Anavil is a caste in South Gujarat. I consider them dynamic, educated, able administrators and forward caste. The problem with them is they consider them converts from Bhils. Guys, let me tell you that it's not true and here are the reasons why??
Every anavil has a gotra. Gotra is a system in Brahmins that gets passed from generations to generations. In other words, it's a lineage from rishis. It is not possible to invent gotras that every anavil has. Also, like anavils there are many Brahmin sub-castes in India like Bhumihar Brahmins in Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Tyagi Brahmins in Western Uttar Pradesh, Goud Brahmins in U.P. and Rajasthan, Chitpawan Brahmins in Maharashtra, Havyak Brahmins in Karnataka, Niyogi Brahmins in Andhra Pradesh, Iyer Brahmins of Tamil Nadu, Namboothiri Brahmins in Kerala, Bengali Brahmins in Eastern India and Mohyals in the Punjab region that do not do rituals. It's not that they are not permitted but they joined hands with Parshurama and stopped doing rituals at some point due to other involvement and commitments. They are either land owners or do other professions.
A Brahmin has pravars too as per their professions and each brahmin follows certain shakha of ved. I know many anavils follow Yajur Ved shakha which is very common with bhumihar Brahmins from Bihar.
Another claim that is being made by anavils is bhagwan Ram gave Brahmin diksha to anavils that makes no sense to me and here is why? Because Ram was born as a Kshatriya and kshatriyas weren't allowed to do any rituals even in those days and even now. For that matter, no one other than a brahmin can perform any ritual. So, Ram cannot give any diksha to anyone even though he is considered God's incarnation - period... On the contrary, even in Ayodhya Guru Vasishtha who was considered Rajarshi used to do all rituals for raja Dashrath and Ram. Only Brahmins are allowed to rituals in Hinduism.
On top of this, all gotras that Anavils claim resembles with gotras in Western Bihar and Eastern UP. Due to all these facts, I can conclusively say that anavils are bhumihar brahimns and that claim their roots from Bhojpur, Siwan ans Saran districts of today's Bihar state and Ballia district of today's Uttar Pradesh.
In fact, there is also a theory that says that historically anavil forefathers migrated to Bihar from Baluchistan. I tend to believe in this theory as anavils also worship kuldevi in addition to their ishtadev. Anavil's ishtadev is shukleshwar mahadev and kuldevis are different as per their villages. Some villagers in Valsad district have Hinglaj Maa as as their kuldevi and Hinglaj Maa's shaktipeeth is one of 52 shaktipeethas situated near Makran (a port town) in Baluchistan in today's Pakistan.
Anavils need to take pride of their own heritage!!! Brahminism just doesn't happen by chance or conversion, it is a heritage that is passed from generations to generations...
Guys, something to think about!!!
Every anavil has a gotra. Gotra is a system in Brahmins that gets passed from generations to generations. In other words, it's a lineage from rishis. It is not possible to invent gotras that every anavil has. Also, like anavils there are many Brahmin sub-castes in India like Bhumihar Brahmins in Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Tyagi Brahmins in Western Uttar Pradesh, Goud Brahmins in U.P. and Rajasthan, Chitpawan Brahmins in Maharashtra, Havyak Brahmins in Karnataka, Niyogi Brahmins in Andhra Pradesh, Iyer Brahmins of Tamil Nadu, Namboothiri Brahmins in Kerala, Bengali Brahmins in Eastern India and Mohyals in the Punjab region that do not do rituals. It's not that they are not permitted but they joined hands with Parshurama and stopped doing rituals at some point due to other involvement and commitments. They are either land owners or do other professions.
A Brahmin has pravars too as per their professions and each brahmin follows certain shakha of ved. I know many anavils follow Yajur Ved shakha which is very common with bhumihar Brahmins from Bihar.
Another claim that is being made by anavils is bhagwan Ram gave Brahmin diksha to anavils that makes no sense to me and here is why? Because Ram was born as a Kshatriya and kshatriyas weren't allowed to do any rituals even in those days and even now. For that matter, no one other than a brahmin can perform any ritual. So, Ram cannot give any diksha to anyone even though he is considered God's incarnation - period... On the contrary, even in Ayodhya Guru Vasishtha who was considered Rajarshi used to do all rituals for raja Dashrath and Ram. Only Brahmins are allowed to rituals in Hinduism.
On top of this, all gotras that Anavils claim resembles with gotras in Western Bihar and Eastern UP. Due to all these facts, I can conclusively say that anavils are bhumihar brahimns and that claim their roots from Bhojpur, Siwan ans Saran districts of today's Bihar state and Ballia district of today's Uttar Pradesh.
In fact, there is also a theory that says that historically anavil forefathers migrated to Bihar from Baluchistan. I tend to believe in this theory as anavils also worship kuldevi in addition to their ishtadev. Anavil's ishtadev is shukleshwar mahadev and kuldevis are different as per their villages. Some villagers in Valsad district have Hinglaj Maa as as their kuldevi and Hinglaj Maa's shaktipeeth is one of 52 shaktipeethas situated near Makran (a port town) in Baluchistan in today's Pakistan.
Anavils need to take pride of their own heritage!!! Brahminism just doesn't happen by chance or conversion, it is a heritage that is passed from generations to generations...
Guys, something to think about!!!
