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{{Short description|Hindu caste of goldsmiths in Nepal and India}}
{{use Indian English|date=January 2018}} {{use Indian English|date=January 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{infobox caste
]'''Sonar''' (alternately, '''Sunar''' or '''Swarnkar''') is an artisan ] in India, referring to the community of people who work as ]s.<ref>''People of India'': Uttar Pradesh (Volume XLII) edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 1500 to 150</ref> The community is primarily Hindu, but includes a few Sikh and Muslims, too. They primarily live in northern states of ], ] and ] province of Pakistan.
| caste_name = Sunar/Sonar
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| religions = ], ], ]<ref>{{cite book|title=India's communities Volume 6 |author=KS Singh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jHQMAQAAMAAJ&q=india%27s+communities+ks+singh+sunar |year=1998 |publisher=OUP|page=3336}|quote=In most of the states the Sunar are Hindu. But in Punjab and Delhi, they follow either Sikhism or Hinduism. In Jammu and Kashmir, the Sunar are referred to as Sanur and are mostly Muslims.}}</ref>
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The '''Sunar''' (alternately''', Swarnkar ,Soni, Sonar, Singh, Shah, Sonkar''') is a caste in India and Nepal.The Sunar community work as traders of gold or as ]s.<ref>''People of Tiben'': Lhasa (Volume XLII) edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 1500 to 150</ref> The community is primarily ], Buddhist, Christian, Muslim and found all over India and Nepal.


==Etymology== ==Etymology==
The term ''Sunar'' may derive from the ] ''suvarna kār'', "worker in gold".<ref>{{cite book|author=R.V. Russell|title=The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India | volume=IV | url=http://www.gutenberg.org/files/20668/20668-h/20668-h.htm#d0e3452|accessdate=6 July 2011|date=October 1995|publisher=Published Under the Orders of the Central Provinces Administration, Macmillan and Co., Limited St. Martin's Street, London. 1916 |pages=517}}</ref> The term ''Sonar'' may derive from the ] ''suvarna kār'', "worker in gold".<ref>{{cite book|author=R.V. Russell|title=The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India | volume=IV | url=http://www.gutenberg.org/files/20668/20668-h/20668-h.htm#d0e3452|accessdate=6 July 2011|date=October 1995|publisher=Published Under the Orders of the Central Provinces Administration, Macmillan and Co., Limited St. Martin's Street, London. 1916 |pages=517}}</ref>


⚫ The Sonar are still involved in their traditional occupation, that is being ]. There is however a steady process in taking up other occupations, and the community in ] and ] as whole is fairly successful, having produced several professionals.<ref>''People of India'': Haryana (Volume XXIII) edited by M.L Sharma and A.K Bhatia pages 475 to 479 Manohar Books</ref>
==History==
]
The Sunar are traditional goldsmiths and silversmiths in India. They also used to practice siddhar medicine and are agriculturists.


==Social status==
According to popular myth, in the Vishwakarma Purana (compiled after 18th century), the Sunar are said to be the descendants of Suparna, who was one of the five sons created by Hindu god, ]<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ramaswamy|first=Vijaya|date=2004|title=Vishwakarma Craftsmen in Early Medieval Peninsular India|journal=Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient|volume=47|issue=4|pages=548–582|doi=10.1163/1568520042467154|issn=0022-4995}}</ref>
The Sunars are generally considered a part of ] varna.<ref>
*{{Cite book|quote=The ''Swarnkars'', in that age of material splendour, enjoyed a higher social status in the stratified social set-up. Later on, when the professional guilds came to be identified as the sub-castes , the goldsmith community was inducted to the Vaishya caste|page=142|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JFPnh9B5zncC&dq=sunars+are+accepted+as+vaishyas&pg=PA142 |title=Textiles, Costumes, and Ornaments of the Western Himalaya |author=Omacanda Hāṇḍā |isbn=8173870764 |year=1997 |publisher=Indus Publishing Company}}</ref>


==Factions==
Sunars since 18th century stood for social uplifting and demanded ] status claiming to be descendants of Vishwakarma and in some other regions, e.g - North most of them claimed being from ] and even ] varna. In 1931 census of India, many Sunars mentioned their caste as Vishwakarma or Panchal and became successful in some regions.
The Sunars are divided into a large number of territorial and non-territorial groupings called alla. Some of the major alla are the Jhankhad, Santanpuriya, Lal sultaniya, Dekhalantiya, Mundaha, Bhigahiya, Parajiya, Samuhiya, Chilliya, Katiliya Kalidarwa, Naubastwal, Berehele, Gedehiya, Shahpuriya, Mathureke Paliya, Katkaria and Nimkheriya, Vaibhaha. Each lineage is associated with a particular area. To which its ancestors belonged to. The Sunars use Soni, Swarnkar, Verma, Wadichar, Saraf, Shah, Sonik, Singh etc. as their surnames. In ] and ], the community is also known as ].<ref>''People of India'': Uttar Pradesh (Volume XLII) edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 1500</ref> In Haryana, the Sunars are often known as Swarnkar, ], Suri and ], are their common surname.<ref>''People of India'': Haryana (Volume XXIII) edited by M.L Sharma and A.K Bhatia page 475 Manohar Books</ref> In ] they are called Sonaro, In Punjab, Haryana and ], ] community work as goldsmiths.


==Sunar in Nepal==
⚫ There is however a steady process in taking up other occupations, and the community in Haryana and Punjab as whole is fairly successful, having produced several professionals.<ref>''People of India'': Haryana (Volume XXIII) edited by M.L Sharma and A.K Bhatia pages 475 to 479 Manohar Books</ref>
Sunar (Sunar in the Nepal census) Sunar surname is used by ] dalit of ], and ] in Nepal . And also use by subgroup within the broader social group of ] Other Caste.<ref> Population Monograph of Nepal, Volume II </ref> At the time of the ], 64,335 people (0.2% of the population of Nepal) were Sunar.


==Social Status== ==Notable members==
<!---♦♦♦ Only add a person to this list if they already have their OWN article on the English Misplaced Pages ♦♦♦--->
Sunar is one of the hereditary village servicing castes so they falls under lower hierarchy in social rank but are pure or touchable communities. Brahmins can accept foods offered by them and gives them service.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Russell|first=Robert Vane|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6h2Gm1gPZZQC&printsec=frontcover&dq=sunar+caste+of+bihar#q=sunar|title=The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India (Volumes I and II)|date=1916|publisher=Library of Alexandria|isbn=978-1-4655-8294-2|language=en}}</ref>
<!---♦♦♦ Please keep the list in alphabetical order by LAST NAME ♦♦♦--->

* ] Film Actor & Politician<ref>{{cite web | url=https://translate.google.com/translate?u=https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/how-and-why-congress-chose-raj-babbar-to-head-up-fight/&hl=hi&sl=en&tl=hi&client=srp&prev=search | title=Why Congress chose Raj Babbar to lead party in UP elections | date=14 July 2016 }}</ref>
Ahir Sunars or Kshatriya Ahir Sonars in the Khandesh region (known for large population of Ahirs) occupy a high social status in the Maharashtra.
* ], Artist is an internationally recognized painting artist.

* ] Punjabi Singer & Performer
Today, condition of Sunars living in urban regions are somewhat good but those living in rural regions are in poverty. Goldsmithing is considered as not much impure job so main problem is other communities holding major share of jewellery business limiting most Sunars only as a jewellery maker or working class than trader or owner of showrooms. Still significant people among them holds this business on large scale.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Chatterji|first1=Madhumita|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9OoQDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA229&lpg=PA229&dq=conditions+of+goldsmiths+in+india#q=conditions%20of%20goldsmiths%20in%20india|title=Ethical Leadership: Indian and European Spiritual Approaches|last2=Zsolnai|first2=László|date=2016-09-13|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-1-137-60194-0|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=OPINION {{!}} Do Forgotten Communities Have a Chance and Space in 2019 Elections?|url=https://www.news18.com/news/opinion/do-forgotten-communities-have-a-chance-and-space-in-2019-elections-2094023.html|date=2019-04-08|website=News18|access-date=2020-05-22}}</ref>

Being among the economically and politically disadvantaged communities, Sunars are included under ] list.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Central OBC List|url=http://ncbc.nic.in/Writereaddata/cl/delhi.pdf|last=|first=|date=24 May 1995|website=ncbc.nic.in|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref>

In ], Sunars poor falls under groups untouchable and clubbed as ]. Sunars in Nepal falls under 'Hill Dalits' communities and have benefits of reservation.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Dalit Context|url=https://www.nepjol.info/index.php/OPSA/article/download/1133/1558|last=Gurung|first=Harka|date=|website=nepjol.info|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref>

] helped many Sunars after the passing of the ] and the community showed a tremendous increase in its literacy rate making one of the most literate castes of India.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The caste factor: Show me the numbers|url=https://www.rediff.com/getahead/2006/apr/20rashmi.htm|website=Rediff|language=en|access-date=2020-05-22}}</ref>

==Divisions==
Sunars are divided into a large number of territorial and non-territorial groupings called alla. Some of the major alla are the Santanpuriya, Kannaujiya, Mahawar, Shahpuriya, Bundelkhandi, Ayodhyawasi, and Shahabadi. The Sunar have surnames, e.g - Soni, Seth, Swarnkar, Sah, Shah, Bhutani, Sonik, Mehra, Verma, Gupta,etc as their surnames.

]{{dn|date=June 2020}}, also known as Muslim Sunars, they are primarily found in ] and Jammu & Kashmir state of India and ] are also sections of Sunars who are mainly involved in pawnbroking or money-lending (though not all Sarrafs are Sunar).<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Th3Mu-_RwjQC&pg=PA401&lpg=PA401&dq=zargar+caste#q=zargar%20caste|title=A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North-West Frontier Province: L.-Z|date=1997|publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Dist|isbn=978-81-85297-70-5|language=en}}</ref>

In ] and ], the community is also known as ].<ref>''People of India'': Uttar Pradesh (Volume XLII) edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 1500</ref>

In ], the community is known as Sonar or Swarnkar.

In ] and ], they are divided into three groups Sunars (who often use surnames as Bhutani, Suri, ], ], etc) (though ] and ] are separate caste).<ref>''People of India'': Haryana (Volume XXIII) edited by M.L Sharma and A.K Bhatia page 475 Manohar Books</ref>

They are also called Sunnāri in Odisha, Sonagāra in ] regions and ] or ] in South India.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Harold A Stuart|url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.281736|title=Madras District Manuals South Canara Vol Ii|date=1895}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Perez|first=Rosa Maria|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GDRWAglUumEC&pg=PA80|title=Kings and Untouchables: A Study of the Caste System in Western India|date=2004|publisher=Orient Blackswan|isbn=978-81-8028-014-6|language=en}}</ref>

Ahir Sonars, ], ], ] and ] are also goldmith communities but separate from ] caste. They are of higher social rank and considered as different from Sunars.


==See also== ==See also==
*] *]
*]
*]


==References== ==References==
{{Reflist}}
<references />


==Further reading== ==Further reading==
*R.K. Gupta, S.R. Bakshi. . Sarup & Sons, 2008. {{ISBN|81-7625-841-5}}, {{ISBN|978-81-7625-841-8}} *R.K. Gupta, S.R. Bakshi. . Sarup & Sons, 2008. {{ISBN|81-7625-841-5}}, {{ISBN|978-81-7625-841-8}}

{{Authority control}}


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Latest revision as of 03:37, 22 November 2024

Hindu caste of goldsmiths in Nepal and India

Sunar/Sonar
ReligionsHinduism, Sikhism, Islam
RegionIndia

The Sunar (alternately, Swarnkar ,Soni, Sonar, Singh, Shah, Sonkar) is a caste in India and Nepal.The Sunar community work as traders of gold or as goldsmiths. The community is primarily Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, Muslim and found all over India and Nepal.

Etymology

The term Sonar may derive from the Sanskrit suvarna kār, "worker in gold".

The Sonar are still involved in their traditional occupation, that is being goldsmiths. There is however a steady process in taking up other occupations, and the community in Haryana and Punjab as whole is fairly successful, having produced several professionals.

Social status

The Sunars are generally considered a part of Vaishya varna.

Factions

The Sunars are divided into a large number of territorial and non-territorial groupings called alla. Some of the major alla are the Jhankhad, Santanpuriya, Lal sultaniya, Dekhalantiya, Mundaha, Bhigahiya, Parajiya, Samuhiya, Chilliya, Katiliya Kalidarwa, Naubastwal, Berehele, Gedehiya, Shahpuriya, Mathureke Paliya, Katkaria and Nimkheriya, Vaibhaha. Each lineage is associated with a particular area. To which its ancestors belonged to. The Sunars use Soni, Swarnkar, Verma, Wadichar, Saraf, Shah, Sonik, Singh etc. as their surnames. In Gujarat and Rajasthan, the community is also known as Soni. In Haryana, the Sunars are often known as Swarnkar, Soni, Suri and Verma, are their common surname. In Sindh they are called Sonaro, In Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, Mair community work as goldsmiths.

Sunar in Nepal

Sunar (Sunar in the Nepal census) Sunar surname is used by khas dalit of sudurpachim, and karnali in Nepal . And also use by subgroup within the broader social group of Madheshi Other Caste. At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, 64,335 people (0.2% of the population of Nepal) were Sunar.

Notable members

See also

References

  1. KS Singh (1998). India's communities Volume 6. OUP. p. 3336}. In most of the states the Sunar are Hindu. But in Punjab and Delhi, they follow either Sikhism or Hinduism. In Jammu and Kashmir, the Sunar are referred to as Sanur and are mostly Muslims.
  2. People of Tiben: Lhasa (Volume XLII) edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 1500 to 150
  3. R.V. Russell (October 1995). The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India. Vol. IV. Published Under the Orders of the Central Provinces Administration, Macmillan and Co., Limited St. Martin's Street, London. 1916. p. 517. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
  4. People of India: Haryana (Volume XXIII) edited by M.L Sharma and A.K Bhatia pages 475 to 479 Manohar Books
    • Omacanda Hāṇḍā (1997). Textiles, Costumes, and Ornaments of the Western Himalaya. Indus Publishing Company. p. 142. ISBN 8173870764. The Swarnkars, in that age of material splendour, enjoyed a higher social status in the stratified social set-up. Later on, when the professional guilds came to be identified as the sub-castes , the goldsmith community was inducted to the Vaishya caste
  6. People of India: Uttar Pradesh (Volume XLII) edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 1500
  7. People of India: Haryana (Volume XXIII) edited by M.L Sharma and A.K Bhatia page 475 Manohar Books
  8. Population Monograph of Nepal, Volume II
  9. "Why Congress chose Raj Babbar to lead party in UP elections". 14 July 2016.

Further reading

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