List of Gotra and Thari

Gotra is the clan system. Generally, it’s the group of people of several generations who are the descendants of an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor.

At birth, children get gotra from their father. But a girl gets transfer to her husband’s gotra after her marriage. We can also see some rare examples of people changing their gotra doing some rituals. It is said that the great king of Nepal Prithibhi Narayan Shah(1723-75) went to Banaras, India, and changed his Gotra from ‘Bharadwaj’ to ‘Kasyap’ to remain free from the sin of ‘Gotra Hatya’(killing of own clan) during the unification of Nepal.

It is said that there are the main 8 gotras evolved from the Rishis (sages) who were mind-born sons of Bramha, one of the Hindu Trinity. They are Saptarishis (सप्तऋषि, the famous 7 sages) – Kashyapa, Atri, Vashista, Vishwamitra, Gautama, Jamadagni, Bharadvaja, and the 8th is Agastya [1][2]. There are 49 established Hindu gotras today[3] all of which are themselves or evolved from those earlier eight gotras. Some sources say that there are 284 has surnames today.

Sagotri (सगोत्री) are the people having the same gotra. Like other Hindu communities, in Nepal too, marriage with sagotri is socially unacceptable. But, as education, awareness, and desire to reform the system increases, today we can also see many cases of marrying with sagotri fighting with the society. But there is always a debate whether marrying with sagotri is good or bad not only on a traditional basis but also on a scientific basis.

List of Some popular gotras and Nepali surnames belonging to it:-

Agasti (अगस्ती) : Dhungel

Angira (अंगिरा) : Joshi, Sedai, Saunak, Shahi

Atri (अत्रि) : Adhikari, Arjel/Arjyal, Bam (Raakse Thakuri), Bhatta (Pashupat), Chapagai, Gotame, Khatiwoda, Mishra, Ojha, Wosti

Aatreya (आत्रेय) : Aryal, Bhatta (Duwadi), Devkota, Dawadi, Dulal, Kalikote (Khadka), Paudel, Pokharel (Pani), Rosyara, Sharma, Sigdel, Thapa (Bagale)

Bharadwaaj (भरद्वाज) : Adhikari, Bhatta (Palyal), Chaulagai, Devkota, Jamarkattel, Lohani, Niraula, Panthi, Pandey (Kuleta), Panta, Pokharel (Dudh), Rawat, Shahi, Siwakoti / Shiwakoti, Subedi, Thami (Adhikari), Thapaliya, Upadhaya, Wagle, [Bhandari (Niraula, Suntakhane)]

Dhananjaya (धनञ्जय) : Basel/ Batsayal, Basnet, Bhusal, Budhathoki (Khulal), Dhamala, Gauripitri/ Gairipippli, Guragai, Humagai, Karki (Khulal), Khadka (Khulal), Kukurkote, Kunwar, Pangeni, Rijal, Thapa, [Bhandari (Bhusal)]

Kashyap (कश्यप) : Adhikari (Bhadare, Khilchine and Kaubali), Badaal, Bhatta (Kalauni, Mushyal), Bogati, Budhathoki (Sodari), Darji, Gadtaula, Gartaula, Ghimire, Hada, Kathayat, Kumal, Kumbhairana, Pade, Pandey (Badkhora, Badaal, Bhumihar, Simaaldiya), Rayamajhi, Shah (Thakuri), Sahi, Thapa (Godar), Tiwari

Kaudinya (कौण्डिन्य) : Achraya, Baskota, Bhandari (Kaala), Gaagle, Joshi, Khadka, Kharel, Marashini, Neupane, Pakurel, Paneru, Pathak, Parajuli, Sapkota, Satyal, Thapa (Bagale and Gamle), Trital

Kausalya (कौसल्य) : Pathak, Thami (Chhettri)

Maudagalya (मौद्गल्य) : Belkadhi, Karki (Mudula), Koirala, Kuinkel, Rume, Simkhada, Timsina/ Timilsina, Upreti

Parasar (परासर) : Dhimal (khas), Karki (Lama) , Kattel, Marhattha

Ravi (रवि) : Shah (Kalyaal Thakuri)

Sankhyayan (सङ्ख्यायन): Pandey (Desh)

Shandilya (शाण्डिल्य): Kafle/ Kaphle, Mahat, Pathak, Prasai, Tiwari

Upamanyu (उपमन्यु): Bartaula, Bhatta (Duwal), Dhakal, Mainali, Pathak

Vishwamitra (विश्वमित्र): Bhatta (Alina, Dumadi, Nirbansi, Rai, and Rayal)

Vatsa (वत्स): Bhatta (Naagar), Dahal, Dayal, Kuwar, Kharaal, Lamsal, Rana, Rupakheti

Vashishta (वशिष्ठ): Bhandari (Thansinghe),  Bhatta (Tapleli), Bhattarai, Chalise, Dawadi, Gaire, Gamnage, Kharel, Mudabhari, Pathak, Raut, Suyal (Garthi), Suyal (Thapa), Thangsine

Gotra of Dashnami Sanyasi:-

Bhaveswa: Puri, Saraswati, Bharati
Adhigata: Tirtha, Ashram
Kashyap: Ban, Aranya
Bhrigu : Giri Parvat. Sagar

Vedic References:-

1. (Bhagawatpuran: 08/13/0051,53)
कश्यपोSत्रिवार्सिष्ठश्च विश्वामित्रोSथ गौतम:
जमदग्निर्भरद्वाज इति सप्तर्षय: स्मृता: ।।

2. प्रवरमञ्जरीकार बोधायन |

अत्रिवार्सिष्ठ: कश्यप इत्येते सप्तर्षय: ।।
सप्तानामृषीणा मगस्त्याष्टमानं यदपत्यं तद्गोत्रम् |

3. गोत्र प्रवर काण्ड, गण
*भृगु : वत्स, विद, आर्ष्टिषेण, यस्क, मित्रयु, वैन्य, शुनक
*अङ्गिरा :
गौतम- आयास्य, शरद्वान, कौमण्ड, दीर्घतमा, औशनस, करेणुपाल, वामदेव
भरद्वाज – भारद्वाज, रौक्ष, गर्ग, कपि
अङ्गिरस – हरित, कण्व, रथीतर, मुद्गल, विष्णुबृध्द
*अत्रि: आत्रेय, वाद्भुतक, गविष्ठिर, मुद्गल
*विश्वमित्र: कुशिक, रोहित, रौक्ष, कामकायन, अज, अघमर्षण, पूरन, इन्द्रकौशिक, धनञ्जय, कत
*कश्यप: कश्यप, निध्रुव, रेभ, शाण्डिल
*वसिस्ठ : वसिस्ठ, कुण्डिन, उपमन्यु, परासर
*अगस्त्य: इध्मवाह, साम्भवाह, सोमवाह, यज्ञवाह
(नेपाली थर-गोत्र-प्रवर कोश : श्रीहरी रुपाखेती)