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Chaurasia Brahmins
Regions with significant populations
Languages
Historical: Awadhi, Bhojpuri, Khariboli, Wambul, Garhwali, and Marathi Modern: Local languages, Primarily: Standard Hindi.
Religion
Hinduism (100%)
Related ethnic groups
Gaur Brahmin, Chauriyasi Mewada Brahmins, Saryupareen Brahmins, Sandilya and other [[Brahmin Communities]].

Background

Chaurasia is a word which originated from ancient Indian Vedas. It basically refers to an originally Brahmin

community from India and Nepal. The word "Chaurasia" word inherits from the vedic word "chaturashiitah" which refers eighty

four in Sanskrit. Since ancient India, according to Hindu mythology, it is believed there are eighty four

thousands Yonis (breeds, types) of Gods existing in this universe and there are eighty four lakh Yonis (breeds, types)

of species. Every species which exists on Earth and rest of the universe belongs to a particular Yoni. At a later stage and

for easy pronunciation it was changed into "Chaurasia" (a Hindi equivalent also means eighty four).

Origin

Mythological Origin Of Chaurasia

As there are a number of mystical theories about the origin of Universe and life by GOD, so are with the origin of the

Chaurasia community too.

A famous story behind the birth of this word states that once all dev gans (Devtas, Gods) assembled on Earth at a place called

'Naumi Sharayan' to perform some auspicious ceremony, and while they were approaching back to 'Baikunthya Dham' (Heaven) they

all started feeling thirsty due to extreme heat on earth when a particular community came forward and quenched their thirst by

serving them betel leaves .Impressed by their hospitality, the Devtas not only blessed them but also honoured them by gifting

the title chaturashiitah i.e. 'CHAURASIA' . According to the Baudhâyanas'rauta-sûtra CHAURASIA's belong to Kashyapa, Some

believe that they belong to ,So there are many beliefs about Gotras .

Another story can be traced in the Ancient History of Bhats of Roopnagar. According to the history, there were two

children of Gaji Rishi, namely Tameshwar Rishi and Manakrao Rishi. Tameshwar Rishi didn't have any

son, and for having sons he organized a Yajna. For the Yajna to be successful, Brahmaji asked the Nagbel (or betel

leaves) to be offered in it. For bringing the Nagbel, Lord Hanuman was sent to search fot it and bring it quickly.

Lord Hanuman searched for it and traced his way to the Patal lok (or Underworld), where he received the holy leaves from the

daughter of Lord VasukiNag. Yajna was successfully accomplished and the Nagbel was distributed amongst all and asked

them to plant those leaves. After sometime, when Brahma inquired whether the leaves were planted or not, he asked for the

leaves to be brought back from all the Rishis, but none was able to provide it. The planted leaves of Holy betel were not

taken care of and were uprooted by a potter from whom they were retrieved and brought back to Brahma. The leaves were then

given to Tameshwar Rishi. Tameshwar Rishi together with his brother Manakrao rishi prepared a mandap of Kush and Grass and

then planted the leaves. They themselves too the responsibility of taking care of the betel plant from that time till the end

of time. Tameshwar rishI was blessed with four sons namely Kshatrapal, Karmasen, Dharmasen and

Sarwasen. These four were gifted with many supernatural powers and established a holy city named Mahoba Nagar. From

these four rishis, Twenty four sons and from these twenty four sons eighty four sons continued the family tree. Behind these

eight four descendents the gotras of chaurasia as well as many of the other brahmin community got their gotra origin. One can

still trace the original gotra name "Chaurasi or Chaurisi" in the Chaurasia Brahmin community.

Origin of Betel Plant

At the time of samudra manthan, the Amrit Kalash was originated, when after the Amrit was distributed to the Devtas, the

vessel was placed at a corner. The empty vessel attracted the attention of the Trinity as well as of all the Devtas as an

unwnown plant was growing and creeping out of it. Brahma ordered for the research on the origin and nature of this plant and

associated his Manas Putra (rishis who led to the origin of chaurasia community). The plant was said to heal all the diseases

and provided strength & amaratwa. Lord Vishnu and Lord Mahesh asked the offering of this plant leaf for any prayer offered to

them which required successful completion, so was followed by other other devtas. Since then, Betel leaves are the most Holy

and Secred plant just like Tulsi leaves. No Yajna, Hawan, Puja, Vidhi or any Shubh Karya can ever be complete without the

offering of Betel (==Paan) leaves, and Chaurasia community has a privilege of nurturing, researching and protecting this plant

(as asked by the Supreme himself).

The Most Secred Day

As the origin and the vedic history of the chaurasia community is related totally to the Nagbel or the betel plant and

Vasukinag, so Chaurasia people give special priority to the "Nag Panchami". They worship Lord Vasuki and their respective "Kul

Devta or Kul Devi" on this auspicious day.

South-East Asian Languages named After Chaurasia

The name "Chaurasia" is the source of origin of the Indo-Tibetan, Sino-Tibetan, Nepali, North-East Indian language which has

even got the same name as "Chaurasia" or "Ambule, Chaurasya, Chourase, Chourasia, Ombule".

They are categorized under the major "Wambule" language.

Gotras and Sub-Castes

Chaurasia community belongs to the following Brahmin Gotras

Gotras

Kashyapa	Bharadwaj
Shandilya	Rishi
Brahmachari	Gaurhar
Chaurasia	Bari
Tamoli	Bhagat
Sharma	Chaudhari
Chaurishi	Chourishi

Sub castes

Following are the synonyms of Chaurasia surname by regional preferences:

Chaurasia (Belarampur, patti, pratapgarh) (U.P.)	Chaurasia (Throughout India)	Chourasia (Parts of North East India) \|\| Chaurishi (Parts of North India)
Sharma (Throughout India)	Jaiswal (North India)	Tiwari (North/East India)	Thawit (Uttrakhand)
Bhardwaj (Throughout India)	Kashyap (North India)	Nag (North/East India)	Bhagat (North/east India)
Bahun (Throughout Nepal)	Bari (West Bihar/East UP)	Tamoli (West Bihar/East UP)	Rishi (Central India)
Brahmachari(North India)	Gaurhar (North India)	Modi (North India)	Raut (Bihar Madhubani)
Chaudhary (Hajipur Bihar)	Munshi (Dhanbad Jharkhand)

Famous Personalities

(International Bansuri Player)

B.D. Chaurasia (Author)

Vijay Chaurasia (Golfer)

Rakesh Chaurasia (International Flute Player)

Deepak Chaurasia (Aaj Tak)

Satyajit Chaurasia (trainer for

Hrithik Roshan, Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Rani Mukherjee, Isha Deol, Ajay Devegan, Vivek Oberoi etc)

Kailash Chaurasia (Minister of State UP, Samajwadi Party)

Ganga Prasad (MLA Bihar, BJP)

Rameshwar Prasad Chaurasia (MLA Bihar, Rohtas)

Sanjay Chaurasia editor (Sahara One)

Major Vocations

Hotels	Petrol Pumps	Construction	Real Estate	Flour & Oil Mills
Research and Teaching	Steel Plants	Power Plants	Hospitals	Transport
Trading	Engineering, IT	Pan Masala & Cigarettes	Media	Chain of Retail stores