Dhiman or Dhiman-Brahmin (Sanskrit: धीमान, romanized: Dhīmān, lit. 'Knowledgable, Wise, Sensible, Intelligent') is a Master Craftsman caste of India. Dhiman are a community or caste who have adopting engineering, art and architecture professions in India, and are followers of Lord Vishwakarma. They all are found all over the world but they have a notable presence in the Indian states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Delhi and some other regions of North India.

History and Origin

According to traditional belief, Dhimans or Vishwabrahmins are descended from five sons of Lord Vishwakarma. They are Manu (blacksmith), Maya (carpenter), Thwastha (metal craftsman), Silpi (stone-carver) Vishvajnya (goldsmith). Lord Vishwakarma is the Hindu presiding deity of all craftsmen and architects. In Hindu mythology, Vishwakarma is considered as the Divine Architect. He is called 'Devashilpi' or 'The Architect of Gods'. He is the "Principal Universal Architect", the architect who fabricated and designed the divine architecture of the Universe at the behest of Brahma, the Lord of Creation. The Rig Veda describes Vishwakarma as the god with multi-dimensional vision and supreme strength. He is able to predict well in advance in which direction his creation will move. Hindus worship Lord Vishwakarma as the god of engineering and architecture.

Lord Vishwakarma is pictured with four hands, a club in his right hand, wears a crown, a necklace of gold, rings on his wrists and holds tools in his left hand. He is the personification of all creative power. Vishwakarma is also the designer of all the flying chariots, and divine weapons of the gods. He built Dwarka, Yamapuri, Indraprastha and Lanka. He is also said to have created the image of Lord Jagannath and left it incomplete due to interruption.

He is the revealer of the science of mechanics and architecture, which is called Sthapatya Veda. Mahabharat describes him as "The Lord of the arts, executor of a thousand handicrafts, the carpenter of the Gods, the most eminent of artisans, the fashioner of all the ornaments, on whose craft all menu subsist, and who is worshipped by all.

There are many Vedic references to the Dhiman word in the Hindu Scriptures. Since most of the people from this caste are involved in Engineering, Architecture, and Agriculture. They consider Vishwakarma as their Ishta-deva and follow the Hindu Lord of Architecture and Engineering.

Some References from Puranas and Vedas.

• Mahābhārata Ādi Parva, Chapter 75, Stanza 13

   धर्मात्मां स मनु धीमान्‌ यत्र वंश: प्रतिष्ठित । 

"Here in this verse, the righteous sage Manu Ji Maharaj has been called Dhiman."

• Manusmriti Chapter 1, Stanza 102

    तस्य कर्म विवेकार्य शेषाणामतु पूर्वश:। स्वयम्भूवो मनु धींमान्‌ इदं शास्त्रमकल्पयतू। 

ie :- "In order to consider the actions of Brahmins and the rest of the Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Sudras, etc. Dhiman Swayambhuva Manu, the grandson of Brahma, wrote the Manusmriti. The Scriptures have been created. Here in the verse, sage Swayambhuva Manu Ji has been called Dhiman."

About Dhiman Caste

The peoples of Dhiman caste or clan is generally identified as Tarkhan, Lohar, Mistry, Badi or Badhi and Barhai etc. Whereas, some Sikhs are among those groups who are identifies as Ramgarhias, after the Ramgarhia Misl leader Jassa Singh Ramgarhia.

Tarkhan, Lohar, Mistry, Badi or Badhi and Barhai etc. are all name of Professions like the person who works with wood is called Tarkhan, the person who works with iron is called Lohar etc. People of Dhiman caste have been doing these works for generations, that is why other people generally know them by all these names, but the name of caste is only Dhiman or Dhiman Brahmin.

Dhiman is a Dhiman Brahmin

• Haryana Government Notification

According to the Notification of Haryana Government issued by the Welfare of Scheduled castes & Backward Classes Department on 10 October, 2013.

"The Governor of Haryana is further pleased to order that the names of the backward castes, Dhiman mentioned at serial no.30 of the list of Backward Classes be renamed as Dhiman-Brahmin and the backward caste Panchal at serial no.40 of the list of Backward Classes be renamed as Panchal-Brahmin."

• The history of Aryan Rule in India, from earliest times to the death of Akbar by E.B. Havell (Part 1, Chapter 1, Page No: 19-20)

"The Ramayana Records the facts that some of the higher ranks of craftsmen had a social status equal to that of Brahmans. Included among them were those who were versed in the canons of craft ritual, the Silpa-Sastras, such as the craftsmen who wrought the sacrificial posts at tribal religious ceremonies and the master-builders who laid out the plans of the village communities and designed piblic buildings and irrigation works. But it was only when a craftsmen was regarded as officiating is sacred rites that he took the status of a Brahman and was entitled to the privileges of the highest class. "The hand of an artist employed and in his art is always pure" (Manu,5,129), but those who built houses for gain were to be avoided as offenders against Aryan law, contact with whom was pollution (Manu,3,163)".

• Order of A.H. Mackenzie, Director of Public Instruction, United Provinces, British India on Feb.1.1934 at Allahabad

"I have the honor to say that the caste of any Student of the Lohar Community may be Shown in the School record as Panchal Brahman or Dhiman Brahman. If the parent or guardian of the students so desires."

• Dhiman-Brahmins and Brahmins

"Dhiman-Brahmin are on-par with the Brahmins in the current time, whereas until the early 1500s they were above the rest of Brahmins in the social hierarchy." They belong to the General Category in India due to their high social hierarchy and Financial Status.

Culture

Dhimans are group of people, who took Engineering and Technology works as an occupation. This community uses the surnames like: Dhiman, Vishwakarma, Lohar, Kumar, Singh, Ramgarhia, Sharma, Vashista etc. The Dhiman-Brahmin has many gotra and they maintain clan exogamy as a strict rule for marriage. The community is moving very highly in society in both business and education.

They worship Lord Vishwakarma as their clan deity and observe the Vishwakarma Day (a day after Diwali), Vishwakarma Jayanti (17th September) and all other Hindu and Sikh festivals like Ramanavami, Janamashtmi, Holi, Diwali, Shivaratri, Guru Purab, Lohri, Makarsankranti and Navaratri etc.

On the day of Vishwakarma Day, all the Dhiman people worship their working tools (like Saws, Hammers, Trowels and other Modern Machines) in their homes, shops or offices and no work is done on this day. After this, everyone together performs a Havan and worships Lord Vishwakarma and on this day a huge Bhandara or Langar is organized by the Dhiman Community in which Bhandara is served to all the people, irrespective of their religion or caste and without any discrimination. Then in the evening, everyone worships Vishwakarma Ji in their homes, performs aarti and gives Prasad to the family. on this day, Govardhan Puja is also performed by everyone in same evening. Vishwakarma Day is celebrated not only by Dhiman but by all hand working people with the same passion and all other peole also.

Current Accomplishments

Today, we can see people from Dhimans group leading in many sectors. From business, art, and science to politics, people from this group are showcasing strong accomplishments.

Examples in business can be 'Dhiman Industries', who are leading Indian manufacturers of Confectionery Machines; 'Dhimans' who are leading Indian Exporters of Wall Decor.

Notable Persons

See also

• Lord Vishwakarma
• Maharaj Jassa Singh Ramgarhia
• Jangid
• Ramgarhia Misl
• Ramgarhia
• Angira Rishi
• Panchal-Brahmin
• Tarkhan
• Lohar
• Vishwakarma Caste

References

^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16]}