Sunar is an artisan caste in India, referring to the community of people who work as goldsmiths. The community is primarily Hindu, but includes a few Sikh and Muslims, too. They primarily live in northern states of India, Nepal and Sindh province of Pakistan.
Etymology
The term Sunar may derive from the Sanskritsuvarna kār, "worker in gold".
History
The Sunar are traditional goldsmiths and silversmiths in India. They also used to practice siddhar medicine and are agriculturists. According to popular myth, in the Vishwakarma Purana, the Sunar are said to be the descendants of Suparna, who was one of the five sons created by Hindu god, Vishnwakarman Sunars since 18th century stood for social uplifting and demanded Brahminstatus claiming as descendants of Vishwakarma and in some other regions, e.g - North most of them claimed being from Kshatriya and even Vaishya varna. In 1931 census of India, many Sunars mentioned their caste as Vishwakarma or Panchal and became successful in some regions. There is however a steady process in taking up other occupations, and the community in Haryana and Punjab as whole is fairly successful, having produced several professionals.
Sunar is one of the hereditary village servicing castes so they falls under lower hierarchy in social rank but are pure or touchable communities. Brahmins can accept foods offered by them and gives them service. Today, condition of Sunars living in urban regions are somewhat good but those living in rural regions are in poverty. Goldsmithing is considered as not much impure job so main problem is other communities holding major share of jewellery business limiting most Sunars only as a jewellery maker or working class than trader or owner of showrooms. Still significant people among them holds this business on large scale. Being among the economically and politically disadvantaged communities, Sunars are included under Other Backward Class list. In Nepal, Sunars poor falls under groups untouchable and clubbed as Kami. Sunars in Nepal falls under 'Hill Dalits' communities and have benefits of reservation. Reservation policy helped many Sunars after the passing of the Mandal Commission and the community showed a tremendous increase in its literacy rate making one of the most literate castes of India.
Divisions
Sunars are divided into a large number of territorial and non-territorial groupings called alla. Some of the major alla are the Santanpuriya, Kannaujiya, Mahawar, Shahpuriya, Bundelkhandi, Ayodhyawasi, and Shahabadi. The Sunar have surnames, e.g - Soni, Seth, Swarnkar, Shah, Bhutani, Sonik, Mehra, Verma, Gupta,etc as their surnames. Zargar, also known as Muslim Sunars, they are primarily found in Pakistan and Jammu & Kashmir state of India and Sarraf are also sections of Sunars who are mainly involved in pawnbroking or money-lending. In Gujarat and Rajasthan, the community is also known as Soni. In Punjab and Haryana, they are divided into two groups Sunars and Khatri Sunar who often use surnames as Bhutani, Suri, Soni, Verma, etc. They are also called Sunnāri in Odisha, Sonagāra in South Canara regions and Panchal or Vishwakarma in South India. Mair Rajput, Khatri Sunar, Purswani and Daivadnya Brahmins are also goldmith communities but separate from Sunar caste. They are of higher social rank and considered as different from Sunars.
