Lonari
The Lonari caste primarily resides in various regions of India such as Bhusawal, Jalgaon, Dhule, Surat, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Khandesh, Nasik, Satana, Pune, Baramati, Indapur, Sangli, Satara, Solapur, Jalna, the Satara agency, and the southern Maratha country. In 1901, their population was recorded at 19,222 individuals, with 9,672 males and 9,550 females. Originally engaged in cement-making and lime-burning activities, they were initially considered to be part of the Maratha community but later established themselves as a distinct group by specializing in lime and charcoal production and trade. The Lonari community did not have any caste reservations initially and were classified under the General category; however, they were granted Other Backward Class status in Maharashtra during the mid-1990s.
In Belgaum district, Lonaris are further divided into Mith and Chuna. In districts like Ahmednagar, Pune, and Solapur, they are categorized as Lonari proper and Kadu, Akaramashe. While Lonaris predominantly identify as Marathas, some political influences and strong leadership led them to opt for OBC status when it was officially granted. Lonari individuals are spread across various states in India such as Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Vidarbha, but their origins can be traced back to Maharashtra from ancient times.
Lonari surnames include Goralkar, Khot, Kalel, Dangal, Dhage, Dhumal, Lagad, Tulaskar, Gite, Ajage, Rane, Yedave, Kurhe, Ingale, Unde, More, Nimgire, Chorghe, Donhe, Dhangekar,Sodmise,Harge, khatte, Dhembre, Rakshe, Limite, Bondre, Karche, Tambe, Zadge, Kolarkar, Holkar, Kanade, Karande, Dhokrat, Atpalkar, Milke, Ganganmale, Gudale, Awate, Gherade, Singrore, Mutekar, etc.
There are castes and sub-castes present in states, each with its own history, traditions, and social dynamics having synonymous names but are of same caste or occupation marry only among their sub-caste or subgroup such as below:
| Name of the State | Synonymous Names |
| Andhra Pradesh | Uppara, Sagara, Memar, Beldar |
| Karnataka | Uppara, Sagar, Goundi, Ager, Koosa, Uppalinga, Uppaligashetty, Beldar, Lonmali, Lonkar, Lonaria |
| Kerala | Alvan, Koosa, Upparam |
| Tamil Nadu | Uppara, Uppaliyan, Uppaliya Naicker Alavan, Padh, Padti, Uppaliya, Sagar |
| Telangana | Uppara, Sagara, Memar, Beldar, Uppilga |
| Bihar | Noniya, Ninia, Lonia, Lonia, Beldar, Sorgar Gola, Goli, Luniyar, Chauhan |
| Orissa | Uppara, Noliya, Launa, Noniya, Loniya |
| West Bengal | Noniya, Nuniya, Lawaniya |
| Jharkhand | Namkgar, Noniya, Narare, Beldar, Chauhan |
| Chhattisgarh | Nuniya, Sorgar, Nungar |
| Madhya Pradesh | Loniya, Lonia, Noniya, Agri, Lonari Kunbi, Lodhi, Lonari |
| Uttar Pradesh | Loniya, Luniya, Noniya, Ninia, Lodhi, Paramr, Bind, Beldar, Shorgar, Chauhan |
| Uttarakhand | Agariya |
| Delhi | Agri, Khanl, Lonari, Loniya, Chauhan |
| Haryana | Noonagar, Gola, Goli, Sholgar |
| Rajasthan | Loniya, Silawat, Raj, Shoragar, Karawal, Kharol, Kharwa |
| Punjab | Noonagar, Uppiliyan, Lawankar |
| Gujarat | Kadiya, Ager, Agri, Chunar, Beldar, Lonari |
| Maharashtra | Lonari, Gavandi, Agri, Agera, Jire Gavandis, Kamathi Guvandis, Kadiyas Gavandis, Lonari Kunbi, Lonari, Chauhan |
Exogamous divisions
Except in Poona district, persons with the same surname cannot intermarry. The following are some of the exogamous groups in Poona district:- Goralkar
- Bajbalkar
- Sangolkar
- Narale
- Chorghe
- chadokar
- Yedave
- Labde
- Kanade
- Dhokrat
- Ajage
- Gawand
- hipperakar
- Adhav
- Harage
- Karche
- Kute
- Chale
- Chabre
- Dhangekar
- Bajbalkar
- Dhone
- Harge
- Nimgire
- Vasimkar
- Adne
- Kapse
- Koparkar
- Khilari
- Vagdare
- Soparkar
- Deulkar
- Narale
- Gherade
- Khot
- Khirsagar
- Karande
- Khandekar
- Muthekar
- Navthare
- Shedage
- Thite
- Natkar
- Redekar
- Kasavkar
- Borchate
- Milke
- Langde
- Khilare
- Tone
- Dhage
- Hipparkar
- Gend
- Galve
- Kalel
- Baad
- Iparkar
- Khatte
- karande
- kurhe
- Sanvatsarkar
- Unde
- Sansare
- Atpadkar
- Godase
Lonaris have been known to keep family records with the 'Bhaats' who are the record keepers in service of the Lonaris. Lord Khandoba of Jejuri is known to be the 'Kul'daivat or the Community deity of the Lonaris. Marriage within the same 'gotra' is not permitted.
Marriage ceremonies
Marriage - Two brothers may marry two sisters. There is no limit of age for marriage of boys. Sexual license before marriage is neither allowed nor tolerated. If a girl commits sexual indiscretions before marriage with a man of her caste, she is married to him. The man is compelled to undergo certain purifications and to pay a fine and give a dinner to his caste-men. They are then classed as Kadu, Akaramashe or Bastard, and treated as being of an inferior division. If a girl commits sexual indiscretions with an outsider, she is excommunicated, and cannot be readmitted into her caste either by paying fine or giving a dinner to her caste-men. Polygamy is permitted, but Polyandry is unknown. A man marries another wife when his first wife is barren or is physically defective.The offer of marriage generally comes from the boy's father. It is arranged through the mediation of four or five men of their caste, termed Pudhait. A Brahman priest fixes an auspicious date for the marriage and also conducts the service. When an offer is received, two men of both the sides go to an astrologer with the bride and bridegroom's horoscopes and have them compared, when the horoscopes not are not available, the marriage is settled by the religious names of the bride and bridegroom. Twenty-seven heaps of rice corresponding to the twenty-seven stars are prepared. Over each heap a betel nut and a pice is placed. Red and turmeric powders are offered to these heaps, and a small girl is asked to pick up a betel nut. From the number of the betel nut, the bridegroom's star is marked. Similarly, the bride's star is marked, and then the astrologer decides whether the proposed match will be happy and prosperous. The principal ceremonies are Kunku-lavne or Betrothal, Lagna-chithi or fixing the date of marriage, turmeric rubbing, Devkarya or the ceremony of enshrining the marriage guardian deity which consists of Panchpavli, i.e. leaves of the Mango, Jambul, Shami, Umber, and Rui, Vardha or taking the bridegroom to the bride's house, Sumant-pujan or the reception of the bridegroom by the bridge's father, Kanyadan or the bride-giving ceremony, Rukhwat or offering food articles to the bridge groom's party. Their marriage ceremonies are similar to those of the Marathas, except that at the time of marriage, the bride and bridegroom are made to stand on the bamboo baskets, or the bride on a grindstone and the bridegroom on a coil of rope. The Saptapadi, or taking seven steps by the bride and bridegroom, or the throwing of rice over the bride and bridegroom's heads, is the binding portion of the ceremony.
Remarriage of a widow is allowed. A widow is not allowed to marry her maternal or paternal aunt's son, maternal uncle's son, or any member of her deceased husband's family. The ceremony takes place during the latter half of any month, or when the moon is not shining. The heads of the caste panchayat, a Brahman priest, and kinsmen of the both sides are present on this occasion. The widow and her new husband are seated on a square which the priest marks out with the grains of wheat. The priest worships a betelnut, Ganpati, and a metal water-pot of which the mouth is covered with betel leaves and a coconut. The Varuna water-pot is applied to the brow of the widow thrice. Sandal-paste, flowers, turmeric and vermilion powders and sweetmeats are laid before the betelnut and the water-pot, the hems of the couples garments are knotted together, and the lap of the widow is filled with rice, coconut, betel and fruit. She bows before the gods, and the priest marks her brow with vermilion, and leaves her. She is unlucky for three days after her remarriage, and must take care that no married women sees her face during that time. The widower gives a feast to his caste-men the next day. A bachelor is not allowed to marry a widow.
Divorce is allowed. A husband can divorce his wife on the ground of incompatibility of temper or when the wife bears a bad character, and the wife can divorce her husband when he is impotent. A divorce deed is passed with the permission of the headman of the caste, by whom the deed is attested. A woman divorced for adultery with a man of her caste is allowed to marry a second time, and the ceremony is conducted in the form of a widow remarriage.