The term “Family Tree” used in Europe derives from Sanskrit term “Vamsa Vriksha”. In 1971, a famous movie was made using the term – Vamsha Vriksha as the title of the film.

Comprehensive historical accounts related to several regional dynasties are provided by the Puranas. Whenever relatively few names are mentioned in the genealogical tradition, it should be understood that the Puranic genealogies do not include the names of all kings in strict sequence. Rather, only the most prominent kings of each lineage are detailed in the Puranas. In the Shrimad Bhagvat, when Parikshit asks about the dynasties of kings, Shri Shukadeva responds:

“I will tell you mainly about the lineage of Vaivasta Manu; it extends to hundreds of years”[1]

For thousands of years in Bharatvarsha (that was morphed into India by colonial rulers) not just kings, but even ordinary families, had the know-how to stay connected to their ancestral history because we have a long history of certain specialist groups recording Vanshavalis that span hundreds (and even thousands) of years.

Many well-educated families that had facilities for enduring writing materials at home maintained their own Vanshavalis. They would use tree diagrams to document their family genealogy and grow their trees by adding more and more details from their own generations and branched-out families.

Examples of Vanshavalis

One such authoritative text, Puran Vimarsha, was published by Padmashree Acharya Baldev Upadhyaya. He provides a detailed genealogy of the Ikshvaku dynasty based on Puranas, such as the Brahmanda, Vishnu, Bhagavatam Garuda, Vishnudharmottara, Devibhagavat; Bramha, Harivamsa, and Shiva; Kurma and Linga; Matsya, Padma, and Agni Pauranas. Acharya Baldev Upadhyaya’s book draws on these fifteen Puranas as well as various subsidiary Puranas. [2]

This shows there are vast numbers of names in the lineage, but the Puranas mention only the very significant ones, leaving out mention of those who did not play a significant part—whether good or bad.  At the end of the list of kings is the Linga Purana and Vayu Purana.[3]  It says, “only the prominent kings of the Ikshvaku dynasty have been named”. [4]

• In south India, there was the ancient and auspicious tradition of reciting the ‘Birudāvali’, declaring and enumerating the divine dynasty, lineage, kingship and sovereignty of the emperor. The courtiers whose duty it was to recite the birudavalis at the beginning of royal court sessions and during royal processions along with holding the royal insignia raajadanda /sengol were called Vandi and Maagadhi. They also played the role of vaitalikas, waking the king with music and song. The kavyas contain descriptions of these activities.
• In the Telugu areas, this role was played by the Bhatraju jati. They were genealogists for the royal families. They continued these roles for the families even after the families lost royal power.
• About 175 years ago, the eminent scholar Suryamal Mishran of Bundi in Rajasthan wrote the nine-part ‘Vansh Bhaskar,’ which documents the genealogy and detailed history of the Chauhan dynasty from the Pandava era up to his contemporary Rao Raja Ram Singh. [5]
• Around the same time, the famous historian Kaviraja Shyamal Das of Udaipur Rajasthan, composed the four-part ‘Veer Vinod-History of Mewar,’ recording the genealogy of history of kings from Maharaja Ikshvaku to Maharana Sajjan Singh of Udaipur.

Their authenticity has been well established by Indic historians. These Vanshavalis are open to verification by western scholars, if they so desire and train themselves to study Indic history through the Indic lens.

All Four Varnas and Jatis Have Their Unique Vanshavalis

Some people have a misconception that such Vanshavalis were unique to royal families. This is simply not correct. The Puranas also contain details of the numerous jatis within all four varnas. Renowned scholars, such as Shri Kashi Prasad Jayaswal,[6] did extensive research on the Puranic accounts and concluded that they are indeed historically valid. Dr. Mirashi [7] has also confirmed this with several examples. Even ordinary people – farmers, artisans, traders, et al. were able to stay rooted in their Kul and Jati Parampara because they were aware of, and proud of their origins.

• For millennia, special communities maintained jati puranas of every group, whether they were rich or poor, high or ordinary status in social hierarchy. The genealogies of Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and other jatis written hundreds, or even thousands of years ago, are still available today. The untiring efforts of the authors of Ramayana, Mahabharata, Smritis, sacred shashtras, writings of sages, puranic scholars, bards, members of Bhatta community, Barwas, and other Vanshavali specialists, kept alive this tradition.
• Some of the itinerant communities, such as the Nats, that acted as keepers of Jati Puranas, of villages with whom they had jajmani relations running through generations. Today, these historical record keepers are listed among the “Most Backward” among the Scheduled Castes and Tribes. Some were even declared as “Criminal Tribes” by the British because they acted as the connecting link between various communities as well as disseminated vital information with amazing speed.
• There were sub-jatis within almost all jatis whose prime occupation was to perform musical narratives of jati puranas in south India. The main branch of teach jati patronized these upajatis. Most of these performing art upajatis have been playing the role of genealogists for the families of their patron jatis.  (In Rajasthan, they are called Bhopas).
• The Helavas of Karnataka have been reciting family histories from carefully maintained records for centuries. Despite odds, they carry on, with the hope that some of their offspring would continue the tradition.
• Several hundred years ago, Purushottam Pandit of ancient Karnataka wrote the ‘Gotra-Pravara Manjari,’ a book containing a detailed account of the gotras and pravaras (clan lineages) of Sanatanis. A gotra signifies a clan or family line that traces its spiritual and physical ancestry to a specific rishi-ancestor. The Gotra-Pravara Manjari gives examples of such Rishis. It is important to note that Rishis which founded the clans could be from any varna – Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya or Shudra. Two notable examples are Maharshi Vālmiki and Sage Ved Vyās.
• More than 125 years ago, Vidyavaridhi Pandit Jwala Prasad Mishra of Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, wrote ‘Jati-Bhaskar,’ and at about the same time, Shri Yogendra Nath Bhattacharya of Nadia, Bengal authored ‘Hindu Castes and Sects.’ Both books offer a detailed account of almost all jatis and up-jatis of the four varnas.

There is a new trend of intensive research on these upajatis and their performing arts as well as their jati purana texts in the parts of South India.

The veracity of these histories is confirmed by authentic inscriptions and other archaeological materials. And yet western-educated modernists choose to remain ignorant about authentic native sources of Indian history. They have never bothered to draw upon these valuable native sources. Nor has the government of India ever utilized the enormous, invaluable wealth of information available with these Vanshavali writers to understand the jati vyavastha in India.

Despite the Ignorance of “Modern Educated”!

The “modern education system” encourages us to learn the names of the presidents of America from the time of George Washington or know about the ruling dynasties of Europe. But most of us modern educated elite are not able to name our ancestors beyond maternal and paternal grandfathers! This when the Bharatiya Gyan Parampara believes that atma gyan (self-knowledge) is the highest form of knowledge.

However, the desire to stay connected with our ancestors lingers on. Most traditional families still observe shraddha, (paying tribute to their parents and ancestors during the 15-day period that precedes Navratras), even if they have lost awareness of their ancestral history beyond their grandparents. It may be noted that shraddha by any Hindu requires three generations of ancestors to be symbolically represented and satisfied with pindas. Amongst Brāhmans, three ancestral  Rishis need to be mentioned while introducing oneself to a Guru.

Similarly, most practicing Hindus would be in touch with a special community named Pandas that have maintained genealogical records at Haridwar for generations. For centuries, whoever went for pilgrimage or performing shraddha to Haridwar– no matter whether rich or poor- made sure to meet their family pandas who could within minutes tell them who among their ancestors at what in time and for what purpose had come to Haridwar. They also recorded where they were located and what profession/occupation they followed.

Those among us who wish to disown the jati vyavastha in the name of “modernity”, owe it to ourselves to at least know about its history and sociology so that their rejection is grounded in facts, not malicious propaganda.  

To Sum Up, the main purpose of this joint project between Miranda House and Kishwar Memorial Trust is to motivate young scholars to connect to the history of Indic civilization through our own prism and native sources, instead of relying mainly on accounts of foreign invaders and agenda driven western scholars, (or those in India trained by them) as has been the practice thus far. This may prove to be an effective way to decolonize our history and sociology. We hope that in the coming years we will witness a revival of the practice of using authentic Indic sources for understanding our past and present.

ANNEXURE 1: Origins of Prabhu Ram’s Lineage

Here are the principal kings in succession (some names vary slightly across Puranas, but this is the core tradition):

1. Surya (Vivasvan)
2. Vaivasvata Manu
3. Ikshvaku – first king of Ayodhya
4. Vikukshi (Shashada)
5. Kuvan / Puvan
6. Anaranya – cursed Ravana that a descendant of his would slay him.
7. Trasadasyu
8. Haryashav
9. Nikumbh
10. Sanat / Santiman
11. Trayyarun
12. Trishanku (Satyavrata) – raised to heaven with his mortal body by Sage Vishvamitra
13. Harishchandra – renowned for truth and sacrifice
14. Rohitashva
15. Harita
16. Chunchu
17. Sudarshana
18. Agnivarna
19. Shighra
20. Marutta
21. Prasenajit
22. Yuvanashva
23. Mandhata – a universal monarch (Chakravarti).
24. Purukutsa
25. Trasadasyu II
26. Anaranya II
27. Vibhu / Pramodita
28. Dundhumara
29. Yuvanashva II
30. Sagara – excavated the ocean; his 60,000 sons were burnt to ashes by Sage Kapila
31. Asamanjas
32. Anshuman
33. Dilip I
34. Bhagiratha – brought the Ganga down to earth
35. Shruta
36. Nabhaga
37. Ambarisha – celebrated for devotion and charity
38. Sindhudvipa
39. Ayutayus
40. Rituparna – expert in dice and horses
41. Sarvakama
42. Sudasa
43. Saudasa (Mitrasaha) – cursed to become a cannibal
44. Asvapati
45. Kinsuka
46. Aswamesha
47. Visvasaha / Visvarandhi
48. Sasranika
49. Dilip II
50. Raghu – great warrior and generous king; gave name to the Raghu dynasty
51. Aja
52. Dasharatha
53. Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata, Shatrughna

—–

 NOTE: I am thankful to our three scholarly judges, Dr P.N. Mishra, Dr Nagaraj Paturi and Dr K Gopinath for their inputs for this section. Madhu Kishwar

[1] Bhagvat, Skandha 9, Chap. 1, Shloka 7

[2] Upadhayaya, Baldev. 2021. Purana Vimarsh. Pages 364-373. Chaukhambha Vidyabhavan.

[3] Uttara, Chap. 26, Shloka 212

[4] Giridhar Sharma Chaturvedi. 1971. Puran Parishilan. Pages 219-220. Bihar Rashtra Bhasha Parishad

[5] Mishran, Suryamall. 1897. Vansh Bhaskar. Commissioned by King of Bundi.

[6] Jayaswal.K.P. 1933. History of India, 150 A.D. to 350 A.D. Motilal Banarsidass

[7] Mirashi Dr. Vasudev Vishnu. 1975. Literary And Historical Studies In Indology Motilal Banarasi Das