KINKAR is an uncommon last name in India , originally used by upper caste Brahmins ( 'Pandit Rao') in the state of Maharashtra in western India.
A literal translation of the term 'Kinkar' would mean 'A worker of God' or 'One chosen by
God to serve his fellow beings'
Kinkar caste persons in Maharashtra are upper caste Deshastha Brahmins ( or Brahmins of the land) who are further divided into the Rigvedi and Yajurvedi Brahmins who are called upon to perform Head Priest duties in temples and at religious gatherings. Brahmins belonging to this caste are respected for their great sense of discipline , cleanliness and and intelligence. However they also tend to be rather rigid in their sense of caste and purity.
It must be also noted here that in some northern parts of India , of late the term Kinkar is sometimes adopted as a term to mean a slave mostly by Dalits or scheduled castes and backward tribes in northern parts of India who are in no way ancestrally related to the original Kinkar Brahmins who hail from Mumbai , Nasik, Pune and other cities in Maharashtra.
The Kinkar Brahmins are often well versed in vedic chanting and hymns. Modern day Kinkar Brahmins in Pune and Mumbai still follow and preside over many traditional ceremonies like 'Munja /Hartalika Vrat / Gauri Ganpati / Mahalakshmi Poojan / Kundali Patrika matching and such other ceremonies or events.
