Patwa

The Patwa are a mainly Hindu community native to North India. Traditionally, they were weavers and engaged in jewellery-making business and worked with silver and golden threads.

According to the traditions of the Patwa, they descend from Deovansh.Who did the work of Pat means Thread they were called patwa and who did the work of Lakh the called Lakhera . The Patwa are an endogamous community, and follow the principle of gotra exogamy. They are Hindu and Jain, and worship the goddess Bhagwati and Mahavira. Traditionally, they had a caste council to settle issues of divorce, minor disputes and cases of adultery.

The Patwa are involved in selling women's decorative articles like earrings, necklaces and cosmetics. They also deal in small household items, such as hand fans made of palm. The community was traditionally associated with threading of beads and binding together of silver and gold threads, while others have expanded into other businesses. They are found all over India, mainly in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, in the districts of Bareilly, Badaun, Mau,Ghazipur,balia, Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Hardoi, Jalaun, Shahjahanpur, Sitapur, Lakhimpur-kheri, Jhansi, Bahraich,Varanasi (Benaras) and Lalitpur, ALL INDIA SRI PATWA MAHASABHA (1953)

In Bihar, the community is sub-divided as Patwa and Tanti. Tanti is another caste they do not belong to Patwa caste. NOW TANTI IS BELONG TO SCHEDULED CASTE .The Tantu Patwa have three sub-groups, the Gouria, Rewar and Jurihar. The Tantu patwa are found mainly in the districts of Nalanda, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Nawada and Patna districts. There main gotras include the Gorahia, Chero, Ghatwar, Chakata, Supait, Bhor, Pancohia, Dargohi, Laheda and Rankut and the patwa are found all over Bihar. The Patwa of Bihar are now mainly power loom operators, while others have expanded into other businesses. The Patwa of Bihar have a statewide caste association, the Patwa Jati Sudhar Samiti.

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