Maheshwaris claim their origin to be the ‘Khandela’ kingdom, which was ruled by Chauhan warrior, Suryavamshi King Khadgalsen. The kingdom was well administered under the able and efficient administration of King Khadgalsen, but he had no progeny, although he had 24 queens, which was a matter of great concern for everyone in the kingdom. The king was advised by the Brahmins to devote himself in the worship of Lord Shiva seeking the Lord’s blessing for a son. Consequently, queen Champavati was blessed with a son, who was named ‘Sujan Kunwar.’ In due course Sujan Kunwar got married to ‘Chandravati’, the princess & daughter of king Yuddhaveer of Vijayanagari. Once, Sujan Kunwar went out hunting; followed by seventy-one of his stalwarts (Umraos); he went gaming far away in the forests. He was feeling thirsty; therefore, he went to drink water from a spring at the foothill of Malketu mount. When he dipped his hands in the spring, its water got polluted with the bloodstains on his hands and clothes. The sages performing the yajna, fearing that someone is out to disturb them and deviate them from the successful formation of the yajna, on the strength of their mantra, built a fortress of iron all around the mount; the fortress had no way out. There was a frightening sound at that time, which scared Sujan Kunwar, who ordered his stalwarts to break through the fortress without wasting any time. As they advanced, the sages got annoyed with their nuisance and they cursed them to be stones then and there. When King Khadgalsen heard about the happening and the curse of the sages, he died of the shock. Queen Chandravati ordered her warriors to go in search of her husband and the other followers. The advancing army met with sage Jabali, who advised them to worship Lord Shiva incessantly for twelve years, after which they would find Sujan Kunwar and the other followers who had become stones, in a live condition. They followed the directions of the sage; and consequently, all the men who had turned into stones became alive, but Lord Shiva warned them, “now onwards, you will no more be known as Kshatriyas; you would become Vaishyas.” Thus, they came to be known as Maheshwaris. Named after the 72 chieftains (Umraos), there are 72 gotras of Maheshwaris.

These are the 72 gotras of Maheshwaris: Soni, Somani, Jakhetiya, Sodhani, Hurkat, Nyati, Heda, Karava, Kankani, Malu, Sarada, Kahlya, Gilada, Jaju, Baheti, Bidada, Bihani, Bajaj, Kalantri, Kasat, Kachauliya, Kalani, Jhanwar, Kabara, Dad, Daga, Bhattani, Rathi, Birla, Darak, Toshnival, Ajmera, Bhandari, Chhaparwal, Bhattad, Bhootara, Bang, Atal, Inani, Bhuradia, Bhansali, Laddha, Malpani, Sikachi, Lahoti, Gadiya, Nagrani, Khatod, Lakhotiya, Asawa, Chechani, Mandhana, Mundra, Chaukhara, Chandak, Baldava, Badali, Bung, Bandar, Mandovara, Totala, Agiwal, Agsoor, Partani, Nanvadhar, Noval, Falod, Taparia, Maniyar, Dhoov, Dhoopar, Modani, Porwal, Devapura, Mantri, Navalakha, etc. In the matter of marriage alliances, there is a general tradition not to enter in marriage alliance within four gotras — one’s own, mother’s, and maternal families on both the sides. Betrothal ceremony is performed by offering ornaments to the bride and marriage is performed by leading bride and the bridegroom eight times round sacred fire — four times at the time of entrance at the toran (arched gateway) done by carrying the bride in the lap of maternal uncle and four rounds are performed amidst chanting of mantras by Brahmin, the priest conducting the sacred ceremony.

Maheshwari caste has given birth to many a renowned personalities like Ghanshyamji Birla, Mahesh Inani from Chittor, Gordhandas Birla from Jaipur, Rameshchand Maliwal from Akola, Madhusudan Malpani from Calcutta, Chunnilal Somani from Calcutta, Rampal Soni, Balkishan Somani, Manoharlal Sarada, Radheyshyam Khatod, and Gordhandas Noval etc. Maheshwaris are well established and are found in every corner of the world.

Akhil Bharatvarshiya Maheshwari Mahasabha

Mahamantri Office: "Ganesh Bhavan", Bhaji Mandi, Itwari, Nagpur - 440002

Phone: 2760448, 2529060 (O), 2680918, 3954466 (R)

Fax: 0712 2760448, 2529062