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{{short description|Garhwali brahmin sub-caste from Uttarakhand, India}}
{{short description|Garhwali brahmin sub-caste from Uttarakhand, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{pp|small=yes}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox caste
{{Infobox caste
|caste_name= Sarola\Saryul\Serul
|caste_name= Sarola\Saryul\Serul
|classification= [[Brahmin]]
|classification= [[Brahmin]]
|populated_states=[[Uttarakhand]], [[India]]
|populated_states=[[Uttarakhand]], [[India]]
|languages= [[Garhwali language|Garhwali]], [[Sanskrit]]
|languages= [[Garhwali language|Garhwali]]
|related= [[Garhwali people]]
|related= [[Garhwali people]]
|religions= [[File:Om.svg|15px]] [[Hinduism]]
|religions= [[File:Om.svg|15px]] [[Hinduism]]
}}
}}


'''Sarola Brahmin''', also called '''Saryul''' and '''Serul''' are [[Garhwali people|Garhwali Brahmins]] from [[Uttarakhand]], [[India]]. Sarola Brahmins were the earliest authenticated [[Brahmin]] castes in the then small [[Garhwal Kingdom]] 1200 years ago. The capital of this kingdom was Chandpur Garhi and twelve castes of Brahmins were settled in twelve villages surrounding the capital. Each of this [[Brahmin]] faction have their own [[kuladevata|Kuladevata or Kuladevi]]. They settled as rajpurohits, royal astrologers, [[Pandit|priests]], cooks, [[guru]]s, and as royal advisors. Along with this they were also designated the task of cooking food on auspicious occasions and also on royal occasions by the King of Garhwal, thus named "Sarola" ([[Garhwali language|Garhwali]] for cook). These twelve villages were collectively known as "Bara Than" meaning "Barah Sthan", and the Brahmins living in these villages were known as "Sarola" Brahmins.
'''Sarola Brahmin''', also called '''Saryul''' and '''Serul,''' are the oldest [[Garhwali people|Garhwali]] [[Brahmins]] from [[Uttarakhand]], [[India]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PAU3AQAAMAAJ|title=Garhwal: Ancient and Modern|first=Pati|last=Ram|year=1916|publisher=Army Press|pages=82–83|via=Google Books}}</ref> These families were founded in the 6th and 7th centuries by scions of multiple Brahmin [[magnate]] clans to rule as the sacerdotal [[Aristocracy (class)|aristocracy]] of the Himalayan Kingdoms.  
== History ==
The Sarolas originally were 12 ancient houses: [[Nautiyal|Nautiyals]], Maitwanas, Khanduras, Raturis, [[Thapliyal|Thapliyals]], Chamolis, [[Semwal]]s, Lakheras, Semaltis, [[Gairola|Gairolas]], Kothiyals and Dimris.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dobhal |first=Girdhari Lal |title=Development of the Hill Areas |publisher=Concept Publishing Company |year=1986 |isbn=81-8069-223-X |edition=1st |location=New Delhi |pages=56 |language=English}}</ref> However, the oldest families, often exclusively Sarola and with the most illustrious lineages, such as the [[Kanyakubja Brahmin|Kanyakubja]] Joshis (the oldest of the leading Satkuli or 7 Brahmin lineages of [[Kumaon Kingdom|Kumaon]] where they served as hereditary prime ministers since the Sixth century) or the [[Rajpurohit]] [[Gaur Brahmins|Gaur]] Nautiyals (hereditary prime ministers in Garhwal) or the [[Maithil Brahmin|Maithil]] Uniyals (in Garhwal) held a higher ducal status as [[Taluqdar|Taluqdars]] or [[Thakur (title)|Thakurs]] and were themselves descendants of royal and leading Brahmin ducal houses from the pre-medieval kingdoms of their origins such as the Nautiyals of [[Malwa]], Joshis of the [[Carnatic region|Carnatic]] or Uniyals of [[Magadha (Mahajanapada)|Magadha]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Basak |first=Sudeshna |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=laksAAAAIAAJ |title=Socio-cultural Study of a Minority Linguistic Group: Bengalees in Bihar, 1858-1912 |date=1991 |publisher=B.R. Publishing Corporation |isbn=978-81-7018-627-4 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Prahalad |title=Rajpurohit Jati ki Itihas |publisher=Rajasthani Granthagar |year=1978 |isbn=978-93-90179-06-0 |location=Jodhpur |trans-title=A History of the Rajpurohit Houses}}</ref>


The original twelve Sarola Brahmin castes<ref>{{Cite book|author=Saklani, Atul|year=1987|title=The History of a Himalayan Princely State: Change, Conflicts, and Awakening: an Interpretative History of Princely State of Tehri Garhwal, U.P., A.D. 1815 to 1949 A.D.|publisher=Durga Publications|pages=not specified|oclc=17918157|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UOItAAAAMAAJ}}</ref>are as follows:
The [[Uniyal|Uniyals]], [[Bahuguna|Bahugunas]], Dobhals, and Dangwals were the oldest [[Gangari Brahmin|Gangari Brahmins]] founded in the 8th century after the first Sarola families, but due to their ancient lineage from classical dynasties of the Gangetic Plains of Bihar, Bengal and Ayodhya, they were afforded the same high status as the Sarola Houses and formed the class of Chauthoki aristocrats. The Chauthoki houses were pre-eminent nobility in [[Tehri Garhwal district|Tehri Garhwal]] as counterpart to the Sarolas being the high lords in [[Pauri|Pauri Garhwal]] and [[Chamoli district|Chamoli Garhwal]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Saklani |first=Atul |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UOItAAAAMAAJ&q=chauthogi |title=The History of a Himalayan Princely State: Change, Conflicts, and Awakening : an Interpretative History of Princely State of Tehri Garhwal, U.P., A.D. 1815 to 1949 A.D. |date=1987 |publisher=Durga Publications |language=en}}</ref>  


#[[Semwal]] from Semgaon village
These Brahmin houses maintained vast interests in landholding, finance and hereditary ministerial positions along with custodianship of the great temples of North India as hereditary 'Ravals' (high priests or archbishops) such as [[Yamunotri Temple|Yamunotri]] under the Uniyals, [[Gangotri Temple|Gangotri]] under the Semwals, [[Kedarnath Temple|Kedarnath]] under the Dimris, [[Joshimath]] under the Joshis, [[Nanda Devi]] under the Nautiyals, and the highest Hindu ecclesiastical authority in the north: the temple of [[Badrinath Temple|Badrinath]] under the Nambudris who bore the dynastic title of 'Shankaracharya' (pontiff) due to their direct descent from [[Adi Shankara|Adisankara]] of the eighth century who established all these great temples in North India.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kumar |first=Dinesh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a4XXAAAAMAAJ |title=The Sacred Complex of Badrinath: A Study of Himalayan Pilgrimage |date=1991 |publisher=Kisohr [i.e. Kishor] Vidya Niketan |language=en}}</ref> The greatest ecclesiastical seats of Hinduism are the 4 Pontifical Thrones of the [[Char Dham]] (Badrinath, Puri, Rameswaram, Dwarka) and the 4 High Sees of the [[Chota Char Dham]] (Badrinath - ''Joshimath'', Kedarnath - ''Nanda Devi'', Yamunotri, Gangotri) as well as the 12 [[Jyotirlinga|Jyotrlingas]] of which Kedarnath is the highest and most sacred due to its proximity to the divine abode of Lord Shiva at Kailasa. <ref>{{Cite web |[email protected] |first=Travel To India- |title=Kedarnath Dham Yatra- Temple & Travel Information |url=https://www.traveltoindia.org/kedarnath-dham.html |access-date=2024-07-10 |website=Travel To India |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Government of Uttarakhand |title=Shri Kedarnath Dham |url=https://badrinath-kedarnath.gov.in/AboutUs/shri-kedarnath.aspx#:~:text=A%20conical%20rock%20formation%20inside,Kedarnath%20is%20highest%20among%20them. |website=Shri Badarinath Kedarnath Temple Committee}}</ref>
#Maithani from Jhair village
#Dimri from Dimmar village
#[[Nautiyal]] from Nauti village/Masaan gaon
#Thapliyal from Thapli village
#Khanduri from Khandura village
#Kothiyal from Kothi village
#[[Gairola]] from Gairoli village
#Raturi from Ratura village
#[[Hatwal]] from Hatgaon village
#Chamoli from Chamoli village
#Semalti from Semalta village


The Sarolas and Chauthokis settled as [[Rajpurohit|Rajpurohits]] (grand viziers), royal astrologers, [[Pandit|high priests]], ritual cooks, r[[guru|oyal Guru]]s, and royal advisors and ministers. They were also designated the task of cooking ritual temple offerings on auspicious occasions and also on royal occasions by the King of Garhwal, thus named "Sarola" ([[Garhwali language|Garhwali]] for cooking offerings) due to the ritual purity of the Sarola Brahmins which meant only their hand could prepare the oblations.<ref>{{Cite book |last=General |first=India (Republic) Office of the Registrar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3-kcAQAAMAAJ&q=sarola+brahmin+cooking+food |title=Census of India 1961 |date=1961 |publisher=Manager of Publications |language=en}}</ref>
==See also==
==See also==
* [[Gangari Brahmin]]
* [[Gangari Brahmin]]


== References ==
== References ==
<!--- See [[Wikipedia:Footnotes]] on how to create references using<ref></ref> tags which will then appear here automatically -->
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Sarola Brahmin}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sarola Brahmin}}
[[Category:Brahmin communities of Uttarakhand]]
[[Category:Brahmin communities of Uttarakhand]]
[[Category:Garhwal division]]
[[Category:History of Garhwal]]

Latest revision as of 02:39, 16 March 2026


Sarola\Saryul\Serul
ClassificationBrahmin
Religions Hinduism
LanguagesGarhwali
Populated statesUttarakhand, India
Related groupsGarhwali people

Sarola Brahmin, also called Saryul and Serul, are the oldest Garhwali Brahmins from Uttarakhand, India.[1] These families were founded in the 6th and 7th centuries by scions of multiple Brahmin magnate clans to rule as the sacerdotal aristocracy of the Himalayan Kingdoms.

History[edit | edit source]

The Sarolas originally were 12 ancient houses: Nautiyals, Maitwanas, Khanduras, Raturis, Thapliyals, Chamolis, Semwals, Lakheras, Semaltis, Gairolas, Kothiyals and Dimris.[2] However, the oldest families, often exclusively Sarola and with the most illustrious lineages, such as the Kanyakubja Joshis (the oldest of the leading Satkuli or 7 Brahmin lineages of Kumaon where they served as hereditary prime ministers since the Sixth century) or the Rajpurohit Gaur Nautiyals (hereditary prime ministers in Garhwal) or the Maithil Uniyals (in Garhwal) held a higher ducal status as Taluqdars or Thakurs and were themselves descendants of royal and leading Brahmin ducal houses from the pre-medieval kingdoms of their origins such as the Nautiyals of Malwa, Joshis of the Carnatic or Uniyals of Magadha.[3][4]

The Uniyals, Bahugunas, Dobhals, and Dangwals were the oldest Gangari Brahmins founded in the 8th century after the first Sarola families, but due to their ancient lineage from classical dynasties of the Gangetic Plains of Bihar, Bengal and Ayodhya, they were afforded the same high status as the Sarola Houses and formed the class of Chauthoki aristocrats. The Chauthoki houses were pre-eminent nobility in Tehri Garhwal as counterpart to the Sarolas being the high lords in Pauri Garhwal and Chamoli Garhwal.[5]

These Brahmin houses maintained vast interests in landholding, finance and hereditary ministerial positions along with custodianship of the great temples of North India as hereditary 'Ravals' (high priests or archbishops) such as Yamunotri under the Uniyals, Gangotri under the Semwals, Kedarnath under the Dimris, Joshimath under the Joshis, Nanda Devi under the Nautiyals, and the highest Hindu ecclesiastical authority in the north: the temple of Badrinath under the Nambudris who bore the dynastic title of 'Shankaracharya' (pontiff) due to their direct descent from Adisankara of the eighth century who established all these great temples in North India.[6] The greatest ecclesiastical seats of Hinduism are the 4 Pontifical Thrones of the Char Dham (Badrinath, Puri, Rameswaram, Dwarka) and the 4 High Sees of the Chota Char Dham (Badrinath - Joshimath, Kedarnath - Nanda Devi, Yamunotri, Gangotri) as well as the 12 Jyotrlingas of which Kedarnath is the highest and most sacred due to its proximity to the divine abode of Lord Shiva at Kailasa. [7][8]

The Sarolas and Chauthokis settled as Rajpurohits (grand viziers), royal astrologers, high priests, ritual cooks, royal Gurus, and royal advisors and ministers. They were also designated the task of cooking ritual temple offerings on auspicious occasions and also on royal occasions by the King of Garhwal, thus named "Sarola" (Garhwali for cooking offerings) due to the ritual purity of the Sarola Brahmins which meant only their hand could prepare the oblations.[9]

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. Ram, Pati (1916). Garhwal: Ancient and Modern. Army Press. pp. 82–83 – via Google Books.
  2. Dobhal, Girdhari Lal (1986). Development of the Hill Areas (1st ed.). New Delhi: Concept Publishing Company. p. 56. ISBN 81-8069-223-X.
  3. Basak, Sudeshna (1991). Socio-cultural Study of a Minority Linguistic Group: Bengalees in Bihar, 1858-1912. B.R. Publishing Corporation. ISBN 978-81-7018-627-4.
  4. Singh, Prahalad (1978). Rajpurohit Jati ki Itihas [A History of the Rajpurohit Houses]. Jodhpur: Rajasthani Granthagar. ISBN 978-93-90179-06-0.
  5. Saklani, Atul (1987). The History of a Himalayan Princely State: Change, Conflicts, and Awakening : an Interpretative History of Princely State of Tehri Garhwal, U.P., A.D. 1815 to 1949 A.D. Durga Publications.
  6. Kumar, Dinesh (1991). The Sacred Complex of Badrinath: A Study of Himalayan Pilgrimage. Kisohr [i.e. Kishor] Vidya Niketan.
  7. [email protected], Travel To India-. "Kedarnath Dham Yatra- Temple & Travel Information". Travel To India. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  8. Government of Uttarakhand. "Shri Kedarnath Dham". Shri Badarinath Kedarnath Temple Committee.
  9. General, India (Republic) Office of the Registrar (1961). Census of India 1961. Manager of Publications.