How did our ancestors about 5000 years ago fixed the gothra of the family. It is said that the Vedas were not written but came to us by word of mouth. The Rishis orally told these Vedas to their disciples and asked them to carry it from generation to generation. The gothra name is the name of a rishi. When anyone is identified as a person belonging to a particular gothra, it means he is a descendant of that rishi which name demonstrates the family’s traditional style of knowledge acquisition and expertise in ancient theories. Based on the fact that cross-breeding of excellent but different species yields better quality.
Common Gothras
1 .Athri
2. Bharadwaaja
3. Gouthama
4.. Jaamadagnya
5. Kaasyapa
6. Koundinya
7. Kousika
8. Vaasishta
9. Vaatsam
10 Viswaamithra
How did the people of 3000-4000 years ago realize that genetically there was transference of some unique characteristics only from father to son (in the form of Y-chromosomes)? In recent past when it was fashionable to condemn all Indian traditional systems as of no value, non-believers have referred to ‘Gothra’ as archaic, unscientific, irrelevant and male chauvinistic. Let me not join issue on this point because it should be left to the good sense of the particular person. For us it does not matter so long the couple live a happy married life.
In the modern world where love marriages have replaced arranged marriages and where people have started aping the west, the gothra is hardly the thing the marrying couple think of. Even among Brahmins, the parents find it difficult to impose their will and decision on their children. Apart from that, urbanization has sidelined various customs of us Indians. Their influence is dwindling day by day. That is why our law makers prohibited only sapinda marriages and not sagothra marriages.
All these discussions on gothra system ultimately make us see that to eradicate this system we should strengthen Panchayath Raj system in the village level. Panchayaths always consist of small body of villagers elected through democratic process. This small number of elected representatives can prevail on the protagonists of gothra system, since their voice is the voice of the people and the protagonists of gothra will loose their importance or domination in the villages. These Panchayaths will create proper environment for the people to oppose the gothra system when it is sought to be imposed on them by the protagonists. This will reduce the influence of gothra system.
As some scholar said that ultimately, what is important is the welfare of the children, Let us only wish, so long it is not against the laws of marriage, whether it is sagothra marriage or different gothra marriage, let us honour the wishes of our children and pray for the happiness of the married couple. (This is the concluding one on khap or pap.)
