Sahyādri-khaṇḍa is a Sanskrit-language text, notable for containing the founding myths of several Brahmin communities of south-western India. The text claims to be a part of the Skanda Purana.[1] It is actually a collection of disparate texts that date from 5th to 13th centuries, and have been organized as part of a single text relatively recently.[2][3]
The text glorifies the Shenvis (identified as Sarasvatas), and slanders their traditional rivals, such as the Chitpavans and the Karhades.[4] Historically, the text's authenticity was a matter of debate among Brahmins, with some using it to assert the Brahmin status of the Shenvis,[5] while others - especially Chitpavans - denouncing it as a fabricated Puranic text.[6]
But it is very well known that the Sahyadri Khanda is of recent date and an interpolation and as such has little historical importance.