Shunri

Shunri
Kuladevi (female)	Lakshmi
Religions	Hinduism
Languages	Bengali
Populated states	West Bengal
Population	317,543 (West Bengal, 2001 census)

Shunris are a Bengali Hindu caste whose traditional occupation is the distillation and selling of country wine.[1]

History

In the census of 2001, the Shunris numbered 317,543 in West Bengal, consisting of 1.7% of the total Scheduled caste population of the state.[2] Shunri (excluding Saha) are scheduled castes in West Bengal.

Religion

The Shunris are predominantly Vaishnavas. Lakshmi is their titular deity. Thursday being the weekly day of worship of Lakshmi, they keep used to keep their liquor shops closed. Even today, both the foreign and country liquor off and on shops remain closed on Thursday. On the first day of Magh, they worship Bair Lakshmi with much pomp and grandeur. In the month of Kartik, they worship Kartik. The Shunris keep pigeons as pets, because they believe the flapping of their wings bring good luck to them.

References

Kundu, Santosh Kumar (2008). Bangali Hindu Jati Parichay [An Introduction of Bengali Hindu Castes] (in Bengali). Kolkata: Presidency Library. pp. 264–265. ISBN 978-81-89466-13-8.
"West Bengal - Data Highlights: The Scheduled Castes - Census of India 2001" (PDF). Census of India. Government of India. Retrieved December 10, 2011.

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[kundu-1] Kundu, Santosh Kumar (2008). Bangali Hindu Jati Parichay [An Introduction of Bengali Hindu Castes] (in Bengali). Kolkata: Presidency Library. pp. 264–265. ISBN 978-81-89466-13-8.

[goi-2] "West Bengal - Data Highlights: The Scheduled Castes - Census of India 2001" (PDF). Census of India. Government of India. Retrieved December 10, 2011.