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}}</ref> plus significant population in [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[Jharkhand]], and [[West Bengal]]
}}</ref> plus significant population in [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[Jharkhand]], and [[West Bengal]]
|popplace =
|popplace =
|languages = [[Hindi]], [[Bhojpuri]], [[Magadh]]i, [[Maithili language|Maithili]], [[Angika]], Vajjika, [[Bundeli]]
|languages = [[Hindi]], [[Bhojpuri]], [[Magadh]]i, [[Maithili language|Maithili]], [[Angika]], Vajjika, [[Bundeli]]<ref name="Saraswati 2003 519 Volume 1"/>
|religions = [[File:Om.svg|30px]] [[Hinduism]]
|religions = [[File:Om.svg|30px]] [[Hinduism]]
|related = [[Kanyakubja Brahmins]], [[Jujhautiya Brahmin]]s, [[Saryupareen Brahmins]]
|related = [[Kanyakubja Brahmins]], [[Jujhautiya Brahmin]]s, [[Saryupareen Brahmins]]
|footnotes = Commonly called '''Babhan'''
|footnotes = Commonly called '''Babhan'''
}}
}}
'''Bhumihar Brahmin''' or '''Babhan''' or '''Brahmarshis''' is a [[Hindu]] [[Brahmin]] [[Indian caste system|community]] mainly found in the [[India]]n states of [[Bihar]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Jharkhand]], [[Bengal]], [[Bundelkhand]] region of [[Madhya Pradesh]] and [[Nepal]].<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.co.in/books?id=pINgUv_hxcYC&pg=PA45&lpg=PA45&dq=bhumihars brahmins&source=web&ots=kLOP8kwdM9&sig=_4yvZVdWr4h39GGZzf7J3lBzSr8&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=3&ct=result |title=Political Economy and Class Contradictions: A Study – Jose J. Nedumpara – Google Books |publisher=Books.google.co.in |date= |accessdate=2012-07-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.flonnet.com/fl2225/stories/20051216008200900.htm |title=Social justice and new challenges |publisher=Flonnet.com |date= |accessdate=2012-07-12}}</ref>
'''Bhumihar Brahmin''' or '''Babhan''' or '''Brahmarshis''' is a [[Hindu]] [[Brahmin]] [[Indian caste system|community]] mainly found in the [[India]]n states of [[Bihar]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Jharkhand]], [[Bengal]], [[Bundelkhand]] region of [[Madhya Pradesh]] and [[Nepal]].<ref name="Saraswati 2003 519 Volume 1">{{cite book
| first = Swami Sahajanand
| last = Saraswati
| authorlink = Swami Sahajanand Saraswati
| title = Swami Sahajanand Saraswati Rachnawali in Six volumes (in Volume 1)
| publisher = Prakashan Sansthan
| location = Delhi
| year = 2003
| isbn = 81-7714-097-3
| pages = 519 (Volume 1)
}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.co.in/books?id=pINgUv_hxcYC&pg=PA45&lpg=PA45&dq=bhumihars brahmins&source=web&ots=kLOP8kwdM9&sig=_4yvZVdWr4h39GGZzf7J3lBzSr8&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=3&ct=result |title=Political Economy and Class Contradictions: A Study – Jose J. Nedumpara – Google Books |publisher=Books.google.co.in |date= |accessdate=2012-07-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.co.in/books?id=2b_j0mNe2FwC&pg=PA12&lpg=PA12&dq=bhumihars brahmins&source=web&ots=7TINMkUJQm&sig=GkEawD6rwxQciCfSGDH4vZeZFsk&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result |title=Land and Society in India: Agrarian Relations in Colonial North Bihar – Bindeshwar Ram – Google Books |publisher=Books.google.co.in |date= |accessdate=2012-07-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.flonnet.com/fl2225/stories/20051216008200900.htm |title=Social justice and new challenges |publisher=Flonnet.com |date= |accessdate=2012-07-12}}</ref>


== Varna status ==
There is also a significant migrant population of Bhumihars in [[Mauritius]],<ref>{{cite book
The Bhumihars are classified in the Brahmin varna of the [[Indian caste system]] and traditionally are landowners.<ref name="Bayly">{{cite book |first=Christopher Alan |last=Bayly |authorlink=Christopher Alan Bayly |title=Recovering Liberties: Indian Thought in the Age of Liberalism and Empire (Ideas in Context) |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |year=2011 |isbn=978-1-10-760147-5}}</ref><ref name=Sinha67>{{cite journal |last=Sinha |first=Gopal Sharan |coauthors=Ramesh Chandra Sinha |date=September 1967 |title=Exploration in Caste Stereotypes |jstor=2575319 |journal=[[Social Forces]] |volume=46 |issue=1 |pages=42–47 |publisher=[[University of North Carolina Press]]}}</ref> Their land has been acquired at different times through grants by kings or during the rule of Brahmin kings.<ref name="Bayly"/><ref name="Bhadra Gautam">{{cite book |first=Gautam |last=Bhadra |authorlink=Gautam Bhadra |title=Subaltern Studies: Writings on South Asian History and Society |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-19-565125-6}}</ref><ref name="Seema Alavi">{{cite book
|first=Seema |last=Alavi |authorlink=Seema Alavi |title=The Eighteenth Century in India |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-19-569201-3 }}</ref><ref name="Peter Robb">{{cite book |first=Peter |last=Robb |authorlink=Peter Robb |title=Empire, Identity, and India: Peasants, Political Economy, and Law |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-19-568160-4 }}</ref> In ancient times, the Brahmin Empires like [[Sunga Empire]] and [[Kanva dynasty]] are believed to be the historical ancestors of present day Bhumihar Brahmins.<ref name="Bayly"/><ref name="Bhadra Gautam" /><ref name="Seema Alavi" /><ref name="Peter Robb" /><ref name="Saraswati 2003 519 at p 68–69 Volume 1">{{cite book |first=Swami Sahajanand |last=Saraswati |authorlink=Swami Sahajanand Saraswati
|title=Swami Sahajanand Saraswati Rachnawali in Six volumes (in Volume 1) |publisher=Prakashan Sansthan |location=Delhi |year=2003 |isbn=81-7714-097-3
|pages=519 (at p 68–69) (Volume 1) }}</ref>

The [[Kanyakubja Mahati Sabha]], an association of [[Kanyakubja Brahmin]]s, determined at its 19th and 20th national conventions in 1926 and 1927 that the Bhumihars are among the Kanyakubja Brahmin communities, which also include the Pahadi, Jujhoutia,, [[Chattisgarhi]], Bhumihar and various [[Bengali Brahmin]]s.<ref name="Saraswati 2003 519 at p 68–69 Volume 1" />

''"Kanyakubj Vanshavali"'' mentions five branches of [[Kanyakubja Brahmins]] as Saryupareen, Sanadhya, Bhumihar, Jujhautiya and Prakrit Kanaujia:
{{quote|''Saryupareen Sanadhyascha Bhumiharo Jijhoutayah''<br>
''Prakritashcha Iti Panchabhedastasya Prakartitah''}}<ref>{{cite book|first=Swami Sahajanand|last=Saraswati|authorlink=Swami Sahajanand Saraswati|title=Swami Sahajanand Saraswati Rachnawali in Six volumes (in Volume 1 at p. 518, Parishist by [[Acharya Tarineesh Jha]], 515–519)|publisher=Prakashan Sansthan|year=2003}}</ref>

First modern [[Indologist]] of Indian origin, and a key figure in the [[Bengal Renaissance]], [[Rajendralal Mitra]] writes about the five branches of Kanyakubja Brahmins as Saryupareen, Sanadhya, Bhumihar, Jujhoutia and Prakrit Kanaujia or Kanyakubj proper.<ref name="Saraswati 2003">{{cite book
| first = Swami Sahajanand
| last = Saraswati
| authorlink = Swami Sahajanand Saraswati
| title = Swami Sahajanand Saraswati Rachnawali in Six volumes (in Volume 1 at p. 518, Parishist by [[Acharya Tarineesh Jha]], 515–519)
| publisher = Prakashan Sansthan
| year = 2003
| isbn = 81-7714-097-3
}}</ref> In Kanyakubj Vanshavalis (360 on record), it is mentioned that [[Kashyap]] gotra [[Bhumihar Brahmin]]s are ancestors of Kashyap gotra [[Kanyakubja Brahmins]], making Kashyap gotriya [[Sanadhya Brahmin]]s also as descendents of Kashyap gotriya [[Bhumihar Brahmin]]s.<ref>{{cite book
| first = Swami Sahajanand
| last = Saraswati
| authorlink = Swami Sahajanand Saraswati
| title = Swami Sahajanand Saraswati Rachnawali in Six volumes (in Volume 1)
| publisher = Prakashan Sansthan
| location = Delhi
| year = 2003
| isbn = 81-7714-097-3
| pages = 519 (at p 281 to 298) (Volume 1)
}}</ref> Threfore, it is merely a difference in profession between Kanyakubja proper and Bhumihar Brahmins where they kept converting from Ajachak (Bhumihar) to Jachak(Kanyakubja) and from Jachak(Kanyakubja) to Ajachak(Bhumihar) depending on the times which shows the ''jivikartha karma'' of Brahmins.<ref>{{cite book
| first = Swami Sahajanand
| last = Saraswati
| authorlink = Swami Sahajanand Saraswati
| title = Swami Sahajanand Saraswati Rachnawali in Six volumes (in Volume 1)
| publisher = Prakashan Sansthan
| location = Delhi
| year = 2003
| isbn = 81-7714-097-3
| pages = 519 (at p 281–298) (Volume 1)
}}</ref>

Bhumihars have been the traditional priests in [[Prayag]], at [[Vishnupad Mandir]] in [[Gaya, India|Gaya]] as ''Gayawar Pandas'' and in the adjoining districts like [[Hazaribagh]].<ref name="Saraswati 2003 519 Volume 1"/> The [[Kingdom of Kashi]] belonged to Bhumihar Brahmins and big zamindari like [[Bettiah Raj]], [[Hathwa Raj]], Pandooi Raj and [[Tekari Raj]], Sheohar Raj, Ram Nagar belonged to them. Bhumihars were well respected Brahmins in the courts of [[Dumraon]] Maharaj, [[King of Nepal]] and [[Raj Darbhanga]].<ref name="Saraswati 2003 519 Volume 1"/> Some [[Mohyal|Mohyal Brahmins]] migrated eastward and are believed to constitute some sub-divisions of Bhumihars.There is also a significant migrant population of Bhumihars in [[Mauritius]],<ref>{{cite book
|first=Meenakshi
|first=Meenakshi
|last=Thapan (ed.)
|last=Thapan (ed.)
Line 29: Line 81:
}}</ref> [[Suriname]], Trinidad and Tobago, [[Guyana]] and others.
}}</ref> [[Suriname]], Trinidad and Tobago, [[Guyana]] and others.


Bhumihars are commonly called ''Babhans'' and also ''Western Brahmins'' some times<ref name="Sharma 2009">{{cite book
==History==
|first=R.S.
Some Bhumihar Brahmins believe themselves to be descended from [[Husseini]] Brahmins.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Hindus_take_part_in_Muharram_in_Patna/articleshow/2716459.cms |title=Hindus participate in Muharram |publisher=The Times of India |date=21 January 2008
|last=Sharma
|accessdate=2008-04-05 |first=Faizan |last=Ahmad}}</ref>[[Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan]], who came from a [[Niyogi]] Brahmin community who are just like the Bhumihar Brahmins and are called Laukik or Ajachak Brahmins attests in his [[Hindu View of Life]] to the fact of "The Rishis of yore were agriculturists and sometimes warriors too".
|authorlink=Ram Sharan Sharma
|title=[[Rethinking India's Past]]
|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]
|year=2009
|isbn=978-0-19-569787-2
}}</ref><ref name="Ram 1998">{{cite book
|first=Bindeshwar
|last=Ram
|title=Land and society in India: agrarian relations in colonial North Bihar
|publisher=[[Orient Blackswan]]
|year=1998
|isbn=978-81-250-0643-5
}}</ref><ref>{{cite book
|first=Ranganath Ramachandra
|last=Diwakar
|title=Bihar through the ages
|publisher=[[Orient Longman]]
|year=1959
}}</ref> which is the [[Pali]] word for Brahmins<ref>{{cite book |first=N. L. |last=Gupta |title=Transition from capitalism to socialism, and other essays
|publisher=Kalamkar Prakashan |year=1975 |asin=B0000E7XZP }}</ref><ref name="Guha 2000 2nd edition">{{cite book |first=Ranajit |last=Guha |authorlink=Ranajit Guha |title=A Subaltern studies reader, 1986–1995 |publisher=South Asia Books |year=2000 (2nd edition) |isbn=978-0-19-565230-7 }}</ref> and is used to refer to Brahmins in [[Buddhist]] sources.<ref name="Guha 2000 2nd edition"/><ref>{{cite book |first=R. K. |last=Maitra |authorlink=R. K. Maitra |title=Indian Studies: past & present |year=1959 |asin=B0000CRX5I }}</ref>

==Origin and history==
===Mythology===
[[File:Parashurama with axe.jpg|thumb|Parshurama, 6th [[Avatar]] of [[Vishnu]]]]
When [[Parashurama]] destroyed the Kshatriya race, and he set up in their place the descendants of Brahmins, who, after a time, having mostly abandoned their priestly functions, took to land-owning (Zamindari) or became kings.<ref name="Saraswati 2003" /><ref name="bhattacharyap109">{{cite book|title=Hindu Castes and Sects: AN Exposition of the Origin of the Hindu Caste System|author=[[Jogendra Nath Bhattacharya]]|page=109|year=1896}}</ref><ref name="autogenerated1809">{{cite book
| first = William
| last = Crooke
| authorlink = William Crooke
| title = The Tribes and Castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh
| publisher = [[Asian Educational Services]]
| location = 6A, Shahpur Jat, New Delhi-110049, India
| year =1999
| pages =1809 (at page 64)
| isbn = 81-206-1210-8
}}</ref> Lord [[Parashurama]] was the first Bhumihar.<ref name="Saraswati 2003" /><ref name="bhattacharyap109"/><ref name="autogenerated1809"/> The ancestor of Dronwar Bhumihar Brahmins is Guru [[Drona]]charya and that of [[Kashi Naresh]] is [[Gautama Maharishi]].<ref name="Saraswati 2003" /><ref name="autogenerated200"/>

===Etymology===
The literal meaning of Bhumihar is Bhumi – "Land", kara or hara – "maker" in [[Sanskrit]].<ref name="autogenerated200">{{cite book
| first = Sushil Kumar cost
| last = Sinha
| title = The Bhumihars: Caste of Eastern India
| publisher = Raj Publications
| location = 4855/24, Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi-110002, India
| year = 2005
| pages = 200(at page 30)
| isbn = 81-86208-37-2
}}</ref> In the language of the Indian feudal system, Bhum is the name given to a kind of tenure similar to the [[Inams]] and [[Jagirs]] of Mohammedan times.<ref name="autogenerated200"/> By a Bhum, according to the Rajputana gazetteer, a hereditary, non-resumable and inalienable property in the soil was inseparably bound up with the revenue-free title.<ref name="autogenerated200"/> The meaning of the designation Bhumihar being as stated above, the Bhumihar Brahmins are evidently those Brahmins who held grants of land for secular services.<ref name="autogenerated200"/> Bhum was given as compensation for bloodshed in order to quell a feud for distinguished services in the field, for protection of services in the field, for protection of a border, or for the watch and ward of a village.<ref name="autogenerated200"/>

===History===
{{double image|right|The Maharaja's Fort, Front view -Benares-.jpg|175|Laldaruaza (Ramnagar) -Benares-..jpg|175|Left: The Maharaja's Fort ([[Ramnagar Fort]]), front view, 1869. Right: Entrance gate to the fort, 1905.}}

By the 16th century, Bhumihars known as "karm kandi pandit" controlled vast stretches of territory, particularly in [[Bihar|North Bihar]].<ref name="Yang 1999 139">{{cite book
| first = Anand A.
| last = Yang
| title = Bazaar India: Markets, Society, and the Colonial State in Bihar
| publisher = [[University of California Press]]
| year = 1999
| isbn = 978-0-520-21100-1
| page = 139
}}</ref> In [[Bihar|South Bihar]], their most prominent representative was the [[Tekari]] family, whose large estate in [[Gaya, India|Gaya]] dates back to the early 18th century.<ref name="Yang 1999 139"/> With the decline of [[Mughal Empire]], in the area of south of [[Avadh]], in the fertile rive-rain rice growing areas of [[Benares]], [[Gorakhpur]], [[Deoria district|Deoria]], [[Ghazipur]], [[Ballia]] and [[Bihar]] and on the fringes of [[Bengal]], it was the 'military' or Bhumihar Brahmins who strengthened their sway.<ref>{{cite book
| first = C.A.
| last = Bayly
| authorlink = Christopher Alan Bayly
| title = Rulers, Townsmen and Bazaars: North Indian Society in the Age of British Expansion, 1770–1870
| publisher = [[Cambridge University Press]]
| year = 1988
| isbn = 978-0-521-31054-3
| pages = 504 (at p 18)
}}</ref> The distinctive 'caste' identity of Bhumihar Brahman emerged largely through military service, and then confirmed by the forms of continuous 'social spending' which defined a man and his kin as superior and lordly.<ref>{{cite book
| first = Susan
| last = Bayly
| title = Caste, Society and Politics in India from the Eighteenth Century to the Modern Age
| publisher = [[Cambridge University Press]]
| year = 2001
| isbn = 978-0-521-79842-6
| page = 440 (at p 203)
}}</ref> In 19th century, many of the Bhumihar Brahmins were [[zamindar]]s. Of the 67000 [[Hindus]] in the [[Bengal Army]] in 1842, 28000 were identified as Rajputs and 25000 as Brahmins, a category that included Bhumihar Brahmins.<ref name="R. G. Tiedemann 2007 231 at p 63">{{cite book
| first = Robert A. Bickers
| last = R. G. Tiedemann
| title = The Boxers, China, and the World
| publisher = Rowman & Littlefield
| year = 2007
| isbn = 978-0-7425-5395-8
| page = 231 (at p 63)
}}</ref> The Brahmin presence in the [[Bengal Army]] was reduced in the late 19th century because of their perceived primary role as mutineers in the [[Mutiny of 1857]],<ref name="R. G. Tiedemann 2007 231 at p 63"/> led by [[Mangal Pandey]].

Some Bhumihars had settled in [[Chandipur, Orissa|Chandipur]], [[Murshidabad]], [[Bardhaman]] during late 19th and early 20th centuries where they are at the top of the social hierarchy.<ref name="Nicholas 2003 248 at p 35">{{cite book
| first = Ralph W.
| last = Nicholas
| title = Fruits of worship: practical religion in Bengal
| publisher = Orient Blackswan
| year = 2003
| isbn = 978-81-8028-006-1
| pages = 248 (at p 35)
}}</ref>
Pandit [[Jogendra Nath Bhattacharya]] in his book ''Hindu Castes and Sects'' published in 1896, went on to write about the origin of Bhumihar Brahmins of [[Bihar]] and [[Banaras]]<ref name="bhattacharyap109" /> 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 meaning of the designation Bhumihar being as stated above, the Bhumihar Brahmans are evidently these Brahmans who held grants of land for secular service. Whoever held a secular fief was Bhumihar. Where a Brahman held such a tenure, he was called a Bhumihar Brahman....Bhumihar Brahmans are sometimes called simply Bhumihars..."

They perform all their religious ceremonies in the same manner as other Brahmins, but as they also practice secular occupations like the Laukik Brahmans of [[South India|Southern India]], they are not entitled to accept religious gifts or to minister to anyone as priest. The usual surnames/titles of the Bhumihar Brahmins are same as those of other Brahmins of Northern India. Being a fighter by caste few of them have Rajputana surnames/titles.<ref name="Saraswati 2003 519 at p 68–69 Volume 1"/><ref name="autogenerated200"/> The general editor of the book ''"People of India (Bihar and Jharkhand)"'', published by [[Anthropological Survey of India]] (ASI), and noted academician-bureaucrat, the late [[Kumar Suresh Singh]], said that the surname [[Singh]], which used to denote connection with power and authority, was used in Bihar by Brahmin zamindars, like the surname "Khan" in Muslims.<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-02-21/patna/28055564_1_surnames-caste-identity-kumar-suresh-singh
| title = Using surnames to conceal identity
| publisher = [[The Times of India]]
| date = 21 February 2009
| accessdate = 2013-01-18
}}</ref>

Before independence, it was the custom of the Bhumihar Brahmins to stage an elaborate [[Kālī]] puja, during which annual payments were made to servants and gifts of cloth were distributed to dependents, both [[Hindu]] and Muslim.<ref name="Nicholas 2003 248 at p 35"/>

[[M. A. Sherring]] in his book ''Hindu Tribes and Castes as Reproduced in Benaras''<ref name="Sherring First ed 1872, new ed 2008">{{cite book
| first = M.A.
| last = Sherring
| authorlink = M.A. Sherring
| title = Hindu Tribes and Castes as Reproduced in Benaras
| publisher = [[Asian Educational Services]]
| location = 6A, Shahpur Jat, New Delhi-110049, India
| year = First ed 1872, new ed 2008
| isbn = 978-81-206-2036-0
}}</ref> published in 1872, mentions, "Great important distinctions subsist between the various tribes of Brahmins. Some are given to [[learning]], some to agriculture, some to politics and some to trades. The [[Maharashtra]] Brahmin is very different being from the [[Bengal]]i, while the Kanaujia ([[Kanyakubja Brahmin]]s) differs from both.
Only those Brahmins who perform all six duties are reckoned perfectly [[Orthodoxy|orthodox]]. Some perform three of them, namely, the first, third and fifth and omit the other three. Hence Brahmins are divided into two kinds, the ''Shat-karmas'' and the ''tri-karmas'' or those who perform only three. The Bhumihar Brahmins for instance are tri-karmas, and merely pay heed to three duties.

Bhumihars were referred to as "Military Brahmin" by Francis Buchanan and as "[[Magadh]] Brahmin" by William Adam in 1883.<ref name=Chaudhary03>{{cite news
| url = http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/39109373.cms
| title = Rishis, Maharshis, Brahmarshis...
| author = Pranava K Chaudhary
| publisher = [[The Times of India]]
| date = 3 March 2003
| accessdate = 2008-03-25
}}</ref> [[William Crooke]] in his book, ''Tribes and Castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh'',<ref name="Crooke 1999">{{cite book
| first = William
| last = Crooke
| authorlink = William Crooke
| title = The Tribes and Castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh
| publisher = [[Asian Educational Services]]
| location = 6A, Shahpur Jat, New Delhi-110049, India
| year =1999
| isbn = 81-206-1210-8
| volume = 4
}}</ref> 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.

[[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.<ref>{{cite book
| first = Swami Sahajanand
| last = Saraswati
| authorlink = Swami Sahajanand Saraswati
| title = Swami Sahajanand Saraswati Rachnawali in Six volumes(Brahmarshi Vansha Vistar in Volume 1)
| publisher = Prakashan Sansthan
| location = Delhi
| year = 2003
| isbn = 81-7714-097-3
| pages = 153–519 (Volume 1)
}}</ref> Some Bhumihar Brahmins are also known for their secular and [[wikt:unorthodox|unorthodox]] practices, where some of them are also descendants of [[Husseini]] Brahminss.<ref name="Hindus participate in Muharram">{{cite news
|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Hindus_take_part_in_Muharram_in_Patna/articleshow/2716459.cms
|title=Hindus participate in Muharram
|publisher=[[The Times of India]]
|date=21 January 2008
|accessdate=2008-04-05
|first1=Faizan
|last1=Ahmad
}}</ref> On the social scale, although the Bhumihars are known to be Brahmins, on account of the fact that they were cultivators they were not given the ritual status of Brahmins.<ref>{{cite book
| first = A.N.
| last = Das
| authorlink = Arvind Narayan Das
| title = Agrarian Movements in India: Studies on 20th Century Bihar
| publisher = [[Routledge]]
| date = 1 September 1982
| isbn = 978-0-7146-3216-2
| pages = 152 (at p 51)
}}</ref> [[Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan]], who came from a [[Niyogi]] Brahmin community who are just like the Bhumihar Brahmins and are called Laukik or Ajachak Brahmins attests in his [[Hindu View of Life]] to the fact of "The Rishis of yore were agriculturists and sometimes warriors too".<ref>{{cite book
| first = Sarvepalli
| last = Radhakrishnan
| authorlink = Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
| title = The Hindu View of Life
| publisher = [[Harper Collins]]
| year = 2009
| isbn = 978-81-7223-845-2
| pages = 95 (at p 81)
}}</ref>

[[Siyaram Tiwari]], the former dean at [[Visva Bharati University]], stated that the Bhumihars are "landed [[Brahmins]] who stopped taking alms and performing pujas and rituals", These are [[Tyagi]]s of Western UP, Zamindar [[Bengali Brahmins]], [[Niyogi]] Brahmins of Andhra Pradesh, [[Nambudiri Brahmin]] and [[Ezhavathy]] Brahmins of Kerala, [[Chitpavan]]s of Maharashtra, [[Anavil]] Desais of Gujarat and [[Mohyals]] of Punjab.<ref name="Kumar05" /> Bhumihars are classified in the Brahmin [[varna in Hinduism]] and hence use the designation Bhumihar Brahmin.<ref name=Sinha67>{{cite journal
| last = Sinha
| first = Gopal Sharan
| coauthors = Ramesh Chandra Sinha
| year = 1967
| month = September
| title = Exploration in Caste Stereotypes
| journal = [[Social Forces]]
| volume = 46
| issue = 1
| pages = 42–47
| publisher = [[University of North Carolina Press]]
| doi = 10.2307/2575319
| jstor = 2575319
}}</ref>

Acharya Tarineesh Jha, himself a [[Maithil Brahmin]] scholar has attested how from ancient times to modern all great Brahmin scholars like Maithili Manishi Mahamahopadhyay Chitradhar Mishra, Mahamahopadhyay Balkrishna Mishra; [[Saryupareen Brahmin]] scholars Mahamahopadhyay Dwivedi, Mahamahopadhyay Shivkumar Shastri, [[Hazari Prasad Dwivedi]]; [[Kanyakubja Brahmin]]s scholars [[Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi]], Pandit Laxminarayan Dixit Shastri, Pandit Venkatesh Narayan Tiwari and others have mentioned about Bhumihar Brahmins as their fellow Brahmin brothers.<ref>{{cite book
| first = Swami Sahajanand
| last = Saraswati
| authorlink = Swami Sahajanand Saraswati
| title = Swami Sahajanand Saraswati Rachnawali in Six volumes(Brahmarshi Vansha Vistar in Volume 1)
| publisher = Prakashan Sansthan
| location = Delhi
| year = 2003
| isbn = 81-7714-097-3
| pages = 153–519 at pg. 515–19(Volume 1) Parishisht by Acharya Tarineesh Jha
}}</ref>

They are also called ''Ajachak Brahmans'', i.e., Brahmans who do not take alms (''jachak'') in contrast to the ordinary Brahmans who are ''Jachaks'' or almstakers<ref name="O'malley 2007 504 at p 18">{{cite book
| first = L.S.S.
| last = O'malley
| title = Bengal District Gazetteer: Gaya
| publisher = Concept Publishing Company
| year = 2007
| isbn = 978-81-7268-137-1
| pages = 504 (at p 18)
}}</ref> but there are still some who traditionally take alms as in [[Gaya, India|Gaya]] and [[Hazaribagh]].<ref name="Saraswati 2003 153–519">{{cite book
| first = Swami Sahajanand
| last = Saraswati
| authorlink = Swami Sahajanand Saraswati
| title = Swami Sahajanand Saraswati Rachnawali in Six volumes(Brahmarshi Vansha Vistar in Volume 1)
| publisher = Prakashan Sansthan
| location = Delhi
| year = 2003
| isbn = 81-7714-097-3
| pages = 153–519
}}</ref> Like fellow Brahmans, they did not use to hold the plough, but employed labourers for the purpose.<ref name="O'malley 2007 504 at p 18"/>

==Social organisation==
The census returns give no less than four hundred and fifty-eight sections: but here the territorial sections and the Brahminical gotras are mixed up together.<ref name="Crooke 1999"/> The most important local sections are the [[Gautama Maharishi|Gautama]], and Kolaha in [[Banaras]]; the [[Gautama Maharishi|Gautama]] in [[Mirzapur]]; [[Bhrigu]]vanshi, Donwar, [[Gautama Maharishi|Gautama]], Kinwar, Kistwar, Sakarwar, Sonwar, in [[Ghazipur]]; Bhagata, Kinwar, Benwar, of [[Ballia]]; the Baghochhiya, Baksaria, [[Gautama Maharishi|Gautama]], [[Kaushik]] and Sakarwar (Sankritya) of [[Gorakhpur]]; the Barasi, Birhariya of [[Basti, Uttar Pradesh|Basti]]; and the Barwar, [[Bharadwaj]], [[Parashar]] of Siwan, Denwar, Gargbans, [[Gautama Maharishi|Gautama]], Purvar, Sakarwar, and [[Shandilya]] of [[Azamgarh]].<ref name="Crooke 1999"/> On the Jijhoutia clan of Bhumihar Brahmins, ''William Crooke'' writes, "A branch of the Kanaujia Brahmins ([[Kanyakubja Brahmin]]s) who take their name from the country of Jajakshuku, which is mentioned in the [[Madanpur, Nadia|Madanpur]] inscription."<ref name="Crooke 1999"/>

==Domestic ceremonies and religious beliefs==
The Bhumihar Brahmins follow in every respect the standard Brahminical rules.<ref name="Crooke 1999"/> They are usually [[Shaiva]]s and [[Shakta]]s.<ref name="Crooke 1999"/> There are also Vaishnavas, following the Tatvavada school of Madhavacharya.<ref>{{cite book
| first = Gautam
| last = Chatterjee
| authorlink = Gautam Chatterjee
| title = Sacred Hindu Symbols
| publisher = Abhinav Publications
| year = 2003
| isbn = 978-81-7017-397-7
}}</ref> Bhumihar Brahmins, like all other Brahmins are endogamous, but marital relations are known to exist since ancient times between Bhumihar Brahmins and [[Maithil Brahmins]] in [[Tirhut]] and [[Mithila (India)|Mithila]] and between Bhumihar Brahmins and [[Kanyakubja Brahmin]]s in [[Bundelkhand]] region of [[Madhya Pradesh]] where Kanchanwar and Jihoutia clan of Bhumihar Brahmins live.<ref name="Saraswati 2003 153–519"/> Bhumihar Brahmin men of Purnea took to [[Maithil Brahmin]] wives in [[Purnea]] and married their daughters to Bhumihar Brahmin/Babhan men.<ref>{{cite book
| first = District
| last = Administration
| title = Purnea District Gazetteer, B Volume: Statistics, 1900–1901 to 1910–1911
| publisher = Pūrnia (British India: District)
| year = 1915
}}</ref><ref>{{cite book
| first = Pranab Chandra
| last = Roy Choudhury
| title = Bihar District Gazetteers
| publisher = Printed by the Superintendent, Secretariat Press, Bihar
| year = 1965
}}</ref>

==Common titles and last names==
Common titles of Bhumihar Brahmins are [[Pandey]], [[Shukla (disambiguation)|Shukla]], [[Mishra]], [[Ojha]], [[Yajee]], [[Karjee]], [[Dwivedi]], [[Sharma]], [[Tiwari]], [[Tiwari|Tripathi]], [[Upadhyay]] but [[Awasthi]], [[Dixit]], [[Malviya]] and [[Jha]] are known to exist.<ref name="Saraswati 2003 153–519" /> However, due to their profession of kings and landholders a lot of Bhumihar Brahmins use [[Rai (Indian)|Rai]], [[Singh]], and Shahi in [[Uttar Pradesh]] and [[Kunwar]], [[Thaker (family name)|Thakur]], [[Chaudhary]], and [[Singh]] in [[Bihar]], and Pradhan in Jharkhand.<ref name="Saraswati 2003 153–519" /> Some Singh converted and [[anglicised]] their surnames to [[Sinha]]<ref name="Saraswati 2003 153–519" /><ref name="Using surnames to conceal identity">{{cite news
| url = http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-02-21/patna/28055564_1_surnames-caste-identity-kumar-suresh-singh
| title = Using surnames to conceal identity
| publisher = [[The Times of India]]
| date = 2009-02-21
| accessdate = 2013-01-18
}}</ref>


==Political and social movements==
==Political and social movements==
Line 42: Line 352:
| date = 6 July 2004
| date = 6 July 2004
| accessdate = 2008-03-21
| accessdate = 2008-03-21
}}</ref><ref>[http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-20879972_ITM These days, their poster boys are goons]. Asia Africa Intelligence Wire. 16 March 2004</ref> [[Sri Krishna Sinha]], born into a Bhumihar Brahmin family is considered the architect of modern [[Bihar]].<ref>{{cite news
}}</ref><ref>[http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-20879972_ITM These days, their poster boys are goons]. Asia Africa Intelligence Wire. 16 March 2004</ref> Bhumihar Brahmins in [[Champaran]] had revolted against [[indigo]] cultivation in 1914 (at [[Pipra]]) and 1916 ([[Turkaulia]]) and Pandit [[Raj Kumar Shukla]] took [[Mahatma Gandhi]] to [[Champaran]] and the [[Champaran]] Satyagraha began.<ref>{{cite book
| first = Judith Margaret
| last = Brown
| authorlink = Judith M. Brown
| title = Gandhi's Rise to Power, Indian Politics 1915–1922: Indian Politics 1915–1922
| publisher = [[Cambridge University Press]] Archive
| location = New Delhi
| year = 1972
| isbn = 978-0-521-09873-1
| page = 384
}}</ref> [[Sri Krishna Sinha]], born into a Bhumihar Brahmin family is considered the architect of modern [[Bihar]].<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/867178.cms
| url = http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/867178.cms
| title = Parties 'use' Legendary names as caste icons
| title = Parties 'use' Legendary names as caste icons
Line 49: Line 369:
| date = 29 September 2004
| date = 29 September 2004
| accessdate =5 April 2008
| accessdate =5 April 2008
}}</ref> Barring the war years, Sinha was [[Chief Minister of Bihar]] from the time of the first Congress Ministry in 1937 until his death in 1961.<ref>{{cite news
}}</ref> Barring the war years, Shri Babu ([[Sri Krishna Sinha]] was [[Chief Minister of Bihar]] from the time of the first Congress Ministry in 1937 until his death in 1961.<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/Misc/Sss/whcastep.htm
| url = http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/Misc/Sss/whcastep.htm
| title = Changing images of caste and politics
| title = Changing images of caste and politics
Line 71: Line 391:
}}</ref>
}}</ref>


The community has produced stalwarts like [[Sir Ganesh Dutt]], lone minister representing pre-independence interim government from the then united Bihar and Orissa province, and [[Ram Dayalu Singh]], the first Speaker of Bihar legislative assembly.<ref name="Kumar05" />
==Notable people==


Bhumihars had made their presence felt in the politics right from freedom movement with patriots like [[Yogendra Shukla]] and [[Kishori Prasanna Sinha]], both aides of martyr [[Bhagat Singh]].<ref name="Kumar05" />
===Scholars, writers and government agency===


Nationalist, trade unionist, and the first leader of opposition in Bihar [[Basawon Singh (Sinha)]], the stalwart [[Communist]] leader [[Pandit Karyanand Sharma]] and the biggest [[Jan Sangh]] leader from the state [[Kailashpati Mishra]] were all Bhumihar Brahmins.
*[[Ram Avatar Sharma]]- was an Indian Sanskrit scholar and academic, apart from being an [[indologist]] and historian.

*[[Rahul Sankrityayan]]- who is called the Father of Hindi [[Travel literature]],was one of the most widely-traveled scholars of India, spending forty-five years of his life on travels away from his home.He is referred to as the 'Greatest Scholar' (Mahapandit) for his scholarship.He got [[Sahitya Akademi Award]] in 1958 and later [[Padma Bhushan]] in 1963.
== Some notable Bhumihar Brahmin personalities ==
* [[Nalin Vilochan Sharma]]-was a professor of [[Hindi Literature]] in [[University of Patna]].
{{unsourced|section|date=January 2014}}
* [[Sahajanand Saraswati]]-Writer,Freedom Fighter
=== Scholars, writers and government agency ===

[[File:Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar'.JPG|150px|thumbnail|right|Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar']]
[[File:Ramvriksh Benipuri.JPG|150px|thumbnail|right|Ramvriksh Benipuri]]
*[[Mahamahopadhyaya Pandit Ram Avatar Sharma]]- was an Indian Sanskrit scholar and academic, apart from being an [[indologist]] and historian [[Rajendra Prasad]], the first [[President of India]] and a favourite student of Pandit Sharma
*[[Mahapandit Rahul Sankrityayan]]- who is called the Father of Hindi [[Travel literature]],was one of the most widely-traveled scholars of India, spending forty-five years of his life on travels away from his home.He is referred to as the 'Greatest Scholar' (Mahapandit) for his scholarship.He got [[Sahitya Akademi Award]] in 1958 and later [[Padma Bhushan]] in 1963.
*[[Nalin Vilochan Sharma]]-was a professor of [[Hindi Literature]] in [[University of Patna]].
*[[Swami Sahajanand Saraswati]]-Writer,Freedom Fighter
*[[Vagish Shastri]]- Sanskrit Grammarian
*[[Ram Karan Sharma]]- Sanskrit poet and scholar
*[[Kapil Muni Tiwary]]- is a former professor and head of the department of [[Linguistics]] and Literature at [[Patna University]] and currently a professor of English in [[Yemen]].
*[[Siyaram Tiwari]] -Littrateur, He served Nalanda Open University, Patna as Chief Co-ordinator in the Faculty of Languages for three years.
*[[Shashindra Pal Tyagi]] - Air Chief Marshal and former IAF Chief
*[[Acharya Kishore Kunal]] -Hindu philosopher and Bihar Religious Trusts Board chairman, is a retired IPS Officer.
*[[Pandit Devendranath Sharma]]- was a writer and scholar of [[Hindi Literature]]. He was also a playwright, and the [[Vice Chancellor]] of the universities of [[Patna]] and [[Bhagalpur]].
*[[Vinod Rai]] is the former [[Comptroller and Auditor General of India]].
*[[Ram Sharan Sharma]]-was an eminent historian of Ancient and early Medieval India.He taught at [[Patna University]], [[Delhi University]] (1973–85) and the [[University of Toronto]] and was a senior fellow at School of Oriental and African Studies, [[University of London]]; [[University Grants Commission (India)|University Grants Commission]] National Fellow (1958–81) and President of Indian History Congress in 1975. It was during the tenure of Professor R. S. Sharma as the Dean of Delhi University's History Department in the 1970s that major expansion of the department took place. The creation of most of the positions in the Department owes to Professor Sharma's efforts. He is the founding Chairman of the [[Indian Council of Historical Research]] (ICHR) and a historian of international repute.He is from Barauni, [[Begusarai]], British India.
*Professor [[G. R. Sharma]] [[archaeologist]] and [[historian]].
*[[Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar']] Member of Parliament,Poet, Essayist, Literary critic, Journalist, Satirist, Rashtrakavi ("[[National poet]]")
*[[V.S.Naipaul]]-Novelist, [[travel writer]], [[essayist]].He got [[Nobel Prize in Literature]] in 2001, [[Booker Prize]] in 1971 numerous other literary prizes.
*[[Rambriksh Benipuri]]-Writer, Dramatist, Essayist, Novelist
*Venerable [[Tenzin Priyadarshi]] Buddhist scholar
*Professor [[Ramjee Singh]] Philosopher, [[Gandhi]]an activist
*[[Balmiki Prasad Singh]] writer, scholar, administrator, [[Governor of Sikkim]]
*[[R. K. Sinha]] scholar of [[English language|English]]
*[[Vibhuti Narain Rai]] [[Indian Police Service]] officer and an eminent writer
*[[Acharya Kuber Nath Rai]] Scholar of [[Hindi]] and [[Sanskrit]]
*[[Viveki Rai]] famous writer in [[Hindi]] and [[Bhojpuri]]
*[[Abhayanand]] Present [[Director General of Police]], [[Government of Bihar]]
*[[Sri Krishna Rai Hridyesh]],Prominent literary figure of Hindi.
*[[Mridula Sinha]] - female writer in [[Hindi Literature]]
*[[Pankaj Rag]] - [[Poet]], writer, [[Historian]], [[Archaeologist]], and [[Indian Administrative Service]] officer
*[[Dushyant Kumar]] - Great Hindi Writer
*[[J. K. Sinha]] former [[Director General of Police]] of [[Central Reserve Police Force]]
*[[Vijendra Narayan Singh]] Hindi writer and [[critic]]
*[[Dr. Madhusudan Mishra]] Sanskrit scholar and professor of [[Linguistics]]; http://www.indusscript.com/author.html
*[[Acharya Shiv Balak Rai]] Sanskrit scholar, [[Ramayana]] scholar, Hindi Literature
*[[Baleshwar Rai]] [[Indian Administrative Service]] official
*[[Dhananjay Singh]] [[Executive Director, National HRD Network]]
* Air Marshal(Retd) Bejoy Kumar Pandey, Former Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Training Command,Indian Air Force.A living legend , a scholar of his service and a staunch Indian.
*[[Avinash Rai]] [[ From Nallasopara]]


===Freedom fighters===
===Freedom fighters===
*[[Yogendra Shukla]]
* [[Sri Krishna Sinha]] - First [[Chief Minister of Bihar]].
*Shaheed [[Baikuntha Shukla]]
*[[Basawon Singh (Sinha)]]
*[[Raj Kumar Shukla]]
*[[Pandit Yadunandan (Jadunandan) Sharma]]
*[[Yamuna Karjee|Pandit Yamuna Karjee]]
*[[Ramdhari Singh Dinkar]]-Freedom Fighter
*[[Gauri Shankar Rai]]-Freedom Fighter, participated in [[Quit India Movement]].
*[[Indradeep Sinha]]- Freedom Fighter
*[[Ganga Sharan Singh (Sinha)]]-nationalist, freedom fighter and litterateur,MP
*[[Karyanand Sharma|Pandit Karyanand Sharma]]- nationalist and peasant leader who led movements against [[zamindars]] and [[British people|British]].
*[[Sri Krishna Sinha]] - First [[Chief Minister of Bihar]].
*[[Mangal Pandey]]
*[[Mangal Pandey]]


===Administrators===
===Administrators===
*[[Sir Ganesh Dutt]]
*Sir [[Ganesh Dutt]]
*Sir [[Chandeshwar Prasad Narayan Singh]]
*[[Lalit Mohan Sharma]]- 24th [[Chief Justice of India]],S/O-[[L.N. Sinha]]..
*[[Lalit Mohan Sharma]]- 24th [[Chief Justice of India]],S/O-[[L.N. Sinha]]..
*[[L.N. Sinha]]- former [[Attorney General of India]] and He was also the [[Solicitor General of India]] from 17 July 1972 until 5 April 1977
*[[L.N. Sinha]]- former [[Attorney General of India]] and He was also the [[Solicitor General of India]] from 17 July 1972 until 5 April 1977
*[[Arvind Kumar Sharma]]-Current [[Principal Secretary To Chief Minister Gujarat]]


===Monarchs and zamindars===
===Monarchs and zamindars===

*Maharajadhiraj-[[Prabhu Narayan Singh| Prabhu Narayan Singh Sahib Bahadur]],Maharaja of Benaras & Moving force behind Benaras Hindu Vishwavidyalaya(BHU).He donated 1,300 acres (5.3 km2)of land in the heart of Benaras.
*[[Vibhuti Narayan Singh]],Maharaja of Benaras,Custodian of [[Kashi Viswanath Temple]]-Most Important Hindu Shrine in the world.
*[[Vibhuti Narayan Singh]],Maharaja of Benaras,Custodian of [[Kashi Viswanath Temple]]-Most Important Hindu Shrine in the world.
*[[Maharaja Sir Harendra Kishore Singh]]-was the last ruler of [[Bettiah Raj]].
*[[Maharaja Sir Harendra Kishore Singh]]-was the last ruler of [[Bettiah Raj]].
*[[Tekari Raj]] [[Gaya district|Gaya]]-Bihar
*[[Tekari Raj]]-[[Gaya district|Gaya]]-Bihar

===Music===
*[[Girija Devi]] - [[Indian Classical Music]]ian
*[[Sharda Sinha]] - folk singer, film music, [[Padma Shri]] awardee

===Entertainment, sports and films===

*[[Sandali Sinha]]- [[Bollywood]] actress
*[[Gurmeet Chaudhary]]-TV Actor,A native of Jairampur ([[Bhagalpur]])
*[[Shilpa Shukla]]
*[[Neha Sharma]]
*[[Sudeep Tyagi]]-Indian International Cricketer.


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Kingdom of Kashi]]- an independent [[Bhumihar Brahmin]] state until 1994.
*[[Kingdom of Kashi]]- an independent [[Bhumihar Brahmin]] state until 1994.
*[[Royal House of Benares]]- was the ruling [[Bhumihar Brahmin]] family of [[Benares]]
*[[Royal House of Benares]]- was the ruling [[Bhumihar Brahmin]] family of [[Benares]]
*[[Kanyakubja Brahmins]]
*[[Jujhautiya Brahmin]]s
*[[Jujhautiya Brahmin]]s
*[[Sangli State]]
*[[Sangli State]]
*[[Jhansi]]
*[[Jhansi]]
*[[Iyers]]
*[[Iyers]]
*[[Hathwa Raj]]
*[[Bettiah Raj]]
*[[Tekari Raj]]
*[[Tyagi]]
*[[Mohyal]]


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist|2}}


===Further reading===
===Citations===
{{Reflist|2}}
*{{cite book |first=N. L. |last=Gupta |title=Transition from capitalism to socialism, and other essays
|publisher=Kalamkar Prakashan |year=1975 |asin=B0000E7XZP }}
*{{cite book |first=Ranajit |last=Guha |authorlink=Ranajit Guha |title=A Subaltern studies reader, 1986–1995 |publisher=South Asia Books |year=2000 (2nd edition) |isbn=978-0-19-565230-7 }}
*{{cite book |first=R. K. |last=Maitra |authorlink=R. K. Maitra |title=Indian Studies: past & present |year=1959 |asin=B0000CRX5I }}
*{{cite book |first=R. S.|last=Sharma |authorlink=Ram Sharan Sharma |title=Rethinking India's Past
|publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-19-569787-2}}
*{{cite book |first=Bindeshwar |last=Ram |title=Land and society in India: agrarian relations in colonial North Bihar |publisher=Orient Blackswan |year=1998 |isbn=978-81-250-0643-5}}
*{{cite book |first=Ranganath Ramachandra |last=Diwakar |title=Bihar through the ages |publisher=Orient Longman |year=1959}}
*{{cite book|first=Swami Sahajanand|last=Saraswati|authorlink=Swami Sahajanand Saraswati|title=Swami Sahajanand Saraswati Rachnawali in Six volumes |volume=1 |page=518, Parishist by Acharya Tarineesh Jha, 515–519)|publisher=Prakashan Sansthan|year=2003}}
*{{cite book |first=Anand A. |last=Yang |title=Bazaar India: Markets, Society, and the Colonial State in Bihar |publisher=University of California Press |year=1999 |isbn=978-0-520-21100-1 |page=139 |url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=D5lQutvzAp4C&pg=PA139}}
*{{cite book |first=Christopher Alan |last=Bayly |authorlink=Christopher Alan Bayly |title=Recovering Liberties: Indian Thought in the Age of Liberalism and Empire (Ideas in Context) |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2011 |isbn=978-1-10-760147-5}}
*{{cite book |first=Gautam |last=Bhadra |authorlink=Gautam Bhadra |title=Subaltern Studies: Writings on South Asian History and Society |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-19-565125-6}}
*{{cite journal |last=Sinha |first=Gopal Sharan |coauthors=Ramesh Chandra Sinha |date=September 1967 |title=Exploration in Caste Stereotypes |jstor=2575319 |journal=Social Forces |volume=46 |issue=1 |pages=42–47 |publisher=University of North Carolina Press}}
*{{cite book|first=Seema |last=Alavi |authorlink=Seema Alavi |title=The Eighteenth Century in India |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-19-569201-3 }}
*{{cite book|first=Gautam|last=Chatterjee|authorlink=Gautam Chatterjee|title=Sacred Hindu Symbols|publisher=Abhinav Publications|year=2003|isbn=978-81-7017-397-7}}
*{{cite book |first=Sarvepalli |last=Radhakrishnan |authorlink=Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan |title=The Hindu View of Life |publisher=Harper Collins |year=2009 |isbn=978-81-7223-845-2|page=81}}
*{{cite book |first=Judith Margaret |last=Brown |authorlink=Judith M. Brown|title=Gandhi's Rise to Power, Indian Politics 1915–1922: Indian Politics 1915–1922|publisher=Cambridge University Press Archive |location=New Delhi |year=1972 |isbn=978-0-521-09873-1|page=384}}
*{{cite book |first=Ralph W. |last=Nicholas |title=Fruits of worship: practical religion in Bengal
|publisher=Orient Blackswan |year=2003 |isbn=978-81-8028-006-1}}
*{{cite book |first=Susan |last=Bayly |title=Caste, Society and Politics in India from the Eighteenth Century to the Modern Age |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2001 |isbn=978-0-521-79842-6 |page=203}}
*{{cite book |first=Robert A. Bickers |last=R. G. Tiedemann |title=The Boxers, China, and the World |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-7425-5395-8 |page=63}}
*{{cite book|first= C. A. |last= Bayly |authorlink= Christopher Alan Bayly |title=Rulers, Townsmen and Bazaars: North Indian Society in the Age of British Expansion, 1770–1870 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=1988 |isbn=978-0-521-31054-3 |page=18 |url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=xfo3AAAAIAAJ&lpg=PP1&dq=isbn%3A9780521310543&pg=PA18}}


===Bibliography===
* [[Pandurang Vaman Kane]], ''History of Dharmasastra (P.V. Kane)|History of Dharmasastra'', Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute.
* ''[[Swami Sahajanand Saraswati]] Rachnawali'' (Selected works of Swami Sahajanand Saraswati), Prakashan Sansthan, [[Delhi]], 2003.
* Govind Prasad Upadhyay, Brahmanas in Ancient India: A Study in the Roles of the Brahmana Class from 200 BC to AD 500, Motilal Banarsidass, New Delhi (1979).
* [[Baldev Upadhyaya]], Kashi Ki Panditya Parampara, Sharda Sansthan, [[Varanasi]], 1985.
* Rajbali Pandey, Hindu Samskaras: Socio-Religious Study of the Hindu Sacraments, Motilal Banarsidass, New Delhi (2006).
* [[Radha Kumud Mukherjee]], Ancient Indian Education: Brahmanical and Buddhist, Motilal Banarsidass, New Delhi (2011).
* ''Kautilya Arthashastra,'' R. P. Kangle, tr. 3 vols. Laurier Books, [[Motilal Banarsidass]], New Delhi (1997) ISBN 81-208-0042-7.
* Olivelle, Patrick (2005). Manu's Code of Law: A Critical Edition and Translation of the Mānava-Dharmaśāstra. Oxford: [[Oxford University Press]]. ISBN 0-19-517146-2.
* [[M. N. Srinivas]], Social Change in Modern India, Orient Longman, Delhi, 1995.
* Translation of [[Manusmṛti]] by G. Bühler (1886). Sacred Books of the East: The Laws of Manu (Vol. XXV). Oxford. Available online as The Laws of Manu
* [[Pandurang Vaman Kane]], ''[[History of Dharmasastra (P.V. Kane)|History of Dharmasastra]]'', [[Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute]].
* [[Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan]], ''The Hindu View of Life'', [[Harper Collins]], 2009 (first published 1926).
* Govind Prasad Upadhyay, Brahmanas in Ancient India: A Study in the Roles of the Brahmana Class from 200 BC to AD 500, [[Motilal Banarsidass]], New Delhi (1979).
* Rajbali Pandey, Hindu Samskaras: Socio-Religious Study of the Hindu Sacraments, [[Motilal Banarsidass]], New Delhi (2006).
* [[Radha Kumud Mukherjee]], Ancient Indian Education: Brahmanical and Buddhist, [[Motilal Banarsidass]], New Delhi (2011).
* [[Christopher Alan Bayly]], Rulers, Townsmen, and Bazaars: North Indian Society in the Age of British Expansion, 1770–1870, [[Cambridge University Press]], 1983.
* Anand A. Yang, Bazaar India: Markets, Society, and the Colonial State in Bihar, [[University of California Press]], 1999.
* Anand A. Yang, The Limited Raj: Agrarian Relations in Colonial India, Saran District, 1793-1920, [[University of California Press]], 1989.
* Peter Robb, Peasants, Political Economy, and Law, [[Oxford University Press]], 2007.
* Seema Alavi, The Eighteenth Century in India, [[Oxford University Press]], 2007.
* Acharya [[Hazari Prasad Dwivedi]] Rachnawali, Rajkamal Prakashan, [[Delhi]].
* Bibha Jha's PhD thesis ''Bhumihar Brahmins: A Sociological Study'' submitted to the [[Patna University]].
* [[Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi]] Rachnavali, I to VII volumes, Kitabghar Prakashan, [[New Delhi]].
* [[Mahapandit Rahul Sankrityayan]], [[Meri Jeevan Yatra]], Radhakrishna Prakashan (reprint), [[New Delhi]].
* [[Arvind Narayan Das]], Agrarian movements in India: studies on 20th century Bihar (Library of Peasant Studies), Routledge, London, 1982.
* [[M. N. Srinivas]], Social Change in Modern India, [[Orient Longman]], [[Delhi]], 1995.
* [[Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay]], [[Aranyak]], (translated by [[Hans Kumar Tiwari]]), [[Delhi]], [[Sahitya Akademi]].
* [[Ganganath Jha|Sir Ganganath Jha]], [[Manusmṛti]] with the 'Manubhasya' of [[Medhātithi]] in 10 volumes, [[Motilal Banarsidass]], New Delhi (1999).


[[Category:Indo-Aryan peoples]]
[[Category:Indo-Aryan peoples]]
[[Category:Brahmins]]
[[Category:Indian castes]]
[[Category:Social groups of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Social groups of Bihar]]
[[Category:Social groups of Bihar]]
[[Category:Hindu communities]]
[[Category:Hindu communities]]
[[Category:Brahmin communities]]
[[Category:Brahmin communities of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Brahmin communities of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Social groups of Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:Social groups of Madhya Pradesh]]

Revision as of 18:08, 6 February 2014

Bhumihar
Total population
6 % of Bihari population[1] plus significant population in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and West Bengal
Languages
Hindi, Bhojpuri, Magadhi, Maithili, Angika, Vajjika, Bundeli[2]
Religion
Hinduism
Related ethnic groups
Kanyakubja Brahmins, Jujhautiya Brahmins, Saryupareen Brahmins
Commonly called Babhan

Bhumihar Brahmin or Babhan or Brahmarshis is a Hindu Brahmin community mainly found in the Indian states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bengal, Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh and Nepal.[2][3][4][5]

Varna status

The Bhumihars are classified in the Brahmin varna of the Indian caste system and traditionally are landowners.[6][7] Their land has been acquired at different times through grants by kings or during the rule of Brahmin kings.[6][8][9][10] In ancient times, the Brahmin Empires like Sunga Empire and Kanva dynasty are believed to be the historical ancestors of present day Bhumihar Brahmins.[6][8][9][10][11]

The Kanyakubja Mahati Sabha, an association of Kanyakubja Brahmins, determined at its 19th and 20th national conventions in 1926 and 1927 that the Bhumihars are among the Kanyakubja Brahmin communities, which also include the Pahadi, Jujhoutia,, Chattisgarhi, Bhumihar and various Bengali Brahmins.[11]

"Kanyakubj Vanshavali" mentions five branches of Kanyakubja Brahmins as Saryupareen, Sanadhya, Bhumihar, Jujhautiya and Prakrit Kanaujia:

Saryupareen Sanadhyascha Bhumiharo Jijhoutayah
Prakritashcha Iti Panchabhedastasya Prakartitah

[12]

First modern Indologist of Indian origin, and a key figure in the Bengal Renaissance, Rajendralal Mitra writes about the five branches of Kanyakubja Brahmins as Saryupareen, Sanadhya, Bhumihar, Jujhoutia and Prakrit Kanaujia or Kanyakubj proper.[13] In Kanyakubj Vanshavalis (360 on record), it is mentioned that Kashyap gotra Bhumihar Brahmins are ancestors of Kashyap gotra Kanyakubja Brahmins, making Kashyap gotriya Sanadhya Brahmins also as descendents of Kashyap gotriya Bhumihar Brahmins.[14] Threfore, it is merely a difference in profession between Kanyakubja proper and Bhumihar Brahmins where they kept converting from Ajachak (Bhumihar) to Jachak(Kanyakubja) and from Jachak(Kanyakubja) to Ajachak(Bhumihar) depending on the times which shows the jivikartha karma of Brahmins.[15]

Bhumihars have been the traditional priests in Prayag, at Vishnupad Mandir in Gaya as Gayawar Pandas and in the adjoining districts like Hazaribagh.[2] The Kingdom of Kashi belonged to Bhumihar Brahmins and big zamindari like Bettiah Raj, Hathwa Raj, Pandooi Raj and Tekari Raj, Sheohar Raj, Ram Nagar belonged to them. Bhumihars were well respected Brahmins in the courts of Dumraon Maharaj, King of Nepal and Raj Darbhanga.[2] Some Mohyal Brahmins migrated eastward and are believed to constitute some sub-divisions of Bhumihars.There is also a significant migrant population of Bhumihars in Mauritius,[16] Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and others.

Bhumihars are commonly called Babhans and also Western Brahmins some times[17][18][19] which is the Pali word for Brahmins[20][21] and is used to refer to Brahmins in Buddhist sources.[21][22]

Origin and history

Mythology

Parshurama, 6th Avatar of Vishnu

When Parashurama destroyed the Kshatriya race, and he set up in their place the descendants of Brahmins, who, after a time, having mostly abandoned their priestly functions, took to land-owning (Zamindari) or became kings.[13][23][24] Lord Parashurama was the first Bhumihar.[13][23][24] The ancestor of Dronwar Bhumihar Brahmins is Guru Dronacharya and that of Kashi Naresh is Gautama Maharishi.[13][25]

Etymology

The literal meaning of Bhumihar is Bhumi – "Land", kara or hara – "maker" in Sanskrit.[25] In the language of the Indian feudal system, Bhum is the name given to a kind of tenure similar to the Inams and Jagirs of Mohammedan times.[25] By a Bhum, according to the Rajputana gazetteer, a hereditary, non-resumable and inalienable property in the soil was inseparably bound up with the revenue-free title.[25] The meaning of the designation Bhumihar being as stated above, the Bhumihar Brahmins are evidently those Brahmins who held grants of land for secular services.[25] Bhum was given as compensation for bloodshed in order to quell a feud for distinguished services in the field, for protection of services in the field, for protection of a border, or for the watch and ward of a village.[25]

History

By the 16th century, Bhumihars known as "karm kandi pandit" controlled vast stretches of territory, particularly in North Bihar.[26] In South Bihar, their most prominent representative was the Tekari family, whose large estate in Gaya dates back to the early 18th century.[26] With the decline of Mughal Empire, in the area of south of Avadh, in the fertile rive-rain rice growing areas of Benares, Gorakhpur, Deoria, Ghazipur, Ballia and Bihar and on the fringes of Bengal, it was the 'military' or Bhumihar Brahmins who strengthened their sway.[27] The distinctive 'caste' identity of Bhumihar Brahman emerged largely through military service, and then confirmed by the forms of continuous 'social spending' which defined a man and his kin as superior and lordly.[28] In 19th century, many of the Bhumihar Brahmins were zamindars. Of the 67000 Hindus in the Bengal Army in 1842, 28000 were identified as Rajputs and 25000 as Brahmins, a category that included Bhumihar Brahmins.[29] The Brahmin presence in the Bengal Army was reduced in the late 19th century because of their perceived primary role as mutineers in the Mutiny of 1857,[29] led by Mangal Pandey.

Some Bhumihars had settled in Chandipur, Murshidabad, Bardhaman during late 19th and early 20th centuries where they are at the top of the social hierarchy.[30] Pandit Jogendra Nath Bhattacharya in his book Hindu Castes and Sects published in 1896, went on to write about the origin of Bhumihar Brahmins of Bihar and Banaras[23] 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 meaning of the designation Bhumihar being as stated above, the Bhumihar Brahmans are evidently these Brahmans who held grants of land for secular service. Whoever held a secular fief was Bhumihar. Where a Brahman held such a tenure, he was called a Bhumihar Brahman....Bhumihar Brahmans are sometimes called simply Bhumihars..."

They perform all their religious ceremonies in the same manner as other Brahmins, but as they also practice secular occupations like the Laukik Brahmans of Southern India, they are not entitled to accept religious gifts or to minister to anyone as priest. The usual surnames/titles of the Bhumihar Brahmins are same as those of other Brahmins of Northern India. Being a fighter by caste few of them have Rajputana surnames/titles.[11][25] The general editor of the book "People of India (Bihar and Jharkhand)", published by Anthropological Survey of India (ASI), and noted academician-bureaucrat, the late Kumar Suresh Singh, said that the surname Singh, which used to denote connection with power and authority, was used in Bihar by Brahmin zamindars, like the surname "Khan" in Muslims.[31]

Before independence, it was the custom of the Bhumihar Brahmins to stage an elaborate Kālī puja, during which annual payments were made to servants and gifts of cloth were distributed to dependents, both Hindu and Muslim.[30]

M. A. Sherring in his book Hindu Tribes and Castes as Reproduced in Benaras[32] published in 1872, mentions, "Great important distinctions subsist between the various tribes of Brahmins. Some are given to learning, some to agriculture, some to politics and some to trades. The Maharashtra Brahmin is very different being from the Bengali, while the Kanaujia (Kanyakubja Brahmins) differs from both. Only those Brahmins who perform all six duties are reckoned perfectly orthodox. Some perform three of them, namely, the first, third and fifth and omit the other three. Hence Brahmins are divided into two kinds, the Shat-karmas and the tri-karmas or those who perform only three. The Bhumihar Brahmins for instance are tri-karmas, and merely pay heed to three duties.

Bhumihars were referred to as "Military Brahmin" by Francis Buchanan and as "Magadh Brahmin" by William Adam in 1883.[33] William Crooke in his book, Tribes and Castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh,[34] 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.

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.[35] Some Bhumihar Brahmins are also known for their secular and unorthodox practices, where some of them are also descendants of Husseini Brahminss.[36] On the social scale, although the Bhumihars are known to be Brahmins, on account of the fact that they were cultivators they were not given the ritual status of Brahmins.[37] Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who came from a Niyogi Brahmin community who are just like the Bhumihar Brahmins and are called Laukik or Ajachak Brahmins attests in his Hindu View of Life to the fact of "The Rishis of yore were agriculturists and sometimes warriors too".[38]

Siyaram Tiwari, the former dean at Visva Bharati University, stated that the Bhumihars are "landed Brahmins who stopped taking alms and performing pujas and rituals", These are Tyagis of Western UP, Zamindar Bengali Brahmins, Niyogi Brahmins of Andhra Pradesh, Nambudiri Brahmin and Ezhavathy Brahmins of Kerala, Chitpavans of Maharashtra, Anavil Desais of Gujarat and Mohyals of Punjab.[1] Bhumihars are classified in the Brahmin varna in Hinduism and hence use the designation Bhumihar Brahmin.[7]

Acharya Tarineesh Jha, himself a Maithil Brahmin scholar has attested how from ancient times to modern all great Brahmin scholars like Maithili Manishi Mahamahopadhyay Chitradhar Mishra, Mahamahopadhyay Balkrishna Mishra; Saryupareen Brahmin scholars Mahamahopadhyay Dwivedi, Mahamahopadhyay Shivkumar Shastri, Hazari Prasad Dwivedi; Kanyakubja Brahmins scholars Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi, Pandit Laxminarayan Dixit Shastri, Pandit Venkatesh Narayan Tiwari and others have mentioned about Bhumihar Brahmins as their fellow Brahmin brothers.[39]

They are also called Ajachak Brahmans, i.e., Brahmans who do not take alms (jachak) in contrast to the ordinary Brahmans who are Jachaks or almstakers[40] but there are still some who traditionally take alms as in Gaya and Hazaribagh.[41] Like fellow Brahmans, they did not use to hold the plough, but employed labourers for the purpose.[40]

Social organisation

The census returns give no less than four hundred and fifty-eight sections: but here the territorial sections and the Brahminical gotras are mixed up together.[34] The most important local sections are the Gautama, and Kolaha in Banaras; the Gautama in Mirzapur; Bhriguvanshi, Donwar, Gautama, Kinwar, Kistwar, Sakarwar, Sonwar, in Ghazipur; Bhagata, Kinwar, Benwar, of Ballia; the Baghochhiya, Baksaria, Gautama, Kaushik and Sakarwar (Sankritya) of Gorakhpur; the Barasi, Birhariya of Basti; and the Barwar, Bharadwaj, Parashar of Siwan, Denwar, Gargbans, Gautama, Purvar, Sakarwar, and Shandilya of Azamgarh.[34] On the Jijhoutia clan of Bhumihar Brahmins, William Crooke writes, "A branch of the Kanaujia Brahmins (Kanyakubja Brahmins) who take their name from the country of Jajakshuku, which is mentioned in the Madanpur inscription."[34]

Domestic ceremonies and religious beliefs

The Bhumihar Brahmins follow in every respect the standard Brahminical rules.[34] They are usually Shaivas and Shaktas.[34] There are also Vaishnavas, following the Tatvavada school of Madhavacharya.[42] Bhumihar Brahmins, like all other Brahmins are endogamous, but marital relations are known to exist since ancient times between Bhumihar Brahmins and Maithil Brahmins in Tirhut and Mithila and between Bhumihar Brahmins and Kanyakubja Brahmins in Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh where Kanchanwar and Jihoutia clan of Bhumihar Brahmins live.[41] Bhumihar Brahmin men of Purnea took to Maithil Brahmin wives in Purnea and married their daughters to Bhumihar Brahmin/Babhan men.[43][44]

Common titles and last names

Common titles of Bhumihar Brahmins are Pandey, Shukla, Mishra, Ojha, Yajee, Karjee, Dwivedi, Sharma, Tiwari, Tripathi, Upadhyay but Awasthi, Dixit, Malviya and Jha are known to exist.[41] However, due to their profession of kings and landholders a lot of Bhumihar Brahmins use Rai, Singh, and Shahi in Uttar Pradesh and Kunwar, Thakur, Chaudhary, and Singh in Bihar, and Pradhan in Jharkhand.[41] Some Singh converted and anglicised their surnames to Sinha[41][45]

Political and social movements

Bhumihars are considered a politically volatile community.[46][47] Bhumihar Brahmins in Champaran had revolted against indigo cultivation in 1914 (at Pipra) and 1916 (Turkaulia) and Pandit Raj Kumar Shukla took Mahatma Gandhi to Champaran and the Champaran Satyagraha began.[48] Sri Krishna Sinha, born into a Bhumihar Brahmin family is considered the architect of modern Bihar.[49] Barring the war years, Shri Babu (Sri Krishna Sinha was Chief Minister of Bihar from the time of the first Congress Ministry in 1937 until his death in 1961.[50] He led Dalit’s entry into the Baidyanath Dham temple (Vaidyanath Temple, Deoghar), reflecting his commitment to the upliftment and social empowerment of dalits.[1] He was the first Chief Minister in the country to abolish the zamindari system.[51]

The community has produced stalwarts like Sir Ganesh Dutt, lone minister representing pre-independence interim government from the then united Bihar and Orissa province, and Ram Dayalu Singh, the first Speaker of Bihar legislative assembly.[1]

Bhumihars had made their presence felt in the politics right from freedom movement with patriots like Yogendra Shukla and Kishori Prasanna Sinha, both aides of martyr Bhagat Singh.[1]

Nationalist, trade unionist, and the first leader of opposition in Bihar Basawon Singh (Sinha), the stalwart Communist leader Pandit Karyanand Sharma and the biggest Jan Sangh leader from the state Kailashpati Mishra were all Bhumihar Brahmins.

Some notable Bhumihar Brahmin personalities

Scholars, writers and government agency

File:Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar'.JPG
Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar'
File:Ramvriksh Benipuri.JPG
Ramvriksh Benipuri

Freedom fighters

Administrators

Monarchs and zamindars

Music

Entertainment, sports and films

See also

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e Arun Kumar (25 January 2005). "Bhumihars rooted to the ground in caste politics". The Times of India. Retrieved 5 April 2008. Cite error: The named reference "Kumar05" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c d Saraswati, Swami Sahajanand (2003). Swami Sahajanand Saraswati Rachnawali in Six volumes (in Volume 1). Delhi: Prakashan Sansthan. pp. 519 (Volume 1). ISBN 81-7714-097-3.
  3. ^ brahmins&source=web&ots=kLOP8kwdM9&sig=_4yvZVdWr4h39GGZzf7J3lBzSr8&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=3&ct=result Political Economy and Class Contradictions: A Study – Jose J. Nedumpara – Google Books. Books.google.co.in. Retrieved 12 July 2012. {{cite book}}: Check |url= value (help)
  4. ^ brahmins&source=web&ots=7TINMkUJQm&sig=GkEawD6rwxQciCfSGDH4vZeZFsk&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result Land and Society in India: Agrarian Relations in Colonial North Bihar – Bindeshwar Ram – Google Books. Books.google.co.in. Retrieved 12 July 2012. {{cite book}}: Check |url= value (help)
  5. ^ "Social justice and new challenges". Flonnet.com. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  6. ^ a b c Bayly, Christopher Alan (2011). Recovering Liberties: Indian Thought in the Age of Liberalism and Empire (Ideas in Context). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-10-760147-5.
  7. ^ a b Sinha, Gopal Sharan (September 1967). "Exploration in Caste Stereotypes". Social Forces. 46 (1). University of North Carolina Press: 42–47. JSTOR 2575319. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help) Cite error: The named reference "Sinha67" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b Bhadra, Gautam (2008). Subaltern Studies: Writings on South Asian History and Society. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-565125-6.
  9. ^ a b Alavi, Seema (2007). The Eighteenth Century in India. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-569201-3.
  10. ^ a b Robb, Peter (2006). Empire, Identity, and India: Peasants, Political Economy, and Law. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-568160-4.
  11. ^ a b c Saraswati, Swami Sahajanand (2003). Swami Sahajanand Saraswati Rachnawali in Six volumes (in Volume 1). Delhi: Prakashan Sansthan. pp. 519 (at p 68–69) (Volume 1). ISBN 81-7714-097-3.
  12. ^ Saraswati, Swami Sahajanand (2003). Swami Sahajanand Saraswati Rachnawali in Six volumes (in Volume 1 at p. 518, Parishist by Acharya Tarineesh Jha, 515–519). Prakashan Sansthan.
  13. ^ a b c d Saraswati, Swami Sahajanand (2003). Swami Sahajanand Saraswati Rachnawali in Six volumes (in Volume 1 at p. 518, Parishist by Acharya Tarineesh Jha, 515–519). Prakashan Sansthan. ISBN 81-7714-097-3.
  14. ^ Saraswati, Swami Sahajanand (2003). Swami Sahajanand Saraswati Rachnawali in Six volumes (in Volume 1). Delhi: Prakashan Sansthan. pp. 519 (at p 281 to 298) (Volume 1). ISBN 81-7714-097-3.
  15. ^ Saraswati, Swami Sahajanand (2003). Swami Sahajanand Saraswati Rachnawali in Six volumes (in Volume 1). Delhi: Prakashan Sansthan. pp. 519 (at p 281–298) (Volume 1). ISBN 81-7714-097-3.
  16. ^ Thapan (ed.), Meenakshi (2005). Transnational Migration and the Politics of Identity. SAGE. p. 320. ISBN 978-0-7619-3425-7. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  17. ^ Sharma, R.S. (2009). Rethinking India's Past. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-569787-2.
  18. ^ Ram, Bindeshwar (1998). Land and society in India: agrarian relations in colonial North Bihar. Orient Blackswan. ISBN 978-81-250-0643-5.
  19. ^ Diwakar, Ranganath Ramachandra (1959). Bihar through the ages. Orient Longman.
  20. ^ Gupta, N. L. (1975). Transition from capitalism to socialism, and other essays. Kalamkar Prakashan. ASIN B0000E7XZP.
  21. ^ a b Guha, Ranajit (2000 (2nd edition)). A Subaltern studies reader, 1986–1995. South Asia Books. ISBN 978-0-19-565230-7. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)
  22. ^ Maitra, R. K. (1959). Indian Studies: past & present. ASIN B0000CRX5I.
  23. ^ a b c Jogendra Nath Bhattacharya (1896). Hindu Castes and Sects: AN Exposition of the Origin of the Hindu Caste System. p. 109.
  24. ^ a b Crooke, William (1999). The Tribes and Castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh. 6A, Shahpur Jat, New Delhi-110049, India: Asian Educational Services. pp. 1809 (at page 64). ISBN 81-206-1210-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  25. ^ a b c d e f g Sinha, Sushil Kumar cost (2005). The Bhumihars: Caste of Eastern India. 4855/24, Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi-110002, India: Raj Publications. pp. 200(at page 30). ISBN 81-86208-37-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  26. ^ a b Yang, Anand A. (1999). Bazaar India: Markets, Society, and the Colonial State in Bihar. University of California Press. p. 139. ISBN 978-0-520-21100-1.
  27. ^ Bayly, C.A. (1988). Rulers, Townsmen and Bazaars: North Indian Society in the Age of British Expansion, 1770–1870. Cambridge University Press. pp. 504 (at p 18). ISBN 978-0-521-31054-3.
  28. ^ Bayly, Susan (2001). Caste, Society and Politics in India from the Eighteenth Century to the Modern Age. Cambridge University Press. p. 440 (at p 203). ISBN 978-0-521-79842-6.
  29. ^ a b R. G. Tiedemann, Robert A. Bickers (2007). The Boxers, China, and the World. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 231 (at p 63). ISBN 978-0-7425-5395-8.
  30. ^ a b Nicholas, Ralph W. (2003). Fruits of worship: practical religion in Bengal. Orient Blackswan. pp. 248 (at p 35). ISBN 978-81-8028-006-1.
  31. ^ "Using surnames to conceal identity". The Times of India. 21 February 2009. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  32. ^ Sherring, M.A. (First ed 1872, new ed 2008). Hindu Tribes and Castes as Reproduced in Benaras. 6A, Shahpur Jat, New Delhi-110049, India: Asian Educational Services. ISBN 978-81-206-2036-0. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: location (link)
  33. ^ Pranava K Chaudhary (3 March 2003). "Rishis, Maharshis, Brahmarshis..." The Times of India. Retrieved 25 March 2008.
  34. ^ a b c d e f Crooke, William (1999). The Tribes and Castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh. Vol. 4. 6A, Shahpur Jat, New Delhi-110049, India: Asian Educational Services. ISBN 81-206-1210-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  35. ^ Saraswati, Swami Sahajanand (2003). Swami Sahajanand Saraswati Rachnawali in Six volumes(Brahmarshi Vansha Vistar in Volume 1). Delhi: Prakashan Sansthan. pp. 153–519 (Volume 1). ISBN 81-7714-097-3.
  36. ^ Ahmad, Faizan (21 January 2008). "Hindus participate in Muharram". The Times of India. Retrieved 5 April 2008.
  37. ^ Das, A.N. (1 September 1982). Agrarian Movements in India: Studies on 20th Century Bihar. Routledge. pp. 152 (at p 51). ISBN 978-0-7146-3216-2.
  38. ^ Radhakrishnan, Sarvepalli (2009). The Hindu View of Life. Harper Collins. pp. 95 (at p 81). ISBN 978-81-7223-845-2.
  39. ^ Saraswati, Swami Sahajanand (2003). Swami Sahajanand Saraswati Rachnawali in Six volumes(Brahmarshi Vansha Vistar in Volume 1). Delhi: Prakashan Sansthan. pp. 153–519 at pg. 515–19(Volume 1) Parishisht by Acharya Tarineesh Jha. ISBN 81-7714-097-3.
  40. ^ a b O'malley, L.S.S. (2007). Bengal District Gazetteer: Gaya. Concept Publishing Company. pp. 504 (at p 18). ISBN 978-81-7268-137-1.
  41. ^ a b c d e Saraswati, Swami Sahajanand (2003). Swami Sahajanand Saraswati Rachnawali in Six volumes(Brahmarshi Vansha Vistar in Volume 1). Delhi: Prakashan Sansthan. pp. 153–519. ISBN 81-7714-097-3.
  42. ^ Chatterjee, Gautam (2003). Sacred Hindu Symbols. Abhinav Publications. ISBN 978-81-7017-397-7.
  43. ^ Administration, District (1915). Purnea District Gazetteer, B Volume: Statistics, 1900–1901 to 1910–1911. Pūrnia (British India: District).
  44. ^ Roy Choudhury, Pranab Chandra (1965). Bihar District Gazetteers. Printed by the Superintendent, Secretariat Press, Bihar.
  45. ^ "Using surnames to conceal identity". The Times of India. 21 February 2009. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  46. ^ Abhay Singh (6 July 2004). "BJP, Cong eye Bhumihars as Rabri drops ministers". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 March 2008.
  47. ^ These days, their poster boys are goons. Asia Africa Intelligence Wire. 16 March 2004
  48. ^ Brown, Judith Margaret (1972). Gandhi's Rise to Power, Indian Politics 1915–1922: Indian Politics 1915–1922. New Delhi: Cambridge University Press Archive. p. 384. ISBN 978-0-521-09873-1.
  49. ^ Dipak Mishra (29 September 2004). "Parties 'use' Legendary names as caste icons". The Times of India. India. Retrieved 5 April 2008.
  50. ^ Walter Hauser (February, 1997). "Changing images of caste and politics". Retrieved 8 April 2008. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  51. ^ Abhay Singh (6 July 2004). "BJP, Cong eye Bhumihars as Rabri drops ministers". The Times of India. India. Retrieved 21 March 2008.

Bibliography

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