Panchal or Panchal-Brahmin (Sanskrit: पांचाल, romanized: Pānchāl) is a Master Craftsman caste of India. Panchal is a collective term for class of engineers, architects, priests, sculptors and temple builders. They are Brahmins[1][2][3] and belong to Poursheya Brahmins sect.[1][3] They belong to the Vishwakarma sect[4] and are also known as Panchal Brahmin.[5][6]

Panchal
पांचाल
Languages
Hindi, Punjabi, Haryanvi, Pahadi
Religion
Hinduism
Related ethnic groups
Vishwabrahmin

History and Origin

Vishvakarma as depicted in modern times

According to Mahapurans, Panchal or Vishwabrahmins[7] are descended from five sons of Lord Vishwakarma. They are Manu (Blacksmith), Maya (Carpenter), Thwastha (Metal Craftsman), Silpi (Stone Carver), Viswajna (Goldsmith). Lord Vishwakarma is the Hindu presiding deity of all craftsmen and architects. In Hindu mythology, Vishwakarma is considered as the Divine Architect. He is called 'Devashilpi' or 'The Architect of Gods'. He is the "Principal Universal Architect", the architect who fabricated and designed the divine architecture of the Universe at the behest of Brahma, the Lord of Creation. Vishwakarman Prajapati is the Supreme cosmic creator god, also known as Swayambhu Brahman (self existing) or Narayana/Purusha in the vedic texts. He is the highest Brahman (Para Brahman) and called as ‘the Lord of all existence’ in Satapatha Brahmana - 9.2.3.42

The Rig Veda describes Vishwakarma as the god with multi-dimensional vision and supreme strength. He is able to predict well in advance in which direction his creation will move. Hindus worship Lord Vishwakarma as the god of engineering and architecture. In Yajurveda, which is one of the main hindu vedic texts, it is mentioned about pancha rishi gotra of Vishwabrahmins being namely - Brahmarishis - Sānaga, Sanāthana, Ahabhūna, Pratna and Suparna (Krishna Yajurveda Taittiriya Samhita 4.3.3)

Lord Vishwakarma is pictured with four hands, a club in his right hand, wears a crown, a necklace of gold, rings on his wrists and holds tools in his left hand. He is the personification of all creative power. Vishwakarma is also the designer of all the flying chariots, and divine weapons of the gods. He built Dwarka, Yamapuri, Indraprastha, Lanka and the Divine weapon Vajra of Devraj Indra. According to popular beliefs in Jagannath Puri Temple, he is also said to have created the image of Lord Jagannath and left it incomplete due to interruption.

He is the pioneer of the science of mechanics and architecture, which is known as Sthapatya Veda. Mahabharat describes him as "The Lord of the arts, executor of a thousand handicrafts, the carpenter of the Gods, the most eminent of artisans, the fashioner of all the ornaments, on whose craft all menu subsist, and who is worshipped by all."[8][9]

There are many Vedic references to the Panchal word in the Hindu Scriptures. Since most of the people from this caste are involved in Engineering, Architecture, and Temple Building, they consider Vishwakarma as their Ishta-deva and follow the Hindu Lord of Architecture and Engineering.

The references from Purans and Vedas are as follows: 

किं करोषि दिवारात्रौ ब्रूहि त्वं पृच्छतो मम । पांचालो ब्राह्मणसुतो वाणिज्यं च समाश्रितः ।।

ie :- A man named Sumantu, who had come to take a pilgrimage, asks, who are you, what are you doing by staying here day and night? Then Panchal said, I am the son of Panchal Brahmin and I have come to do my business here." 

वास्तुदैवतकर्माणि विधिना कारयन्ति च । स्थपतीनथ गोविन्दस्तत्रोवाच महामतिः ।।

ie :- They (Vishwakarma Vaidic Brahmin) also perform worship rituals of Vaastu and deity as per prescribed rituals. Then the great intellectual Govind addressed Sthapati (Brahmashilpi Brahmin). 

एष एव परो देवो विश्वकर्मा महेश्वरः। हृदये संनिविष्टं तं ज्ञात्वैवामृतमश्नुते ॥

ie :- Such Vishwakarma is the supreme deity, Maheshwar means great God. Knowing Him to reside in one's heart, one attains the essence of nectar.

Culture

Panchal are group of people, who took Engineering and Technology works as an occupation.[10] This community uses the surnames like: Panchal, Vishwakarma, Singh, Dhiman, Sharma, Vashista, etc. The Panchal-Brahmin[11] has many gotra and they maintain clan exogamy as a strict rule for marriage. The community is moving very highly in society in both business and education.

They worship Lord Vishwakarma as their clan deity and observe the Vishwakarma Day (a day after Diwali), Vishwakarma Jayanti (17 September) as a day which holds very high religious significance to their community and their deity.

On the day of Vishwakarma Day, all the Panchal people worship their working tools (like Saws, Hammers, Trowels, stethoscope and pens including other Modern Machines) in their homes, shops or offices and no work is done on this day. After this, everyone together performs a Havan and worships Lord Vishwakarma and on this day a huge Bhandara or Langar is organized by the Panchal Community in which Bhandara is served to all the people, irrespective of their religion or caste and without any discrimination. Then in the evening, everyone worships Vishwakarma Ji in their homes, performs Aarti and gives Prasad to the family. on this day, Govardhan Puja is also performed by everyone in same evening. Vishwakarma Day is celebrated not only by Panchal but by all hand working people with the same passion and all other people also.

Position in Society

They are Brahmins[3] and belong to Parusheya Brahmins[1] sect. They belong to Vishwakarma sect and are also known as Panchal-Brahmin.[5] They have high societal status[12] and maintain themselves as priests of several temples in the state of Kerala and Telangana.[13]

Major temples such as Sri Kalika Durga Parameshwari Temple and Vishwakarma Mandir, Guwahati have Vishwabrahmins or Panchal Brahmin as the main priest. According to the customs in Jagannath Puri Temple, the chief priest of the puri temple belongs to Vishwabrahmin community and the chief priest has been of vishwabrahmin community since the establishment of the temple.

They are General Catergory in states such as Kerala, Telangana and Tamil Nadu and are written as Panchal-Brahmin. Whereas in states such as Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, they also belong to OBC category due to financial restraints faced during colonial times.

Panchal-Brahmin Status

Panchal-Brahmin are Brahmins[2] and belong to Poursheya Brahmin sect of Bhagwan Vishwakarma. Panchal-Brahmin community's status as Brahmin was irrefutable[14] since the ancient vedic times. During the colonial times, their status has taken a hit due to financial restraints and oppression faced by them as weapons were made by them which was colonised and taken over earlier by the Mughals and then by the Britishers. They were offered State sponsored position if they supply weapons to the Britishers. But they refused to help the colonisers following which the traditional work of the community got dismantled by force and taken over by the Britishers and the whole community faced financial constraints for the successive generations to come. Even though the community is facing financial problems in some places, their status as Brahmin has been proven in several court judgements and ruling in India, as following:

According to the Notification of Haryana Government issued by the Welfare of Scheduled castes & Backward Classes Department on 10 October 2013.[6]

"The Governor of Haryana is further pleased to order that the names of the backward castes, Dhiman mentioned at serial no.30 of the list of Backward Classes be renamed as Dhiman-Brahmin and the backward caste Panchal at serial no.40 of the list of Backward Classes be renamed as Panchal-Brahmin."[6]

"I have the honor to say that the caste of any Student of the Lohar Community may be Shown in the School record as Panchal Brahman or Dhiman Brahman. If the parent or guardian of the students so desires."

"The Ramayana records the facts that some of the higher ranks of craftsmen had a social status equal to that of Brahmans. Included among them were those who were versed in the canons of craft ritual, the Silpa-Sastras, such as the craftsmen who wrought the sacrificial posts at tribal religious ceremonies and the master-builders who laid out the plans of the village communities and designed piblic buildings and irrigation works. But it was only when a craftsmen was regarded as officiating is sacred rites that he took the status of a Brahman and was entitled to the privileges of the highest class. "The hand of an artist employed and in his art is always pure" (Manu,5,129), but those who built houses for gain were to be avoided as offenders against Aryan law, contact with whom was pollution (Manu,3,163)".

"In the above mentioned case, the petitioner M.S. Achary had filed a petition regarding the status quo of Vishwakarma as Brahmins, which was refuted by the defendant Gundappa. Daker Dosa, the presiding judge in this matter, considering all the forwarded facts and evidences in this matter, held that, by taking into consideration the cited verses from Vedas (as referred by the petioner) and from the Puranas (as referred by the defendant), Vishwakarma Brahmins are on par with Brahmins and no societal discrimination can take this away as Vedas are considered superior to that of Puranas which is held utmost authority in Sanatana Dharma by both Vishwakarma Brahmins and Brahmins."[9][16]

"Panchal-Brahmin are on-par with the Brahmins in the current time, whereas until the early 1500s they were above the rest of Brahmins in the social hierarchy."[17] They belong to the General Category in India due to their high social hierarchy and Financial Status.

Prominent Temples

Vishvakarma Temple at Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh

There are many prominent temples maintained by Panchal-Brahmin community as the chief priest. Panchal-Brahmins are chief priests in the temples as follows:

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Reddy, Sudarshan (1935). "THE CASTE SYSTEM, THE COLONIAL JUDICIARY, AND THE STRUGGLE FOR RITUAL STATUS IN 19TH-CENTURY ANDHRA". Indian History Congress Journal.
  2. ^ a b Shastri, Hari Krishna. Brahmin Utapatti Maratanda (in Hindi). KhemrajShrikrishnadass. pp. 564–565.
  3. ^ a b c Sastry, Niramjana (1923). Viśvakarma Brāhmaṇa Vaṃśāgamamu (in Telugu). Nabu Press. pp. 329–331. ISBN 978-1245682923.
  4. ^ Robert A.E: Vishwakarma and His Descendents, Jnanananda Ashram, Nandi, Karnataka, p, 28, 33, 51-53, 93
  5. ^ a b Thurston, Edgar (1909). "The Castes and Tribes of Southern India". Nature. 84 (2134): 365–367. doi:10.1038/084365a0. ISSN 0028-0836.
  6. ^ a b c d "Panchal is Panchal-Brahmin" (PDF). www.haryanascbc.gov.in. 10 October 2013.
  7. ^ Balashastri R.S – Vishwa Brahma Kulotsava,RVS Mangalore 1973 p.25-27
  8. ^ Roy, Pratap. The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa (PDF). BhrataPress. pp. 228–232.
  9. ^ a b "Vishwakarma". vishwakarma.
  10. ^ Sharma, K.S: Visvakarma Samaria sankshipta Itihas(Short history of Vishwakarma Society). New Delhi: Visvakarma Institute of Research and Education. (1989)
  11. ^ Ballard, Roger (1994). Desh Pardesh: The South Asian Presence in Britain. Hurst. p. 121. ISBN 978-1-85065-091-1.
  12. ^ Perez, Rosa Maria (2004). Kings and untouchables: a study of the caste system in western India. New Delhi: Chronicle Books. ISBN 978-81-8028-014-6.
  13. ^ Jnanananda G: Sanskritization and Vishwa Brahmins Sanskrit Sahitya Pratishtana, Bangalore, 2005 p, 235-23
  14. ^ "Panchal treated as Upper Caste" (PDF).
  15. ^ Havell, E.B. (1918). The history of Aryan rule in India, from earliest times to the death of Akbar. pp. 19–20.
  16. ^ Muttacharya.T.V: Vishwakarma Vamsha. Vikas, Tumkur, 1968
  17. ^ Streefkerk, Hein; Streefkerk, Hein (1985). Industrial transition in rural India: artisans, traders and tribals in South Gujarat. Bombay: Popular Prakashan. ISBN 978-0-86132-067-7.
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