Gotra

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. A gotra is the lineage or clan assigned to a Hindu at birth. In most cases, the system is patrilineal and the gotra assigned is that of the person's father. Other terms for it are vansh, vanshaj, bedagu, purvik, purvajan, and pitru. An individual may decide to identify his lineage by a different gotra, or combination of gotras.According to strict Hindu...
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Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. A gotra is the lineage or clan assigned to a Hindu at birth. In most cases, the system is patrilineal and the gotra assigned is that of the person's father. Other terms for it are vansh, vanshaj, bedagu, purvik, purvajan, and pitru. An individual may decide to identify his lineage by a different gotra, or combination of gotras.According to strict Hindu tradition, the term gotra is used only for the lineages of Brahmin, Kshatriya and Vaishya varnas. Brahminical gotra relates directly to the original seven or eight rishis of the Vedas. Later, the term gotra was expanded beyond Brahmin.A gotra must be distinguished from a kula. A kula is a set of people following similar cultural rituals, often worshiping the same divinity. Kula does not relate to lineage or caste. In fact, it is possible to change one's kula, based on one's faith.