Bhumihar

Bhumihar Brahmin or simply Bhumihar or Bhuinhar is a caste mainly found in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.The Bhumihars are often classified in the Brahmin varna in Hinduism (hence using the designation Bhumihar Brahmin or Babhan,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
issn = 0037-7732
doi = 10.2307/2575319 ] but some other communities dispute this claim, and do not regard them as Brahmins. [ name="JNB_Castes_1869">cite book
first = Jogendra Nath
last = Bhattacharya
title = Hindu Castes and Sects: An Exposition of the Origin of the Hindu Caste
publisher = Editions Indian
location = Calcutta
origyear = 1869
year = 1968
oclc = 115388
pages = 87] cite book
first = Robert Montgomery
last = Martin
title = The History, Antiquities, Topography, and Statistics of Eastern India
publisher = W. H. Allen and Co.
location = London
origyear = 1838
oclc = 6957973
pages = 453]

Origin and history

Mythology

One story of their origin is that when Parashuram destroyed the Kshatriya race, he set up in their place the descendants of Brahmins, who, after a time, having abandoned their priestly functions, took to land-owning. [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 = 8120612108]

History

By the sixteenth century, Bhumihar Brahmins controlled vast stretches of territory, particularly in North Bihar. [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 = 978-0520211001
page = 139 ] In South Bihar, their most prominent representative was the Tekari family, whose great estate in Gaya dates back to the early eighteenth century. [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 = 978-0520211001
page = 139 ] In 19th century, many of the Bhumihars were zamindars. [cite book
first = Christophe
last = Jaffrelot
title = India's silent revolution : the rise of the lower castes in North India
publisher = Columbia University Press
location = New York
year = 2003
isbn = 978-0231127868
oclc = 50064516
pages = 68 ] The Kingdom of Kashi belonged to Bhumihar Brahmins and big zamindari like Bettiah and Tekari belonged to them. Now, a majority of them are farmers with some big land-holders.

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 Dutt, and the other by Swami Sahajanand Saraswati.cite news
url = http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/39109373.cms
title = Rishis, Maharshis, Brahmarshis...
author = Pranava K Chaudhary
publisher = The Times of India
date = 2003-03-03
accessdate = 2008-03-25]

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 [cite book
first = Saraswati
last = Swami Sahajanand
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)] , and exhorted the Bhumihars to adopt Brahmin family names. [cite book
first = Dietmar
last = Rothermund
title = India in the Great Depression, 1929-1939
publisher = Manohar Publications
location = New Delhi
year = 1992
isbn = 978-8185425764
oclc = 27895022
pages = 111
quote = Swami Sahajanad of Kisan Sabha fame was initially a Bhumihar leader who exhorted the Bhumihars to adopt brahmin family names.] Even so, when Navrang Rai became a "sanyasi" and adopted the name of Swami Sahajanand Saraswati, some of the more orthodox Brahmins had expressed misgivings about admitting Jujhoutia Bhumihar Brahmin to the highest orders of the Hindu religion. [cite book
first = Das
last = Arvind Narayan
title = Agrarian movements in India : studies on 20th century Bihar (Library of Peasant Studies)
publisher = Routledge
location = London
year = 1982
isbn = 0714632163
pages = 168] However, instead of taking the easy way suggested by Purnanand-forging some hundreds of Sanskrit shlokas (verses) substantiating the claim of the Bhumihars-Sahajanand decided to investigate the matter through reading the ancient scriptures and carrying out the socio-cultural survey of the Bhumihar Brahmins in different parts of Bihar and U.P. [cite book
first = Das
last = Arvind Narayan
title = Agrarian movements in India : studies on 20th century Bihar (Library of Peasant Studies)
publisher = Routledge
location = London
year = 1982
isbn = 0714632163
pages = 168] His researches having satisfied him about the veracity of the Bhumihar's claim, he decided to pursue the matter further by encouraging them to perform worship (purohiti); and in order to build up confidence among them about their claims, as well as to train them in the knowledge of the rituals (withheld from them by other Brahmins), he wrote several books. [cite book
first = Das
last = Arvind Narayan
title = Agrarian movements in India : studies on 20th century Bihar (Library of Peasant Studies)
publisher = Routledge
location = London
year = 1982
isbn = 0714632163
pages = 168]

Bhumihar Brahmins were referred to as "Military Brahmin" by Francis Buchanan and as "Magadh Brahmin" by William Adam in 1883. William Crooke in his book, "Tribes and Castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh" [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 = 8120612108
volumes = 4] , 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 [cite book
first = Bhattacharya
last = Jogendra Nath
title = Hindu Castes and Sects
publisher = Munshiram Manoharlal
location = New Delhi
year = 1995
isbn-13 = 9788121507004
isbn = 8121507006
pages = 512] 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..."

The Bhumihars, although known as Brahmins, were not given the "ritual" status of Brahmins, on account of the fact that they were cultivators. [cite book
first = Das
last = Arvind Narayan
title = Agrarian movements in India : studies on 20th century Bihar (Library of Peasant Studies)
publisher = Routledge
location = London
year = 1982
isbn = 0714632163
pages = 168]

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 with Tyagis of Western UP, Jamindar Bengali Brahmins, Nambudiri Brahmin of Kerala, Chitpavans of Maharashtra, Anavil Desais of Gujarat and Mohyals of Punjab.cite news
url = http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Patna/Bhumihars_rooted_to_the_ground_in_caste_politics/articleshow/msid-1001601,curpg-2.cms
title = Bhumihars rooted to the ground in caste politics
author = Arun Kumar
publisher = The Times of India
date = 2005-01-25
accessdate = 2008-04-05]

Political and social movements

The Bhumihars organized themselves into an organization called Bhumihar Brahmin Sabha in 1896. [cite book
first = Rao
last = M. S. A.
title = Social movements and social transformation : a study of two backward classes movements in India
publisher = Macmillan
location = Delhi
year = 1979
oclc = 5875641
pages = 170] They are considered a politically volatile community, and have played an important role in the social and political movements of Bihar. [cite news
url = http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/767453.cms
title = BJP, Cong eye Bhumihars as Rabri drops ministers
author = Abhay Singh
publisher = The Times of India
date = 2004-07-06
accessdate = 2008-03-21] [ [http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-20879972_ITM These days, their poster boys are goons] . Asia Africa Intelligence Wire. 16 March 2004] 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. [cite book
first = Mishra
last = Amaresh
title = MANGAL PANDEY: The True Story of an Indian Revolutionary
publisher = Rupa & Co.
location = New Delhi
year = 2005
isbn-13 = 9788121507004
isbn = 8129107856
pages = 120] Notable Bhumihar Brahmin Nationalists and freedom fighters include Swami Sahajanand Saraswati, Sir Ganesh Dutt, Basawon Singh (Sinha), Sri Krishna Sinha, Yogendra Shukla, Baikuntha Shukla, Sheel Bhadra Yajee and many others.

Notable Bhumihar writers, scholars, and intellectuals include Swami Sahajanand Saraswati, Rahul Sankrityayan, Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar', Ramavriksha Benipuri, Ram Karan Sharma, Ram Sharan Sharma, Raghav Sharan Sharma, Acharya Kuber Nath Rai, Ganga Sharan Singh (Sinha) and others.

Notable Bhumihar Brahmin leaders include Shyam Nandan Prasad Mishra, Indradeep Sinha, Kapildeo Singh, Raj Narain, Tarkeshwari Sinha, L.P.Shahi, Krishana Shahi, Krishna Ballabh Prasad Narain aka Babuaji, Chandreshwar Prasad Thakur, Kailashpati Mishra and others.

Some others who belong to the community include Sir Chandeshwar Prasad Narayan Singh (Sinha).

Notable Politicians in U.P. include Late Shri Gauri Shankar Rai ( Freedom Fighter and Ex Member of Parliament) and Late Shri Kalpnath Rai and Late Krishnanand Rai, influential politician of BJP in Poorvanchal.

Some eminent doctors include Dr. A.K.N.Sinha (one time president of Indian Medical Association and first Indian to have become the president of Commonwealth Medical Association), Dr.U.N.Shahi, Dr.Sheetal Sinha, Dr. Jagdeo Sharma and others. Among female doctors was the eminent gynaecologist Dr. Anmola Sinha, who was born in Muzaffarpur district in a family of farmers. Late Dr. Sinha graduated from the PMCH and later served as a member of the Royal College of Obstetrician and Gynecology before earning her FRCS. Some more eminent names include Sri Khaderan Singh (Member of parliament and chairman of district board), Sri Chandeswar Prasad Sinha, a well known physician in Gaya (Bihar) and a great social worker and founder of ANMCH, Gaya andSmt. Usha Sharma (A known gynecologist and one of two FRCOG's in Patna, also a member of Lok Janshakti Party).

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. Even RJD supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav had made a fervent appeal for a close relationship between Bhumihar Brahmins and Yadavas. [cite news
url = http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/25907771.cms
title = Laloo plea for Yadav-Bhumihar unity
author = Ajay Bharadwaj
publisher = The Times of India
date = 2002-10-22
accessdate = 2008-04-05]

Caste-related violence

Bhumihars, who are a forward class, have often been at the receiving end of caste-related conflicts particularly those orchestrated by the Yadavs during Laloo Yadav's rein. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE2D81E30F937A15754C0A964958260 Qyanjhari Journal; India's Worst Case: The War Between the Castes] ] [ [http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19990201/03250635.html Where life is an interlude between two massacres] .] [ [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/527750.cms How Yadavs captured the heart of Lalooland] ] Ranvir Sena is a private army formed by Bhumihars in 1995 to answer the attacks on Bhumihar populated villages by the Yadav dominated MCC. [cite book
first = Rabindra
last = Kumar
title = Impact of Rural Development on Scheduled Castes
publisher = Anmol
location = New Delhi
year = 2002
oclc = 52269876
isbn = 978-8126111190
pages = 59] 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 peasant movement in India, the Bihar provincial Kisan Sabha, emerged. [cite news
url = http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/Misc/Sss/whpsnts96.html
title = Peasant Surprise
author = Walter Huaser
publisher = The Telegraph (Calcutta), 21 May 1996, p. 8
date = 1996-05-21
accessdate = 2008-04-01] 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).

On February 12, 1992, the Maoist Communist Centre massacred 37 members of Bhumihar community at Bara village, Gaya district in Bihar.cite news
url = http://www.asthabharati.org/Dia_Apr05/Sanjay.htm
title = Naxalite Movement in Bihar and Jharkhand
author = Dr. Sanjay K Jha
publisher = Dialogue, April-June 2005 , Volume 6 No. 4
accessdate = 2008-04-10] On March 18, 1999, the Maoist Communist Centre massacred over 34 Bhumihars in Senari village, Jehanabad in Bihar, [cite news
url = http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19990322/iex22013.html
title = An endless cycle
date = 1999-03-22
accessdate = 2008-04-10] [cite news
url = http://www1.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Poverty_hunger_stalk_Senari_/articleshow/2879576.cms
title = Poverty, hunger stalk Senari
author = Satyendra Kumar
publisher = The Times of India
date = 2008-03-19
accessdate = 2008-04-10] which was in retaliation to the massacre at the Dalit village of Lakshmanpur Bathe on 2nd December, 1997 [ [http://www.isidelhi.org.in/hrnews/HR_THEMATIC_ISSUES/Dalits/dalit2001.pdf Dalit issues] ] [ [http://nuke.humanrightskerala.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4370] ] [ [http://www.ipcs.org/whatsNewArticle2.jsp?action=showView&kValue=882&status=publications&mod=b] ] cite news]

ee also

* Forward Castes
* Brahmin Communities
* Ranvir Sena

References