MAHURI VAISHYA - माहुरी वैश्य

Mahuri Vaisya, based on their family lore, tradition, and historical evidences, trace their roots to an ancient and distant past - to the period of the Puranas, as also to the golden era of India, that is, the period of the Mauryas and the Guptas. Our ancient ancestors lived in the forest hamlets around the regions of Mathura, Vrindavan and Gokul. In reverence to our origin in those forest hamlets there, Mahuri Vaisya as a faithful community with deep ethical values and religious outlook continue to revere Mother Goddess Mathurasini Devi (an aspect of the Goddess Shakti) as their supreme family deity.

In the near term, our ancestry is traceable to at least 500 years from the time of the consolidation of North India under the Mughal rule (16th century) when the caravan routes had become safer and our ancestors commenced coming from Mathura-Vrindavan-Gokulregions to the Suba-e-Bengal, one of the most prosperous provinces of that period. In the early part of the 18th century, when the disintegration of the Mughal Empire set forth and the trade routes became unsafe and targets of the Pindari marauders, a number of our ancestors chose to permanently settle in the regions around Bihar Shariff, a major commercial and political center of that time and presently located in the Indian state of Bihar. Such waves of migration continued for several decades bringing in a large number of families from the regions around Mathura to Bihar Shariff and the adjoining areas. Concurrently, a number of families had already settled permanently in different locations of the fertile belt of Magadha, on the south of the Indo-Gangetic plains, in central Bihar and continued to engage in trade, commerce and other economic activities. Such waves of migration had continued for several decades, and over a period of time spanning several decades, the holy and the heritage city of Gaya, one among the seven holiest cities of the Hindus, emerged as the social and cultural capital of Mahuri Vaisya.

Before India’s First War of Independence (1857-1858), a large number of Mahuri Vaisya has reached the hinterland and the deeper recesses of the northern part of Chotanagpur plateau, currently a part of the Indian state of Jharkhand. The dawn of the 20th century saw a number of Mahuri Vaisya families to move eastward to West Bengal and southward to Orissa. In the meanwhile, on account of initiatives of several social leaders of Mahuri Vaisya community, a social renaissance was slowly taking shape. These initiatives resulted into heightened awareness and higher level of education. This sharpened the pioneering spirit and the ingrained dynamism of Mahuri people to seek newer avenues of expressing themselves in fields other than their traditional forte of trade and commerce. By that time, a class of knowledge based professionals have emerged who engaged themselves in mining and industry, government and semi-government employment, and several other knowledge based professions. This social renaissance also resulted into hundreds of families of Mahuri Vaisya to settle in large metropolis of India, namely, Kolkatta, Mumbai, and New Delhi, and several other big and small cities and towns of India. By the late-20th century, the pioneering spirit of the educated elite of the community had taken them to several parts of the world, and by the beginning of the third millennia, Mahuri Vaisya families were located, even though in small number, in several continents and in almost all the time zones across the globe.

In Srimad Bhagvat Purana mainly devoted to the lilas of Krishna, reference to our ancestors appears in a particular context. Our ancestors were originally located in the hinterland of Mathura-Vrindavan-Gokul regions, from where they are believed to have fanned out to several other locations in north India and developed as , retaining the word and a number of such families reached the Suba-e-Bengal in the early part of the 18th century.

Mahuri Vaisya folks are reported to have migrated from the city of Mathura and surrounding rural locations to the then suba-e-Bengal which was under the Mughal Empire. As a faithful community, the Mahuri Vaisya folks still continue to worship Mata Mathurashani Devi, an incarnation of Shakti, as their family deity.

Although Mahuri folks have been coming to places in the suba-e-Bengal during the heyday of the Mughal Empire (around 500 years before) for trade and commerce, the large waves of migrations reportedly took place around 250 years before. Scores of families reached the place known as Biharsharif located in the present day state of Bihar, India. Over a period of several decades that followed the large scale migrations from Mathura, the Mahuri Vaishya folks reached the hinterland of Chotanagpur plateau and got located in a number of villages.

Before this, they have already settled in several fertile locations of the areas of the Magadh. Ultimately, the heritage city of Gaya, in several senses, emerged as the “capital city” of all the Mahuri Vaisya folks. From the early 20th Century, several mahuri families migrated to the places located in the present day states of the West Bengal and Orissa . By the end of the last century, the dynamism of the Mahuri Vaishya took them to several part of India, particularly to the metropolitan cities of New Delhi and Mumbai. Now, Mahuri Vaisya families may be found, albeit in a very small number, in almost all the time zones across the globe. A number of them have also shed their traditional vocation of trade and commerce and are engaged in a variety of professions.

Although the history of Mahuri Vaisya is traceable to a very near term to hardly 3 centuries or so, the family folklores of Mahuri people as well as certain mythological and historical evidences suggest that roots of the Mahuri Vaisya (not necessarily with the same name “mahuri”) may be traced back to two millennia before - even to the period of the Mauraya and the Gupta empires.

SURNAMES OF MAHURI VAISHYAS

The Mahuri Vaisya have 14 surnames/family names, each with a different gotra.

It is believed that Lord Krishna advised the ancient ancestors of the Mahuri to engage themselves in trade and commerce—that is, to take up the ways of the Vaisya—in order to earn their livelihood.They settled in fourteen hamlets nestled in the forests (of Vrindavana (now Vrindavan) around the ancient city of Mathura, whence the name "Mahuri". The fourteen original Mahuri surnames or family names (referred to by modern Mahuri Vaisya as "khatas") are derived from the names of these forest hamlets.

The khata Lohani

The khata Lohani is given to families who resided in the hamlet of Lohawana (near the cave of the demon Loha-Asur). Lohani folks were initiated in the school of "kapila Muni" and accordingly their gotra is "kapil muni".

The Khata Seth

Those families who were residing in "viharvana" acquired the khata "seth". This location was believed to be a beautiful spot. Presently, there stands a magnificent temple built by Jaipur King Shree Madawajee. "Kamal muni" is the gotra of "Seth" Khata.

The khata Bhadani

The khata Bhadani is given to families who resided in the hamlet of Bhadrawana. Bhadanis belong to "kapil muni" gotra.

The khata Tarway

The khata Tarway is given to those families who resided in the hamlet of Talwan. Taraways belongs to "Vatasa muni" gotra.

The khata Kandhaway

 The khata Kandhaway is given to those families who resided in the hamlet of Kaamvana. Kandhaways belong to the gotra of "Kashyap muni".

Barahapuriya

Barahapuriyas derive their khata from "madhuwan" where their ancestors used to reside. In this place, one king by the name of Brihat Sen is reported to have performed yagya under the priesthood of Shanta rishi. It is believed that the children performed yagya. It is believed that "barahapuriyas" are descendants of "baraha-sainis". The gotra of "barahpurias" is "vashista muni" gotra.

Vaishakhiyar

Families residing in the "brihatvana" derived the khata "Vaishakhiyar". This "brihatvana" was reportedly located on the eastern flank of "lohavana" where "Nimbakacharya" is believed to have appeared. "Vaishakhiyar" belongs to "Bhardwaj muni" gotra.

Athaghara

"Athaghara" khata is derived from "khelvan" which is believed to be the lila-ashali of Lord Krishan and Radha. A pond named "mansarovar" was believed to be located in the "khelwan". "Chandra muni" is the gotra of athaghara.

Kapasimey

Kapasimey is derived from the "kumudvan". Here, there is the shrine of Mahaprabhujee. The gotra of Kapasimey is "Shandilya muni".

Kutariyaar

Families residing in the "bhandeervana" acquired "Kutariyaar" khata. A well by the name "Bhandeer" is here. It is believed that this well appeared when the lord Krishan annihilated the demon "vatasha-ashur". "Sharan muni" is perhaps the gotra of "kutariyaar".

Badgaway

Badgaway derives their Khata from "bahulavana". Krishan-kunda and temples of Baldeojee and Bahula cow are located here. The gotra of Badgaway is "Kanta muni".

Charanpahari

In Vrindavana area there are 5 hillocks, Gowanrdhan, Varasatu, Nandishawar, Charanpahari and Dushari Charanpahari. These small mountains gave the Khata "Charanpahari". The gotra of "charanpahari" is "Saravesh muni".

Ekghara

From the "vatsha-vana", Lord Brahama is reported to have stolen some calves. Here, Gwal Mandol and Haribole thirthas are located. It is believed that "Ekghara" families used to reside in "vatsha-vana". "Chandra muni" is the gotra of "Ekghara".

Pawanchaudaha

The temple of "pawan mohan jee" is located in "mahavan". Families residing in this area derived the Khata "Pawanchaudaha". The gotra of "Pawanchaudaha" is "Surya muni".

History

Although the history of Mahuri Vaisya is traceable to a very near term to hardly three centuries or so, the family folklores of Mahuri Vaisya people as well as certain mythological and historical evidences suggest that roots of the Mahuri Vaisya (not necessarily with the same name "mahuri") may be traced back to two millennia before—even to the Maurya and Gupta periods.

Although Mahuri people have been coming to places in the Suba of Bengal during the heyday of the Mughal Empire (around 500 years before) for trade and commerce, the large waves of migrations reportedly took place around 250 years before. Scores of families reached the place Bihar-E-Sharif located in the present day state of Bihar, India. Over a period of several decades, the Mahuri Vaishya folks reached the hinterland of Chota Nagpur Plateau (or Chhota Nagpur) and got located in a number of villages.

Before this, they had already settled in several fertile locations of the areas of the Magadha. Ultimately, the heritage city of Gaya, in several senses, emerged as the "capital city" of all the Mahuri Vaisya people. From the early 20th Century, several mahuri families migrated to the places located in the present day states of the West Bengal and Odisha. By the end of the last century, the dynamism of the Mahuri Vaishya took them to several parts of India, particularly to the metropolitan cities of Calcutta, New Delhi and Mumbai. Now, Mahuri Vaisya families may be found, albeit in a very small number, in almost all the time zones across the globe. A number of them have also shed their traditional vocation of trade and commerce, and are engaged in a variety of other professions.

SABHAR : WIKIPEDIA