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Sonar (alternately, Sunar or Swarnkar) is an artisan caste in India, referring to the community of people who work as goldsmiths. The community is primarily Hindu, but includes a few Sikh and Muslims, too. They primarily live in northern states of India, Nepal and Sindh province of Pakistan.

Etymology

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

History

The Sunar are traditional goldsmiths and silversmiths in India. They also used to practice siddhar medicine and are agriculturists.

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, Vishnwakarman

Sunars since 18th century stood for social uplifting and demanded Brahmin status claiming to be descendants of Vishwakarma and in some other regions, e.g - North most of them claimed being from Kshatriya and even Vaishya varna. In 1931 census of India, many Sunars mentioned their caste as Vishwakarma or Panchal and became successful in some regions.

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

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.

Ahir Sunars or Kshatriya Ahir Sonars in the Khandesh region (known for large population of Ahirs) occupy a high social status in the Maharashtra.

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.

Being among the economically and politically disadvantaged communities, Sunars are included under Other Backward Class list.

In Nepal, Sunars poor falls under groups untouchable and clubbed as Kami. Sunars in Nepal falls under 'Hill Dalits' communities and have benefits of reservation.

Reservation policy helped many Sunars after the passing of the Mandal Commission and the community showed a tremendous increase in its literacy rate making one of the most literate castes of India.

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, Singh, Sah, Shah, Bhutani, Sonik, Mehra, Verma, Gupta,etc as their surnames.

Zargar, also known as Muslim Sunars, they are primarily found in Pakistan and Jammu & Kashmir state of India and Sarraf are also sections of Sunars who are mainly involved in pawnbroking or money-lending (though not all Sarrafs are Sunar).

In Gujarat and Rajasthan, the community is also known as Soni.

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

In Punjab and Haryana, they are divided into three groups Sunars (who often use surnames as Bhutani, Suri, Singh, Soni, Verma, etc) ( Mair Rajput and Khatri Sunars

They are also called Sunnāri in Odisha, Sonagāra in South Canara regions and Panchal or Vishwakarma in South India.

Mair Rajput, Khatri Sunar, Purswani and Daivadnya Brahmins are also goldsmith communities but separate from Sunar caste. They are of higher social rank and considered as different from Sunars.

See also

• Soni
• Swarnkar
• Mair caste

References

1. People of India: Uttar Pradesh (Volume XLII) edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 1500 to 150
2. 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.
3. Ramaswamy, Vijaya (2004). "Vishwakarma Craftsmen in Early Medieval Peninsular India". Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient. 47 (4): 548–582. doi:10.1163/1568520042467154. ISSN 0022-4995.
4. People of India: Haryana (Volume XXIII) edited by M.L Sharma and A.K Bhatia pages 475 to 479 Manohar Books
5. Russell, Robert Vane (1916). The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India (Volumes I and II). Library of Alexandria. ISBN 978-1-4655-8294-2.
6. Chatterji, Madhumita; Zsolnai, László (13 September 2016). Ethical Leadership: Indian and European Spiritual Approaches. Springer. ISBN 978-1-137-60194-0.
7. "OPINION | Do Forgotten Communities Have a Chance and Space in 2019 Elections?". News18. 8 April 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
8. "Central OBC List" (PDF). ncbc.nic.in. 24 May 1995.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
9. Gurung, Harka. "The Dalit Context". nepjol.info.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
10. "The caste factor: Show me the numbers". Rediff. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
11. A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North-West Frontier Province: L.-Z. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. 1997. ISBN 978-81-85297-70-5.
12. People of India: Uttar Pradesh (Volume XLII) edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 1500
13. People of India: Haryana (Volume XXIII) edited by M.L Sharma and A.K Bhatia page 475 Manohar Books
14. Harold A Stuart (1895). Madras District Manuals South Canara Vol Ii.
15. Perez, Rosa Maria (2004). Kings and Untouchables: A Study of the Caste System in Western India. Orient Blackswan. ISBN 978-81-8028-014-6.

Further reading

• R.K. Gupta, S.R. Bakshi. Studies In Indian History: Rajasthan Through The Ages The Heritage Of Rajputs (set Of 5 Vols.). Sarup & Sons, 2008. ISBN 81-7625-841-5, ISBN 978-81-7625-841-8

• Articles with links needing disambiguation from June 2020
• Sunar
• Goldsmith castes
• Social groups of Rajasthan
• Social groups of Uttar Pradesh
• Social groups of Haryana
• Gold in India