Gandhabanik

Gandhabanik
Cover of Gandhabanik magazine, Issue-1, 1367
Kuladevi (female)Gandheswari mata
ReligionsHinduism
LanguagesBengali
Populated statesWest Bengal, Jharkhand, Tripura, Assam

Gandhabanik is a Bengali Hindu trading caste, who as the caste name suggests, traditionally used to trade in perfumes, cosmetics, spices etc.[1][2] They were also engaged in agriculture.[3][4] As of late nineteenth century they were one of the fourteen castes belonging to Nabasakh group.[5]

It is believed that the legendary sea merchant Chand Sadagar of ancient Champaknagar was from Gandhabanik community.[6][7]

  1. ^ The Eastern Anthropologist. Ethnographic and Folk Culture Society. 1963. pp. 66, 68.
  2. ^ Proceedings of the Indian Science Congress. 1973. p. 589.
  3. ^ Bhowmick, P. K. (1969). Occupational Mobility and Caste Structure in Bengal: Study of Rural Market. Indian Publications.
  4. ^ Singh, K. S.; India, Anthropological Survey of (1998). India's Communities. Oxford University Press. p. 946. ISBN 978-0-19-563354-2.
  5. ^ Sanyal, Hitesranjan (1981). Social Mobility in Bengal. Papyrus. p. 115.
  6. ^ Sengupta, Saswati (2020-11-30). Mutating Goddesses: Bengal's Laukika Hinduism and Gender Rights. Oxford University Press. p. 104. ISBN 978-0-19-099325-2.
  7. ^ Bhaumik, Sudarshana (2022). The Changing World of Caste and Hierarchy in Bengal: Depiction from the Mangalkavyas C. 1700-1931. Routledge, Taylor & Francis. p. 241. ISBN 978-1-003-14618-6.