd Brahmans]].&lt;ref&gt;{{cite book |last=Yadav |first=Atul |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pH9aEAAAQBAJ&amp;dq=pandit+lal+chand&amp;pg=PA22 |title=Valour Unlimited: Haryana and the Indian Armed Forces (1914-2000) |publisher=K.K. Publications |year=2022 |page=25}}&lt;/ref&gt;


'''Description of Brahmins in British army''':
== Social status ==
<blockquote>
In places where Gaur Brahmins reside, Brahmins who are not of the Gaur community are often considered to have an inferior status.&lt;ref&gt;{{Cite book |last=Sharma |first=K. L. |url=https://archive.org/details/caste_social_inequality_and_mobility_in_rural_india_reconceptualizing |title=Caste, Social Inequality and Mobility in Rural India: Reconceptualizing the Indian Village |date=2 February 2019 |publisher=SAGE Publishing India |isbn=978-93-5328-202-8 |page=80}}&lt;/ref&gt;
The British army portrayed Brahmins as fighters with excellent physical attributes and a strong sense of pride in their lineage. Their cleanliness, smartness on parade, athletic abilities, expertise in wrestling, and exceptional strength capabilities were highly praised. They were also held in high regard for their courage, having fought alongside the British against the French, helped to crush the Nawab of Oudh, and served with distinction in various wars including those in Mahratta, Nepal, Afghan, and Sikh wars. They formed an integral part of the British Indian Army and proved their mettle repeatedly in battles. If class regiments existed during their time, the prestige of the Rajput and Brahmin sepoy would have been even higher than it already was.<ref>{{cite book |last=Candler |first=Edmund |author-link=Edmund Candler |date=1919 |title=The Sepoy|chapter=The Rajput and the Brahman |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/48666/48666-h/48666-h.htm |location=London |publisher=John Murray |page=125}}</ref>
</blockquote>
 
'''They were mostly composed in below regiments and companies of British Indian Army''':
 
* [[1st Brahmans]]<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Gaylor |first=Johan |title=Sons of John Company. The Indian & Pakistan Armies 1903-1991 |publisher=Spellmount Publishers Ltd |year=1992 |isbn=0-946771-98-7 |pages=130 |language=English}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Yadav |first=Atul |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=pH9aEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA22&lpg=PA22&dq=pandit+lal+chand&source=bl&ots=EloQzJEJF8&sig=ACfU3U3PF6tZBHey0QGITPBM9YzNEiHBgA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiYraT01rv_AhW7i1YBHQItBMg4FBDoAXoECAUQAg#v=onepage&q&f=false |title=Valour Unlimited: Haryana and the Indian Armed Forces (1914-2000) |publisher=K.K. Publications |year=2022 |page=25}}</ref>
* [[3rd Brahmans]]<ref name=":1" />{{sfn|Yadav|2022|p=25}}
* [[9th Bhopal Infantry]] (which had two companies in 1914 and 1919)<ref>{{Cite web |title=9th Bhopal Infantry - Researching WW1 |url=http://www.researchingww1.co.uk/9th-bhopal-infantry-1st-battalion |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=Researching the Lives and Service Records of First World War Soldiers |language=en-GB}}</ref>
 
<gallery caption="Pictures related to above listed regiments">
File:9th Bhopal Infantry Indian Army.jpg|Badge of [[Bhopal]] Infantry
File:9th Bhopal Regiment Gaur Brahmins.jpg|Group photo of Haryanvi Gaur Brahmin soldiers of Haryana in the 9th Bhopal Infantry Regiment at [[Faizabad]] on the eve of going to war.
File:Officers 1st Brahmins, 1922.jpg|British and Indian officers of the [[1st Brahmans]], 1912.
</gallery>
 
==== Military spirit ====
Sikh Author Ajaypal Singh Brar mentions a story of World War-I, he says: <blockquote>"After losing three of her sons, a Gaur Brahmin woman from [[Rawalpindi]] sent her remaining sons to war (WW1)."<ref>{{Cite news |date=2018-04-17 |title=‘Participation of Punjab in WWI due to martial roots of populace’ |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/participation-of-punjab-in-wwi-due-to-martial-roots-of-populace/articleshow/63791285.cms |access-date=2023-06-16 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref></blockquote>
 
Haryana State Gazetteer mentions:<blockquote>"Given the new circumstances, a significant number of Brahman youths have developed a strong interest in joining the army. As a result, they have become excellent officers who serve their country with distinction. In addition to their military service, many Brahman individuals have pursued careers as advocates, bureaucrats, successful businessmen, and skilled agriculturists."<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kYsMAQAAMAAJ&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&dq=many+Brahmin+youth+have+shown+a+great+inclination+towards+army+.&q=many+Brahmin+youth+have+shown+a+great+inclination+towards+army+.&hl=en |title=Haryana State Gazetteer |date=2001 |publisher=Haryana Gazetteers Organisation, Revenue Department |language=en}}</ref></blockquote>
 
== Society & Culture ==
 
=== Delhi & NCR ===
In a research on Gaur Brahmins in the National Capital Region/Delhi, involving 506 households using pretested interview schedules (aged between 25 and 70 years), it was discovered that more than 95% of them were literate, with a notably high literacy rate of 97.03%. The primary occupation for most individuals in the community is business. In terms of marital status, approximately 80% of the population is married, with 78.99% being males and 80.48% being females.
 
'''Father Monserrate, who visited Delhi in 988/1581 but completed his travel account outside India a decade later in 999/1591, mentioned Brahmins of Delhi in his commendatory :'''<blockquote>Delinum [Delhi] is inhabited by substantial and wealthy Brachmanae [Brahmin], and of course by a Mongol garrison. Hence its many private mansions add considerably to the magnificence of the city. For the neighborhood is rich in stone and lime, and the rich men construct for themselves well-built, lofty and handsomely decorated residences ... Time fails me to describe the lovely parks and the many residential districts on both sides of the Jomanis [Yamuna], which passes close to the city on the east. The parks and gardens are filled with a rich profusion of fruit and flowers.</blockquote>'''International Association of Hydrological Sciences. Scientific Assembly mentions :'''<blockquote>In a typical Delhi village, Jat and Brahmins are the most dominant castes.</blockquote>


=== Haryana & Rajasthan ===
== Notable people ==
Gaur Brahmins, who reside in Rajasthan and Haryana typically do not engage in priestly duties. A majority of them strictly adhere to a vegetarian diet, with wheat and millet as the foundation of their staple foods, supplemented by various pulses and rice, while maize is consumed occasionally. Mustard and Sesame oil are primarily used for cooking. Their diet includes a substantial consumption of fruits and vegetables, as well as milk and dairy products. Smoking habits include beedis, cigarettes, and hookah.


Within the Gaur Brahmin community, distinct exogamous clans exist, and they practice endogamy, avoiding marriage within the mother's clan. Monogamy is the norm in their marriages. Marital symbols include vermilion, bangles (bor), toe rings, and bindis. Widows frequently remarry, and polygamy is permitted under circumstances of infertility or the wife's mental illness. Extended families are prevalent. Women within the community are actively engaged in agricultural work, fetching water, cooking, tending to children, and participating in various household and family management tasks. The cornerstone of their economic resources lies in land, often utilized for share cropping, as agriculture constitutes their primary occupation.
===Historical figures ===
* [[Bhai Almast]] – 16th-century religious figure&lt;ref&gt;{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Bhupender |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GZOjEAAAQBAJ&amp;dq=Balu+Hasna&amp;pg=PA119 |title=BABA NANAK SHAH FAKIR |date=23 December 2022 |publisher=Blue Rose Publishers |isbn=978-93-5704-660-2 |page=119}}&lt;/ref&gt;&lt;ref&gt;{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Harbans |url=https://archive.org/details/TheEncyclopediaOfSikhism-VolumeIA-d/page/84/mode/1up?q=Gaur |title=The Encyclopedia Of Sikhism Vol. I |year=1992 |isbn=81-7380-100-2 |publisher=Punjabi University, Patiala |language=en |page=85-86}}&lt;/ref&gt;
* [[Bhai Balu Hasna]] – 16th-century religious figure&lt;ref&gt;{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Bhupender |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GZOjEAAAQBAJ&amp;dq=Balu+Hasna&amp;pg=PA119 |title=BABA NANAK SHAH FAKIR |date=23 December 2022 |publisher=Blue Rose Publishers |isbn=978-93-5704-660-2 |language=en |page=119}}&lt;/ref&gt;
* [[Khushal Singh Jamadar]] – 19th-century military and administrative officer&lt;ref&gt;{{Cite book |last=Gopal |first=Madan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s3ycAAAAMAAJ&amp;q=Gaur+brahmin |title=Life and Times of Dyal Singh Majithia |date=1999 |publisher=Uppal Publishing House |isbn=978-81-7658-002-1 |language=en}}&lt;/ref&gt;&lt;ref&gt;{{Cite book |last=Falcon |first=Robert Worgan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LLcbM7qePMwC&amp;dq=Khushal+SIngh+Gaur+brahmin+majithia&amp;pg=PA122 |title=Handbook on Sikhs for the Use of Regimental Officers |date=1896 |publisher=Pioneer Press |language=en}}&lt;/ref&gt;
* [[Tej Singh]] – 19th-century military and politically leader&lt;ref&gt;{{cite book |last=Williams |first=Donovan |title=Life And Times Of Ranjit Singh |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.111048/page/n280/mode/1up |publisher=V.V.R.I. Press |page=268 |year=1970 |access-date=17 January 2017}}&lt;/ref&gt;
* [[Madan Mohan Malaviya]] – educationist and Indian independence activist&lt;ref&gt;{{Cite web |last=Excelsior |first=Daily |date=24 December 2014 |title=A Staunch Nationalist |url=https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/staunch-nationalist/ |access-date=23 April 2023 |website=Jammu Kashmir Latest News {{!}} Tourism {{!}} Breaking News J&amp;K |language=en-US}}&lt;/ref&gt;


Gaur Brahmins maintain their own institutions and panchayats at village, tehsil, district, and state levels. In terms of religion, they worship Hindu deities such as Hanuman, Shiva, Durga, and Sheetla Mata and partake in celebrations like Holi, Diwali, Dussehra, Sankranti, and Shivratri. They also establish inter-community connections with other groups like Dhobi, Nai, Chamar, Gujjar and Bania. A significant portion of the Gaur Brahmin population is educated and actively involved in politics.
=== Artists ===
 
* [[Lakhmi Chand]] – poet, founder of [[Saang|Haryanvi Saang culture]]&lt;ref&gt;{{Cite web |last=भारती |first=कंवल |date=20 February 2023 |title=हरियाणवी समाज के प्रदूषक लोक कवि लखमी चंद |url=https://www.forwardpress.in/2023/02/literature-haryanvi-folk-lakhmi-chand/ |access-date=17 June 2023 |website=Forward Press |language=hi}}&lt;/ref&gt;
== Politics ==
Due to signification population in [[Haryana]] , [[Delhi]] , [[Rajasthan]] , [[Western Uttar Pradesh|West UP]]. Gaur Brahmins are politically strong community in these state and Western UP.
 
==== Haryana ====
GT-Karnal belt is known as the Brahmin belt of Haryana along with other communities most of the time here MP comes from the Brahmin community.<ref name=":2" />
 
==== Delhi ====
Brahmins mostly Gaurs have large population , larger than than the combined population of Jats are Gujjars<ref name=":3" /> and they plays a dominant role in politics.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Yadav |first=Sanjay |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=CTBBL1q5C_EC&pg=PA10&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false |title=The Invasion of Delhi |date=2008 |publisher=Worldwide Books |isbn=978-81-88054-00-8 |language=en}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Garha|Gaur Muslims]]
*[[Forward Castes]]
*[[List of Gaur Brahmins]]
*[[Gabr]]


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Gauda Brahmins}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gaur Brahmins}}
 
[[Category:Brahmin communities of Haryana]]
[[Category:Brahmin communities of Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:Brahmin communities of Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Brahmin communities of Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Brahmin communities of Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:Brahmin communities of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Brahmin communities of Haryana]]
[[Category:Brahmin communities of Gujarat]]
[[Category:Punjabi Brahmins]]
[[Category:Agricultural castes]]
[[Category:Brahmins]]
[[Category:Brahmin communities of Delhi]]
[[Category:Brahmin communities of Delhi]]
[[Category:Brahmin communities of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Social groups of Himachal Pradesh]]

Revision as of 01:09, 26 September 2025


For the Southern Indians caste, see Goud.

Gaur Brahmin
Regions with significant populations
Haryana • Rajasthan • Western Uttar Pradesh • Madhya Pradesh • Delhi
Languages
Haryanvi • Rajasthani • Western Hindi
Religion
Hinduism
Related ethnic groups
Brahmins • Pancha Gauda • Garha

Gaur Brahmins (hi, also spelled Gor, Gour, Gaud or Gauda) are a community of Brahmins in India. They are one of the five Pancha Gauda Brahmin communities that live north of the Vindhyas.<ref name="JGL_2002">James G. Lochtefeld (2002). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: N-Z. Rosen. pp. 490–491. ISBN 9780823931804.</ref><ref>D. Shyam Babu and Ravindra S. Khare, ed. (2011). Caste in Life: Experiencing Inequalities. Pearson Education India. p. 168. ISBN 9788131754399.</ref>

Demographics

Gaur Brahmins are most numerous in the western half of Northern India, particularly in the states of Haryana, Rajasthan, and western parts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, but a significant number are present in other northern states of India also.<ref name="NJC_2017">James G. Lochtefeld (2002). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism. Rosen. ISBN 9780823931804.</ref>

Brahmins, mostly Gaurs, have a significant population in Delhi, around 12% - 14%, larger than the combined population of Jats and Gujjars. They play a dominant role in the region's politics.<ref name=":3">Kumar, Rajesh (4 December 2013). "Fight for Brahmin votes intensifies". The Pioneer. Retrieved 27 April 2023.</ref>[clarification needed]<ref>Yadav, Sanjay (2008). The Invasion of Delhi. Worldwide Books. pp. 14, 15. ISBN 978-81-88054-00-8.</ref>

Military

During World War I, Gaur Brahmins were recruited to regiments and companies of the British Indian Army, notably the 1st Brahmans and 3rd Brahmans.<ref>Yadav, Atul (2022). Valour Unlimited: Haryana and the Indian Armed Forces (1914-2000). K.K. Publications. p. 25.</ref>

Social status

In places where Gaur Brahmins reside, Brahmins who are not of the Gaur community are often considered to have an inferior status.<ref>Sharma, K. L. (2 February 2019). Caste, Social Inequality and Mobility in Rural India: Reconceptualizing the Indian Village. SAGE Publishing India. p. 80. ISBN 978-93-5328-202-8.</ref>

Notable people

Historical figures

Artists

See also

References

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