Southern Saraswats

Gaud Saraswats/ (GSB ) Brahmins

1) Shenvi 2) Sashastikar 3) Bardeshkar 4) Divadkars 5) Chitrapur/Shenvi Paikis 6)
Balwalikar 7) Rajapurkar 8) Kudaldeshkar 9) Khadpekajule 10) Pednekar 11) Lolitkar 12)
Narvanes 14) Nivaskars.
The Dakshinatya Saraswats from an exclusive part of the Hindu community. They trace
their history back to Vedic period and have a genetic relationship with people now living up
north in the Punjab, Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. But the main branch of this
community which migrated to south, concentrated on west coastal strip of land stretching
across Konkan, Gomantak, Canara, Malabar and Travancore regions. They settled down
in a group of sixty six villages known as Sashti or Sashasti in the present province of
Salsette in Goa. Six families at Matagram/Madgoan, six families at Antruj/Ponda, six
families at Venaya/Verne, six families at Lolti, ten families at Chudamani/Chodan, eight
families at Dipavati/Divadi and twelve families of Kiravants (priest for performing funeral
obsequies) settled in the middle of Gomantak. Other twelve families settled in present
Bardesh. The residents of this group in sixty six villages are known as Sashastikars.
Some time later, thirty other families came and settled in an area known as Tiswadi/ (Ilha
de Goa) in these ninety six villages there fore known as Shannavis (Shenvi). Earlier
immigrants were called Adi Gaud / Kudaldeshkar. Subsequent immigrants were called
Narvanes, Nivaskar, Khadpe Kajule on the basis of territory. Southern Saraswats are of
ten types. Among them some are Siddhas (who do not observe any restrictions). The
names of these types are:1) Kapandhara, 2) Bhitacharina (person who acts according to
Dharma out of fear), 3) Snenaya, 4) Koushika (descendants of Rishi Koushik, 5) Narva, 6)
Vaidika, 7) Lajjaka, 8) Naigama (those who interpret the Nigamas or the Vedas), 9)
Kharapratistya and 10) Pretavilasina (person who helps during funeral obsequies). Of the
various Saraswat communities which are to be found in North and South India, the
Saraswats of Goa and west coast alone are known as Gaud Saraswats.
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