Tamrakar
Encyclopedia
Tamrakar is a caste
Caste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...

 from the Newar
Newar
The Newa , Newār or Newāl) are the indigenous people and the creators of the historical civilization of Nepal's Kathmandu Valley. The valley and surrounding territory have been known from ancient times as Nepal Mandala, its limits ever changing through history.Newas have lived in the Kathmandu...

 community of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...

. The name Tamrakar is derived from the Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...

 words "tamra", meaning copper, and "aakar", meaning shape or to give shape.

Tamrakars are traditional coppersmith
Coppersmith
A coppersmith, also known as a redsmith, is a person who makes artifacts from copper. The term redsmith comes from the colour of copper....

s who make copper and brass wares like household utensils and metal decorations. They are also known for making traditional musical instruments like Ponga and Payentah, long trumpets made of copper.

Tamrakars are craftsmen with a distinct culture among Newars. They are spread all over the Kathmandu Valley, but are mostly concentrated in the heart of Patan. Many live in various towns across Nepal.

Tamrakars follow both Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...

 and Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...

. In their mother tongue Nepal Bhasa
Nepal Bhasa
Nepal Bhasa is one of the major languages of Nepal, and is also spoken in India, particularly in Sikkim where it is one of the 11 official languages. Nepal Bhasa is the mother tongue of about 3% of the people in Nepal . It is spoken mainly by the Newars, who chiefly inhabit the towns of the...

, they are known as Tamo or Tamot.

Notable Tamrakars

  • Ashapatti Tamrakar
    Ashapatti Tamrakar
    Ashapatti Tamrakar was a pioneer optician of Nepal. He imported and dispensed spectacles, and was trained in ophthalmology and orthoposcopy when such specialists were practically unheard of in Nepal.- Early life :...

    (1904-1942), pioneer optician and herbalist
  • Purna Kaji Tamrakar, trader and author

External links

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