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Sunar (alternately Suniar(eh), Sonar or Swarnkar) is a Hindu caste in India and Nepal referring to the community of people who work as goldsmiths. Though the community is primarily Hindu, some members in the states of Haryana and Punjab are Sikh.

Though they are the traditional goldsmiths of North India, now many are also landowners, involved in cultivation, as well as selling grocery. But their main occupation remains the manufacture and selling of jewellery. Members of the community are also involved in pawnbroking and moneylending.

Etymology

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

Status in society

The two primary tribes of goldsmiths in present-day Punjab are the Mairs and the Taunks. The two tribes have several gothras in common so it is possible that movement between the two tribes or simultaneous entry by gothras into both tribes has historically taken place. Currently, Mairs claim to have a higher status than the Taunks. This was true historically also— Mairs did not accept water from Taunks.

The Taunks had claimed Kshatriya descent in 1911 but later did not pursue that claim. The Taunks worship the snake as an emblem of Takshac, the founder of the Nagvanshi, or Taunk family.

In Haryana, Sunars are divided into two segments, the Hindu Sunar and the Sikh Sunar. These two groupings are further divided into the Baari Sunar and the Shudre Sunar. Some Khatris also adopted this occupation and were called Khatri Sunars. All these groups are strictly endogamous, and practice clan exogamy. These divisions are further divided into clans, known as gotras. There are said to be fifty two gotras within the Sunar community. Some of them are the Gund, Bhole, Kuhal, Vaid, Mai, Bhulan, Odhera, Naali, Deo, Masoun, Vatash, Kushal, Kashyap, Dhir, Turar, etc. They believe themselves to be Kshatriya. The Sunar 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 as whole is fairly successful, having produced several professionals.

Factions

The Sunars are divided into a large number of territorial and non-territorial groupings called alla. Some of the major alla are the Santanpuriya, Dekhalantiya, Mundaha, Bhigahiya, Samuhiya, Chilliya, Katiliya Kalidarwa, Naubastwal, Berehele, Gedehiya, Shahpuriya, Mathureke Paliya and Nimkheriya. Each lineage is associated with a particular area. To which its ancestors belonged to. The Sunar use Soni, Seth, Swarnkar, Shah,Bhutani, Sonik, Bagga, Babbar, Verma etc. as their surnames. In Gujarat and Rajasthan, the community is also known as Soni. In Harayana, the Sunars are often known as Swarnakar, Soni and Verma, are their common surname.

Sub-groups

• Khudabadi Sindhi Swarankar: Historically associated with the Sindh region of modern Pakistan prior to the Partition of India, and the city of Khudabad as well as city of Hyderabad.

See also

• Panchayati Hall

References

1. People of India: Uttar Pradesh (Volume XLII) edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 1500 to 150
2. People of India: Uttar Pradesh (Volume XLII) edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 1503
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. Rose wrote in 1914 (440)
5. Rose (443)
6. People of India: Haryana (Volume XXIII) edited by M.L Sharma and A.K Bhatia pages 475 to 479 Manohar Books
7. People of India: Uttar Pradesh (Volume XLII) edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 1500
8. People of India: Haryana (Volume XXIII) edited by M.L Sharma and A.K Bhatia page 475 Manohar Books
9. G.S. Purswani. Incredible Origin and History of Khudabadi Sindhi Swarankar Community. Jaipur, India 5 November 2005

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

• Use dmy dates from October 2010
• Sunar
• Goldsmith castes
• Indian castes
• Muslim communities of India
• Punjabi tribes
• Sindhi tribes
• Social groups of Rajasthan
• Social groups of Uttar Pradesh
• Social groups of Haryana
• Social groups of Pakistan