Gotra

Among the Brahmins, the concept of Gotra is to classify them into the different groups. The gotra is the founding father. The gorta is derived from the names of the Rishis.

This is further classified by the Pravaras(a group of 3 or 5 rishis including one as gorta)

Here is a list of main gortas and the corresponing pravaras. (There are many more that exist)

• Bharadwaj(Bharadwaj, Angiras, Bahrspat)
• Gargya(Gargya, angiras, Sainya)
• Kapi(Kapi, Amaihya,Vauruksha)
• Jamadagni(Jamadagni, Bhargava, Chyavan, Apnavan, Aurva)
• Babhravya(Babhravya, Avadal, Viswamitra)
• Kaushik( Kaushik, aghamarshan, Viswamitra)
• Vashistha(Vaishistha, Pramada, Bharadwaj)
• Kaudinya(Kaudinya, Vashistha, Mitravarun)
• Shandilya(Shandilya, Ashit, Deval)
• Atri(Atri, Archananas, Shyavashya)
  

There are some more gotras

• Angiras
• Upamanyu
• Kutsa
• Gautam
• Naidhruva
• Parthiv
• Badarayan
• Bhargav
• Mudral
• Lohitaksha
• Vatsa
• Vainya
• shalaksh
• Viswamitra
• Kushikas
  

My origin

I am a Shrigaud brahmin. My ancestors came from the Kashmir, a norther region of India and estabished in Vadodara(gujarat state). I belong to a specific clan called Gotra. The name of the gotra is derived from the one of the eight rishis and the following sub rishis. My gotra is called "Kaushik" also called Kaushikas(gotra should end with s).

The rishi Viswamitra performed penance on the bank of the river Koshi (a river between the India and Nepal in Himalayan region) for 10,000 years and gained brahmagyan and so known as Brahmarshi. He was also known as kaushik(the rishi who gained brahmagyan on the bank of the river KOSHI)