Anavil Brahmins are a community who despite not being numerically superior, are particularly dominant in the Surat and Bulsar districts of south Gujarat, India, where they have been significant land-owners and have an influential role in politics.
[1][2] The Anavils claim themselves to be Kānyakubja Brahmins who migrated from Kannauj to Gujarat in the early medieval period[3][4] and were never involved in priestly functions.
[6] The former acted as tax farmers during the era of the Mughal Empire, and developed into one of the dominant land-owning groups in South Gujarat.
According to the mindset of the Pedivalas, the dowry was considered to be dakshina accompanying the bride in the kanyadan rite.
Since the Mughal Empire wanted to expand the area of land under cultivation, they confirmed the Anavils' aristocratic statuses and employed them in local administration.