A Brahmin also spelt as Brahman means belonging to Brahma .In Hinduism, there is the concept of varna system where the society is stratified into four varnas or caste -Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas ,Shudras .The Brahmin occupies the highest level in the varna system and is considered to be the priest class in the ancient universal Varna system .

This ancient Hindu caste system is divided on the basis of occupation. with the Vedic religion in ancient India the history of the Brahmin community actually begins. In chapter ten of the Rig Veda ,brahmins were created from the mouth of Purusha .The primary source of knowledge for all Brahmin tradition ,both orthodox and heterodox lies in the Vedas .

There are numerous divisions among the Brahmins .Owing to their high prestige and tradition of education, they dominated Indian scholarship for centuries.The various Brahmin castes are Chitpavana Brahmins,Dadhich brahmins, dayama brahmins, Daivajna Brahmins, Deshastha Brahmins,Dravida Brahmins,Gaud brahmins, Gouda Saraswat Brahmins, Havyaka Brahmins, Hoysala Karnataka Brahmins, Iyers, Kandavara Brahmins, Karade Brahmins, Karhada Brahmins, Kayastha Brahmins, Khandelwal Brahmins, Kota Brahmins, Konkanastha Brahmins, Koteshwara Brahmins,Mathil Brahmins, Nagar Brahmins, Namboothiri Brahmins, Niyogi Brahmins, Padia Brahmins, Rajapur Saraswat Brahmins, Saklapuri Brahmins, Sanketi Brahmins, Saraswat Brahmins,shree gaud brahmins,Shivalli Brahmins, Smarta Brahmins, Sthanika Brahmins, Thenkalai Iyengars, Tuluva Brahmins, Vadagalai Iyengars, Vaidiki Brahmins and Vaishnava Brahmins.Brahmin castes in the Indian subcontinent are divided into two regional groups Pancha-Gauda Brahmins and Pancha-Dravida Brahmins.Panch Gauda are the five classes of North India ,Saraswata, Kanyakubja, Gaudra, Utkala, and Maithila.Panch Dravida the five classes of South India Andhra, Dravida (Tamil and Kerala), Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat.

While in Andhra Pradesh the Brahmins are categorized into two groups -- Vaidika ;those who perform religious and secular vocations and Niyogi ; those who perform only secular vocation it is in Bihar Brahmins are divided into two broad groups like the Bhumihar Brahmins and the Maithili Brahmins .In Karnataka,the brahmins are divided into three major groups like the Smarthas, Madhvas (or Vaishnavas) and Sri-Vaishnavas (Iyengars).Brahmins are classified into two groups in Kerala -while the major priestly activities are performed by Namboothris the other activities related with the temple is performed by Pushpaka Brahmins .In Rajasthan brahmins are mainly classified into Dahima/Dayama/Dahima brahmin,Gaud brahmin,Sri gaud brahmin ,Khandelwal brahmin ,Gujar-Gaud brahmins.

It is believed that there are eight sages Visvamitra, Jamadagni, Bharadvâja, Gautama, Atri, Vasishtha, Kashyapa and Agastya and the offspring of these eight sages is declared to be gotras .Other than the gotras there are two kinds of pravaras namely sishya-prasishya-rishi-parampara, and the putrparampara.

Being a priestly class the Brahmins are expected to control their emotions, senses ,purity,truthfulness ,tolerance ,simplicity ,belief in God and studying and teaching of sacred scriptures.Performing rituals like Snana (bathing),Sandhyavandana ,Japa ,Puja ,Aupasana and Agnihotra were all done by the Brahmins in ancient India.Traditionally ,Brahmins can have only vegetarian foods .Infact laws were so strict that Brahmins who consumed meat were expelled from the brahmin society In modern times , with the erosion of the caste system ,the prestige and power of the Brahmins have diminished to some extent .