Pancha Gauda is one of the two major groupings of Brahmins in Hinduism, of which the other is Pancha-Dravida.
In Rajatarangini According to Kalhana's Rajatarangini (c. 12th century CE), the Pancha Gauda group includes the following five Brahmin communities, which according to the text, reside to the north of the Vindhyas in west-central India:
Sarasvata Kanyakubja Gauda Utkala Maithila
In the Sahyadri-khanda
The Sahyadri-khanda, considered a part of the Skanda Purana, also mentions the same classification as the Rajatarangini.; Marathi version edited by Gajanan shastri Gaytonde, published by Shree Katyani Publication, Mumbai For example, fragments of the Sahyadri-khanda, featured in Hemadri's Chatur-varga-chintamani (13th century), quote Shiva to provide this classification. The text identifies its heroes, the Shenvis, as Sarasvatas. In the text, Shiva also provides an alternative classification of Pancha Gaudas, stating that the ancient sages made these divisions:
Trihotras Agnivaisyas Kanyakubjas Kanojyas Maitrayanas
In the kaifiyats The Maratha-era kaifiyats (bureaucratic records) of Deccan, which give an account of the society in the southern Maratha country, mention the following Brahmin communities as Pancha-Gaudas
Kanoji Brahmins Kamrupi Brahmins Utkala Brahmins Maithil Brahmins Gurjara Brahmins
According to the kaifiyats, the Pancha Gaudas could be either Smarta, Vaishnavas or Bhagavats.
References
Further reading Pratyush Kumar, Homo Connubialis Brahmanicus: Marriage Relations Among Brahmins, Baden-Baden: Nomos (Ergon), Germany, 2025, ISBN 978-3-98740-189-3 (Print).