Shunri
| Shunri শুঁড়ি | |
|---|---|
| Kuladevi (female) | Lakshmi |
| Religions | Hinduism |
| Languages | Bengali |
| Populated states | West Bengal |
| Population | 317,543 (West Bengal, 2001 census) |
| Family names | Layek, Bag, Chel, Mai, Bishui, Biswas, Midya, Majhi, Saha |
Shunris (Bengali: শুঁড়ি) 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] The Shunris, with 82.5% literacy rate had the highest percentage of literates among the Scheduled Castes in West Bengal.
Ethnology
The Shunris are divided into four regional subgroups namely Rarhi, Barendri, Bangiya and Maghi. They have the following gotras - Bharadwaj, Kashyap, Mojrishi, Markandarishi, Gargarishi, Shandilya, Nagarishi, Anandarishi and Banarishi.
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 are 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.