They are immigrants from Cuttack and say that they are called there Sankhari, so that the Khadras may not improbably be an offshoot of the Sankhari caste of shell-cutters of Bengal.

According to their traditions their original ancestor was created by Viswakarma, the celestial architect, for the business of making a pinnacle for the temple of Jagannath at Puri, in which eight metals had to be combined.

He left two sons, one of whom became the ancestor of the Khadras, and the other of the Kasars, with whom the Khadras thus claim affinity.

They have no subcastes but four _gotras_ or clans called after the Nag or cobra, the Singh or lion, and Kasyap and Kachchap, both derived from the tortoise.

They also have four _bargas_ or family names, which are Patra (a term of respect), Das (slave), Sao (banker) and Maharana (artificer).