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{{Short description|Dalit community in Odisha}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}}
'''Kandra''', also known as '''Kandara''' or '''Kodama''' is a [[Scheduled Castes list|Scheduled Caste]] community in [[East India]], primarily in [[Odisha]] and [[West Bengal]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kandra |url=https://www.scstrti.in/index.php/communities/sc-communities/108-sc-communities/370-kandra |access-date=8 April 2026 |website=SC & ST Department (Odisha) |publisher=Ministry of Social Justice and Tribal Affairs |place=Odisha, India}}</ref> They were traditionally engaged in the profession of fishing and artisan, though in the modern times many of the members of community have integrated in society.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Socio-Political status of Kandra community in Puri district |url=https://magazines.odisha.gov.in/Orissareview/Sept2004/englishPdf/sociopolitical.pdf |website=Magazine Odisha |publisher=Government of Odisha}}</ref>

== History ==
Kandra were historically nomadic community who were artisans, primarily in profession of [[Bamboo textile|Bamboo-making business]] and selling them in different parts of [[Odisha]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Russell |first=Robert Vane |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/The_Tribes_and_Castes_of_the_Central_Pro/7BNiEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=kandra+caste&pg=PT277&printsec=frontcover |title=The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India: Ethnological Study of the Caste System |date=2022-01-04 |publisher=e-artnow |language=en}}</ref> Besides being artisans, they were heavily involved in the fishing due to presence in the coastal regions of the state and with time due to socio-economically backward. It is said that they were originated from the [[Sambalpur State]] and have also migrated to adjacent states of [[Bengal|West Bengal]] and [[Andhra Pradesh]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=General |first=India Office of the Registrar |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Bibliography_on_Scheduled_Castes_Schedul/6JguAQAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=kandra+caste&pg=PA522&printsec=frontcover |title=Bibliography on Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Selected Marginal Communities of India: A-K series.-[2]L-Z series |date=1970 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Commissioner |first=India Census |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Census_of_India_1901/MlJFAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=kandra+caste&pg=PA305&printsec=frontcover |title=Census of India, 1901 |date=1902 |publisher=Printed at the Government central Press |language=en}}</ref> They are considered as similar to the [[Basor]] and [[Turi (caste)|Turi]] community due to similarity of being bamboo workers and documented by various names such as Kodma (in [[Mayurbhanj State]]), Kodama and Kadara.

== Demographics ==
They are recognized as Scheduled Caste inWest Bengal and Odisha, where they are sixth largest Scheduled Caste community with a population of 5,29,717 (as of 2011).
{| class="wikitable"
!State
!Category
([[Schedule Caste|SC]] or [[Backward Classes|BC]])
!Caste
!Population
(2011)
!Ref
|-
|[[Andhra Pradesh]]
|OBC (or BC)
|Kandra
|
|<ref>http://ncbc.nic.in/User_Panel/GazetteResolution.aspx?Value=mPICjsL1aLvYBtdZSrP4uO%2bploAhiJHMitEMCkgxxsH%2f7oa9L5Zf2o2HH3BmrgcE</ref>
|-
|[[List of Scheduled Castes in Odisha|Odisha]]
|SC
|Kandra, Kandara, Kadama, Kuduma, Kodma, Kodama
|5,29,717
|
|-
|[[Telangana]]
|OBC
|Kadara, Kandra
|
|
|-
|[[List of Scheduled Castes in West Bengal|West Bengal]]
|SC
|Kandra
|1,12,038
|
|}

== See also ==

* [[Basor]]

== References ==
<references />
[[Category:Hindu communities]]
[[Category:Fishing communities in India]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Odisha]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of West Bengal]]

Kandra (caste) - Revision history

MonteZaleski33: Added