"Weavers, Vishwakarmas, and Brahmins."
What Is the Common Denominator among Devangas, Kaikolas (Sengunthars), Saurashtras, Vishwakarmas, and Temple-Linked Brahmins? The common denominator among Devangas, Kaikolas (Sengunthars), Saurashtras, Vishwakarmas, and certain temple-linked Brahmin groups lies in their historical embedding within Hindu temple economies. These communities were not peripheral to temples but constituted their productive and ritual backbone, supplying textiles, metalwork, sculpture, architecture, and liturgical services. Historically, temples functioned as economic, ritual, and administrative institutions. They regulated land, labor, and surplus, and acted as interfaces between ruling powers and occupational communities. As a result, these groups were integrated into temple, and court systems as specialized corporate bodies rather than as disintegrated dependents. Their livelihoods, ritual status, and access to patronage were mediated through temple institutions. Over time, as communities beca...