They are basically Brahmins, regarded as Subhatts or Warrior Brahmins.

In Java he founds that the people adhere two kinds of religions: Buddhism and the religion of Brahmins ( Hinduism ), while the people of Srivijaya adhere to Buddhism.

Brahmins as a caste were engaged in attaining the highest spiritual knowledge ( brahmavidya ) and adhered to different branches ( shakhas ) of Vedas.

Most sampradayas ( sects ) of modern Brahmins claim to take inspiration from the Vedas.

During the sutra period, roughly between 1000 BCE to 200 BCE, Brahmins became divided into various Shakhas ( branches ), based on the adoption of different Vedas and different rescension Vedas.

Sects for different denominations of the same branch of the Vedas were formed, under the leadership of distinguished teachers among the Brahmins.

These systems, accept the authority of Vedas and are regarded as " orthodox " ( astika ) schools of Hindu philosophy ; besides these, schools that do not accept the authority of the Vedas are categorized by Brahmins as unorthodox ( nastika ) systems.

Weekly service were held consonant with the Trust directive, consisting of three successive parts: recitation of the Vedas by Telugu Brahmins in the closed apartment exclusively before the Brahmin members of the congregation, reading and exposition of the Upanishads for the general audience, and singing of hymns.

The reading of the Vedas was done exclusively before the Brahmin participants as the orthodox Telugu Brahmin community and its members could not be persuaded to recite the Vedas before Brahmins and non-Brahmins alike.

Even among Brahmins, those who have higher and deeper knowledge of Vedas are considered superiors.

Out of these only the first three, namely, Brahmins, Kshatriya and Vaishya, are collectively known as dwija ( twice-born ) are entitled to upanayan and the study of the Vedas.

Treating Brahmins as superiors, because they had all the knowledge of Vedas and Shudras as inferiors, who had no knowledge of Vedas.

The Saraswat Brahmins are mentioned in Indian historical texts such as the Bhagwat Gita, Mahabharat, Ramayan & Vedas.

During these times the Brahmins are knowledgeable of two, sometimes three Vedas, but rarely have studied all the four Vedas thoroughly.

The three main schools of Indian philosophy that do not base their beliefs on the Vedas were regarded as heterodox by Brahmins:

A few Brahmins were reciting Vedas.

The name Pandey ( meaning pundit ) indicated Brahmins who specialized in all Vedas, Upnishads plus Puranas.

It is most essential for Smarta Brahmins to specialize in the Karma Kanda of the Vedas and associated rituals diligently, and to teach the subsequent generations.

The Smaarta Brahmins in Andhra Pradesh can be grouped into two major divisions: the Vaidiki Brahmins-Learners of Vedas and Niyogi-those appointed to official positions by Kings.

Today, one can still find Telugu Brahmins practicing the ancient tradition of learning and teaching Vedas in most parts of Andhra Pradesh.

This sect is also related to the Vadama Brahmins.

The knowledge in these orders was often related to the tasks a section of the society had to perform. The priest class, the Brahmins, were imparted knowledge of religion, philosophy, and other ancillary branches while the warrior class, the Kshatriya, were trained in the various aspects of warfare.

Today, Bangalore has a significant share of Kota Brahmins, where the community thrives in such sectors as hotel / catering business, banking, medicine, life insurance, software and related engineering professions etc.

Ancient Hindu texts specify an age for the Upanayana ceremony based on the caste ( 8 for Brahmins, 11 for Kshathriyas, 12 for Vaishyas ( Manu Smriti sloka 2: 36 )) Upanayanam marks the start of learning of " Brahman " and Vedic texts.

According to some texts, the system was only for the Brahmins.

Knowers of Vedic texts, the ' Brahmins ' are given the most important status for their enormous contributions to Dharm, Earth and Environment.

References to Brahmins and Kshatriyas are found in Banawali ( Tantric texts ) on Nepal, in whose ancient setting the Kathmandu Valley was still a lake.

In the Smriti view, there are four " varnas " or classes: the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas, the Vaishyas, and the Shudras ( outcastes, chandalas ).

The Smarta Brahmins follow Apastamba Smriti, not the Manusmriti.

* Indian cuisine in Asia is replete with vegetarian dishes, many of which can be traced to religious traditions ( such as Hindu Brahmins ).

The Maharajas of Travancore had been conditionally promoted to Kshatryahood with periodic performance of 16 mahādānams ( great gifts in charity ) such as Hiranya-garbhā, Hiranya-Kāmdhenu, Hiranyāswaratā, and Tulāpurushadānam in which each of which thousands of Brahmins had been given costly gifts apart from each getting a minimum of 1 kazhanch ( 78. 65 gms ) of gold.

However aspects of the historical Vedic religion survived in corners of the Indian subcontinent, such as Kerala where the Nambudiri Brahmins continue the ancient Śrauta rituals, which are considered extinct in all other parts.

Brahmins practice vegetarianism or lacto-vegetarianism which has been a custom for centuries, dating back to the pre-Christian era.

Maithil Brāhamaṇas, are a group of Brahmins typically originating from and living in and around Mithila, which is part of North Bihar.

* Tuluva Brahmins, which consist of Kandavara Brahmins, Karhade Brahmins, Padia Brahmins, Saklapuri Brahmins, Shivalli Brahmins, Smartha Shivalli Brahmins, Sthanika Brahmins, Padarthi Brahmins

Due to the diversity in religious and cultural traditions and practices, and the Vedic schools to which they belong, Brahmins are further divided into various subcastes.

The descent of Brahmins is generally indicated by the gotra, which refers to his patrilineage.

Basavanna and other saints communicated their beliefs and ideas in Kannada which was the commoners ' language unlike Sanskrit which was understood only by the Brahmins at that time.

The title ' Iyer ' was used as a designation for all Tamil Smartha Brahmins during the medieval period, during which they were organised into single community.

Among Brahmins, this date varies depending on which of four Vedic Shakhas one belongs to.

Arriving with his brothers disguised as Brahmins ( priests ), Arjuna successfully tackled the target, which other kings and prince were unable to accomplish.

Generally in morning people eat chuda-dahi ( dahi-chuda is favorite of Brahmins ) with KOHADA ( red pumpkin ) ka bhujiya which is made specially with sugar and salt combination without adding water in it, with lots of LAI, i. e. laddus made of til, chuda, chawal ( rice ).

In the early years of the Company rule, they tolerated and even encouraged the caste privileges and customs within the Bengal Army, which recruited its regular soldiers almost exclusively amongst the landowning Bhumihar Brahmins and Rajputs of the Ganges Valley.