Gahoi

Gahoi is a merchant community in central India. ^[1][2] The traditional population centre has been the Bundelkhand region, with their origin claimed to be at Kharagpur.^[3]

Gahois are divided into 12 gotras, each gotra is divided into six alls.^[4][5] They have traditionally interdined with the Parwar Jain community of Bundelkhand.^[6]

The "Grahapati" family mentioned in the Grahapati Kokkala inscription is believed to be from the same community that is now known as Gahoi.^[7] This inscription at Khajuraho, dated Vikram Samvat 1056, Kartika (1000–1001 AD), is the earliest known reference to the Grahapati family.^[8] Unlike all other Chandella-era Grahapati inscriptions which are Jain, this refers to a Shiva temple,^[9] although Verse 3 suggests that the builder also worshipped Jinas. An inscription is of Vikram samvat 1011 mentioning Pahilla, regarded to have been a Grahapati, who built a Jain temple during the reign of Dhanga at Khajuraho. This temple is among those that still exist at Khajuraho.^[10][11][12]

Notable people

• Maithili Sharan Gupt^[13] was an influential Hindi poet. For his book Bharat-Bharati (1912),^[14] widely quoted during India's frredom struggle, he was given the tile of Rashtra Kavi by Mahatma Gandhi. The Gahoi community in several cities celebrates his anniversary.^[15][16] The UP government gives an annual literary award named "Bharat Bharati"^[17]

See also

• Beejamandal
• Golapurva
• Grahapati Kokkala inscription

References

1. गहोई समाज ने मनाया होली मिलन समारोह, Bhaskar News Network, Mar 30, 2016,
2. अखिल भारतीय गहोई वैश्य महासभा के शताब्दी समारोह में समाज के मेधावी छात्र-छात्राओं को सम्मानित किया गया, Amar Ujala, 26 जून 2013
3. The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India, by R. V. Russell, Vol II, p. 146, 1916
4. Jwalaprasad Mishra, Jati Bhaskar, 1914, Khmeraj Shrikrishnadas.
5. Vasudevasharan Agraval, "Sahitya sadan ki yatra", in Raashhtarkavi Maithiliisharana Gupt Abhinandan Granth, Ed. Agravaal Vaasudevasharana, 1959, Raashhtarkavi Maithiliisharana Gupt Abhinandan Committee Calcutta, p. 78.
6. [Siddhantacharya Phulachandra Shastri, Parwar Jain Samaj ka Itihas, 1990, Jabalpur, pp. 175-188 ]
7. Kallidaikurichi Aiyah Nilakanta Sastri; Indian History Congress (1959). A Comprehensive History of India. Orient Longmans. ISBN 978-81-7304-561-5.
8. Svasti Śrī: Dr. B.Ch. Chhabra felicitation volume, K. V. Ramesh, Agam Prasad, S. P. Tewari, p. 139
9. Lalit kalā, Issue 10, Lalit Kala Akademi,1961, p. 64
10. Kasturchand Jain Suman, Bharatiya Digambar Jain Abhilekh aur Tirth Parichay, Madhya-Pradesh: 13 vi shati tak, Delhi, 2001, p. 14-17
11. H.V. Trivedi, "Inscriptions of the Paramaras, Chandellas, Kachchhapaghatas and two minor Dynasties", part 2 of the 3-part Vol III of Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum, 1974 (published in 1991).
12. [Inscriptions of the Chandellas of Jejakbhukti,Ed. H.V. Trivedi, 1989, p. 456.]
13. Risi Jaimini Kaushik Barua, "Kankane Vansh ki Vrtiddhi, "Raashhtarkavi Maithiliisharana Gupt Abhinandan Granth, Ed. Agravaal Vaasudevasharana, 1959, Raashhtarkavi Maithiliisharana Gupt Abhinandan Committee Calcutta, p. 138.
14. राष्ट्रकवि व उनकी भारत भारती, जागरण, Oct 15, 2012
15. मैथिलीशरण गुप्त की जयंती पर गहोई वैश्य समाज का कार्यक्रम आज Bhaskar News Network,Aug 03, 2015
16. मैथिलीशरण गुप्त की जयंती पर गहोई वैश्य समाज का कार्यक्रम आज राष्ट्रीय स्तर पर आयोजित हो कार्यक्रमः नीखरा, 03 Aug 2015, Nai Dunia, Gwalior
17. प्रसिद्ध साहित्यकार काशीनाथ सिंह को मिलेगा भारत-भारती सम्मान, Zee News, August 5, 2015