Nagar's and their Origin

Nagar Brahmins are believed to be one of the oldest Brahmin groups of India, with a history that stretches back to the reign of Skandagupta (died 467). In mythology, the origin of Nagars is linked to the marriage of Lord Shiv to Uma.

The earliest written source dealing with the origin of the Nagars is the Skanda Purana which contains some 81,000 Slokas, or hymns. With a view to predate the Brahmin Dharma against Buddhist beliefs, the emperor Skandagupta and the vallabhi emperors sponsored various writers to write the Skanda Purana between 300 and 770 A.D. Elite Brahmins called Nagars were tasked with furthering the Brahmin religion. These Nagars were expert religious interpreters and were working without salary but the kings gave them land for maintenance instead. Most lived around Vadnagar or Anandnagar but they traveled extensively.

One theory speculates the origin of the Nagar Brahmins to be Hatak or Ladhakh, where the predominant deity is Hatak, Hatkesh or Hatkeshwar. According to the Skandapurana, the land of Hatkeshwar was a gift from Lord Shiva for the Nagars to colonize. Another version of the legend claims the King of Anarta rebuilt an abandoned city, Chamatkarpur, and consecrated a temple to Hatkeshwar to show his gratitude to the Brahmins. Through the years, and many name changes, the town is currently known as Vadnagar. The inhabitants of the city were known as Nagars. The city of Vadnagar was invaded periodically and the Nagars sought refuge in the nearby areas of Saurashtra and Rajasthan while attempting to observe and preserve the code in order to maintain their identity. Following King Vishaldev's conquest of Gujarat around A.C.E. 1040, the King of Ajmer established the cities of Vishnagar (formerly Vishalnagar), Chitrod (or Chitakutpati), Prashnipur, Krashnor, and Sathod (or Shatpad). He offered these cities to the Brahmins who were descended from the Nagars of Vadnagar.

In mythology, the origin of Nagars is linked to the marriage of Lord Shiv to Uma. Lord Shiva created a sect of Brahmins to perform his marriage with Uma and asked these Brahmins to settle in the Hatkeshwar kshetra. Another tale depicting the origin of Nagars goes telling the story of a Brahmin boy Kratha who was once roaming about Nag Lok-Nag Tirth the abode of Nags (Serpents) and while roaming he happen into a confrontation with Rudamal- the Nag prince. Rudamal got killed in the confrontation. Enraged by the killing of his son, the Nag King vowed to destroy the entire community of the killer of his son and in the process invaded the town, which is believed to be the present day Vadnagar, where Kratha- the Brahmin boy, lived. Several of the Brahmin families living in the town were killed and several families fled the town. The fleeing Brahmin families took refuge with Trijat, a great saint and an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva. Trijat advised the Brahmins to worship and please Lord Shiva, which they did. Lord Shiva, however, expressed his inability in destroying the Nags as they were also his devotees. He however, blessed the Brahmins with the powers with the help of which the Brahmins could nullify the poison of the Nags. The Brahmins returned to their town with the blessings of Lord Shiva and were called Nagars- Na- Gar i.e. without any poison. (The Nagar community is therefore also revered as the most sacred among the Brahmins as they do not possess any poison in them in the form of any evils). However, when the Brahmins returned to their town they had grown very old (vriddha) and therefore the town was known as Vriddha Nagar or the city of the old. The name later became Vadnagar. Incidentally, Lord Krishna was also referred to as Nag- Har since he destroyed Kaliya in the river Yamuna.

Another similar story says that the Brahmins of Chamatkarpur were frequently persecuted by the community of Naags. It is believed that a child widow, named Bhattika was kidnapped by them. This led to a bitter fight between the Brahmins of Chamatkarpur and Naags. It happened during the reign of King Prabhanjna. A son was born in his house at an inauspiscious time. At his request, the Brahmins of Chamatkarpur performed a sacrifice for “shanty” (peace) but all they got in return was an epidemic. The Brahmins came to learn from the fire god that some one among them was not pure. One Prabhavdatta wore the cap, went to the forest, practiced penance and propitiated Lord Shiv. The Brahmins of chamatkarpur who were persecuted by Naag community sought shelter from Prabhavdatta, who had now the blessings of Lord Shiv. Lord Shiv gave them the Nagara Mantra by which the Naags could be subdued. The Brahmins of Chamatkarpur thereafter once again fought the Naags and defeated them. They accepted Prabhavdatta as their leader and since then Prabhavdatta is known as Bhartiyajna. Manshankar Pitamberdas Mehta identifies Prabhanjna of Anarta country with the Kshatrapa ruler of Gujarat, King Rudradaman-II. He comes to the conclusion that the fight of the Vadnagara Nagar Brahmins with the Naag community took place in AD 347 and that Vadnagar was regained by the Nagars in AD 348. Hence the significance of the Samvat Year 404 corresponding to AD 348 is invariably referred to by the Vadnagar Nagar Brahmins in the Uptamani, which is read at the end of the Marriage ceremony. It is said that a man of a very low caste once impersonated a Nagar and married a Nagar girl. When the truth came to the knowledge of the girl she burnt herself to death. After this incident, Prabhavdatta of Bhartiyajna, who had by then laid down special rules and regulations for the benefit of Nagars, declared that no one should have his daughter married without making proper enquiries and thus the custom of reading the Uptamani (the names of the leading members of the two families and other members of the community) came into existence- from Samvat Year 404 or AD 348. It is believed by some that before the Nagars arrived in Gujarat in 404 A.D., they lived in Sindh. According to Sir Herbert Risley, Nagars are "Shaks" & "Dravids." Dr. Bhandaarkar considered Nagars as having their origins outside the country. Nagars are said to have been descendants of the Greek people of Macedonia. These Macedonians came to India during the time of Alexander the Great and those who stayed behind began the roots of the realm of the Nagar caste.