Sarola Brahmin

Sarola Brahmin, also called Saryul and Serul are Garhwali Brahmins from Uttarakhand, India.[1] Sarola Brahmins were the earliest authenticated and ritually most prestigious Brahmin baronial families in the then small Garhwal Kingdom 1400 years ago and among the highest and oldest noble lineages in North India. The capital of this kingdom was Chandpur Garhi and twelve castes of Brahmins settled in twelve fiefs surrounding the capital.

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

These 12 ancient houses are the Nautiyals, Maitwanas, Khanduras, Thapliyals, Chamolis, Semwals, Lakheras, Semaltis, Gairolis, Kothiyals and Dimris in order of their founding [2] with the Nautiyals arriving as the Rajpurohit kin of the royal Parmaras in 689 CE and the Dimris being the last of the Sarola Houses arriving in 1060 CE.[3] The Brahmin houses held baronial status as Jagirdars but the oldest families such as the Rajpurohit Gaur Nautiyals or the Maithil Uniyals held ducal status as Thakurs.[4][5] Each of this Brahmin faction have their own Kuladevata or Kuladevi.

They settled as Rajpurohits (grand vizier), Royal Astrologers, High Priests, Ritual Cooks, Royal Gurus, and as royal advisors. Along with this 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 cook) due to the ritual purity of the Sarola Brahmins which meant only their hand could prepare the oblations.[6] Their twelve ancestral villages were collectively known as "Bara Than" meaning "Barah Sthan", and the Brahmins living in these villages were known as "Sarola" Brahmins.[7]

See also

References
  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. Lakhera, Harischandra. "History of Garhwali Brahmins". Himalayilog.
  4. 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.
  5. Singh, Prahalad (1978). Rajpurohit Jati ki Itihas [A History of the Rajpurohit Houses]. Jodhpur: Rajasthani Granthagar. ISBN 978-93-90179-06-0.
  6. General, India (Republic) Office of the Registrar (1961). Census of India 1961. Manager of Publications.
  7. Gerald Duane Berreman (1972). Hindus of the Himalayas Ethnography and Change. University of California Press. p. 183. ISBN 9780520014237 – via Google Books.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.