Kaul (also spelled Koul; ) is a Kashmiri surname that is used by the Kashmiri Pandit community in India. The word Koul, meaning well born, is derived from Kula, the Sanskrit term for family or clan.

Origins

There are several theories regarding the origins of Kaul as a surname.

Koul from Mahakoul

One says that it is associated with the word Mahakaul, an epithet for Shiva. Shiva followers were thus called Kauḷa. Koul therefore means a devotee of Shiva.

Koul/Kaul from Shakta worship

Another states that since the Saraswat Brahmins of Kashmira were believers in Shaivism and Shakta, the peak of Shaivism in Kashmir around the 9th–12th century gave rise to use of the name. This has led many scholars to believe that almost all Kashmiri Pandits were Kauls/Kouls and they were later subdivided into different nicknames, then with the passage of time these nicknames became surnames. In recent years the use of the nicknames is being progressively discarded and the surname Kaul/Koul is being adopted by almost all such people. The word Kaul/Koul is associated with being an Aghoreshwar. The Sādhakas of the Tantra, associated with Shakti worship, are believed to reach the top of the spiritual ladder, and thus become a Kaul/Koul.

Notable people with Kaul surname

Notable people with Koul surname