Sarola Brahmin Community
Roots in Culture, Wings in Growth
Delve into the rich cultural heritage of the Uttarakhand Brahmin community, featuring Saroala, Gangari, and Nana sub-groups. Discover their historical significance, unique traditions, and contributions to the vibrant cultural tapestry of Garhwal and Kumaon in Uttarakhand.
The Sarola Brahmins, also known as Saryul and Serul, are the oldest Garhwali Brahmins from Uttarakhand, India. The twelve families of the Sarola Brahmins were the earliest authenticated and ritually most prestigious Brahmin baronial houses in the Garhwal Kingdom 1400 years ago, and among the highest-ranking and oldest noble lineages from across North India. 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.
The capital of this kingdom was Chandpur Garhi, and the twelve castes of Brahmins settled in twelve fiefs surrounding the capital. Their twelve ancestral lands were collectively known as “Bara Than,” meaning “Twelve Places,” and the Brahmins who owned these estates were known as “Sarola” Brahmins. Over time, the High Brahmins (Sarolas of Garhwal and Satkulis of Kumaon) spread their holdings and came to dominate vast swathes of the Himalayan Kingdoms as the major landowning class.
The Sarolas originated from 12 ancient houses: Nautiyals, Maitwanas, Khanduras, Raturis, Thapliyals, Chamolis, Semwals, Lakheras, Semaltis, Gairolas, Kothiyals, and Dimris, with the last of the Sarola Houses emerging in 1060 CE. Other Brahmin families, including those of non-Sarola heritage, formed a class of ancient baronial houses and served as the ruling class of Zamindars and Jagirdars in the Himalayan Kingdoms of Garhwal, Nepal, Kashmir, and Kumaon.
Among the oldest families, often exclusively Sarola and with the most illustrious lineages, are the Kanyakubja Joshis (the oldest of the leading Satkuli or 7 Brahmin lineages of Kumaon, who have 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), who held a higher ducal status as Taluqdars or Thakurs. They are 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.
Sarola Brahmins List
Nautiyal
The Nautiyal caste, originating from the Sarola people, settled in the village of Nauti in Talli Chandpur along with King Kanakpal in the year 945 Vikram Samvat. The village got its name due to the settlement of the Nautiyal community, which is considered the beginning of the descendants of this caste.
Semalti
According to historian Pandit Harikrishna Ratudi, the ancestors of the Semalti community migrated from Birbhoom, Bengal, to Semalta village in Garhwal in the year 965 Vikram Samvat. They are named Semalti after their place of residence.
Maitwani
The Garhwali Adi Gaud Brahmins known as Maitwani migrated from Chhakat, Bengal, to the village of Maitwana in Chandpur, Garhwal, in the year 975 Vikram Samvat. The original ancestors of this caste were Roopchand and Tryambak.
Gairola
The Gairola caste of the Adi Gaud Sarola Brahmins is believed to have its ancestral village in Chandpur. Their ancestors, Jay Anand and Vijay Anand, settled in the village of Gairoli in the year 972 Vikram Samvat.
Chamoli
The Chamoli community is originally Sarola Dravid Brahmins who migrated from a place called Ramnath Vilhit to the village of Chamoli in the Chandpur pargana of Garhwal in the year 924 Vikram Samvat. This caste is considered prominent among the Sarolas and is a part of the “Barah-Thoki” community. Members of this caste play a significant role in the Nanda Devi Rajjat Yatra.
Dimri
The Dimri Brahmins are considered to be Dravid Brahmins from South India. Their original ancestors, Rajendra and Balabhadra Santoli, migrated from Karnataka to the village of Dimmer in Chandpur, Garhwal, leading to their name.
Thapliyal
In the year 980 Vikram Samvat, the Thapliyal Sarola Gaud Brahmins settled in the village of Thapli in Chandpur. They are also known in other areas like Devalgarh, Srinagar, and Tehri.
Semwal
The Adi Gaud Sarola Brahmins known as Semwal settled in the village of Sem in Garhwal from Birbhoom, Bengal, in the year 980 Vikram Samvat. Their original ancestors were Prabhakar and Niranjan.
Bijalwan
The ancestors of the Bijalwan caste, known as Bijju, migrated from Birbhoom, Bengal, and settled in Garhwal in the year 1100 Vikram Samvat. The caste is likely named after this ancestor.
Lakhera
The Lakhera caste of the Adi Gaud Sarola Brahmins traces its origins to Narad and Bhanuveer, who migrated from Birbhoom, Bengal, to the village of Lakhedi in Garhwal in the year 1117 Vikram Samvat.
Khandudi
The Khandudi community is one of the Brahmin castes among the Sarola Barah-Thoki community, originally a Gaud Brahmin caste that arrived in Garhwal from Birbhoom, Bengal, in the year 945 Vikram Samvat.
Kotiya/Kothiya
The Kotiya or Kothiya community is a prominent caste of Gaud Brahmins in the Sarola community of Garhwal, having settled in the village of Koti in Chandpur.
Mairav Ke Joshi
This community consists of Kanauj Brahmins who migrated from Kumaon to Garhwal and became residents there.
Ratudi
The Ratudi caste is considered a prominent community within the Sarola caste. They are an Adi Gaud Brahmin group that arrived from Gaud Desh in the year 980 Vikram Samvat and settled in the village of Ratuda near Chandpur. Pandit Harikrishna Ratudi, who served as a minister in the royal court of Tehri, is credited with writing the first authentic history of Garhwal.
Navani
The Navani caste, originally known as Sati, migrated from Gujarat to the village of Nawan in Garhwal in the year 980 Vikram Samvat, leading to their name.
Hatwal
The Hatwal community is a Gaud Brahmin group that migrated from Birbhoom, Bengal, to Haatgaon in Garhwal in the year 1059 Vikram Samvat, which is how they got their name. Their original ancestors were Sudarshan and Vishveshwar.
Sati
This Sarola caste in Garhwal migrated from Gujarat and settled in Chandpur Gadhi. The Navani caste is a sub-branch of this caste. Members of the Sati caste are also found in Kumaon.
Kandiwal
The Kandiwal caste, which is originally a Sarola Brahmin group, derives its name from settling in the village of Kanda in Garhwal. The Kandiwal people migrated from the village of Kandi in Kumaon to the Chandpur pargana.
The purity of their lineage afforded the Sarola Brahmins high office in the Himalayan Kingdoms as the ruling and landholding aristocracy. The ducal houses held the custodianship of great temples (Uniyals, Semwals, Dimris, Nambudris, and Dobhals) and hereditary ministerial positions (Nautiyals, Joshis, Bahugunas, Thapliyals, and Pandes) in Kumaon and Garhwal, though the highest ducal families often held both temple and ministerial positions.
Each of these Brahmin clans had their own family patron god, known as Kuladevata or Kuladevi. The great Sarola families worship ancient Himalayan deities such as Lord Narasimha, Lord Bhairav, and Lord Nageshwar as their Kuladevata, and often an avatar of the Mother Goddess as their Kuladevi. They also bear ancestral sigils in honor of these patron gods, reflecting their deep-rooted heritage in Uttarakhand.
