Ojha
Encyclopedia
The term Ojha is a surname for Saraswat Brahmin
and Saryu Pareen\Kanyakubj Brahmin caste
s of India
and Nepal
. The term is used amongst speakers of Hindi
, Oriya
and Bengali
, as well as amongst the Santhals. This term has been derived from Sanskrit
over time. Literal translations vary, but one such example is "he who controls the spirits on Earth". According to some, they were the top class Brahmin preachers who earned their livelihood through teaching. Thus UPADHYAY term was used by them which from Sanskrit corrupted to 'Uwajjhay' (as "namo aujhayanam" suggest from Jain scriptures) in Prakrit, and from 'Uwajjhay' to Ojha in Hindi.
In Bihar, some consider Jha and Ojha of same clan. Jha are Maithils and call their son-laws Ojha Ji, this has given credence to this belief.
Ojhas are basically 'Shakt' Brahmins and Adya Shakti, Tripura Sundari are their Kuldevis. Dhyan of Goddess Tripura Sundari starts like this in Sanskrit - " Balarka mandalakaram Chaturbahum Trilochanam ..." meaning the Goddess has four arms with weapons in them and with the customary third eye etc. Some Ojhas in Bihar have become Bhumihars and use Singh/Sinha as title. In Uttarakhand top Brahmin clan Uniyals are descendants of Ojhas only.
The Saryu Pareen Ojha Brahmins are mainly vegetarians, non drinkers and non smokers.
As Brahmins, Ojhas are spirit leaders and teachers and members of the highest ritual rank in the varna system of Hinduism.
Ojhas are concentrated Uttar Pradesh
and Bihar
but can be found in many regions of India.
or a spirit healer.
Saraswat Brahmin
The Saraswats are a Brahmin caste of India.- History :According to the legend, Saraswat Brahmins are Brahmins who lived on the banks of the former Saraswati River that once flowed in northern India. Although it is said that at Prayag the three rivers meet or met.the fact is that the Saraswati never...
and Saryu Pareen\Kanyakubj Brahmin caste
Caste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
s of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
. The term is used amongst speakers of Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
, Oriya
Oriya language
Oriya , officially Odia from November, 2011, is an Indian language, belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family. It is mainly spoken in the Indian states of Orissa and West Bengal...
and Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
, as well as amongst the Santhals. This term has been derived from 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...
over time. Literal translations vary, but one such example is "he who controls the spirits on Earth". According to some, they were the top class Brahmin preachers who earned their livelihood through teaching. Thus UPADHYAY term was used by them which from Sanskrit corrupted to 'Uwajjhay' (as "namo aujhayanam" suggest from Jain scriptures) in Prakrit, and from 'Uwajjhay' to Ojha in Hindi.
In Bihar, some consider Jha and Ojha of same clan. Jha are Maithils and call their son-laws Ojha Ji, this has given credence to this belief.
Ojhas are basically 'Shakt' Brahmins and Adya Shakti, Tripura Sundari are their Kuldevis. Dhyan of Goddess Tripura Sundari starts like this in Sanskrit - " Balarka mandalakaram Chaturbahum Trilochanam ..." meaning the Goddess has four arms with weapons in them and with the customary third eye etc. Some Ojhas in Bihar have become Bhumihars and use Singh/Sinha as title. In Uttarakhand top Brahmin clan Uniyals are descendants of Ojhas only.
The Saryu Pareen Ojha Brahmins are mainly vegetarians, non drinkers and non smokers.
As Brahmins, Ojhas are spirit leaders and teachers and members of the highest ritual rank in the varna system of Hinduism.
Ojhas are concentrated Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
and Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
but can be found in many regions of India.
Exorcism
In Indian culture, Ojha is also the name given to the profession of an exorcistExorcist
In some religions an exorcist is a person who is believed to be able to cast out the devil or other demons. A priest, a nun, a monk, a healer, a shaman or other specially prepared or instructed person can be an exorcist...
or a spirit healer.