Sarak
| Sarak সরাক | |
|---|---|
| Religions | Jainism |
| Languages | Bengali,Hindi |
| Populated States | West Bengal, Bihar |
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]
History
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 early 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 may have come from the Sarak community.[3] The Saraks were agriculturists and moneylenders having landed properties.
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 revere both Hidu and some Jain idols.
The region is called Vajjabhumi in ancient texts because diamonds were once mined in the region.[4] The Tirthankara Mahavira visited this region according to the Kalpa Sūtra.
Separation and rediscovery
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 2009, more than 165 Sarak Jains living in parts of West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand visited the ancient Jain pilgrimage center of Shravanabelagola. A special function to welcome the Sarak Jains was organised at Shravanabelagola.[5]
Professions
In the past they were engaged in copper mining in the region.[6] 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.
See also
- Jain community in the past.
- Jainism in Bengal
References
- ↑ "Government of West Bengal: List of Other Backward Classes". Govt. of West Bengal. Retrieved December 23, 2011.
- ↑ Ghosh, Binay (2010) [1957]. Pashchimbanger Samskriti [The Culture of West Bengal] (in Bengali) 1 (2nd ed.). Kolkata: Prakash Bhawan. pp. 447–449.
- ↑ Kundu, Santosh Kumar (2008). Bangali Hindu Jati Parichay [An Introduction of Bengali Hindu Castes] (in Bengali). Kolkata: Presidency Library. pp. 273–275. ISBN 978-81-89466-13-8.
- ↑ Historical Background (Archived December 9, 2009 at the Wayback Machine)
- ↑ "> News Updates". Www.Jainheritagecentres.Com. 2009-09-02. Retrieved 2012-05-19.
- ↑ Prof. V. Ball, 1868, Geological Survey of India
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
