Clans & Names-

the Bengal connection and Cultural legacy that we can’t ignore-

Compiled by: Dr Pawan Vaidya, 2025/4

To keep a community group bonded the practice of Clan, Kulaj, Gotra & Names had been used by Human societies and rulers. Groups have been based on ancestry, the Kul guru, village, profession and even the faith in a Deity. 

Many a times all these terms have been used interchangeably. 

This practice of group affiliation and devotion is still sacrosanct and followed in the Mandi community too. It may have gained much strong hold, once Sen rulers established in Suket-Mandi region, similar to clans such as Vaidiki, Rarhi, Varendra, Daksninatya, Paschimnatya, Mathili, Kanauji, Ambavastha, Gangatiya etc of Gauda kingdom that created a shield around Ruler class in times of distress/war. 

The use of similar terms in Mandi community hints that the local clan may have derived their names based on this convention. 

Clans

Back in historical times, Clans formed an integral part of ruling class and/or community and has existed in every society. Mandi Sadar emerged as a small community of clans such as Rajputs, Brahmins, Baidya, Kaith and their support groups. 

The clan name of the royal lineage was 'Suketi' or 'Suketr' ‘Sen’ or ‘Sena’ and their Rajput clan as ‘Miyan’; Brahmins as ‘Nagar’ or ‘Nagarkoti’, ‘Puwadha’ or ‘upadhyay’, ‘Kashu’, or ‘Kashyap’, ‘Vats’ or ‘Vyas’; ‘Gaur’ or ‘Gauda’ etc and others generally as ‘Mandial’. 

The Mandial Khatri have several sub-clan names (Tagged to their profession or village) such as Baid, Kaith, Ráyath, Kalru, Hatwad, Darangwal, Lamkayaru, Saigal, Kamiána, Falami, Paháru, Kahluria, Jokhaahei, Dhon, Bhangáliya, Bhangalu, Mehru, Had, Ror and Rayth etc. 

Names

Names too seem to have connotations of naming Bengal convention. Examples are, Chohat or chohatta bazar, takes its name from similar expression of sylhet (Sheela hat), Chobatta for chorasta; ‘Hat’ or ‘Hatti’ is very common word used for shops or trade center in Bengal. 

Even some Sen king’s have Bengali accent such as Bijai for Vijai, Bikram for Vikram, Syam for Shym, Bir for Vir, Keshab for Keshav; Baidya for Vaidya, Paban for Pavan, Binay for Vinay, Binod for Vinod etc. Rajput miyan too have names such as Bir, Narayan, Keshab, Suraj, Pal, Ranveer, Bhagya raj, Chanderbijay, Parambir, Rajbir, Tejpal, Biswajeet etc. 

Also, given names in Brahmin, Baidya & Kaith used to align with the all powerful trio “The Brahma Vishnu Mahesh” and their various incarnations especially Rama, Krishna, Maa Durga and even their Kul guru. It is very much similar to Bengal in contrast to names of hill people. 

Brahmins had Neelmani, Bhawani, Chatrath, Aditya, Aishwarya, Anantha, Chandrakanta, Chetna, Ganga, Shivpal, Maheshwar, Chaitanya etc. The most common Khatri name adjective is ‘Das’ followed by Ram, Nandan, Ballabh, Prasad, Lal, Devi etc in combination with deities as well as Krishna synonyms. Checking forefathers names revealed some popular names such as: Lakshman Das, Tulsi Das, Narottam  Das, Devakinandan, Brikam Das, Shankar Das, Gopi Ballabh, Ram Das, Saran Das, Narayan Das, Ballabh Das, Ganesh Das, Govardhan Das, Mai Das, Giridhari, Kanaiyaha, Kishan Das, Ganesh Das, Bramh Das, Radhe Shyam, Dina Nath, Thakur Prasad, Madho Prasad, Saran Das, Ram Das, Damodar Das, Gopi Ballabh, Barikam Das, Devi Ram, Raghunandan, Murari Lal, Tulsi Ram, Kaushalya Devi, Rama Devi, Krishna, Parvati, Durga, Bhawani, Tara, etc. The surnames were rare and perhaps adopted later. 

You may know your Dada/Par dada name but do you know any further? Their faith in GOD/GODESS and the family names have fascinating facts to tell.

To be continued………