Utkala Brahmin - Sub-castes Among Utkala Brahmins

Sub-castes Among Utkala Brahmins

The Utkala Brahmins are of three classes

• Shrauta/Vaidika (Danua)(:ଶ୍ରୌତ/ବୈଦିକ/ଦାନୁଆ।)(श्रौत/वैदिक/दानुआ)
• Sevayata/Purohita Brahmin or Sarua(:ସେବାୟତ/ସାରୁଆ।)(सेवायत/सारुआ)
• Halua Brahmin.(:ହଳୁଆ।)(हळुआ)

Again there are sub-classes in these three classes:

1."Shrotriya Brahmins":The Brahmins following Shrauta tradition, have right to read and teach Vedas and hence are known as Vedic Brahmins or Namaskaraniya. They do Yajna, Yaajana, Adhyayana, Adhyapana, Daana, Pratigraha. They are also known as Kulina, Vaidika, Danua etc. They give more importance to Veda, daily upasana and agnihotra. Only These group of brahmins have right to conduct Yaagas and teach Vedas along with Daana, Pratigraha.

Sub classes:

a)Kalinga Shrauta Brahmins:The Brahmins who have come from undivided regions of previous Dhenkanal, Sambalpur, Cuttack, Puri and Ganjam. They follow the samanta panjika or Sri Jagannath panjika. They stay south of Brahmani River, hence their name.

b)Jajpuria Shrauta Brahmins:the sub-class which has come from Jajpur and north Orissa area. They follow Sri Viraja panjika. They stay north of Brahmani River. First settled in areas around Baitarani River.

These above two sub-classes are eligible to perform Shrauta rites, they abstain from doing temple services and they seldom intermarry with other brahmins.

2."Sevayata Brahmins" or Saruaa:They are also known as Sevaka, Sarua, Purohita or Pushpalaka Brahmins, they follow the Karmakanda and sometimes act as priests for social as well for some temple functions. They give more importance to temple worship, and priesthood. They don't have right to organise Yaaga, or take Daana(alms). They can read Veda and teach it. Some of them follow Agama also. The Sevayata(Ashrauta) section of Brahmins are divided into three sub-classes as follows:

a)Devalaka(Deyulia)Brahmins: Surnames Badapanda, Pujapanda etc. Their chief occupation is the service of the temple Gods and Goddesses. Many of them expertise in Vedic Karmakanda(rites for marriage, upanayan etc) as well as Agama(temple worship). Most of the Daitapati sevayatas of Jagannath Temple, Puri and Lingaraj Temple belong to this sub class. Most of the temple in Orissa have this sub class of Brahmins as chief priests.

b)Paniyari(Panda)Brahmins: Surnames majorly Panda. They also form the priestly section, for some rites and some do temple services. some of them are cooks in temples and even in private houses, and travel all around India for pilgrims to visit the temples of Jagannāth. Some of them are engaged in business and trade of Agricultural products. They have high percentage of population among all Oriya Brahmins.

c)Aranyaka(Jhadua)Brahmins:Also known as Panchadesi and Jhadua or Jharia. Literally meaning those inhabiting the hilly and forest areas of Western Orissa. Priestly section of Western Orissa. They were first settlers in Sambalpur, Sonepur. They marry among themselves, and later other Utkala Brahmins immigrants to Western Orissa & Chhattisgarh refuse to intermarry with them. Mostly they have sects like Raghunathia, Kanojia, Pujari etc.

3."Halua Brahmins":These are similar to Bhumihar in north India and Niyogis of Andhra Pradesh. They are also known as Balaramgotri or Mahasthana Brahmins. History says, These are the village leaders, administrators of brahmin ancestry so they were included themselves as a brahmin but they have not the brahmin characteristics. Generally with surname 'Thakur','Nayak','Grampradhan','Choudhury','Sahu','Samantray','Sabat', 'Dalbehera'. Once they enjoyed same status as above brahmins but later they accepted vocational jobs for livelihood and gave up their sacred duty of Shrauta and Smriti. These are engaged in agriculture or agriculture related business. Some of them are allowed to do Shraadh and associate in temples and religious functions. They are never allowed for any Vedic rites or Yajna. Most of them are business- oriented, also do cultivation of lands granted during Eastern Ganga dynasty but have entirely lost their sacerdital rites and living in and around South Orissa. For the purchase of the land many of them migrated to other country. There is also a significant migrant population of Haluas in Mauritius, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and others.

Russel noted one exceptional feature at Jagannātha Temple of Puri : "All castes now eat the rice cooked at the temple of Jagannath together without defilement, and friendships are cemented by eating of little of this rice together as sacred bond.".