Sompura Brahmin
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The Sompura Brahmin are a Hindu caste found in the state of Gujarat and Rajasthan in India. They are a sub-group of the Brahmin community.[1]
History and origin
[edit]According to their traditions, the Sompura Brahmin are so named because they were created by the god Chandra to perform sacred ceremonies called Som Yajna for the god Shiva. They are concentrated in the town of Prabas Patan and form one of the oldest Brahmin communities in Gujarat; they speak Gujarati.[2] Skand puran gives reference for the creation of Sompura Brahmins wide its chapter 21/22/23/24 The agnihotri brahmins from chandra lok came to prabhas with hemgarbha -the chief secretary of moon god to conduct-perform a pratishtha yagya of the first temple of lord somnath and after the yagya the moon god requested these Brahmins to stay there. These Brahmins stayed near somnath so they are called Sompura brahmins. Generally the civilisations develops and moves with the source of water worldwide, but the sompura brahmin is the only class who are stable near somnath for at least 2000 years.
Present circumstances
[edit]Like other Brahmin communities, they consist of gotras which are exogamous. The Sompuras have 18 gotras. Eleven of them are spread all over Gujarat and Rajasthan and practice temple architecture with shilp-shastra. Most of the other seven gotras stay near Prabhas/Somnath; their main profession was and still is yajman vrutti (priestly services) in the temples, particularly in and around Somnath. Sompura Brahman are priest in Somnath Temple. The community is moving very highly in society in both business and education. They are strict vegetarians. [3]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ People of India Gujarat Volume XXI Part Three edited by R.B Lal, P.B.S.V Padmanabham, G Krishnan and M Azeez Mohideen pages 1309–1312
- ^ People of India Gujarat Volume XXI, Part Three edited by R.B Lal, P.B.S.V Padmanabham, G Krishnan & M Azeez Mohideen pages 1309–1312
- ^ People of India Gujarat Volume XXI Part Three edited by R.B Lal, P.B.S.V Padmanabham, G Krishnan & M Azeez Mohideen pages 1309-1312