Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin

Chitrapur Saraswats are a small Konkani-speaking community of Hindu Brahmins in India. They are traditionally found along the Kanara coast and call themselves Bhanaps in the Konkani language.

This is a small community from India spread the world over. They have taken names of villages in Karnataka as surnames. So, their recent history is associated with the State of Karnataka. But some researchers like Bertrand Renaud and Frank Conlon believe they migrated from the banks of River Saraswati in north India.[1] The estimated population of this community is roughly 25,000.[2] The community members refer to themselves as "Bhanaps". The community also has a magazine published every month called Kanara Saraswat from Mumbai which carries articles by members and other news concerning the community. The contribution of the Chitrapur Saraswats towards social causes can be seen from roads in many places being named after prominent persons like K S Rao Road. Benegal Narsing Rau, a Chitrapur Saraswat was an advisor to the Constitution Drafting Committee presided by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.[3]