ORIGIN OF VISHWA BRAHMINS......

According to traditional belief, Vishwabrahmins are descended from five sons of lord Vishwakarma. They are Manu (blacksmith), Maya(carpenter), Thwastha (metal craftsman), Silpi (stone-carver) Vishvajnya (goldsmith). The community is spread widely throughout India and played a vital role in the village economy. Their socio-economic status varied from a very high level to the low level in different parts of India as they earned high wages in towns because of their factory employment and low in villages[1]. About Vishwabrahmins Anand K. Coomaraswamy says ‘the Kammalar (i.e. Panchal) were known as Vishwa or Dev Brahman or Dev Kammalar. They spread gradually towards the south and then reached Ceylon, Burma & Java. The Kammalar claim to have been the spiritual guides and priests and their position in the society survives in the saying The Kammalar is guru to the world. They still have their own priests & do not relay on Brahman. They also perform priestly rites in connection with consecration of images[2]. They both claim and possess various special privileges, which they always upheld with much vigour, in some cases they claim a rank equal to that of Brahmans.” He also mentions “throughout the rest of ceremony all priest officers had been performed by the craftsman themselves acting as Brahman priest” [2].

Dr. Krishna Rao says “The most highly organized & efficient of the industrial classes was Virpanchal comprising of Goldsmith, coiner blacksmith, carpenter and mason. In finest period of Indian art particularly between eighth and ninth century, they claimed and enjoyed a social status in the community, equal to Brahmans. The art of engraving & sculpture had attained a high stage of development. It was exclusively cultivated by Panchals who wore sacred thread & considered themselves as Vishwakarma Brahmans. The craftsman being deeply versed in national epic literature always figured in the history of India as missionaries of civilization, culture & religion. The intellectual influence being creative & not merely assimilative was at least as great as that of the priest and the author” [3].

Panchal are called as Missionaries of civilization, culture & religion because they spread Hindu Religion to the whole world through their art. Ernest B. Havell says “The northern quarter of (Patliputra) was assigned to Brahmans & certain of the higher craftsman such as armor, ironsmiths & workers in precious stones. The association of skilled craftsmen with Brahmans & Kshatriya is additional evidence that craftsmanship did not hold inferior status in Indo Aryan society[4]. The Stapathy or master builder is described in the Shilpa Shastra as officiating at religious ceremonies which preceded the laying out of the Indo Aryan town or village and some of the metal worker& carpenter of the south of India still retains as their caste indication the name Acharya which denotes a teacher of religion”. In ancient India Vishwabrahmins had great importance. Only Vishwabrahmins could hold the degree Jagatgur i.e. Guru to whole world which can be seen in the saying ‘Kammalar is guru to the world’.