Saurashtra people

For the people currently living in Saurashtra (region), see Gujarati people. For other uses, see Saurashtra (disambiguation).

Saurashtra people
From top, left to right:
Venkataramana Bhagavathar, L. K. Thulasiram, M. N. Rajam, M. V. Venkatram, Vennira Aadai Nirmala and T. M. Soundararajan
Total population
c. 2 million[1]
Regions with significant populations
Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka
Languages
Saurashtra as mother tongue
Sanskrit as liturgical language.
Tamil, Kannada, Telugu or Malayalam as secondary language based on native state may be sometimes spoken outside home.
Religion
Hinduism
Related ethnic groups
Gujarati people, Pancha-Gauda Brahmins, Gauda Brahmins, Girnara Brahmin, Chitpavan Brahmins, Deshastha Brahmins, Saraswat Brahmins, Konkani people, Sanketi people, Tamil Brahmins and Telugu Brahmins

The Saurashtra people, or Saurashtrians,[2][3] are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic Hindu Brahmin community of South India who speak the Saurashtra language, an Indo-Aryan Gujarati language, and predominantly reside in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.[4]

Saurashtrians trace their ancestry to the historical region of Saurashtra in Western India. Their migration to Southern India owes to the forays and desecration of the Somnath temple triggered by the frequent Muslim invasions, most notably by Mahmud Ghazni. They are known for their expertise in traditional vedic practices and rituals. Apart from being priests and scholars, they are also been involved in various professions such as agriculture, trade, and business and were a prominent industrious and prosperous mercantile community of merchants and weavers in southern India until the 20th century.[5][6] They have contributed to the cultural and social fabric of Tamil Nadu in many ways and have continued to maintain their distinct identity over the centuries.

Saurashtrians are Brahmins,[7][8] and are also referred to as Saurashtra Brahmins.[2][9][10][11][12][13] Further, like all traditional orthodox Brahmins, they are classified based on their gotra, or patrilineal descent. The majority of the people are Vaishnavas, though there is a significant proportion of Shaivas as well. They are prominently known by their unique family names and also use the titles Sharma,[14] Rao,[15] Iyer,[15] Iyengar and Achary[16] as their surnames but belong to linguistic minorities.[17]

  1. ^ Vandhana, M. (14 April 2014). "Madurai's Sourashtrians are a disappointed lot". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  2. ^ a b M.R., Aravindan (17 March 2003). "Where they have come to stay". The Hindu. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  3. ^ Shanmugam, Kavitha (2014). "Girls Don't Say AYAYYO Here Anymore". www.telegraphindia.com. Archived from the original on 11 October 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  4. ^ "Saurashtra". Ethnologue. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  5. ^ Mahadevan, Raman (1984). Entrepreneurship and Business Communities in Colonial Madras 1900–1929, in D. Tripathy (Ed.) Business Communities of India. Monohar Publications. pp. 210–225.
  6. ^ Lucassen, Jan; Moor, Tine De; Zanden, Jan Luiten van (2008). The Return of the Guilds. Cambridge University Press. p. 115. ISBN 9780521737654.
  7. ^ Lucassen, Jan; Lucassen, Leo (27 March 2014). Globalising Migration History: The Eurasian Experience (16th–21st Centuries). BRILL. pp. 109–112, 121. ISBN 9789004271364.
  8. ^ Ramaswamy, Vijaya (5 July 2017). Migrations in Medieval and Early Colonial India. Routledge. pp. 172–190. ISBN 9781351558242.
  9. ^ Pereira, Ignatius (18 December 2013). "The mountain trails of a divine legend". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  10. ^ Kolappan, B. (7 January 2016). "20 more keerthanas of Tyagaraja's disciple discovered". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  11. ^ "Saurashtrians – The Genuine Aryans (Part Three)". IndiaDivine.org. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  12. ^ "The Hindu : Entertainment Chennai / Personality : Illustrious disciple of saint-poet". www.thehindu.com. 2005. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  13. ^ Suryanarayana, M.; Reddy, P. Sudhakar; Gangadharam, V. (2002). Indian Society: Continuity, Change, and Development : in Honour of Prof. M. Suryanarayana. Commonwealth Publishers. pp. 93, 95, 99. ISBN 9788171696932.
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference :6 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ a b Arterburn, Yvonne J. (1982). The loom of interdependence: silkweaving cooperatives in Kanchipuram. Hindustan Pub. Co. pp. 44, 47, 50–53. ISBN 9780391027497.
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference :26 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ "Minority front to field 8 candidates". The Hindu. 29 April 2009. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 28 February 2018.