The Joshi family traces their ancestral origins to the foothills of the Himalayas, in the present-day regions of Uttarakhand and Jammu–Kashmir. Over successive generations, the family migrated into central India and settled in and around Amjhera (or Amzera), in the present-day Madhya Pradesh.
At a later time, Shri Bihari Lal Ji Joshi (b. 1845) relocated to Alirajpur, where the family became firmly established. Shri Shiv Narayan Ji Joshi (b. 1879), son of Shri Biharilalji Joshi, served as the Treasurer in the durbar of the Princely State of Alirajpur1. He married Smt. Shiv Kunwar Joshi (b. 1886). Their six children formed the later branches of the family that migrated to surrounding regions including Ranapur, Dhar, Bhopawar, and Tillore, and eventually to cities like Indore, Bhopal, Ujjain, and Gwalior. Today, their descendants live all over India and the world.
(1879 – 29 Dec 1964)
(1886 – 6 Feb 1966)
The family traces their gotra (i.e., lineage) to Maharishi Vasistha2 and venerates Goddess Gajalakshmi3 as their kuldevi (i.e., family goddess). These affiliations continue to be reflected in traditional observances, including fasting on the Ashtami (the eighth day) and the kuldevi puja on the Navmi (the ninth day) of Ashwin Shukla4, maintained as expressions of continuity, reverence, and worship. After the kuldevi puja on the Navmi, during which a coconut is first offered in the aarti, prasad is prepared consisting of khada moong (whole green gram), bhindi (okra), wheat roti, rice, and kheer. This practice reflects both devotion to the kuldevi and the importance of eating together as a family.
Over the years, the family’s ethos has been shaped by the spirit of “disciplined liberalization”, reflecting freedom and openness guided by knowledge, wisdom, and philosophical discipline. Pivotal to this outlook is the ideal of स्थिर प्रज्ञ (Sthir Pragya)5 – the cultivation of mental fortitude, clarity of thought, and emotional balance.
Footnotes –
- Princely State of Alirajpur – Alirajpur was a small princely state in Central India, located in the present-day state of Madhya Pradesh. Governed by the Rathore dynasty under British paramountcy, it maintained a formal administrative structure until its integration into independent India in the mid-20th century. The state colours (red and white) were the same as those of the State of Indore, granted by the rulers of Indore as a sign of friendship and goodwill. ↩︎
- Maharishi Vasistha – Vasiṣṭha was one of the Saptarishis (Seven Great Sages) of the Vedic tradition. He is credited as the principal author of Mandala 7 of the Rigveda and is revered by Adi Shankaracharya as a foundational sage of the Vedantic philosophy. He is famous for his association with the divine cow Kamadhenu, his legendary battles with Rishi Vishvamitra, and his role as royal priest of the Ikshvaku dynasty and teacher of Shri Ram and his brothers, as described in the Ramayana. ↩︎
- Goddess Gajalakshmi – a revered form of the Goddess Lakshmi, symbolizing wealth, prosperity, fertility, and royal authority. As the family goddess and the anchor to the family’s heritage, the iconography of Goddess Gajalakshmi was naturally chosen as the site’s icon. ↩︎
- Ashwin Shukla – The bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) of the Hindu lunar month of Ashwin. The eighth day (Ashtami) and ninth day (Navami) are traditionally marked by fasting and kuldevi worship within the family. ↩︎
- Sthir Pragya – A concept described in the Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2 (verses 2.54–2.72), where Shri Krishna outlines the qualities of a person with steady wisdom: equanimity, self-restraint, clarity of thought, and inner balance amid both adversity and prosperity. ↩︎