| Sarak সরাক |
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| Religions | Hinduism at present. |
| Languages | Bengali |
| Populated States | West Bengal, Jharkhand |
| Family names | Maji, Mandal, Acharya, Layek, Gayen, Sinha, Chaudhuri, Patra, Khan |
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The Saraks (Bengali: সরাক) (from Sanskrit Śrāvaka) is a community in Bihar, Bengal, Orissa and Jharkhand. They have been followers of Jainism since ancient times, however were isolated and separated from the main body of the Jain community in western, northern and southern India.The governments of India and West Bengal both have classified Saraks under Other Backward Classes since 1994.[1]
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The Saraks are an ancient community in Bengal. British anthropologist Edward Tuite Dalton noted that according to the Bhumij tradition in Singhbhum district, the Saraks were the earliest settlers in the region.[2] According to Santosh Kumar Kundu, the Saraks arrived from the north western region of India, presently in Uttar Pradesh. In the region between the rivers Barakar and Damodar, two democratic republics Shikharbhum and Panchakot flourished. Later they merged and came to be known as Shikharbhum, with the capital at Panchakot. According to Ramesh Chandra Majumder, the Jain scholar Bhadrabahu, the second Louhacharya and the author of Kalpa Sutra came from the Sarak community.[3] The Saraks were agriculturists and moneylenders having landed properties.
During the revival of Brahminism in the 7th and 8th century, the Saraks were oppressed and their properties looted.[3] The Jain temples were attacked and the images were destroyed. The Saraks took refuge in the jungles to the south of Damodar and in the region between Kasai and Subarnarekha in the Dhalbhum region.[3] There are remains of many historical Jain temples specially in Purulia district,[4] where the Saraks have continued to worship. They have continued to remain vegetarian even though this practice is uncommon among other communities in the region. Saraks have Parshva as a favored patron and recite the Ṇamōkāra mantra. They visit Śikharjī and other tirthas of this region.
The region is called Vajjabhumi in ancient texts because diamonds were once mined in the region.[5] The Tirthankara Mahavira visited this region according to the Kalpa Sūtra. Acharya Bhadrabahu was a native of the Pundravardhana region of Bengal.
In 13th century, Porahat in Singhbhum district was conquered by Rashtrakuta (Rathore) chiefs. Their traditional account Vamsa Prabha Lekhana (edited by Raja KASHIRAM SINGH II, 1641) [6] mention that the Sarak entered Kolhan before 7 th Century AD.
The Saraks lost contact with Jains in the rest of India after its conquest by Ikhtiyar Uddin Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khilji. Contact with the Digambara Bundelkhand Jains was reestablished when the Parwars Manju Chaudhary (1720–1785) was appointed the governor of Cuttack by the Maratha Empire.
Saraks are concentrated in Purulia district of West Bengal and Ranchi, Dumka and Giridih districts of Jharkhand. The Saraks of Jharkhand and West Bengal are Bengali speakers.
In the past they were engaged in copper mining in the region.[7] Most Saraks are farmers engaged in rice cultivation. Some of them have shops related to agriculture. Many are well educated. There are some teachers, doctors and professors in this community.
It has been found that in this region Sarak students are excellent in education.
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