Nagar : Origin And Traits

                    Around great men gathers many a legend that obscures history. But what is history if not legend agreed upon ? This applies equally to Nagars - a great social group. The earliest written book dealing with the origin of Nagars is the Skand Purana containing some 81,000 Slokas. With a view to prorogate the Brahmin Dharma as against the Buddh belief various writers wrote the Skand Purana from 300 to 770 A.D. sponsored by Skand Gupta and vallabhi emperors. The elite Brahmins, called Nagars were assigned the task of furthering the Brahmin religions. These Nagars were expert interpreters of religion and were working without salary. Mostly they inhabited around Vadnagar or Anandnagar. The kings therefore gave them land for maintenance. These Nagars traveled far and wide and established the shiv belief in Egypt, Babylon, Brazil, Kabul, Indo-china and Cambodia. It is said that after the death of emperor Ashoka (232 B.C.) the Shakas and Yavanas made inclusions.

                The Nagars advanced the idea of community living in Nagars (specified area) and came out of hermitage to help people. Dr. Bhandarkar is of the opinion that the Nagars came from outside Aryavarta into Kashmir and later spread to Rajasthan, U.P., Malwa and Gujarat. Late Shambhuprashad Desai Administrator and historian believe that Nagars came from Greece, Macedonia and Syria and established at Nagarkot (Kangra Himalayas). Nag means a Mountain. These mountain dwellers earned name as highly intellectual administrators. Desai points out to the existence of Nagar - a city near Jordan and set Nagar in Iran. Keka Shastri a well known scholar opines that Nagars were comparatively advanced in education, literature, Art and had a great analytical ability as regards Shukla Yajurved. These Nagars joined the services of prominent princes like Raja Bhoj and helped the state-craft. Even Tulshidasji and Mirabai have mentioned Nagar in religious Bhakti songs. Shri Krishna was called Natvar Nagar and the land where he moved Nagher. After coming from North Asia some of the Nagars settled in Nagher - a fertile part of Sorath. (Gujarat).

              As religious people the Nagars were of sterling character, industrious, loyal and good interpreters of religious concepts, jurisprudence etc. They were cordial and non-partism. The princes then, chose them as counselors. The Vallabhi kings assigned the duty of religious progress to them. The Nagars came to combine religion, state-craft and battle-craft and even fought battles for their belief and states. When Gazni invaded Somnath Ra' Navghans Commander and Minister Mahidhar and Shridhar - both Nagars - laid down their lives to protect Somnath.

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