Karmakar (Bengali: কর্মকার) is a Bengali Hindu upper caste spread throughout West Bengal and Bangladesh. The Karmakars are traditionally blacksmiths or goldsmiths by trade. They are recognized as Other Backward Class by the Government of India and Government of West Bengal.
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Origin
The Karmakars are one of the nine trading castes that constituted the Navashākha.
History
The Karmakars used to be blacksmiths by profession. Over time, the Karmakars have produced engineering masterpieces. In 1637, Janardan Karmakar (Blacksmith) of Sylhet built the great gun of Murshidabad, the Jahan Kosha Cannon 'Destroyer of the World', which is 18' in length and weighs around 7 tons. Another grand cannon named Dal Madal Kaman was built by Jagannath Karmakar in 1565 for the kingdom of Mallabhum. In the late 18th century, Panchanan Karmakar pioneered the Bengali printing industry by inventing a movable type punch marked Bengali scripts.
Religious practices
Traditionally they worship Lord Viswakarma, all through the year but particularly on the last day of the month of Bhādra in the Bengali calendar, which normally falls on 17th September every year.