Daivadnya Brahmin - Anthropological Classification

Anthropological Classification

Studying their features, customs and rituals, some historian and anthropologists have opined that this tribe or community is an amalgam of two or more tribes – as their traits and traditions cannot be attributed to a single tribe. Texts maintain that Bhojakas entered into matrimonial alliances with the local population and later mingled with non-Brahmins. They were looked down upon by other Brahmins in the days of yore – maybe because of these reasons.

A schematic classification of Indian races was attempted by Sir H. H. Risley in 1886–1888, on the basis of physical characters based on anthropometric measurements. His results indicated that most of the races occurring on the west coast of India extending from Gujarat to Coorg are of Scytho-Dravidian origin. Scytho-Dravidian people exhibit the following physical characteristics: fair complexion, dark brown to black wavy to curly hair, hair on face rather scanty, medium to broad head, eyes dark in colour, medium stature, nose moderately medium and not conspicuously long. S. S. Sarkar classifies this group of people as Indo-Scythians. Daivadnya Brahmins are classified as mescocephals or the medium-headed ones, characterised by smaller to medium noses and smaller circumference of head. As per Iravati Karve, their average cephalic index is 74.2. Mescocephals follow Indo-Aryans in their wake and most of their ethnic strain is due to the Irano-Scythians. As Enthoven points out, the features of Śeṭs (fair skin, middle-sized, delicate) closely resemble to those of Indo-Scythians or Scytho-Dravidians. The Bhojakas, who are believed to be their predecessors, also have Scythian roots.

Micheal Edwards, in his book History of India from the earliest times to the present day, claims that the Maga or the Bhojakas are Sumerians. This cannot be ascertained unless detailed genealogical DNA study is done to trace their ethnic origin.