Assamese Brahmin

The earliest historical evidence of the settlement of Brahmins in Assam comes from various epigraphic sources of the Varman dynasty (350–650).^[3] Land grants by Kamrupa kings to Brahmins continue in the Kamrup region until the reign of king Vallabhadeva of the 12th century. In 1329, the Rauttakonci copper-plate grant of a local chief named Purusottama Dasa records the gift of the village of Rauttakonci, identified with modern Ratkuchi near Nalbari, to the Brahmin Dharmakara, son of Nilambara.^[4]

Among the earliest surviving references to Brahmins and royal land grants in Central and Upper Assam are copper-plate charters issued by the Kachari and Chutia rulers. A stone inscription found at Lanka, Hojai dated to 1352 AD records Kachari king Mahamanikya giving land to a Brahmin named Din Dwija at a village named Bamdeva.^[5][6] The Dhenukhana grant of Chutia king Satyanarayana, dated 1392, and the Ghilamara grant of king Lakshminarayana, dated 1401, belong to the Habung region (present-day Lakhimpur) and record grants in favour of Brahmin beneficiaries. A further charter from Sadiya–Chepakhowa, dated 1428, records a land grant in the Habung area administered by Chutia official Vrihatpatra, the Habungadhipati.^[7][8] It is not known for certain whether Brahmins existed in the Habung region before the Chutia reign. A tradition associated with Gharmora Satra further states that a Chutia king brought Sankarshan, a Brahmin from Kannauj whom the king had met while studying at Nabadwip, to Sadiya. The king is said to have established him on the bank of the Gharmora River and endowed the institution with land, dependants and an image of Vishnu.^[9] Following Suhungmung's annexation of the Chutia kingdom, many Brahmin families from the former Chutia capital Sadiya, together with Kayasthas, Kalitas, Daivajnas and artisan groups, were transferred to the Ahom capital.^[10]

In the late medieval period beginning with the early 16th century, a number of Brahmins from Mithila, Benaras, Kanauj, Bengal and Puri (Srikshetra), were settled in western Assam by the Koch kings for performing Brahminical rites.^[11][12][13] During the reign of Nara Narayan (1554-1587) of the Koch dynasty, two Brahmins named Siddhantavagisa and Vidyavagisa were brought from Gauda and Siddhantavagisa was responsible for the spread of Hinduism in the Koch kingdom^[14] Even during the reign of Koch king Prannarayana (1633-1655), Brahmins were brought from Mithilia to serve in the Koch kingdom^[15] and this process was later continued by the Ahom state especially under the Tungkhungia Ahom kings with Siva Singha donating 19 out of the 48 landgrants by the Ahom kings to Brahmins.^[16] The migration of Brahmins into Assam took place from Central Himalayas as well.^[17] Most of these migration took place due to the foreign invasions in North India and on the invitation by the local rulers.^[18] Traditionally these Brahmins held the highest positions in society.^[19]

Although in general Brahmins observe all the customary rituals, they appear usually less rigid^[22] in some of their traditional lifestyle choices, such as they may eat meat, fish, unlike their counterparts in other parts of India like the North and the South.^[23][24]

The Brahmins constitute one of the Forward classes of Assam based on the classifications of Government of India, although the recent trend on economic condition has not been very well within the community. Assam's former Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi announced setting up of development councils for several communities in the state, including Brahmins.^[25]

• Kanyakubja Brahmins
• Manipuri Brahmins
• Assamese people
• Bengali Brahmins