Gotra identifies the ancestral lineage of a Hindu family, traditionally traced through the male line back to one of the ancient Vedic rishis such as Kashyapa, Bharadwaja, Vashistha, Vishwamitra, Gautama, Jamadagni, or Atri. It is recited during the Sankalpa (statement of intent) at the start of pujas, weddings, and ancestor rites, where the worshipper states their name, gotra, and purpose. In many communities, marriage within the same gotra (sagotra marriage) is traditionally avoided because members of one gotra are considered descendants of a common ancestor, though the strictness of this rule varies widely by region and community. Those who do not know their family gotra are customarily advised by priests to use Kashyapa gotra, since Kashyapa is regarded as a progenitor of many lineages.