Kaul
Encyclopedia
Kaul, Koul, or Kaula refers to Kashmiri Pandit
sub-caste. The word 'Kaul', meaning 'well born', is derived from the term Kula, the Sanskrit
term for family or clan.
The Kauls belong to the Saraswat class of Brahmins, indicating a historical link to the ancient Saraswati River (mythological) of India.
The Kashmiri pandits seem to be an ethnically diverse group rather than a homogenous one, though majority of them look more Central Asian and/or Persian in appearance. Historians also state that Kauls (& Kashmiri Pandits in general) are of pure Aryan origin.
The first prime minister of free India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
, also was from the Kaul clan. Jawaharlal Nehru writes in his autobiography:
We were Kashmiris. Over two hundred years ago, early in the eighteenth century, our ancestor came down from that mountain valley (Kashmir) to seek fame and fortune in the rich plains below (Uttar Pradesh). Those were the days of the decline of the Moghal Empire after the death of Aurungzeb, and Farrukhsiar was the Emperor. Raj Kaul was the name of that ancestor of ours and he had gained eminence as a Sanskrit and Persian scholar in Kashmir. He attracted the notice of Farrukhsiar during the latter's visit to Kashmir, and, probably at the Emperor's instance, the family migrated to Delhi, the imperial capital, about the year 1716. A jagir with a house situated on the banks of a canal had been granted to Raj Kaul, and, from the fact of this residence, 'Nehru' (from nahar, a canal) came to be attached to his name. Kaul had been the family name; this changed to Kaul-Nehru; and, in later years, Kaul dropped out and we became simply Nehrus.
Kashmiri Pandit
The Kashmiri Pandits are a Hindu Brahmin community originating from Kashmir, a mountainous region in South Asia.-Background:The Hindu caste system of the region was influenced by the influx of Buddhism from the time of Asoka, around the third century BCE, and a consequence of this was that the...
sub-caste. The word 'Kaul', meaning 'well born', is derived from the term Kula, the Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
term for family or clan.
Social Status in Hinduism
The Kashmiri Brahmins are divided into 199 exogamous spiritual groups, the members of which are supposed to have descended from the ancestor-saint whose name the group bears. Among these groups, social status is governed by the spiritual greatness of the ancestor-saint. The Kauls (also spelled as "Koul"), who trace their descent to the saint Dattatreya & his wife Anusuya, are considered to be the highest of all socio-spiritual groups.The Kauls belong to the Saraswat class of Brahmins, indicating a historical link to the ancient Saraswati River (mythological) of India.
The Kashmiri pandits seem to be an ethnically diverse group rather than a homogenous one, though majority of them look more Central Asian and/or Persian in appearance. Historians also state that Kauls (& Kashmiri Pandits in general) are of pure Aryan origin.
Kauls/Kouls in Indian History
The author of Krishnavataracharita, Saheb Ram Kaul was a notable seveteenth century scholar in the court of Aurengzeb.The first prime minister of free India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
, also was from the Kaul clan. Jawaharlal Nehru writes in his autobiography:
We were Kashmiris. Over two hundred years ago, early in the eighteenth century, our ancestor came down from that mountain valley (Kashmir) to seek fame and fortune in the rich plains below (Uttar Pradesh). Those were the days of the decline of the Moghal Empire after the death of Aurungzeb, and Farrukhsiar was the Emperor. Raj Kaul was the name of that ancestor of ours and he had gained eminence as a Sanskrit and Persian scholar in Kashmir. He attracted the notice of Farrukhsiar during the latter's visit to Kashmir, and, probably at the Emperor's instance, the family migrated to Delhi, the imperial capital, about the year 1716. A jagir with a house situated on the banks of a canal had been granted to Raj Kaul, and, from the fact of this residence, 'Nehru' (from nahar, a canal) came to be attached to his name. Kaul had been the family name; this changed to Kaul-Nehru; and, in later years, Kaul dropped out and we became simply Nehrus.
Eminent Kouls/Kauls
- Jawaharlal NehruJawaharlal NehruJawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
- Sheila KaulSheila KaulSheila Kaul is a social democratic leader of the Indian National Congress and a former union cabinet minister and provincial Governor in India. She was also an educationist, social worker, and social reformer in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, and an independence activist in British India...
- Harsh KaulHarsh KaulCol. Harsh Kaul, SC is a retired Indian Army Officer and a Shaurya Chakra awardee. He is an alumnus of IMA and was commissioned into the 5 Gorkha Rifles on December 22, 1974 . Colonel Kaul retired on July 31, 2005.- Biography :Col. Harsh Kaul was born to Late Major B.N. Kaul and Mrs...
- Kailas Nath KaulKailas Nath KaulProfessor Kailas Nath Kaul , FLS was an Indian botanist, agronomist, agricultural scientist, horticulturist, herbalist, and naturalist, and a world authority on Arecaceae in the 1950s...
- Lieutenant General B.M. Kaul
- T.N. Kaul
- Anil KaulAnil KaulAnil Kaul is a retired male badminton player from Canada, who won the gold medal in the inaugural men's doubles competition at the 1995 Pan American Games. He did so alongside Iain Sydie. A resident of Victoria, Manitoba, he represented Canada at the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics.-References:*...
- Air Chief Marshal Swaroop Kaul
- Mani KaulMani KaulMani Kaul was an Indian film director of Hindi films. He graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India where he was a student of Ritwik Ghatak and later became a teacher. Started his career with Uski Roti , which won him the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Movie, he went on to win...
- [ [Rajinder Kaul ]]