Lohar

The Lohar (blacksmiths or ironworkers) is a social group in India, Nepal and Pakistan.[1][2] They form part of a loose grouping of traditionally artisanal castes known as Panchals.[3]

Lohar
Regions with significant populations
• India • Nepal • Pakistan

Lohars worship Lord Vishwakarma and other Hindu gods and claim to be Vishwakarma's descendants. Lohar caste is included in SC, ST and OBC in different parts of India. Regional synonyms include Vishwakarma and Saifi/Tarkhan (for Muslims).

Names

Lohar are known by varied surnames in different regions.

  • karnataka : kammara, Achari, kambar
  • Kerala : Achari, Vishwakarma, Ashari, Panjal
  • Maharashtra: Suryavanshi, Kale, Dharankar, Chavhan, Pawar, Panhalkar, Yande, Borkar, Ghotekar, Manekar, Dhuratkar, Nagare, Thorat, Ingle, Dangre, Upankar, Mane, Ighe, Lohar, Koshe, Waghodekar, Kumbare, Panvalkar, Dhole, Pakhale. In Konkan Area Shemadkar, Katalkar, Gulekar, Shirvankar, Ghadi, Masurkar, Chaphekar, Masurkar, Pomendkar,
  • Gujarat: Panchal,Makwana, Pitroda, Chitroda, Parmar, Pithva, Suthar, Mistry, Gohil.
  • Nepal: Biswakarma/Kami
  • Orissa : Moharana, Mohapatra, Sutar, Sahu, Parida
  • Punjab: Saifi/Tarkhan
  • Rajasthan: Lohar, Mistri, Panchal, Suthar and Jangid Brahmins
  • Tamil Nadu: Vishvabrahmins, Kamaalar, Aachari or Aasaari

Notables

States

Gujarat
Further information: Multani Lohar

Himachal Pradesh

Tarkhan and Lohar are two castes in Himachal Pradesh. Sikh Lohar are known as Tarkhan. While the Lohar caste has been included in the SC, the Tarkhan caste has been kept on the OBC List. The two castes are the same for all social and matrimonial purposes.

Bihar

Jharkhand

The Lohar in Jharkhand are locally known as Lohra or Lohara. They speak regional languages such as Nagpuri, Khortha and Kurmali.[5]

Madhya Pradesh
Further information: Gadia Lohar

The Lohar of Madhya Pradesh are also called Panchal (5 sub-castes) since Lohar is one of the five sub-castes of Vishwakarma.

Uttar Pradesh

The Lohar are one of the most widespread OBC communities in Uttar Pradesh.[6] They are divided along religious lines, with the Hindu Lohar known as Vishwakarmas and Muslim Lohars known as Saifis. They are further divided into exogamous groupings, notably the Sharma and Vishwakarma. Most Lohar engage in their traditional occupation of metal fabrication, although the majority of those in western Uttar Pradesh are cultivators. The assimilated Lohar speak Hindi and its various dialects such as Awadhi; others speak Ho.[7] They consider themselves as Vishwabrahmins.

See also

References
  1. Lohar (MUSLIM LOHAR IS SAIFI), Sharma. "In bihar vaishali lohar sharma committee organised by members of lohar sharma community". Hindi jagran news.
  2. "लोहार वंश | भारतकोश". bharatdiscovery.org.
  3. Perez, Rosa Maria (2004). Kings and Untouchables: A Study of the Caste System in Western India. Orient Blackswan. p. 80. ISBN 978-8-18028-014-6.
  4. "बिहार: अब लोहार जाति को नहीं मिलेगी एसटी की सुविधाएं, सामान्य प्रशासन विभाग ने निरस्त की सेवाएं". Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  5. "1 Paper for 3 rd SCONLI 2008 (JNU, New Delhi) Comparative study of Nagpuri Spoken by Chik-Baraik & Oraon's of Jharkhand Sunil Baraik Senior Research Fellow". slideplayer.com.
  6. "केंद्र में लोहार अभी भी ओबीसी की सूची में". Hindustan.
  7. "Ho". Ethnologue. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
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