[Advaita-l] On Gotrams

[kuntimaddi sadananda]

PraNAms to all:

A friend of mine wanted info on Gotras. If you direct
to the site or can provide references or can answer
the questions, that will be great. YOu can respond to
my personal email if it not of general interest.

Appreciate your help.

Thanks

Hari Om
Sadananda
------------


I am trying to find some information about a critical
aspect of our Dharma, i.e. Gotra. We all know that
each Hindu has a Gotra. What I am looking for is 


How many Gotras are there? 
Is there any further subdivision than the Gotra? 
When a particular Gotra started (time aspect)? 
What is the process of starting a new Gotra? Why the
person who started a Gotra won’t use his father or
Guru’s Gotra? 
Are Gotras geographical distributed over India ? In
other words, will we find a particular Gotra in
particular part of India ? 
 What I am trying to prove is that 

Gotras are independent of the so called Caste? 
Hopefully I will find a Gotra which we can find in two
or three different Castes. That will prove beyond
doubt that Caste system has no sanction from the
scriptures. 

It is very important that all information must be
properly referenced and cross-checked. Your help in
this is greatly appreciated.

 Rakesh