Karan (caste)

The Karan or Karana is a community of scribes[1] found in the state of Odisha in India. The post of Karana used to be a professional designation that was occupied by literate members of the lower as well as the higher castes.[2] They also held Karanam post in some parts of Andhra Pradesh, where they speak Odia[3] and played the similar role in Odisha as that of the Kayasthas of West Bengal and Bihar. Traditionally they were the official record-keepers in the royal courts of the Odia princely states historically (Orissa Tributary States).[4] Today they are a politically dominant community and have reigned over the politics of Odisha for 40 years.[5]

For the same surname and title, see Karanam.

Karan
ReligionsHinduism
LanguagesOdia
Populated statesOdisha
SubdivisionsKaran, Karan Vaishnav
Related groupsBrahmin
StatusForward caste

History

Mediaeval Period

The frequent admission of land grants to princes, Brahmins and various officials gave rise to a new class of scribes. They were recruited from lower as well as higher castes. However the Karanas crystallized into a distinct caste only in the 10th or 11th century AD owing to social mobility. Any mention of the term prior to that period simply denotes its functional aspect rather than a caste affiliation.[2]

Social Status

The Karanas are a forward caste of Odisha.[6] In mediaeval Odisha, Karanas climbed the social ladder by supplying brides to the ruling dynasties. An example of this can be found in the Arasavali copper plate of the Eastern Ganga monarch Vajrahasta III.[2] During the British colonial era, many Karanas of Odisha had received zamindaris.[7] In recent post-Independence era India, they have also played a dominant role in politics. Such is their prominence in politics that many members from the Karan community have been elected as the Chief Ministers of Odisha, hence they are also dubbed as the political caste of Odisha.[8]

Surnames

Prominent surnames of the Karan community include Patnaik, Mohanty, Das etc.[9][10]

Notable people

References
  1. Rabindra Nath Pati (2008). Family Planning. APH Publishing. pp. 116–. ISBN 978-81-313-0352-8.
  2. Raut, L.N. (2004). "Jati Formation in Early Medieval Orissa: Reflection on Karana (Kayastha Caste)". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 65: 304–308. JSTOR 44144743.
  3. M. Kodanda Rao (1990). Cultural and Structural Dimensions of Family: A Study of Jalari Fishermen. Concept Publishing Company. pp. 34–. ISBN 978-81-7022-270-5.
  4. Mohanty, Ramesh P.; Biswal, Durgesh Nandini (2007). Culture, Gender and Gender Discrimination: Caste Hindu and Tribal. Mittal Publications. p. 40. ISBN 978-81-8324-199-1.
  5. Pradhan, Ashok (2019-04-13). "Reign of Patnaiks: 40 years and counting - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
  6. Aila-Leena Matthies; Kati Närhi (4 October 2016). The Ecosocial Transition of Societies: The contribution of social work and social policy. Taylor & Francis. pp. 110–. ISBN 978-1-317-03460-5.
  7. "sg.inflibnet.ac.in" (PDF).
  8. Pramit Verma; Pardeep Singh (14 July 2020). Urban Ecology: Emerging Patterns and Social-Ecological Systems. Elsevier Science. pp. 83–. ISBN 978-0-12-820731-4.
  9. "shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in" (PDF).
  10. Pattanaik, Devdutt (2018-02-18). "Devdutt Pattanaik: Descendants of Chitragupta". mid-day. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  11. "rediff.com: The evil that envelopes Orissa". Rediff.com. 2000-02-14. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
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