Komati (caste)

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The Gaumati (Kōmaṭi, Kaūmūti or Kūmaṭi) is a trading community which is currently organized as a caste. They are primarily found in the Central and South Indian states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, and Karnataka. Small communities of Komatis are also present in the neighbouring states of Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh. The members of the Komati caste are commonly engaged as moneylenders, businessmen, and shopkeepers. The community consists of many sects who are followers of Hinduism, namely the Gomata (Arya Vysya), the Thrivarnika, and the Kalinga, along with the Jaina Komatis who are followers of Jainism. Traditionally, most Komatis are vegetarian, due to their belief in ahimsa (nonviolence).