| Group: | Kanyakubja Brahmin |
| Popplace: | Uttar Pradesh • Madhya Pradesh • West Bengal • Chhattisgarh • Jharkhand • Bihar • Assam • Tripura |
| Langs: | Hindi • Kannauji • Awadhi • Bhojpuri • Bengali[1] • other Indo-Aryan languages |
| Rels: | Hinduism |
| Related: | Saraswat Brahmins • Gauda Brahmins • Maithil Brahmins • Bengali Brahmins • Utkala Brahmins |
Kanyakubja Brahmins are an endogamous[2] Brahmin community mainly found in northern India. They are classified as one of the Pancha Gauda Brahmin communities native to the north of the Vindhyas.[3]
The majority of the interviewees assert that the designation of the caste originates from the city of Kannauj, emphasizing that this name signifies a geographical association. The etymology of this caste is solely preserved through genealogies, oral traditions, mythical narratives, and proverbial accounts.[4]
Some of the Kanyakubja Brahmins were priests, astronomers, astrologers, or teachers, while others chose the career of soldier. They formed the best fighting element in Awadh next only to Rajputs.[5]
In Uttar Pradesh, they are considered the highest class of Brahmins.[6]