Ambashtha

The Ambashthas constitute one of the twelve sub-castes of Kayasthas of India. They are numerically small and mostly confined to the erstwhile state of Bihar. However, many people do not know that the Ambashtha Kayasthas were found at various parts of the country, and got assimilated with the local people. The Ambashtha Community in India is spread thin into various states, and their easiest identification is by the last (surname) name. Over the period, many new names have evolved. Some of the common surnmaes used by Ambashtha are Ambastha, Ambast, Ambasth, Sinha, Prasad, Sahai, Verma.

The Ambastha Kayastha follow a system of "Khas Ghar", primarily for practising exogamy. The Ghars are also used as surnames.These "Khas Ghars"(essentailly identifier of villages the Ambastha Tribe settled in Magadh region, after getting displaced from Taxila in Mauryan Times). These Ghars are - Jamuar,Parvatiyar,Mandilwar,Rukhaiyar,Maldahiyar,Nandkuliyar,Gayavar,Bariar, Bartiyar,Derhgave,Kochgave and many others.

In the ancient time there was a kingdom named "Ambast" which was located in between ChandraBhaga (Present Chenab river) and Airawart (Present Ravi river). The discussion of Ambast Kingdom is also mentioned in BrahmnaPurana. The residents of this Kingdom were called as Ambasta. Padini also called the residents of Southeast region of Kashmir as Ambasta. The son of Shri Chitragupta named Himvaan had held the post of a minister there and his generations are also settled there. People there were very brave and fought along with Kauravs in Mahabharatha.

References

* Ambastha Kayastha (The Evolution of a Family and Its Socio-Cultural Dimensions)/K.N. Sahay. New Delhi, Commonwealth, 2001, xxi, 344 p., $42. ISBN 81-7169-660-0.
* http://www.kayastha.org/kayastha_chitragupta.html#Ambasta