Bhangi

Bhangi is an Indian caste or jāti traditionally treated as untouchable, and was historically restricted to three occupations: cleaning latrines, sweeping, and scavenging (which sometimes involves handling dead bodies). They prefer to be known as Balmiki. Pejoratively called "Toilet Cleaners", as it was their traditional profession, Bhangis had to carry human waste away in buckets on their heads. In the traditional Indian caste system, professions were passed on from parents to children, thus a child born in Bhangi family was forced into this profession mostly for economic reasons.

Efforts have been made to improve sanitation systems in India, including laws that ban the construction of dry toilets, and the manual removal of human waste. However Bhangis, who are numerous throughout India, continue to work in their traditional roles and they continue to face severe social barriers, discrimination, and hate crimes. The Bhangi community includes a number of sub-division such as the Hela.

Relations to other castes

Fellow Indian sub-castes even within the lowest Dalit caste such as Dhobi (washer-men) and Chamar (leather workers), are considered socially above the Bhangi. These upper sub-castes among Dalits would not interact with lower-order Bhangis, who have been described as "outcasts even among outcasts". Even though most Bhangis are devout Hindus, some Bhangis have converted to Christianity in an attempt to escape the social stigma. Examples are the families of Yuvraj Valmiki, Indian field hockey player, and of Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Yousuf, who was a Christian before converting to Islam.

Achievements

Although the Bhangis traditionally have a lower status, there have been Bhangis that are recognized as Hindu saints. For example, Maharshi Naval Ram and his successors Daya Ram Maharaj (his son), Ram Baksh Maharaj and the present-day Badri Ram Maharaj are important Hindu figures. Saint Umaid Ram Maharaj and his successors Sukaram Maharaj, Deepa Ram Maharaj and the present-day Mangeshwar Ram Maharaj are important Hindu figures as well.

In Gujarat, Makarand Paranjape, A.M., PhD when he was researching the Bhangi of the Swadhyaya tradition, a Bhangi member said to him, "I am a Bhangi, but I also do the work of a Brahmin. A Brahmin is one who spreads knowledge, sanskars; so I too am a Brahmin. I go on Bhakti pheris to spread the liberating message of Svadhyaya. So I am a Bhangi-Brahmin."

Sanjeev Khudshah is a Bhangi motivational speaker, writer & sociologist. He wrote a book about scavenger community from India named "SAFAI KAMGAR SAMUDAY" This book has been included in Washington University of America for study of scavenger community from India.

Notables

• Kamlesh Balmiki, MP from Bulandshahr (Lok Sabha constituency)
• Om Prakash Valmiki, writer
• Yuvraj Valmiki, Indian field hockey player

External links

• Lesser Humans — Review of a documentary film on the Bhangis