Sundhi is a prominent caste in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Orissa. The word Sundhi is derived from the Sanskrit Shaundik, a spirit-seller. The caste has various genealogies of differing degrees of respectability, tracing their origin to cross unions between other castes born of Brāhmans, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas. The following story is told of them in Madras (current day Chennai). In ancient times a certain Brāhman was famous for his magical attainments. The king of the country sent for him one day and asked him to cause the water in a tank to burn. The Brāhman saw no way of doing this, and returned homewards uneasy in his mind. On the way he met a distiller who asked him to explain what troubled him. When the Brāhman told his story the distiller promised to cause the water to burn on condition that the Brāhman gave him his daughter in marriage. This the Brāhman agreed to do, and the distiller, after surreptitiously pouring large quantities of liquor into the tank, set fire to it in the presence of the king. In accordance with the agreement he married the daughter of the Brāhman and the pair became the ancestors of the Sundi caste. In confirmation of the story it is alleged that up to the present day the women of the caste maintain the recollection of their Brāhman ancestors by refusing to eat fowls or the remains of their husbands’ meals. Nor will they take food from the hands of any other caste.
In modern day, many are leading "distillers of alcohol" and hold big business houses. Now they are also growing in number in the software industry, service industry and can be found serving the government as well.
This caste is also found in the northeast districts of Andhra Pradesh: Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, and Visakhapatnam. Sundhi is also called Sondi in Andhra Pradesh, Baniya & Sudi in rest parts of India.. They are also located in some parts of West Bengal and other parts of India. The caste is an important one in Bengal, numbering more than six lakhs of persons and being found in western Bengal and Bihār as well as in Orissa.
The caste is divided into two sects namely, Upper Sundhi (Dakshini Sundhi) and Lower Sundhi (also known as Behera Sundhi,Gajabhatia Sundhi, Kira Sundhi). Most of the Sundhis are well educated, particularly in Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the rich sects is in the upper coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh. In Andhra Pradesh, they are mostly found in Srikakulam district (Ichapuram to Srikakulam). Some migrants are seen in Hyderabad and other places. In Hyderabad, there are about 200 families distributed in many sectors of life.
SONDI CASTE SURNAMES:
- Bhagat
- Ratnala
- Mandal (Mayurbhanj & Singhbhum of Orissa & Westbengal)
- Chowdhary
- Gupta
- Sah
- Saha
- Choudhary
- Gopaliya(Orissa)
- Gupta
- Ahluwalia & Walia
- Karnwal
- Mahawar'
- Lohiya
- Batham
- Kharidaha
- Vyahut
- Shoundik\Sundhi
- Pardesi Maratha kalar
- Shivhare
- Somvanshi
- Pareta
- Mewada
- Tak
- Porwal
- Purviya
- Suwalka
- Rai'
- Chouksey
- Dadsena
- Malviya
- Jain Jaiswal
- Jain Kalar
- Survanshi
- Daharwal
- Neorgade
- Shione
- Jaisar
- Sahu
- Nashine
- Pashine
- Khuble
- Patel
- Verma
- Gulhare
- Sugnadhi
- Aarya
- Tikkiwal
- Talwar'
- Lanjekar
- Chaurewar
- Diyewar
- Jamaiwar
- Adewar
- kawle
- Chauragade
- Bisane
- Duve
- Duvadhapar
- Dohare
- Bhoyar
- Bhoyare
- Dhuware
- Palewar
- Gangbhoj
- Dahake
- Dhapare or Dhapade
- Sewaiwar
- Nandhediya
- Mahapatra (Puri, khurda Orissa)
- Sahu
- Saw
- Sahoo (Kalahandi, Orissa)
- Bisoi (Koraput, Orissa)
- Parida (Koraput, Orissa)
- Pradhan (Koraput, Kandhamal, Orissa)
- Patra (Kalahandi, Orissa)
- Paridala (At Telikipenta, Rajupeta, Moolasavalapuram, Annampeta, Tekkali in srikakulam districts)
- Senapati (Srikakulam,Ravivalasa & Ranasthalam)
- Gajavilli (Subhalai)
- Kadambala (Karthalapalem,Sompeta Mdl.)
- Nandisha (Kalyan singpur, Parlakhemundi)
- Nemalipuri (Metturu,Kasibugga,Ranasthalam)
- Nallana (Telikipenta, Masundarapuram,Allada)
- Bangaru
- Mogulupuri (Yaragam)
- Pandava (Sompeta)
- Uttrakavata / Uttarala
- Sahukari (Kotha Palli,Santhabommali, Near Tekkali, Srikakulam District, AP)
- Kamsu
- Ratnala(Manchineella peta,V.Kotturu Mdl., Kasibugga)
- Labala
- Loya
- Nilagiri
- Teegala
- Tulala / Tulava
- Gajarao
- Sunnamudhi
- Behera (western orissa)
- Prasad
- Mahto
- BangaramBandi
- Sahoo,(Kendrapara,Cuttack,Jagatsingpur)
- Ratnala
