Gotra vs Gene.

Do you know why every time you sit at a puja, the priest asks you for your Gotra. The science behind Gotra (Genetics) is nothing but what is, today, popularly known as GENE-MAPPING.

* What is Gotra system?

* Why do we have this system?

* Why do we consider this to be so important to decide marriages?

* Why should sons carry the Gotra of the father, why not daughters?

* How/why does Gotra of a daughter change after she gets married? 

* What is the logic?

In fact this is an amazing genetic science we follow. Let's, therefore, see the SCIENCE OF GENETICS behind our great GOTRA systems.

The word GOTRA formed from two Sanskrit words GAU (means cow) and Trahi (means shed).

Gotra means cowshed.

Gotra is like cowshed protecting a particular lineage. We identify our male lineage/gotra by considering to be descendants of the 8 great rishis (Sapta rishi + Bharadwaj rishi). All the other gotras evolved from these only.

Biologically, human body has 23 pairs of chromosomes (one from father and one from mother) on these 23 pairs, there is one pair called sex chromosomes which decides the gender of the person.

During conception, if the resultant cell is XX chromosomes then the child will be a girl, if it is XY then it is a boy.

In XY X is from the mother and Y is from the father.

In this Y is unique and it doesn't mix. So in XY, Y will suppress the X and the son will get Y chromosomes. Y is the only chromosome which gets passed down between male lineage (Father to son to grandson).

Women never gets Y. Hence Y plays a crucial role in genetics in identifying the genealogy. Since women never get Y, the Gotra of the woman is said to be that of her husband.

They are 8 different Y chromosomes from 8 Rishis. If we are from the same Gotra, then it means that we are from the root ancestor.

Marriages between the same Gotra will increase the risk of causing genetic disorders as same Gotra Y chromosomes cannot have a crossover and it will activate the defective cells.

If this continues, it will reduce the size and strength of the Y chromosome which is crucial for the creation of a male.

If no Y chromosome is present in this world, then it will cause males to become extinct.

So the Gotra system is a method to avoid genetic disorders and attempt to protect Y chromosome.

Amazing bio-science by our Maharishi. Our heritage is unarguably THE GREATEST.

Our rishis had the "GENE MAPPING" sorted out thousands of years ago......

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a couple of minutes to 10. Lekha, Ammu and Mithun went to Thrissur town in George's cab but had to return as none of the shops were opened and they'd returned before lunchtime.

Siesta had given way to yakkittiyak about the good old days.  

The prime video was commissioned and our vaccination certificates were downloaded.

It was a late night, well beyond midnight!