| Sarola\Saryul\Serul | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Brahmin |
| Religions |  Hinduism |
| Languages | Garhwali |
| Populated states | Uttarakhand,India |
| Related groups | Garhwali people |
Sarola Brahmin, also calledSaryul andSerul, are the oldestGarhwaliBrahmins fromUttarakhand,India.[1] These families were founded in the 6th and 7th centuries by scions of multiple Brahminmagnate clans to rule as the sacerdotalaristocracy of the Himalayan Kingdoms.
The Sarolas originally were 12 ancient houses:Nautiyals, Maitwanas, Khanduras, Raturis,Thapliyals, Chamolis,Semwals, Lakheras, Semaltis,Gairolas, Kothiyals and Dimris.[2] However, the oldest families, often exclusively Sarola and with the most illustrious lineages, such as theKanyakubja Joshis (the oldest of the leading Satkuli or 7 Brahmin lineages ofKumaon where they served as hereditary prime ministers since the Sixth century) or theRajpurohitGaur Nautiyals (hereditary prime ministers in Garhwal) or theMaithil Uniyals (in Garhwal) held a higher ducal status asTaluqdars orThakurs and were themselves descendants of royal and leading Brahmin ducal houses from the pre-medieval kingdoms of their origins such as the Nautiyals ofMalwa, Joshis of theCarnatic or Uniyals ofMagadha.[3][4]
TheUniyals,Bahugunas, Dobhals, and Dangwals were the oldestGangari Brahmins founded in the 8th century after the first Sarola families, but due to their ancient lineage from classical dynasties of the Gangetic Plains of Bihar, Bengal and Ayodhya, they were afforded the same high status as the Sarola Houses and formed the class of Chauthoki aristocrats. The Chauthoki houses were pre-eminent nobility inTehri Garhwal as counterpart to the Sarolas being the high lords inPauri Garhwal andChamoli Garhwal.[5]
These Brahmin houses maintained vast interests in landholding, finance and hereditary ministerial positions along with custodianship of the great temples of North India as hereditary 'Ravals' (high priests or archbishops) such asYamunotri under the Uniyals,Gangotri under the Semwals,Kedarnath under the Dimris,Joshimath under the Joshis,Nanda Devi under the Nautiyals, and the highest Hindu ecclesiastical authority in the north: the temple ofBadrinath under the Nambudris who bore the dynastic title of 'Shankaracharya' (pontiff) due to their direct descent fromAdisankara of the eighth century who established all these great temples in North India.[6] The greatest ecclesiastical seats of Hinduism are the 4 Pontifical Thrones of theChar Dham (Badrinath, Puri, Rameswaram, Dwarka) and the 4 High Sees of theChota Char Dham (Badrinath -Joshimath, Kedarnath -Nanda Devi, Yamunotri, Gangotri) as well as the 12Jyotrlingas of which Kedarnath is the highest and most sacred due to its proximity to the divine abode of Lord Shiva at Kailasa.[7][8]
The Sarolas and Chauthokis settled asRajpurohits (grand viziers), royal astrologers,high priests, ritual cooks, royal Gurus, and royal advisors and ministers. They were also designated the task of cooking ritual temple offerings on auspicious occasions and also on royal occasions by the King of Garhwal, thus named "Sarola" (Garhwali for cooking offerings) due to the ritual purity of the Sarola Brahmins which meant only their hand could prepare the oblations.[9]