New Viswakarmas: Caste and traditional art practice in contemporary Jaffna

Abstract

According to the Silpa sastra tradition Viswakarma is the supreme power of creation and presiding deity of all the branches of the Viswakarma kulam (caste) includes carpenters, blacksmiths, goldsmiths, metal casters and stone masons. The traditional art practice of Jaffna is also connected with the Viswakarma community as common in other South Indian cultural zones. But these traditional art practices were changed through the years of history. The changes have occurred due to many reasons of socio historical changes in the visvakarma community as well as in the Tamil community in general. These changes produced the new set of Viswakarmas or converted Visvakarmas'. These new Vishvakarmas haven't any belongings with the traditional Visvakarma communities. This paper explores the socio historical context of these changes by reading of the particular Sthapathi families in Jaffna peninsula.