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Sunar or Sonar or Swarnkar is a Hindu caste in India referring to the community of people who work as goldsmiths.

“Sunar: The occupational caste of goldsmiths and silversmiths. The name is derived from the Sanskrit Suvarna kār, a worker in gold. In 1911 the Sunārs numbered 96,000 persons in the Central Provinces and 30,000 in Berār. They live all over the Province and are most numerous in the large towns.”

“The Sunārs also have a story that they are the descendants of one of two Rājpūt brothers, who were saved as boys by a Sāraswat Brāhman from the wrath of Parasurāma when he was destroying the Kshatriyas. The descendants of the other brother were the Khatris. This is the same story as is told by the Khatris of their own origin, but they do not acknowledge the connection with Sunārs, nor can the Sunārs allege that Sāraswat Brāhmans eat with them as they do with Khatris.”

“Owing to their association with the sacred metal gold, and the fact that they generally live in towns or large villages, and many of their members are well-to-do, the Sunārs occupy a fairly high position, ranking equal with, or above the cultivating castes.”

Sunar or Sonar = Goldsmith.

There are 6 factions in it:

Kshatriya Sunar/Sonar/Swarnkar: People of this caste believe that they are Kshatriya (which means Warriors) descendants of Suryavanshi(Solar Dynasty) King Ambarish.
Ayodhyawasi or Purabiya Sunar/Sonar/Swarnkar: These people believe they are sub caste of Vaishya(which means businessman).
Mair Kshatriya Sunar/Sonar/Swarnkar:
Kanujia Sunar/Sonar/Swarnkar:
Mahawar or Mahaur Sunar/Sonar/Swarnkar:
Khudabadi sindhi swarankar: people of this caste believe that they are kshatriya descendants of Suryavanshi,affiliated with Lohana. They are devotee of Goddess Durga and GoldSmith as their community occupation has been conferred by the Goddess Durga.

Mair Kshatriya Sunar/Sonar/Swarnkar: They are Hindu by religion and comprise of the warrior race of Rajputs who had originally migrated from Rajasthan with the movement of the armies that brought Rajput rule over Punjab and had settled down in Punjab generations ago. During the ensuing prolonged period of lasting peace thereafter when they could not be supported by the armies and could not find any work as warriors they chose to work as Sunars to survive. "Sunar" is a Hindi word for Goldsmith and Jeweler in India, a metalworker who specializes in working with gold and also at the same time is a businessman specializing in selling gold, silver, other precious metals including precious stones and jewelry / ornaments crafted from these. In time it soon became a well known fact thereafter. Mair Rajput Sunar living in Punjab are not major, they are small fraction of total mair kshatriya community. Its true they are migrated from rajasthan but major population is still in rajasthan, mainly in Bikaner and Jodhpur. Word Mair/maide is originated from 'mewad' or 'marwad' of rajasthan because of origin. There are many subcaste/gotras in rajasthan soon list of them will be provided. They are not Punjabi Rajput, they are mair/maid rajput of rajasthani origin and later who setteled in punjab adopted Punjabi life style and culture even some adopted sikhism. (Dr Pankaj Verma, United Kingdom/ Sirsa, India)

References

1. R.V.Russell assisted by Rai Bahadur Hira Lal; The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India; published under the orders of the Central Provinces Administration, McMillan and Co. Ltd., St. Martin Street, London, 1916
2. R.V.Russell assisted by Rai Bahadur Hira Lal; The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India; published under the orders of the Central Provinces Administration, McMillan and Co. Ltd., St. Martin Street, London, 1916
3. R.V.Russell assisted by Rai Bahadur Hira Lal; The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India; published under the orders of the Central Provinces Administration, McMillan and Co. Ltd., St. Martin Street, London, 1916

There is also one faction of sunar/swarnakar.It is called Rastogi swarankar. It has mainly the gotras as are in Brahmins, to quote: Kashyap,kaushal,Bhardwaj,Sandilya, Vatsa.

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