who lived on the banks of Saraswati. They belonged to Smarta tradition and primarily worshipped Panchayatana (the five deities): Shiva , Vishnu , Devi , Surya and Ganesha . These Brahmins were one of the Pancha Gouda Brahmin groups who lived north of the Vindhyas. Saraswat Brahmins mastered the Vedas ,