Semwal
{{short description|Brahmin subcaste from Uttarakhand, India}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2019}}
{{Infobox caste
|caste_name= Semwal
|classification= Brahmin
|country=India
|populated_states=Uttarakhand
|languages= Garhwali
|related= Garhwali people
|religions= Hinduism
}}
Semwal is one of the thirty-six subcastes of Sarola Brahmin from Uttarakhand.{{Cite book|author=Saklani, Atul|year=1987|title=The History of a Himalayan Princely State: Change, Conflicts, and Awakening: an Interpretative History of Princely State of Tehri Garhwal, U.P., A.D. 1815 to 1949 A.D.|publisher=Durga Publications|pages=not specified|oclc=17918157|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UOItAAAAMAAJ&q=semwal}} They are the sole custodians and pandits of the Gangotri temple.{{cite news |last1=Doval |first1=Pankaj |title=Cracks appear in Gangotri temple |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/cracks-appear-in-gangotri-temple/articleshow/20808890.cms |access-date=22 March 2022 |work=The Times of India |date=Jun 28, 2013 |language=en}}
Etymology
The name "Semwal" originates from a place called Sem-Mukhem (Hindi:सेम-मुखेम) in Uttarakhand, abode to the shrine of Sem-Mukhem Nagraj (Hindi: {{ill|सेममुखेम नागराज|hi|vertical-align=sup}}) often considered among the locals as the fifth shrine of the Chota Char Dham pilgrimage of which the Semwals are permanent serving priests.{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K8nUAAAAMAAJ&q=sarola+brahmin|title=Census of India, 1961|first=India Office of the Registrar|last=General|year=1962|publisher=Manager of Publications|via=Google Books}}{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UOItAAAAMAAJ&q=sarola+brahmin|title=The History of a Himalayan Princely State: Change, Conflicts, and Awakening : an Interpretative History of Princely State of Tehri Garhwal, U.P., A.D. 1815 to 1949 A.D.|first=Atul|last=Saklani|date=4 May 1987|publisher=Durga Publications|via=Google Books}} Apart from this, the name "Semwal" might also have originated from Sem village in Karnaprayag, Chamoli district.{{cite journal |last1=Gopal |first1=Ram |title=A Brief Study Of Gastronomy Of Brahmins In Uttarakhand, India |journal=Chitkara University |date=June 2015 |volume=2, Issue-10 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326462300 |language=en}}