Bagra Brahmin (pronounced as Bagda/बाग़डा ) is a part of the Brahmin community mainly concentrated in and around Jaipur district of Rajasthan, India, although members of this community can be found throughout India and also in foreign countries. In Jaipur city there are many places like Durgapura, Mahesh Nagar, Jagatpura, Sodala, Vaishali, Chokhidani, Sanganer etc. where these people have been residing for around 100 years as per the report of Jaipur Development Authority (JDA). There are several outskirt-villages near Jaipur also in which the people of this community live as Achrol, Dheenpura, Labana-Bhanpur in one side and at other side are Bagru Kalan, Keria Ka Bas, Kesri Singh Pura, Devla, Rampura, Fatehpura, Naiwala, Sangolai, Natlalpura, Mojya, Bad Ke Balaji, Bichpadi, Kanakpura, Mukandpura, Sirsi, Bindayaka, Khora Bisal, Radha Kishhanpura, Labana, Bhanpur, Sanganer, Shivdaspura, Gauner, Bidhani, ramchanderpura, siroli, Bilwa, vatiika, Buharria, Nariya, Mohanpura, Titrriya, Sitaramppura, lakhna, Balawala, Tejawala, Achrawala, Ratliya, Jagnathppura, Dabla, Charnwala, Kapoorawala, khatipura, Sherawali, Ramjipura, Abhaypura, Badi, Bada khet, Muhana, Nada, Keshyawala, Jaisinghpura, Harvanshpura, Bhankrota, Kalyanpura, Chandlai, Chaksu, Karba harirampura, Daluwala, Choukawala, Anooppura, etc. In nagour dist they lives in Kuchamin tehsil and Parbatsar tehsil. In Love-Khush nagar (near Tonk Phatak) and Mahesh Nagar there are many schools run by these people. Basically this is a community of farmers and landlords; however, of late, people of this community are taking education seriously and have shown their presence in business, sciences, the services sector, medicine, higher government jobs, etc. They use **Sharma ** as their surname. They are considered in general category, in accordance with the constitution of India. The origin of this community is based on a myth which is not popular even among them, especially among the young belt. Their elders (of community) consider that they will regain the lost glory of Delhi, since they were the soul part of this capital city in ancient time. This community had a great in the time of **Anangpal Tomar **, who was the ruler of so-called **Indraprastha ** ( modern Delhi). The city of Indraprastha, which is sometimes also known as Khandavaprastha, was the capital of the kingdom led by the Pandavas in the Mahabharata epic.

This community originally lived in geographical parts of Haryana connecting through Shekhawati region of Baggad in Sikar district.

A large majority of Bagra Brahamins are residing in Thanagazi tehsil of Alwar district in Rajasthan.

Even, they are divided in sub-castes within this community.

This category includes such as Kandira, Mehta, Seemawat, Pancholi, Bachera, Pandey, Daunda, Pradhan, Khoj, Rawal, Khakhsa, Badiwal, Patalia, Chela, Banglla, Chaudhari, etc. It is very interesting and fascinating to know the fact that these sub-branches are further divided in mini-branches, to which they call foot (division) in their colloquial language.

Though there are some exceptions of such lineage viz Seemawat and Pandey.

People of both of these sub-communities are considered as cool as breeze in their nature.

They generally treat the others with open heart, demonstrating the immense hospitality as an ideal example of human being.

The word Seemawat / सीमावत is related to the Hindi word, Mawat (who guides the elephant), suggesting the calmness and absolute composure in their daily life.

In earlier time people would call, See!

(Look) Mawat is coming which turned into the present word as Seemawat.

The comely nature of these people can be gauged by the following lovely lines which are heart stirring; प्यार बरसे चहुँ ओर, दुनिया में अमन हो, नफरत का ना हो शोर, दुनिया में अमन हो, कहीं भी वैर ना हो, कोई भी गैर ना हो, संसार सारा हुमको अपना लगे, दूरियां मिट जायें दिल से दिल का मिलन हो!

In ancient time these people (seemawats) were regarded higher in their social hierarchy among the Bagras caste, but later they also become equal to all of them.

Generally, the Seemawats are awarded with a memento (as a token) at the annual Bagra Meet programme which is held in Jaipur organized by the community.

Even the Seemawats are not high in numbers, though they claim many awards in their lap in many areas ranging from sports to education.

Many bright students of Bagras are welcomed with certificates and tokens.

Bagra Today is a monthly magazine about the various development of this community showing many outstanding achievements in several areas.

This magazine is creating a path for many young Bagra boys towards the political scenario.

Bagras are supposed to be Rajpurohit of **Tomara clan ** (community) which is one of the sub-branches of Rajput community. Even, Bagra community can be seen as the inhabitant around Delhi and Gurgaon region where members of their caste are involved in various enterprises like grocery shop, interior designing, milk dairy etc. Most of them are non-alcoholic and pure vegetarians. The new generation of this community is marching towards a bright future by breaking the orthodox rational-less traditions. In Thanagazi, region most of the shops (of tea, grocery, sweets, cyber-cafe, cosmetic products' agency, medical, mobile, foot wearings, clothes etc.) are handled by people of this community. A village of Thanagazi tehsil, named as Bhudiawas is well known for lots of Canteen shops as self-employed business spreading from Alwar to Leh including Jammu, Kashmir, Kolkata, Udhampur, Itanagar, Nagaland etc. ] ! This village has a unique legacy of peace in terms of daily life among the people and a common understanding, especially the educated ones. There are many murder and rape cases in other villages but not in this village which increases its glory and royal tradition. The people of this village are very much associated to a local deity popularly known as Vishramdass Ji Maharaj in the village which is called Bagichi (garden). There is a popular myth about the myesterous power of the this deity (Vishramdassji) that once there broke out fire in the village by another deity known as Shanti Nath (which is also in the garden, and it (the burning flames) was finally stifled by a drop of water by the Godlike figure Vishramdass Ji. Our research team also took a great interest in its history who later came to know that once the drunk band men were sleeping on the terrace on the deity, later they were beaten by some invisible force showering cinders towards them. It is the only panchayat centre in Thanagazi, which ends with mountains in both east and west side. In a recent report of Alwar district office this village is regarded as the most convenient and peaceful voting-site for the election process every year, and so finally it came in limelight. Most of the people are BJP oriented and anti-reservation, since they are of young/new generation. Geographically, this is one of the rarest villages where the danger of flood in not possible to a large extent. A person from Tolawas village, is also supposed to be a Nature poet in Hindi literature but whose existence has now become vogue and limelight-less, since he was a mysterious personality. In the recent times, a crucial thing came in light that many of the Bagras are migrating towards metro cities like Jaipur, Gurgaon, Delhi etc., as a simple workers and many of them went as mere student but later established themselves as a well-off family. Higher education among the new generation has become a startling passion, which is a good sign for their communities. Many of their children are going to educate themselves in reputed universities in India in decedent numbers, but there is a long way to go. With the coming of globalization, they have been moving in a right track, especially their young-belt are attempting to experimenting many newness in their traditional life. Their young generation has a great worth and potentiality, which need to be put in good and valuable direction. It is very interesting that many people of this community have already migrated to Jammu and Kashmir region, and in the consistent time they became so called Kashmiri Pundits which is rarely known to the community persons.

Initially, **Shitala ** (शीतला) Devi was considered as their main local deity, but in the due course of changing time and in different circumstances many of the different sub-castes decided to worship another God/Goddess as well. It should be noted that even in villages at present time Shitala Dev is worshiped by every sub-castes, since it was the originally local deity of so-called Bagras. Shitala Dev (also called Sitala) is the pox-goddess. Shitala Devi literally means the cool Goddess. The reason why she is worshiped with stale food (bassi bhog)is because she is very calm and compose. But when she gets irritate, she loses her temper in very angry way showing hidden mysterious power. Sheetala Mata is also considered as an incarnation of Goddess Parvati and Durga, which are two forms of Shakti. The Seemawats are still considered as the staunch devotees of this Goddess in their original form, i. e. to Shitala Mata. They usually, visit to a temple of this Goddess located in a village named as Bilyali near Narayanpur. Why the Seemawats are so cool and calm in their life, because the clear effect of this Goddess (Shitala), since they are closely associated to her. But, time is changing, and the effect can be seen on their young generations who are not so calm as their ancestors used to be. If they are cool young ones, their quantity is very less. Another temple is also situated in Lanka village. The importance of this Goddess can be understood to the fact that every Bagra bridegroom has to visit before going to marry; and after the marriage the couple is expected to observe the traditional rituals when they come together. The most important festival dedicated to Shitala takes place in Chaitra month, the Ashtami day after Purnima (full moon) in the month is observed as Sheetala Ashtami. There are famous temples dedicated to Shitala Devi in Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. In is important to know that this community can be seen in certain parts of U.P and Himachal Pradesh. In big cities like Lucknow and Patna, some families related to Bagra community are residing there. Some other sub-castes have chosen different deities like Khatu Shyam Ji, Tila ji, Dogriyawali mata etc. Shyam ji has been adopted by Pandey sub-caste, of which annual fair is managed in Prempura village. Even, they have a fair-committee. A village named Sharund near Jaipur has a temple of mataji, which is worshiped and looked-after by Pujari sub-caste who reside there. Mojnath Ji Maharaj temples of Dhuhar-Chaugan and Biharisar are also very well known temple for this community in Thanagazi region. Bohra sub-caste is said to be very dominating in both of these villages as an economically strong.

Over the ages, the Brahmins in general, and Bagra Brahmins in particular, have branched out based on their regional and occupational similarities.

They have started, for long, accepting matrimonial alliances within their such regional categories, by distinguishing their lineage as "shasan" or "alla" rather than their rishi gotras, as was the original institutional norm.

In the field of politics the young generation is much intrested ,there are many student leaders, surpunchs, punchs, prdhans, members of panchyat samiti, jila prishds,and parsads.

MLA from this comnunity are Ramlal ji sharma from Chomu and Gangasahay ji sharma from Aamer.

At present bagra are economicaly most powerful in brahmins.

A Bagda Brahmin, Pandit Sudhir Kumar Bagda is the Raj Purohit of Jaipur Royal Family.