Satani (caste)

Satani is a community that renders temple services in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, ,Gujarat, Maharastra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu and Telangana in India. Traditionally, they have rendered a variety of services as supervisors and purohits of minor temples, guardians of temple properties, heralds, singers and torch-bearers at festivals, bodyguards of Jiyars, and providers of umbrellas, flower garlands, and namam clay. They have claimed Brahmin status, although this has been contested by Brahmins as they do not wear the sacred thread and they do not study or chant/recite Sanskrit Vedas or Gayatri Mantra, but they study and recite only Naalayira Divya Prabandham written by Alvars. They are currently included in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) list by the central and state governments.