Sameer481: Improved wording and formatting

2025-09-12T20:32:47Z

Improved wording and formatting

Ajay Kumar: Introducing Sutradhar (caste)

2023-07-23T15:16:11Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2017}}
{{for|the character in a Bhaona|Bhaona}}

'''Sutradhar''', also known as '''Sutar''' or '''Suthar''' is a [[Hindu]] [[Caste system in India|caste]] within the [[Vishwakarma (caste)| Vishwakarma community]] of India. Their traditional occupation is carpentry.{{sfn|Ghosh|Ghosh|2000|p=96}}<ref>{{cite book |title=Sociology: A Study of the Social Sphere |first=Yogesh |last=Atal |year=2012 |publisher=Pearson Education India |isbn=978-8-13179-759-4 |page=242 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RuK9z3jLcwgC&pg=PA242}}</ref> The great majority of Hindu sutradhars belong to the [[Vaishnava]] sect. [[Vishwakarma]] is regarded as their patron deity.{{sfn|Faroqi|2015}}
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*Suthar
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| languages ={{hlist |Marathi |Gujarati |Bengali |Telugu |Odia |Rajasthani |Tamil}}
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== Origin ==
[[File:An Indian Carpenter (p.48, Richard G Hodson, Carpenters in India, Bangalore 9 September 1856) - Copy.jpg|thumb|upright|Sutradhar caste predominantly engaged in carpentry works]]
The word ''Sutradhar'' literally means ''thread-holder''. ''Sutra'' in sanskrit means thread (which is used to mark the course of a saw), and ''dhara'' means to hold.{{sfn|Faroqi|2015}} The names ''Sutar''{{sfn|Ghosh|Ghosh|2000|p=97}} and ''Suthar''<ref>{{cite book |last1=India. Office of the Registrar General |title=Census of India, 1961: Gujarat |date=1967 |publisher=Manager of Publications |page=iv |edition=Volume 5, Part 6}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=India Planning Commission |title=Yojana |date=1976 |publisher=Ministry of Information and Broadcasting |page=10 |edition=Volume 20}}</ref> are abbreviated versions of ''Sutrahadar''.

Sutradhars, according to legend, are the carpenters descended from Maya, son of Vishwakarma. From the ''[[Rigveda]]'', Vishwakarma is the divine engineer of the universe. In the [[Skanda Purana]] he had five children — [[Manu (child of Vishwakarma)|Manu]], [[Maya (child of Vishwakarma)|Maya]], [[Tvastar]], Shilpi and Visvajna — and these are believed by the Vishwakarma community to have been the forebears of their five sub-groups, being respectively the [[gotra]]s (clans) of blacksmiths, carpenters, bell metalworkers (metal casters), stonemasons and goldsmiths.{{sfn|Ghosh|Ghosh|2000|p=96}}<ref name="Varghese">{{cite journal |journal=Economic and Political Weekly |volume=38 |issue=45 |date=8–14 November 2003 |pages=4794–4802 |first=George |last=Varghese K. |title=Globalisation Traumas and New Social Imaginary: Visvakarma Community of Kerala |jstor=4414253}}</ref> Together, these sons are known as Rathakar, or builders of Chariots.{{sfn|Ghosh|Ghosh|2000|p=96}}

There is evidence that Sutradhars were performing other tasks besides carpentry in ancient times. A stanza from [[Chandimangal]] notes them puffing and frying rice, as well as painting. Agricultural tasks were historically done by castes of Austric origins, so the stanza may refer to a period of transition as the Sutradhar caste was forming and still performing other tasks.{{sfn|Ghosh|Ghosh|2000|p=97}} They were also engaged in making monuments, temples, palaces, chariots and sculpting rock structures. They are believed to have built the [[Konark Sun Temple]], [[Jagannath_Temple_(disambiguation)|Jagannath Temples]], and the [[Architecture_of_Bengal#Hindu_and_Jain Terracotta|terracotta temples of Bengal]].{{sfn|Ghosh|Ghosh|2000|p=99}}

==Demography==
While some Sutradhars practice [[Shaktism]], the vast majority are members of the Vaishnava sect. They worship Vishwakarma and offer sacrifices to him on [[Vishwakarma Day]] and [[Vasant Panchami]].{{sfn|Faroqi|2015}}

The Sutradhar caste is subdivided into a number of subcastes including Bardhamenya, Mandaranya, Khadipeda, Astakul, and Airy.{{sfn|Ghosh|Ghosh|2000|p=97}} The Bardhamenya, Mandaranya, and Astakul are best known as carpenters but are also known as painters, clay image makers, stone carvers as well as constructors of buildings and temples. The Khadipeda were essentially architects, known as designers of temples, palaces, mosques, and building.{{sfn|Ghosh|Ghosh|2000|p=98}}

Sutradhars are also subdivided into various clans, or [[gotras]]. All these clans are totemic. Common Sutradhar surnames include Dutta, Chanda, De, Pal, Sil, Kundu, Mena, Manna, Maharana, Rana, Bandra, Rakhsit, Sutradhar, Sutar, Bhandari, Fouzdar, Das, Kar, and Sharma. Fouzdar would appear to have a royal origin, while Sharma is also a surname of them.{{sfn|Ghosh|Ghosh|2000|p=98}}

==Notes==
{{reflist}}
==References==
*{{Cite web|url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Sutradhar|title=Sutradhar - Banglapedia|last=Faroqi|first=Gofran|year=2015|website=en.banglapedia.org|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902151847/http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Sutradhar|archive-date=2 September 2018|access-date=2017-09-22}}
*{{cite book|first1=G.K.|last1=Ghosh|first2=Shukla|last2=Ghosh|title=Legends of Origin of the Castes and Tribes of Eastern India|chapter=Sutradhars|year=2000|publisher=Firma KLM |place=Calcutta, India|isbn=9788171020461}}
{{Social groups of Rajasthan}}{{Social groups of Maharashtra}}
[[Category:Indian castes]]
[[Category:Carpenter castes]]
[[Category:Social groups of India]]
[[Category:Indian surnames]]
[[Category:Hindu communities]]
[[Category:Social groups of Rajasthan]]

Sutradhar (caste) - Revision history

Sameer481: Improved wording and formatting

Ajay Kumar: Introducing Sutradhar (caste)