# Waddar

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**Waddar** is a caste of **[Hinduism](/source/Hinduism)** in India. **Waddar**, sometimes called **Vodra**, **Odde**, or **Boyi**, is a community from the [Deccan Plateau](/source/Deccan_Plateau) whose traditional occupation is construction. Their major concentration is in [Maharashtra](/source/Maharashtra), but there are also populations in northern [Karnataka](/source/Karnataka), [Telangana](/source/Telangana) & [Andhra Pradesh](/source/Andhra_Pradesh).

There is no certain knowledge of their origins. Colonial scholars, including Edgar Thurston, believed the name *Vodra* derives from *Odra-desha*, the old name for [Odisha](/source/Odisha), and thus they must have come from there.[1] However the theory is only based on a speculation of the etymology of their name. In support of this, Thurston mentioned they had another language besides [Telugu](/source/Telugu_language) that could be related to [Odia](/source/Odia_language), but no other scholars have reported it. The Waddars may also originate from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana due to their speaking a dialect of Telugu.[2] A community that has a nomadic lifestyle, the Waddars commonly engage in foundation laying and stonecutting.

The Waddars have traditionally been migratory. They were placed under the [Criminal Tribes Act](/source/Criminal_Tribes_Act) by the British. Their first caste association was formed in Chitradurga, Karnataka in 1940.[citation needed] They were later classified as a Denotified Tribe in Maharashtra. They traditionally do most construction, especially stone-crushing, earth-digging and similar jobs. Nowadays they are classified as a Backward Class in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and as a Scheduled Caste in Karnataka.[2] In Karnataka, their population was c. 11 lakh, spread throughout the non-coastal districts of the state.

The Waddar traditionally had no restrictions on eating and drinking and had few restrictions relating to marriage. Thurston claimed that the blessing of a woman married seven times at a wedding in the Waddar community was considered auspicious.

In 2019, when large parts of [Karnataka](/source/Karnataka) faced [droughts](/source/Drought), the community were the predominant group employed in digging wells.[3]

They speak the [Waddar language](/source/Waddar_language), related to Telugu. The Marathi director [Nagaraj Manjule](/source/Nagraj_Manjule) is from this community.[4]

## References

1. "The Castes and Tribes of Southern India". *Nature*. **84** (2134): 365–367. September 1909. [doi:10.1038/084365a0](https://doi.org/10.1038/084365a0). [ISSN 0028-0836](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0028-0836). [S2CID 3947850](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:3947850)

1. Ghodke, Digambar (2016). ["Language and Culture of the Waddar Community in Maharashtra"](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311922163). *Loktantra*. **9**: 86–87. – via ResearchGate.

1. ["Bhovis rebound on back of recharge wells"](https://www.deccanherald.com/city/bhovis-rebound-on-back-of-recharge-wells-737766.html). *Deccan Herald*. 2019-06-03. Retrieved 2020-03-04.

1. ["The caste story is not over yet: Nagraj Manjule"](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/the-caste-story-is-not-over-yet-nagraj-manjule/story-gnTDce3hY91UibJCA4s2nI.html). *Hindustan Times*. 2014-03-01. Retrieved 2020-08-09.

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