Bardai Surnames & Gotra

A gotra is the lineage or "clan" (although read below) assigned to a Hindu  at birth. In most cases, the system is patrilineal and the gotra  assigned is that of the person's father. Other terms for it are vansh, vanshaj, bedagu, purvik, purvajan, pitru. An individual may decide to identify his lineage by a different gotra, or combination of gotras.

According to strict Hindu tradition, the term gotra is used only for the lineages of Brahmin, Kshatriya and Vaishya varnas. Brahminical gotra relates directly to the original seven or eight rishis of the Vedas.

Traditionally, the Saptarishi include:

• Kashyapa
• Bhardavaj
• Atri
• Vashishta
• Vishwamitra
• Gautama Maharishi
• Jamadagni

The word "Gotra" means "ray". In Brahmin tradition, it is the duty of the Brahmin to keep his particular ray alive by doing daily rituals so that he may transmit the power of that ray to others for the benefit of mankind. When the "ray" is extinguished, so is that particular beneficial magical stream dead to the human race and that power lost to mankind forever. Hence the importance of a Brahmin's daily sandhya (practice). A common mistake is to consider gotra to be synonymous with clan or Kula. A kula is basically a set of people following similar rituals, often worshipping the same God (the Kula-Devata - the God of the clan). Kula has nothing to do with lineage or caste. In fact, it is possible to change one's Kula, based on his faith or Ishta-deva. 

It is common practice in Hindu marriage to inquire about the Kula-Gotra meaning Clan-Lineage of the bride and bridegroom before approving the marriage. In almost all Hindu families, marriages within the same gotra are prohibited since people with same gotra/gothra are considered to be siblings. But marriage within the kula is allowed and even preferred (e.g. Bardai Brahmins). 

The following tables shows the Gotra and Nav Chinha for Bardai Brahmins.