Sarswat Brahmins are spread over widely separated regions spanning from Kashmir and Punjab in North India to Konkan in West India to Kanara (coastal region of Karnataka) and Kerala in South India. In places such as western and southern India, the claim of Brahminhood of some communities who claim to be Saraswat Brahmins is disputed.The word Saraswat is derived from the Rigvedic Sarasvati River. The word Saraswat is derived from the Rigvedic Sarasvati River.