Agnihotri
Agnihotri is an Indian Brahmin surname derived from the Sanskrit word Agnihotra. The term Agnihotri originally referred to the Brahmins who maintained the sacred fire during the fire rituals.[1]
People with this surname include:
- Atul Agnihotri (born 1970), Bollywood actor
- Bharat Agnihotri (born 1953), member of the Alberta Liberal Party
- Mezhathol Agnihothri (born 4th century AD), Shrauta High Priest who revived the ancient traditions of Yaagam in Bharatam
- Rati Agnihotri (born 1960), veteran Indian actress
- Shiv Narayan Agnihotri (born 1850), founder of the Deva Samaj
- Apurva Agnihotri, Indian actor
- Vivek Agnihotri, Indian Bollywood director
- Shilpa Saklani Agnihotri, television actress
- Satish Agnihotri (born 1956), Madras high court Judge
References
- ↑ Shibani Roy; S. H. M. Rizvi (2002). Encyclopaedia of Indian surnames. B.R. p. 6. ISBN 978-81-7646-247-1.
In ancient times Agnihotris were those who maintained fire in their altar in a ritualistic way throughout their life. They never let the agni go out. There were special rituals prescribed to be performed to re-light the fire in case the fire went out. This requires strict adherence to the daily rites. This person wakes up early in the morning, takes bath, performs the morning ritual, then attends to the lamp in which the fire is maintained, cleans around the cotton wick of the oil lamp, and completes the prayer. In South India there were some 60 practicing Agnihotris as per the Author of a Book Sri.Kannan boot titled "Karma Kanda".