Dhor
The Dhor, also known as Kakkayya and Kankayya, is a caste in India. Being traditionally a community associated with tanning leather, they are considered to be outside the Hindu ritual ranking system of castes known as varna and are thus traditionally untouchable. Today they are classified in the Scheduled Caste category under India's system of reservation.History
According to a myth of origin, Dhors are descendants of some Kshatriyas who were exiled after losing a war in the Malwa region. These families settled in Karnataka, where they met Basava, the prime minister of the Kalachuris. The Basava called Shrikar, the Dhor leader, "Kakkayya" out of respect. Shrikar came under influence of Lingayatism along with all those who had followed him out of Malwa; they became members of Anubhava Mantapa. He later died in a battle between Sharanas and the army of Bijjala II at Kakkeri, in Belagavi district. It is from this myth that synonyms for Dhor include Kakkayya and Kankayya.
Although the umbrella term Dalit has been claimed by various untouchable communities as a means to define themselves, in Maharashtra the Dhor are among the communities that prefer to be known instead by their caste name. The Dhor are classed as a Scheduled Caste in India's system of positive discrimination.
