User:Cullen328/Sandbox/Hoogar

Hoogar (or Hugar) is the name given to a community of people living in Karnataka, in southwest India. The traditional profession of the Hoogars was to grow, gather and sell flowers. "Hoogar" means "those who sell flowers" or "a person who makes flower garlands". in the Kannada language.

According to the 1961 Census of India, Hoogar is "the traditional Lingayat flower supplier." Lingayatism is a non-Vedic monotheistic religion that rejects the traditional caste system.

According to their traditions, the Hoogar are said to be descendants of Pushpadatta, a human figure that Shiva sent to earth to distribute flowers. The Hugar live in Karnataka and are concentrated in the districts of Dharwad, Belgaum, Bijapur, Bidar, Gulbarga and Bellary. They are vegetarian, and speak Kannada. They do not eat masur pulse (lentils).

They form a tiny fraction of population of Karnataka, have been abandoning their traditional profession and have taken up modern education. By 1961, "these occupational distinctions and limitations have practically disappeared" among the followers of Lingayatism.