Vijayvargiya

Vijayvargia (also Vijayvargiya, Vijayvergiya, Vijaywargiya, Vijayvergia, Vijay) is a merchant (Vaishya-Baniya) community mainly from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

According to tradition, it originated from the historical Khandela town in northern Rajasthan.[1] Maheshwaris and Khandelwal communities also trace their origin to Khandela.

They mainly live in Rajasthan ( in Jodhpur, Tonk, Bharatpur, Jaipur, Ajmer, Bhilwara, Chittaurgarh, Udaipur, Kota and Bikaner districts) and western Madhya Pradesh ( in Nimach, Mandsour, Ratlam, Indore, Guna, Bhopal and also in Gwalior districts) . They are also located at Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Surat, Pune, Delhi, Faridabad, Ballabgarh, Chennai, Chandigarh, Bangalore, Nagpur, Ranchi, America. They are mainly Vaishanava(Vaishya).[2] The Ram Snehi sect was founded by Swami Ram Charan (1718–1798) at Shahpura, Bhilwara by establishing Ramdwara was born in this community.[3]

Origin of Vijayvargia

Dhanpal Vaishya was the Prime Minister of the King of Khandela Janapada (Sikar). His four offspring established four castes: Saravagi was established by Sunda, Khandelwal by Khanda, Maheshwari by Mahesha, and Vijayvargiya/Vijaywargiya by Vija. All these four castes claim their origin to be Khandela Janapada, but any other evidence does not confirm the theory of four sons. Some of the Khandela scholars accept their origin from the two brothers – Khanda and Vija. Both these castes have 72 gotras (branches) each, out of which 13 gotras of both the castes have similarity among them. It is on record that in 363 AD, Kunwar Jayant Singh developed some differences with his father, the ruler of Khandela Janapada. Consequently, Kunwar Jayant Singh was ordered to be exiled by the ruler. Vija son of the Prime Minister of the king, along with his 71 supporters followed Kunwar Jayant Singh; they made their first halt at Jakheri. There, they made a plan and invaded the Kingdom of Ranthambhaur and succeeded in annexing the kingdom. Greatly impressed by the devotion and valor of his followers, Kunwar Jayant Singh named the entire group as Vijayvargia. These 72 men altogether, became the forerunners of the 72 clans. In the year 1906–07, Pithashah organized a huge conglomeration of the entire gotras of this caste at Pipalu village of Tonk (Rajasthan). Foundation of 16 temples was laid down consequent to this meeting. Greatly impressed by the initiative taken by Pithashah, the prominent personalities attending the conglomeration conferred the title of Chaudhary on Pithasha. Specialists called ‘Raos’ were given the responsibility of maintaining the history and record of their caste and gotras. The main gotras of Vijayvargias’ are: Jhojhota, Khunteta, Chaudhary, Patodiya, Kapadi, Parva, Nayakwal, etc. Vijayvergias’ are basically Vaishnava, but there are isolated examples of them being Shaivas also. In the field of spiritualism also Vijayvargias’ are known to have been blessed by the ‘Ramsnehi Sect’; Swami Shri Ramacharan ji Maharaj was its founder. Vijayvergia Cast has said be cursed from Meerabai as a person from this community conspired in poisoning Meerabai, the keen devotee of Lord Krishna, . Under the patronage and motivation of Shri Ramcharan Ji Maharaj, Vijayvargias’ have played a stellar role in the building of social structure and performed various memorable deeds in the religious field as well. The famous temple of ‘Girdhar Gopal’ at Pushkar (Ajmer), which has made Meerabai an immortal, is a gift from this caste.

Gotras of Vijayvargiya

Gotra Kuldevi Rishi Veda Shakha Sutrakar Ganpati Sati Location
ADHEDIYA Chamunda Bhardwaj Yajurveda Madhyandini Katyayan Vinayak
AJLODIYA Ashapura Vashishta Yajurveda Madhyandini Katyayan Vighnayak
AJMERA Padhav Bhardwaj Yajurveda Madhyandini Katyayan Vinayak
AJMERA SIGI Ashapura Vashishta Yajurveda Madhyandini Katyayan Vighnayak
BADHADARA Jinn Vashishta Yajurveda Madhyandini Katyayan Vighnayak
BAHARADIYA Chamunda Kashyap Samveda Kauthumi Gobhi l Heramb
BANDHIWAL Chamunda Kashyap Samveda Kauthumi Gobhil Heramb
BANDIWAL Ambey Gautama Samveda Kauthumi Gobhil Heramb
BANSIWAL Eshwari Vashishta Yajurveda Madhyandini Katyayan Vighnayak
BANTHLIWAL Ambey Gautama Samveda Kauthumi Gobhil Shivsoot
BATHRA Ashapura Shandilya Yajurveda Madhyandini Katyayan Ganraj
BAUDADA Dhundeswar Kavyesh Yajurveda Madhyandini Katyayan Vinayak
BENKATA (or VAINKTA) Ambey Gautama Samveda Kauthumi Gobhil Shivsoot
BHARADLIYA Dhundsri Krutu Samveda Kauthumi Gobhil Vighnayak
BHIYANYA Kundesari Bhardwaj Yajurveda Madhyandini Katyayan Vinayak
BOHARA (or VOHRA) Ambika Gautama Samveda Kauthumi Gobhil Shivsoot
BORA (or VORA)
CHOUDHARY Shree Jeenn mata
DANS
DOSIWAL
DUSAJ
GADH (or GADDHI)
GAJNIWAL
GARAU
GHARASWAL
GHIYA
GOTHADIWAL
GWALERIYA
HINGWA
JHOJHOTA (or JAJODIA) Chamunda Bhardwaj Yajurveda Madhyandini Katyayan Vinayak
KAPDI
KATARIYA
KHANDARIYA
KHANDAYA
KHANDLA-SINGI
KHENTODAYA
KHOHWAL
KHUNTETA Kapasan Mata
KODAI
LUHARIYA
MALI
MANIHAR Kiyay, Chavanda Kashyap Kauthumi Gobhil Heramb Swaroopa Bai Sati-Bhalta (Jhalawar-Raj)
MAROTIYA
MUVANIYA
NAIWAL ANTER MATA
NARANIWAL
NAREDIWAL
NATYA
NAYAKWAL
NIJRANYA/NIJHASYA
PANCHALYA
PANCHALUHADIYA
PANCHOLI
PARDA
PARWA
PATNIWAL
PATODIYA Jeen Mata, Dist. Sikar, Raj
PHAGIWAL
POLIWAL
RAJORIA Chmunda devi
SAGARIYA
SAKHUNYA
SENDHANI
SINGWAN
SINGHI
SOHELIYA
SURLYA
TAMOLI
TOKARWASA village: MARMI, CHITTORGARH (district), RAJASTHAN, INDIA.
UNCHI Jinn Mata
VAHATARA
VARDA

Original name

As per Shakti Peeth edition of Kalyan, it appears that the original name of the caste was Beeja, originated from the term Beej, a martial community of soldiers that helped the Prithviraj Chouhan to win the Bundelkhand region. After this win Prithviraj left back the part under these Beej leaders. These Beej established a Temple of Beejasn Deity, which is now a recognised Shaktipeeth. However, after the defeat of Prithviraj Chohan, the Bundels regained their state and the Beej leaders had to migrate as traders in small groups toward Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and settled in different states. We can see Vijayvergiyas holding important post of Diwans, Kamdars, Royal Gandhis in Mewar, Jaipur, Bikaner, Jodhpur and Jagirdars of these states, the Beejawats and Gandhis are well known terms for the caste in Ajmer, Japurm, Kota, Bikaner, and Jodhpur. The term Vijayvergiya appears newly formed in the 20th century only, according to C. S. Vijay.

References

  1. Lawrence A. Babb, Mirrored warriors: On the cultural identity of Rajasthani traders, International Journal of Hindu Studies, June 3, 2007
  2. Sangave, Vilas Adinath (1959). Jaina community. Popular Book Depot.
  3. Sen, Siba Pada (1978). Social contents of Indian religious reform movements. Calcutta: Institute of Historical Studies.

See also

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