Punjabi Saraswat Brahman-Mohla, Somastam Gotra, Som, Budh, Pururava and Soumaya Pravara,Kalpa Sutra, Madhyandina Shakha, Shukla Yajurvedi- Part 1

Knowing your Vansha brings you closer to your heritage. I realized myself much better as most of my queries were aptly answered. Whenever, I traveled to different countries closer to ours, like Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Syria,UAE, and Egypt my urge to know the roots became stronger as familiar features sometimes close resemblances to my relatives, tickled my funny bone. How are they here? Did our ancestors leave their progeny or we are one of them left behind in India? Somewhere I have tried to answer myself by analyzing the origins of Brahmans in India.

Anyway, I can proudly define my personal Visiting card on the following basis.

1. What is your caste? 2. What is your clan? 3. What is your Gotra? 4. What is your Sutra? 5. What are your Pravaras (Parivars)? 6. What is your Veda? 7. What is your Sakha?

These questions are often asked when you visit a well organized South Indian style Mandir(temple) in India and call yourself a Brahman. For the benefit of all we can answer these above-thanks to Uncle Mahendar’s excellent presentation. I wish to elaborate further on these matters with some more explanations, so that my pears and younger generation can all benefit from our small research. I urge others to equally contribute or correct wherever my comprehension and grasp of the subject has gone wrong.

Q1. What is our caste?

Ans. Brahman

Q.Who is Brahman? Manu says:—

“Since the Brahman sprang from the most excellent part, since he was the first born, and since he possesses the Veda, he is by right the chief of this whole creation."— Manu, I, S3. They were held in the highest status of our Hindu Society.

(as per “Hindu castes & sects”):

1. Studying the Shastras
2. Teaching the Shastras
3. Performance of religious rites for the three superior classes.
4. Acceptance of gifts from the three superior classes.

Some addressed Brahmans as “Maharaj” “ Thakur” or “Misr” as stated by Pandit Jogendra Nath Bhatacharya in “Hindu Castes & Sects” page 80 wherein he says general name for Panjab Saraswat Brahmans was “Misr”.

It appears to have been derived from “Mishra", which is a word from the Sanskrit language meaning "mixed, mingled, or blended".

"Mishra" or Misra is also an Indian surname, normally associated with the Brahman. Mostly, Maitreya or Maitra or Maitri (friendship) or Mishra, written in devnagri script look almost identical and both have same meaning. It is one of the most widespread Brahman surnames in the fertile Gangetic plain region and in the Indian states of Punjab, Orissa, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam and West Bengal. It is also found in countries such as Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago under the anglicized version of Misir, where many Mishras were taken to work on sugar plantations due to their agricultural prowess and skills in other fields. Stories say that even Britishers used to call Mishra my sir hence Misir and Mishra. The surname is also found in Fiji and Mauritius, as well as in other Indian diaspora communities. It is one of the most common surnames among the Brahmans in India.

It is believed that 'Misir' is the original pronunciation and 'Mishra' the anglicized version. The above can be justified from the following - MiSir if separated reads as Mi Sir or My Sir. No where I read any derivation of the name”Misr” with “MISRI” of EQYPT as I always believed. "Mishra" is a surname associated with Gautam Gotra (descent from one of the three great sage Gautam) Brahman. However it is also found in other gotras like Shandilya too. Some of the very famous historical personalities of Mishra were TANSEN, BAIJU BAWRA.

I may have digressed from the topic but felt like erasing the doubt about our ancestors being called "Misr".

Q2. What is our Clan? Ans. Punjabi Saraswat Brahman

First we define Saraswat Brahman in India and then go on to understand Who is Punjabi Saraswat Brahman?

The Brahmans in India were divided into two major geographical groups namely Gowd Brahman who lived to the north of the Vindhyas and Dravida Brahmans living south of Vindhyas. Each group was further divided into 5 sections.

The five (Pancha) Gowda Brahman groups were Saraswats, Kanyakubjas, Gaudas, Utkals, and Maithilas. The five (pancha) Dravida Brahman groups were Andhras, Maharashtras, Dravidas or Tamils, Karnataka, and Kerala Brahmans.

The origin of Saraswat Brahmans

The exact origin of the Saraswat Brahmans is difficult to ascertain. One theory puts them as Aryan(indo-iranian) migrants from Central Asia who came to the Indian sub-continent through the Hindu-Kush Mountains and the Khyber pass to south in about 4000-1500 B.C.

Most of them settled along the banks of Saraswati River. They (Saraswats) settled for an agrarian life. Education was of great importance to the Saraswats, so they taught their young the Sanskrit language and enlightened themselves from the Veda(s). Although they spoke Sanskrit in public, their invented a simplified version of Sanskrit called Brahmani and spoke only at home. Over the years along the Saraswati, they established the concept of Kuladevata or family gods, and began worshipping them.

Kuldevtas

Normally Saraswats believe in the concept of "Panchayatan" - worshipping 5 gods like form of Shiva, Vishnu, Durga, Surya and Ganapati.

Many Kuldevs/Kuldevatas temples situated in Goa, Karnataka region are supposedly the most beautiful and grand temples.

They accepted the Great Sage Saraswat Muni (son of Rishi Dadichi), living on the banks of Saraswati as their Guru. At the advice of their Guru who was pragmatic, they started to feed on fish from the Saraswati River for survival, after a prolonged famine. Thus they became the only fish-eating Brahmans ever known. The fish eating habit of Saraswat Brahmans finds mention even in Ramanyana. Before performing Rajasuya yagna, Shri Rama asked Lakshmana to invite all the Brahmans for the yagna. Lakshmana invited everybody, except Gaud Saraswat Brahmans. When asked, Lakshmana explained that he observed Gaud Saraswat Brahmans eat the middle portion of a fish, separate the head and tail from the fish, and then using vedic mantras rejoined the head and tail. The fish would live again. Shri Rama was impressed. Since the Brahmans were not killing the fish, he felt that no sin was commited. Shri Rama instructed Lakshmana to invite Saraswat Brahmans to the Rajasuya Yagna.

This settlement was in the land between the Saraswati, Drishadvati(many stones)and lavanavati rivers forming a channel till Arabian sea. Kurukshetra was a plain land that lied south of saraswati and north of Drishadwati Rivers. In Manu Smriti Manu 2.17 it has special mention “That land created by the Gods, which lies between the two divine rivers Saraswati and Drishadwati, the(sages) call BRAHMAVARTA” The Drashadvati river has often been identified with Chautang river. The Chautang River is a seasonal river in the state of Haryana. Rigveda mentions about Saraswati in many of its verses. The one that is pertinent here is as follows: “ ambe tame devi tame nadi tame Saraswati….” Which means that “You are the Goddess, You are the river, Saraswati”. Today Ganga holds the same status. In fact Rigveda is full of references for Saraswati and hardly mentions Ganga once.

The Migrations

Some calamity struck Saraswat Desh and Saraswati began to dry out to become non-existent by 1000 BC. Saraswats had no choice but to pack up and move. This period of history saw many civilizations abandoning their settlements. The migration happened not overnight but spread over centuries. The Saraswats migrated in three directions - mostly followed the river routes and migrated to the South-West (Sind), North (Kashmir), East (Bihar).
Migration to South and West
The migrations to south and west followed the course of the River Saraswati, went up to Dwaraka and by ship they sailed to Goa. For their stay in Dwaraka, these settlements have been referred to as Saraswat Tirthas in Mahabharata. From Goa they spread to entire Konkan, Karnataka and Kerala region.
Migration to North and East
The second route of migration was from Punjab into Kashmir. They were haunted by Muslim rulers for centuries until some prominent Kashmiris appealed to the Sikh Chief Ranjit Singh for help and he succeeded in getting rid of the Afghans. The Kashmiri Saraswats were Devi worshippers.
Those who migrated to Kashmir called themselves as Kashmiri Pandits, Sind-Sind Saraswats, Kutch-Kutchi Saraswats, Punjab-Punjab Saraswats, Rajasthan-Rajasthan Saraswats and Gomantak- Gowda Saraswats.

Migration to Bihar

The Saraswats who moved South East were mainly from the Saraswat Desh and they followed the Ganges and reached Trihotrapura or modern Tirhut in upper Bihar. This was in 400-350 BC. The major settlements were in Kanyakubja (Kanpur area), Magadha and Mithila.

Saraswats of Punjab:

The Saraswat is essentially the Brahman of the Punjab, just as the Khatri is distinctively a Punjabi caste. Writes Mr H.A.Rose in his “A glossary of the tribes and castes of the Punjab and North West Frontier Province 1911.”

The Saraswat, as a body, minister to all the Hindu castes,” possibly even to those which are unclean and so stand outside the pale of Hinduism”. They were liberal in their outlook. “ He (Saraswat Brahmin) is said to be less grasping and quarrelsome than Gaur, and he is certainly much less rigid in his observance of caste rules, eating and smoking with most of the stricter Hindu castes such as Banyas, Khatris, Suds, and Kayasths. He eats flesh in the Hills and perhaps in some parts of the plains also” says Sir Denzil Ibbetson in his report of the Panjab Census of 1881 “The Races castes & tribes of the People of Panjab”.

He further gives the figure of Total Brahmin population in Panjab as 452000 approx and Saraswat Brahmin in Lahore were stated to be 9,970 only. Highest number of Saraswats were -(in the year 1881)- in Patiala followed by Kangra ,Amritsar, Sialkot, Jallandar in that order. Peshawar had very less Saraswats who had migrated there for the fear of Musalmans in Panjab.

The leading principle of Panjabi Brahmin was that the status of each section depends on the status of the caste to which it ministers. In accordance with this principle, Mr Rose classified thus: —

Sub-group i. — Brahmans of Brahmans, called Shukla.

Sub-group ii. — -Bahmans of the Khatris —

1. Panzjati 2. Chhe-jati 3. Asht-bans

4.Bunjahi’s 5.Khokharan 6. Sarin

Sub-group iii. — Brahmans of Aroras. Sub-group iv. — Brahmans of Jats.

Sub-group v. — Brahmans of inferior castes, e.g., the Chamarwa.

Thereafter we have a complex classification beyond the scope of our discussion. Enough to surmise that we are Punjabi Saraswat Brahmans part of Panchjati that served Khatris.

Two popular and well known panchjati’s were:

1. Gallia 2. Mallia 3.Kapuria 4. Bhaturia (5. Bagga) And

1. Jaitli† 2. Jhingon* 3. Kumaria§ 4. Trikha+ 5.Paumbu( Mohla)

The Sarsut(Saraswat) Brahmans of the Khatris. — The connection of the Khatri

with the Saraswat Brahman caste is peculiarly close. One tradition of its

origin avers that when Parasu Rama was exterminating the Kshatriyas

a pregnant woman of the caste took refuge with a Saraswat(Sarsut). This story has already been given in my posting dated Aug 8,2009 “ Mohla’s from KOT MOHLA in Multan”

Her child, a son, married 18 Kshatriya girls and his sons took the names of the various rishis and thus founded the gotras of the Kshatris, which are the same as those of the Brahmans.

These Punjabi Saraswat Brahmans were the purohits of the Dhaighar Khatris. This group (Panchjati) is also known as Pachhdda or ' western.'

The last-named gotra(Paumbu) was, however, replaced by the Mohlas in approx. 200 years from now, because one of its Paumbu member was discourteous to his daughter-in-law's people.

* Jhingan is said to be derived from Jhinga or Jhanjh, a bell, because the sound of a bell

was heard at its eponym's (mythical character) birth. This Gotra is supposed to be only 20 generations old.

It has three sub-sections, Gautam, Athu and Nathu. Further, Nathu's descendants are sub-divided into the less known sub-divisions of Chamnapati and Kanwlapati. The Jhingans Gotra Bhardwaj ; Their Parivar as Bhrigu,Bharjan and Bhardwaj, their Shakha as Madhunjan and the Rig Veda their Veda. At Dipalpur at the house of an ancestor, Baba Chhajjil, they hold a fair in Magh, at which the Chila, Jhand, Janeo and other rites are performed. Nathu's descendants all wear a “nath” in the nose.

+ Trikha's Gotra is Parashar and it is sub-divided into the Palwarda, Aura and Dwija

sub- sections.

†The Jetli Gotra is Vatsa, and its sub- sections are Vialepotra, Chandipotra, and Rupe-potra— all eponymous. The two former are replaced by Hathila and Harnpotra, according to another account. The Mihrotra Khatris make them offerings on the 12th of the light half of each lunar month.

§ The Kumaria Gotra is also Vatsa and they too have three sub-sections.

*The Mohlas Gotra Somastam , audits sub-sections are Dalwali, Shiv-Nandi and Akashi.

Here Akashi has interesting story.It is a place in Arunachal Pradesh called Akashi Ganga associated with Kalika Puran . It is said that Lord Shiva was roaming around with dead body of Sati, to detach him, Lord Vishnu cut her body into several pieces through his Sudarshan Chakra and one piece fell on earth where Akashi Ganga falls in West Siang District of Arunachal Pradesh, a great Pilgrimage centre.

Interestingly I came across Mohle’s from UP and now found similar sounding Surnames in Karnataka such as Mahale which is also pronounced as Mallya(famous Vijay Mallya who for sure is Goud Saraswat). Also I found similar caste as MOLIO in Karnataka. Further research is needed.

Drawn and inspired from “A glossary of the tribes and castes of the Punjab and North West Frontier Province 1911.” By Mr H.A.Rose Pages 123-125