Lakhera

The Lakhera are a Hindu caste found in North India and are a community traditionally associated with bangle making.

Origin
The Lakhera get their name from the Sanskrit laksha kuru meaning a maker of lac jewelrys. According to their mythologies, the community was created by lord Bramha for making jwelrys for the goddess Parvati.Other traditions make them out to be Rajputs. They are said to have originated in Bulandshahr District in Uttar Pradesh, and then spread to Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab. The community in Uttar Pradesh speak Hindi, while in Haryana they speak Haryanvi.

Present circumstances
The Lakhera community consists of a number of clans, the main ones being the Chauhan, Bhati, Nainwaya, Nainwal, Bagri, Nagoriya, Parihar, Solanki, Hatadiya and Atariya etc. They are an endogamous community, and each clan is exogamous. The majority of the Lakhera are still involved in the manufacture and sellng of bangles. Some members of the community are now shopkeepers. The Lakhera are Hindu, and have customs similar to other North Indian Hindus. They live in multi-caste villages, occupying their own distinct quarters.

In Uttar Pradesh, the community is found mainly in the south and east of the state. They are found mainly in Jalaun, Hamirpur, Lalitpur and Jhansi.