Kansabanik
Kansabanik or Kansari (Bengali: কংসবনিক, Odia: କଂସାରୀ) is a Hindu caste[1] found from West Bengal, Odisha and Assam state of India. Who are traditionally braziers and coppersmiths by profession.[2][3]
| Kansabanik/Kansari | |
|---|---|
| Kuladevta (male) | Vishwakarma |
| Kuladevi (female) | Lakshmi |
| Religions | Hinduism |
| Languages | Bengali, Odia |
| Populated states | West Bengal, Odisha |
History
The Brihaddharma Purana classified the Kansabaniks among the upper mixed castes in the caste hierarchy. The Brahmavaivarta Purana classified the Kansbaniks in the pure Shudra category. Ballal Sen incorporated the Kansabaniks among the Navashakhas. According to William Wilson Hunter, the Kansabaniks are the braziers and the coppersmiths, manufacturers and sellers of brass and copper utensils.
According to legend, an apsara from heaven was cursed and took birth as a human on earth. Vishwakarma, who too was born as a Brahmin incarnate on the earth, married her and had nine sons. The sons grew up to be skilled artists. One of the sons took up the profession of a brazier. He is supposed to be the progenitor of the Kansabaniks.[2]
References
- Dipti Ray (2007). Prataparudradeva, the Last Great Suryavamsi King of Orissa (A.D. 1497 to A.D. 1540). Northern Book Centre. pp. 174–. ISBN 978-81-7211-195-3.
- Kundu, Santosh Kumar (2008). Bangali Hindu Jati Parichay [An Introduction of Bengali Hindu Castes] (in Bengali). Kolkata: Presidency Library. pp. 93–96. ISBN 978-81-89466-13-8.
- Mohanty, Ramesh P.; Biswal, Durgesh Nandini (2007). Culture, Gender and Gender Discrimination: Caste Hindu and Tribal. Mittal Publications. p. 40. ISBN 978-81-8324-199-1.
