Bhumihar

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Bhumihar or Bhuinhar is a caste mainly found in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. The Bhumihars classify themselves in the Brahmin varna in Hinduism (hence using the designation Bhumihar Brahmin or Babhan[1]), but some other communities dispute this claim, and do not regard them as Brahmins.[2][3]

Contents

[edit] Origin and history

The princely state of Benares (Kingdom of Kashi) was one of the areas ruled by the Bhumihars. The Kingdom of Kashi was originally founded by Khsetravridha of the Somavansa dynasty of Pratishthana. It lost its independence in 1194 and was ceded to the British by the Nawab of Oudh in 1775. The British recognized Benares as a family dominion, and most of the Benares territory was received by Mansa Ram, from the Governor of Benares in 1737. Mansa Ram was a Gautam Bhumiyar Zamindar of Utaria (1737-1740).[4] His successors ruled the state, until it was incorporated into the Republic of India. The family still keeps the title Kashi Naresh (King of Kashi).

[edit] Classification as Brahmins

The Bhumihars classify themselves in the Brahmin varna in Hinduism (hence using the designation Bhumihar Brahmin or Babhan[5], but some other communities dispute this claim, and do not regard them as priestly Brahmins (since they have taken to secular vocations).[2][3]

The declaration of Bhumihars as "non-Brahmins" in the 1901 census of British India led to the movement for their self-identity. The movement had two streams — one led by Sir Ganesh Dutta, and the other by Swami Sahajanand Saraswati.[6]

Swami Sahajanand Saraswati, a Bhumihar himself, wrote extensively on Brahmin society and on the origin of Bhumihars. He stated that the Bhumihars are among the superior Brahmins[7], and exhorted the Bhumihars to adopt Brahmin family names.[8]

Bhumihar Brahmins were referred to as "Military Brahmin" by Francis Buchanan and as "Magadh Brahmin" by William Adam in 1883.[9] William Crooke in his book, Tribes and Castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh[10], has mentioned Bhuinhar as an important tribe of landowners and agriculturists in eastern districts and that they are also known as Babhan, Zamindar Brahman, Grihastha Brahman, or Pachchima or 'western' Brahmans.

Pandit Jogendra Nath Bhattacharya in his book Hindu Castes and Sects, has written about Bhumihar Brahmins of Bihar and Banaras[11] as: "The clue to the exact status of the Bhumihar Brahmans is afforded by their very name. The word literally means a landholder. In the language of the Indian feudal systems, Bhoom is the name given to a kind of tenure similar to the Inams and Jagirs of Mohammedan times. By a Bhoom, according to the Rajputana Gazeteer, an hereditary, non-resumableand inalienable property in soil was inseparably bound up with a revenue-free title. Bhoom was given as a compensation for bloodshedin order to quell a feud, for distinguished services in the field, for protection of a border or for the watch and ward of the village."

The Bhumihars, although known as Brahmins, were not given the "ritual" status of Brahmins, on account of the fact that they were cultivators.[12]

Siyaram Tiwary, the former dean at Visva Bharati University, stated that the Bhumihars are "landed Brahmins who stopped taking alms and performing pujas and rituals", comparing them the Tyagis of Western UP, Jamindar Bengali Brahmins, Nambudiris of Kerala, Chitpavans of Maharashtra, Anavil Desais of Gujarat and Mohyals of Punjab.[13]

[edit] Present status

The Bhumihars are predominantly farmers, and some of them own vast quantities of land. In 19th century, many of the Bhumihars were zamindars.[14]

[edit] Political and social movements

The Bhumihars organized themselves into an organization called Bhumihar Brahmin Sabha in 1896.[15] They are considered a politically volatile community, and have played an important role in the social and political movements of Bihar.[16][17] They form an important vote bank in many constituencies of Bihar.

Mangal Pandey, who is considered the progenitor of the Indian rebellion of 1857 was born in a Bhumihar Brahmin family.[18] Notable Bhumihar leaders include Sir Ganesh Dutt, Basawon Singh (or Sinha), Sri Krishna Sinha, Indradeep Sinha, Kapildeo Singh, Tarkeshwari Sinha, Krishna Ballabh Prasad Narain aka Babuaji, and Kailashpati Mishra. Notable Bhumihar writers include Rahul Sankrityayan, Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar', and Ramavriksha Benipuri.

Although the Bhumihars have always constituted a very small proportion of the Bihar population (around 2.8%), they wielded great political strength in pre-Mandal politics of Bihar. At one time, Bhumihar MPs were elected on 19 out of total 54 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar. With the partition of Bihar, their percentage has shot up to 6 percent and all political parties are vying for their votes.[19] Even RJD supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav had made a fervent appeal for a close relationship between Bhumihar Brahmins and Yadavas.[20]

[edit] Caste-related violence

Bhumihars, most of whom are considered forward class, have often been involved in caste-related conflicts with other castes such as the Yadavs and the Dalits.[21][22][23] Ranvir Sena, a private army of the some Bhumihar landlords, has carried out many attacks against the naxals and the "lower" castes, which have resulted in counter-attacks against the Bhumihars.[24] It was most violent in late 70s and throughout 80s as the politics and administration in Bihar was poor. It also continued through Laloo-Rabri regime of 15 years purely due to same reasons. Few will know that it was Yadav peasants who, in 1927, pleaded with Swami Sahajanand Saraswati to aid them in their struggles against the Bhumihar zamindars of Masaurhi, and that it was from that beginning that the most powerful peas-ant movement in India, the Bihar provincial Kisan Sabha, emerged.[25] Bhumihars also gave Bihar its first chief minister in Sri Krishna Sinha who had himself led Dalit’s entry into Baidyanath Dham (Vaidyanath Temple, Deoghar).[26]

On February 12, 1992, the Maoist Communist Centre massacred 37 members of Bhumihar community at Bara village, Gaya district in Bihar.[27] On March 18, 1999, the Maoist Communist Centre massacred over 34 Bhumihars in Senari village, Jehanabad in Bihar.[28][29][30]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Sinha, Gopal Sharan; Ramesh Chandra Sinha (September 1967). "Exploration in Caste Stereotypes". Social Forces 46 (1): 42–47. University of North Carolina Press. doi:10.2307/2575319. ISSN 0037-7732. 
  2. ^ a b Bhattacharya, Jogendra Nath [1869] (1968). Hindu Castes and Sects: An Exposition of the Origin of the Hindu Caste. Calcutta: Editions Indian, 87. OCLC 115388. 
  3. ^ a b Martin, Robert Montgomery [1838]. The History, Antiquities, Topography, and Statistics of Eastern India. London: W. H. Allen and Co., 453. OCLC 6957973. 
  4. ^ Benares (Princely State). Retrieved on 2008-04-12.
  5. ^ Sinha, Gopal Sharan; Ramesh Chandra Sinha (September 1967). "Exploration in Caste Stereotypes". Social Forces 46 (1): 42–47. University of North Carolina Press. doi:10.2307/2575319. ISSN 0037-7732. 
  6. ^ Pranava K Chaudhary. "Rishis, Maharshis, Brahmarshis...", The Times of India, 2003-03-03. Retrieved on 2008-03-25. 
  7. ^ Swami Sahajanand, Saraswati (2003). Swami Sahajanand Saraswati Rachnawali in Six volumes(Brahmarshi Vansha Vistar in Volume 1). Delhi: Prakashan Sansthan, 153-519 (Volume 1). ISBN 81-7714-097-3. 
  8. ^ Rothermund, Dietmar (1992). India in the Great Depression, 1929-1939. New Delhi: Manohar Publications, 111. ISBN 978-8185425764. OCLC 27895022. “Swami Sahajanad of Kisan Sabha fame was initially a Bhumihar leader who exhorted the Bhumihars to adopt brahmin family names.” 
  9. ^ Pranava K Chaudhary. "Rishis, Maharshis, Brahmarshis...", The Times of India, 2003-03-03. Retrieved on 2008-03-25. 
  10. ^ William, Crooke (1999). The Tribes and Castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh. 6A, Shahpur Jat, New Delhi-110049, India: Asian Educational Services. ISBN 8120612108. 
  11. ^ Jogendra Nath, Bhattacharya (1995). Hindu Castes and Sects. New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal, 512. ISBN 8121507006. 
  12. ^ Arvind Narayan, Das (1982). Agrarian movements in India : studies on 20th century Bihar (Library of Peasant Studies). London: Routledge, 168. ISBN 0714632163. 
  13. ^ Arun Kumar. "Bhumihars rooted to the ground in caste politics", The Times of India, 2005-01-25. Retrieved on 2008-04-05. 
  14. ^ Jaffrelot, Christophe (2003). India's silent revolution : the rise of the lower castes in North India. New York: Columbia University Press, 68. ISBN 978-0231127868. OCLC 50064516. 
  15. ^ M. S. A., Rao (1979). Social movements and social transformation : a study of two backward classes movements in India. Delhi: Macmillan, 170. OCLC 5875641. 
  16. ^ Abhay Singh. "BJP, Cong eye Bhumihars as Rabri drops ministers", The Times of India, 2004-07-06. Retrieved on 2008-03-21. 
  17. ^ These days, their poster boys are goons. Asia Africa Intelligence Wire. 16 March 2004
  18. ^ Amaresh, Mishra (2005). MANGAL PANDEY: The True Story of an Indian Revolutionary. New Delhi: Rupa & Co., 120. ISBN 8129107856. 
  19. ^ Arun Kumar. "Bhumihars rooted to the ground in caste politics", The Times of India, 2005-01-25. Retrieved on 2008-04-05. 
  20. ^ Ajay Bharadwaj. "Laloo plea for Yadav-Bhumihar unity", The Times of India, 2002-10-22. Retrieved on 2008-04-05. 
  21. ^ Qyanjhari Journal; India's Worst Case: The War Between the Castes
  22. ^ Where life is an interlude between two massacres.
  23. ^ How Yadavs captured the heart of Lalooland
  24. ^ Kumar, Rabindra (2002). Impact of Rural Development on Scheduled Castes. New Delhi: Anmol, 59. ISBN 978-8126111190. OCLC 52269876. 
  25. ^ Walter Huaser. "Peasant Surprise", The Telegraph (Calcutta), 21 May 1996, p. 8, 1996-05-21. Retrieved on 2008-04-01. 
  26. ^ Arun Kumar. "Bhumihars rooted to the ground in caste politics", The Times of India, 2005-01-25. Retrieved on 2008-04-05. 
  27. ^ Dr. Sanjay K Jha. "Naxalite Movement in Bihar and Jharkhand", Dialogue, April-June 2005 , Volume 6 No. 4. Retrieved on 2008-04-10. 
  28. ^ Dr. Sanjay K Jha. "Naxalite Movement in Bihar and Jharkhand", Dialogue, April-June 2005 , Volume 6 No. 4. Retrieved on 2008-04-10. 
  29. ^ "An endless cycle", 1999-03-22. Retrieved on 2008-04-10. 
  30. ^ Satyendra Kumar. "Poverty, hunger stalk Senari", The Times of India, 2008-03-19. Retrieved on 2008-04-10.