Dohre Family History & Genealogy

Summary

The surname "Doharey/Dohare/Dhorey" has deep historical, cultural, and religious significance. Its roots lie in ancient Indian traditions, intertwining both Brahmin and Shudra identities, and reflect a rich tapestry of heritage. Here's a more detailed breakdown of the significance of this surname and its historical context:

Etymology and Origin:
- Sanskrit Roots : The name Doharey (and its variants) derives from the Sanskrit word "Dviharya," combining "dvi" (two) and "harya" (flowers). This term, symbolizing "two flowers," conveys spiritual significance. It represents the idea of being "twice born," an important concept in Buddhism, where an individual is spiritually reborn after accepting the Eightfold Path.

- Brahminic Tradition: In Vedic culture, the "twice-born" (Dviharya) refers to Brahmins during their **Upanayana** (sacred thread) ceremony, a mark to ensure mughal tax collectors knew who to spare from taxes. The Doharey Brahmins (or "Bamans") historically carried out these priestly duties, acting as intermediaries between the sacred texts and scholars.

- Dvibharya : The term "Dvibharya" comes from Sanskrit, combining "dvi" (two) and "bharya" (wife). This highlights the dual nature of ancient Indian familial and social structures, where marriage rituals often involved garlands of flowers, connecting to the earlier meaning.

Historical Significance:
- Brahmin and Shudra Ancestry: The Doharey Brahmins represent a sub-caste with a mixed lineage. While originally recognized as Brahmins due to their role as interpreters of the Vedas, they also have Shudra ancestry, reflecting a complex social identity. This blending of castes highlights India's fluid and nuanced caste system, where individuals could hold multiple social roles depending on region and period.

- Geographical Distribution: Historically, Doharey Brahmins were influential in areas like **Awadh, Purvanchal (Uttar Pradesh), Bihar, Odisha, and Bengal**. They contributed to the intellectual and religious life of these regions by performing sacred rituals and interpreting religious texts.

Occupation and Social Role:
- Priestly Duties: Traditionally, Doharey Brahmins performed ceremonies, conducted rituals, and interpreted sacred texts like the Buddhist Tripitaka, Jataka tales etc... Their priestly role gave them influence, especially among scholars and religious practitioners.

- Agriculture and Trades: Over time, many Doharey families diversified their occupations, engaging in agriculture, trade, and artisanal professions like lime kiln work, tanning, and fishing, reflecting adaptability within changing socio-economic conditions.

Cultural Traditions:
- Festivals: They celebrate major Buddhist festivals like Sankranti, and Deep Daan Utsav (Deepawali ) with significant enthusiasm, reflecting broader Indian religious traditions.

- Cuisine: The community is known for traditional North Indian dishes, including **kachoris, samosas, and jalebis**, which are common across Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

- Music and Dance: Doharey Brahmins have a strong association with classical music and dance forms, notably **Kathak** and **Bharatanatyam**. These art forms were often linked to temple rituals and storytelling, further connecting the community to its religious duties, they lost all connection to music post mughal period.

Social Status and Challenges:
- Historical Prestige: Though regarded as a high-caste group, especially among lower castes due to their knowledge of sacred texts, the Doharey Brahmins face ongoing social and economic challenges. Despite their Brahmin heritage, many have struggled with poverty, limited access to education, and systemic discrimination, especially in modern times.

- Preservation and Empowerment: There is growing recognition of the need to preserve the **Doharey Brahmin heritage** and promote the social and economic empowerment of marginalised communities. Efforts are underway to address educational and financial disparities, ensuring that their cultural legacy is not lost amidst modernisation.

In conclusion, the Doharey Brahmins represent a unique blend of tradition, culture, and adaptation. Their historical importance as interpreters of sacred texts, combined with their evolving role in society, makes them an important part of India's diverse caste and cultural landscape.

History

Doharey Brahmins are a sub-caste of Brahmins found primarily in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, particularly in the regions of Awadh and Purvanchal.

Doharey's of UP (Uttar Pradesh) India, derive their ancestry from the Brahmins of Maharashtra sometime also referred by surnames Dohare / Doharey / Dhorey, during the times of mughals many Dhorey brahmins were expelled from the main caste as they did a brahm hatya by consuming cow meat.

This lead to their expulsion from the Brahman dharm and eventually creation of the Doharey caste by a group that migrated to central India. Currently the group is considered under Jatav Chamar. Perhaps the group may have mixed ancestry with Jatav/Gujjars of western India and Dhorey Brahmins that were expelled.

The vanshavali evidence is scarce on this matter but one thing is concrete that this group belongs to the brahmins of western india based on vanshik references.

You will find a number of people from Doharey/Dohare caste to be extremely well placed, at high positions in India as well as Abroad, this is because their ancestors had a habit of reading, writing and learning which they have inherited genetically.

It is also speculated that many of these former Doharey/Dhore/Dohare brahmins have been transformed from an even earlier Dhamma pada marg followed by their ancestors in ancient times, this is before the advent of Modern Vedic period during 9th and 10th century.

Doharey Brahmins followed a Samyak livelihood according to the Dhamapada.

Right Livelihood:

The Doharey Brahmins, in their pursuit of a virtuous life, traditionally engaged in various occupations that aligned with the principles of the Eightfold Path. As the Dhammapada (Verse 176) states, "One should not follow a wrong livelihood, for it is a source of suffering."

Priesthood:

In the spirit of the Tripitaka, they performed rituals and ceremonies that promoted mindfulness and compassion. As the Buddha taught in the Anguttara Nikaya (4.62), "A monk who is mindful and aware of his actions, speech, and thoughts, is like a lotus that grows in the mire, yet remains unsoiled."

Teaching:

As the Buddha advised in the Sigalovada Sutta (DN 31), "Teach the Dhamma to those who are willing to learn, and do not teach to those who are not willing." The Doharey Brahmins, with their expertise in the scriptures, taught students in gurukuls, guiding them on the path to wisdom and enlightenment.

Agriculture:

In harmony with the natural world, they engaged in agriculture and trade, mindful of the interconnectedness of all living beings. As the Buddha taught in the Metta Sutta (Sn 1.8), "May all beings be happy, may all beings be healthy, may all beings be at peace."

Administration:

Some Doharey Brahmins held administrative positions in the royal courts and government, applying the principles of the Dhamma to promote justice, compassion, and wisdom. As the Buddha advised in the Cakkavatti Sutta (DN 26), "A ruler who rules with justice and compassion, will bring peace and prosperity to his kingdom."

In this way, the Doharey Brahmins embodied the Buddhist ideals of right livelihood, cultivating a sense of mindfulness, compassion, and wisdom in their daily occupations.

Name Origin

Origin: The name "Doharey" is derived from the Sanskrit word "Dviharya," which means "twice-born." This refers to the Brahmin tradition of undergoing a second birth through the sacred thread ceremony (Upanayana). By some reference it seems it may also refer to the twice born in Buddhism. Which is when a person accepts the 8 Fold path and officially accepts pravajya.

'Doh' also means to extract in sanskrit, in ancient times Dhore or Dohare used to read vedas and submit extracts or meanings of passages understood from Acharyas and explain in a simple form for people or common folk to understand belonging to the Kshatriya and Vaishya communities.

Sub-castes:

The Doharey Brahmins are further divided into several sub-castes, including:

Saryupareen: This sub-caste is considered the most prestigious and is found mainly in the Ayodhya and Faizabad regions.
Kanyakubj: This sub-caste is found mainly in the Kanpur region and is known for their expertise in Vedic rituals.
Jujhautiya: This sub-caste is found mainly in the Jhansi region and is known for their knowledge of astrology and mathematics.
Bhargav: This sub-caste is found mainly in the Varanasi region and is known for their expertise in Vedic scriptures.

Spellings & Pronunciations

Doharey, Dohare, Dhore, Dhorekar, Dhoria

Nationality & Ethnicity

Migration and Settlement:

The Doharey Brahmins are believed to have migrated from the Ganga River region to the Saryu River region in the 12th century. They settled in the areas of Ayodhya, Faizabad, and Barabanki, where they established themselves as a prominent Brahmin community.

The surname Doharey is relatively rare, with approximately 165 individuals identified globally, predominantly in India. The distribution is concentrated in Uttar Pradesh (46%), followed by Delhi (20%) and West Bengal (7%). The surname is also present in very small numbers in the United States.

Famous People named Dohre

Notable personalities: Some prominent Doharey Brahmins include:

Banwari Lal Dohre: Former mayor of Kannauj.
Ashok Kumar Doharey: A member of the Indian National Congress and former cabinet minister in Uttar Pradesh.
Ramcharan Dohre: An Indian politician.

The Doharey community has shown significant educational and professional advancement, with many individuals occupying high positions in various fields, reflecting their historical emphasis on learning and literacy

Early Dohres

These are the earliest records we have of the Dohre family.