https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=ShreniShreni - Revision history2026-11-15T10:09:34ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shreni&diff=535322&oldid=prevNisha Lakra: adding basic pg w/ sources2025-12-15T13:07:08Z<p>adding basic pg w/ sources</p>
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In [[History of India|Ancient India]], a '''shreni''' ({{langx|sa|श्रेणि|śreṇi}} or {{lang|sa|श्रेणी}} {{Transliteration|sa|śreṇī}}, [[Prakrit]]: {{Transliteration|pra|seni}})<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sircar |first1=D.C. |authorlink1=D.C. Sarkar |title=Indian Epigraphical Glossary |date=1966 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |location=Delhi |url=https://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/scans/IEGScan/2020/web/webtc2/index.php | page=316 | quote= a corporation or guild}}. Search for text "or guild" (without quotes).</ref> was an association of traders, merchants, and artisans. Generally, a separate shreni existed for a particular group of persons engaged in the same vocation or activity. Shrenis have sometimes been compared with the [[guild]]s.{{according to whom|date=March 2019}}<br />
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Well-documented references{{citation needed|date=March 2019}} to the existing of shreni have been found from 5th century BC, and texts mention the existence of shrenis and [[Religious conversion|conversion]] of entire members of some shrenis to [[Buddhism in India|Buddhism]] or [[Jainism]]. Over a period of time, some shrenis became very wealthy with surplus resources, and acted as custodians and [[banker]]s of religious and other [[Financial endowment|endowment]]s. One of the widely referred shreni was of ivory carvers of [[Vidisha]] (in the modern [[India]]n [[States and territories of India|state]] of [[Madhya Pradesh]]). This shreni is accredited with sponsoring and financially supporting the construction of the southern gateway of the [[stupa]] at [[Sanchi]], which is currently a [[World Heritage Site]].<br />
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==Shreni-dharma==<br />
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Members were bound by guild-specific [[dharma]]. The [[Manusmriti]] stated "A king must inquire into the law of groups (''[[jāti]]''), of districts (''ganapada''), of guilds (shreni), and of families (''kula'')."<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kishwar |first1=Madhu |title=Codified Hindu Law: Myth and Reality |journal=Economic and Political Weekly |date=1994 |volume=29 |issue=33 |pages=2145–2161 |jstor=4401625 |issn=0012-9976}}</ref><br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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*''[[Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend]]'' ({{ISBN|0-500-51088-1}}) by Anna Dhallapiccola<br />
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==External links==<br />
* Agarwal, Ankit. (2012),[https://www.scribd.com/doc/116811330 "Development of Economic Organizations and their Role in Human Empowerment during the Gupta Period". History Today 13, New Delhi]{{dead link|date=May 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, {{ISSN|2249-748X}}.<br />
* {{cite web|url=http://www.infinityfoundation.com/mandala/h_es/h_es_shah_m_sreni_frameset.htm |title=Sreni (Guilds): a Unique Social Innovation of Ancient India |first1=Manikant |last1=Shah |first2=D.P. |last2=Agrawal|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130128001238/http://www.infinityfoundation.com/mandala/h_es/h_es_shah_m_sreni_frameset.htm|archive-date=28 Jan 2013}}<br />
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[[Category:Ancient India]]<br />
[[Category:Crafts]]<br />
[[Category:Labor history]]<br />
[[Category:Economic history of India]]</div>Nisha Lakra