The Karan is a writer caste community found in the state of Odisha in India. The post of Karana used to be a professional designation that was occupied by literate peoples. They held Karanam posts in some parts of Andhra Pradesh, where they speak Odia and played a similar role in Odisha to that of the Kayasthas of West Bengal and Bihar. In the social hierarchy of Odisha they rank next to Brahmins, they are also considered a highly influential and prosperous caste of Odisha. They exclusively served the ruling powers as their ministers, advisors, governors, military commanders, village headman, accountants, record keepers and dewans. They owned most Zamindaris in Odisha. They have the highest literacy caste-wise and are highly prosperous. Today they are a politically dominant community and have reigned over the politics of Odisha for more than 50 years.
Origin Divisions Karanas in Odisha are divided into various divisions, out of these divisions Kshatriya Karanas are considered superior to other divisions of Karanas. They are classified as Vratyas. Karanas used to observe rituals like Sati and Upanayana in their community.
Medieval Period The frequent admission of land grants to princes, Brahmins and various officials gave rise to a new class of writers. However the Karanas crystallized into a distinct caste only in the 10th or 11th century AD owing to social mobility. Any mention of the term prior to that period simply denotes its functional aspect rather than a caste affiliation.
History Medieval Period
Karanas along with Brahmins feature in the 10th century inscriptions of Odisha and are represented as heads of the local population through the following verse “Brahmana-Karana-Puroga-Nivasi”. Such depiction denotes their high social rank. Karanas enjoyed high status in medieval period and married within the royal households. An example of this can be found in the Arasavali copper plate of the Eastern Ganga monarch Vajrahasta III. They occupied high positions under the feudatory kings of Odisha, most of them were appointed as Dewans in the princely states of Odisha. Karanas find mention in Bhauma-Kara records and are represented as Sadhyadhikarana or Chief Judicial Officer of a district. Similarly Srikarana featured in the temple inscription is said to have been the accountant general of Anangabhima Deva III of Eastern Ganga dynasty. A Kosthakarana was a top administrative officer of Narsimha Deva IV of Eastern Ganga Dynasty. Terms like Deula Karana represented the rank of Temple administrator. Samanta Karanas were the aristrocratic families of Karanas from Odisha, the word Samanta was also used by the kings of Odisha, thus it can be said Karanas were associated with the royal families of Odisha. The head of a Karana family was known as Samanta while his wife was known as Samantani. Karanas also received land grants and held feudatory status in medieval Odisha. They appear to be an important community in Eastern Ganga dynasty as they held high positions in the government such as the post of army general, prime minister, village headman and accountant. Karanas find mention in Ganga records as Sthala-Karana (sub-divisional accountant), Behara-Karana (an executive or sub-divisional accountant) and Vura-Karana or Grama-Karana (village accountant), the Simhachalam temple inscription of Ganga dynasty also mentions an official named Narasimha Nayaka of the Karana community as an individual rich in the knowledge of accounts and was honoured as “Ganita Jnanasampanno”. Additionally Karanas are also mentioned as "Grama Karana" and "Mandala Karana" in Ganga and Gajapati records having authority over a large number of villages, similarly the "Chamu Karana" and "Deula Karana" of Gajapati period were the private secretary of the king and the chief administrator of Jagannath Temple respectively. Karanas were associated with the administration of the ruling dynasties of Odisha, a general named Srikarana Mahananda Senapati of the Karan caste was the army general and governor of the ruler Anangabhima Deva III of Eastern Ganga dynasty. Srikarana Mahananda Senapati was the “Senadhyakshawara” of the kingdom or Commander-in-Chief of the Ganga forces. Another general named Srikarana Pattanaik Viswanatha Mahasenapati was the army general and governor of the ruler Narsimha Deva IV of Eastern Ganga Dynasty, he was the governor of four Dandapatas or Rajyas of Eastern Ganga Dynasty spread across the four directions north, south, east and west of the kingdom, he was also the Puro Srikarana of the Kingdom or Prime Minister, he was honoured with the epithet “Chaturdik-Danda-Pariksha” or Governor General of all the four directions. Another general and “Mahamandalika,” or feudal chief, named Srikarana Suru Senapati, under the reign of Anangabhima Deva III of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty, donated lands to the Jagannath Temple of Puri, as evident from the inscriptions. Ramananda Ray was the governor of the southern territories in the Suryavamsha Gajapati Empire; he was also a minister of Gajapati Prataparudra Deva. Governors in Gajapati Empire were designated as "Rajas" also known as "Parikshas" of their territory, Prataparudra Deva had appointed Ramananda Raya as the Raja of Rajahmundry in Gajapati Empire during his reign. Ramananda Raya belonged to an influential and aristocratic Karana family. Ramananda Raya’s brother Gopinatha Badajena Pattanayaka was also the governor of Midnapore in the northern frontier of the Suryavamsha Gajapati Empire. Ramananda Raya’s father, Bhavananda Ray Patnaik, was the Samanta, or feudal chief, of Bentapur in the Suryavamsha Gajapati Empire. As the governor of the southern territories, Ramananda Raya commanded a large royal entourage of elephants, horses and soldiers, he ruled over the southern territories of the Gajapati kingdom from his capital at Rajahmundry.Chaitanya Charitamrita, vedabase.io “Rāmānanda Rāya said, “My dear Lord, it is better that You proceed to Jagannātha Purī alone because with me there will be many horses, elephants and soldiers, all roaring tumultuously.” The Princely state of Athgarh was established by Raja SriKaran Niladri Bhagirath Barman Patnaik in the 12th century whose descendants ruled the kingdom with the hereditary title of “Raja Srikarana” until the kingdom’s accession to India. He was the minister of the Raja of Puri, who conferred on him the title of Raja and gave him Athgarh for his service. Jagannath Temple inscriptions of the ruler Kapilendra Deva of Suryavamsha Gajapati Empire also mentions Pattanayaka Damodara Mahasenapati as a prominent courtier of Kapilendra Deva, it also records other officials like Srikarana Sivadas Mahasenapati who presented gifts to Kapilendradeva. Pattanayak Damodara was an army general and one of the key associates of Kapilendra Deva who helped Kapilendra in usurping the throne from the last Ganga ruler Bhanudeva IV. Bissamcuttack kingdom was founded by Mallu Mohanty, a trader from Karana community who migrated from Paralakhemundi, he is said to have won the confidence of the local tribal groups of the region and was elected by them as their ruler, his descendants were known as ‘Thatrajas’ who ruled over the kingdom, Mallu Mohanty maintained a military force of over 1000 armed Paikas (soldiers), this kingdom was known for it’s alliance and dispute with the neighbouring Jeypore kingdom, Bissamcuttack rulers provided 800 Paikas (soldiers) to Jeypore in times of alliance as a mark of support while the later Bissamcuttack rulers defied the authority of Jeypore rulers one of whom also declared his kingdom independent from the Jeypore state during the British rule under the influence of one of his Brahmin ministers. Sridhara Pattanayak was the army general of the royal forces of Khurda kingdom during the reign of Gajapati Birakishore Deva I of Bhoi dynasty, he waged a war against the ruler of Banki kingdom, defeated him and took him as a prisoner in Khurda on the orders of the Gajapati. Sridhara Pattanayak had also renovated and constructed the roof of Mukti Mandapa temple complex for Brahmins in Jagannath temple of Puri during the reign of Birakishore Deva I. Ramachandra Pattanaik and his father Paramananda Pattanaik were Dewans under Gajapati Dibyasingha Deva I of Khurda, they were instrumental in coronating the Gajapati amid invasions of Mughal subedars on Khurda and were also the founders of the fort of Rathipur. An official named Mukunda Pattanayaka was appointed as chief temple superintendent or Pariksa of Jagannath temple of Puri by Ramachandra Deva I of Bhoi dynasty after he renovated the temple post the invasion of Kalapahad, Mukunda had reestablished the rituals of Jagannath temple and also recalled the servitors who moved to different places due to invasion. A military general named Srikaran Patnaik of Athagada Patna Kingdom of Ganjam district under the ruler Govindchandra is said to have led a successful expedition against the Bhanja ruler and defeated him, the victorious army under his command had captured the Bhanja fort of Kakarsali and built a new fort named Mandaragad, Srikaran Patnaik had placed 300 soldiers to guard the captured fort. An official named Trilochan Patnaik of the Karan Community who was in charge of collection of revenue during the Maratha Rule of Odisha had managed to acquire the zamindari of “Kotdesh” from the Marathas by paying a large amount of nazarana (money) in 1775, Trilochan Patnaik had made himself known in the Maratha administration through his intelligence and skills, he became the founder of one of the largest Zamindari estates of Odisha. Trilochan Patnaik was succeeded by his son Narayan Chotaraya in 1792, Narayan Chotaraya was the Zamindar of Kotdesh during the British conquest of Odisha, “KOTDESH” was one of the 7 great zamindaris of Odisha at the time of British conquest. Kotdesh Estate was the largest Zamindari of Puri district; it covered an area of 182 square miles and encompassed 355 villages. The zamindari was later auctioned off by the British government in 1896 due to arrears of revenue and debt of the estate. Odia Vaishnava saints of the ‘Pancha Sakha’ group namely Achyutananda Dasa, Balarama Dasa, and Ananta Dasa also hailed from prominent Karana families of their time. Bhramara Pattanayaka was the Dewan of Gajapati Divyasingha Deva II of Bhoi Dynasty, he was given the important task of unearthing the Konark Sun Temple by Gajapati Divyasingha Deva II. The ‘Baya Chakada Pothi’, a chronicle of Konark Sun Temple’s construction accounts, was authored by Vidyadhara Pattanayaka, a Baya Karana under Narasingha Deva I. He records that his grandfather, Laxmana Chaukarana, died fighting under Anangabhima Deva III, while his father, Nidhi Pattanayaka, was martyred in Gaudadesa (Bengal) during Narasingha Deva I’s campaign. Vidyadhara later became the ‘Sana Paricha’ (deputy supervisor) of the Konark temple.
Social status Modern Period
In British colonial era, Karanas owned most Zamindaris in Odisha and were extremely rich. They also received large amounts of land grants in Khurda administration of Khurda Kingdom. Karanas also occupied the post of principal village headman of all the villages in Khurda Bhoi kingdom as evident from the administrative documents maintained in Karani script by the Bhoimuls or accountants of Khurda kingdom who themselves hailed from Karana community. Thus Karanas worked as Bhois/Accountants and Principal Village headman in Khurda Bhoi kingdom.
In recent post-Independence era India, they have also played a dominant role in politics. Such is their prominence in politics that many members from the Karan community have been elected as the Chief Ministers of Odisha, hence they are also dubbed as the political caste of Odisha.
Society and culture Role in temple administration