gothram

Gothram, often anglicized as gotra, is a system used in Hindu society to denote a clan lineage that traces descent from a common ancient sage or rishi. A person’s gothram is traditionally considered patrilineal, identifying the paternal line from which the family is descended. The term comes from Sanskrit and roughly means “lineage” or “line of descent.”

Each gotra is associated with a sage and has many sub-lineages. Prominent gotras are named after sages such as Bharadwaja, Vasishta, Kashyapa, and Agastya, among many others. In total, there are hundreds of recognized gotras across different communities. The system is largely genealogical and symbolic, serving to identify a person’s ancestral clan within the broader social landscape.

In practice, gothram is used in rituals, temple rites, and especially in arranging marriages. A common traditional rule in many communities is that marriages within the same gotra are discouraged or deemed inappropriate, because members are considered to share a common ancestral line. However, rules vary by region, caste, and sect, and cross-gotra marriages are common in many areas. The concept of sapinda relationships also influences marriage restrictions, which can extend beyond strictly gotra considerations.

Gothram is not a definitive indicator of caste or social status, though gotra names are often used in conjunction with other community identifiers. In modern times, many people continue to recall and honor their gothram as part of cultural heritage, while attitudes toward its implications in marriage and social life can differ widely.

See also: gotra, sapinda, rishi.