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century, to malign the Babhans/Bhumihars, and others speculative, misguided, and half baked | century, to malign the Babhans/Bhumihars, and others speculative, misguided, and half baked | ||
originating from some British writers, the true story is far off from both. | originating from some British writers, the true story is far off from both. | ||
== What's the Origin of Bhumihars ? == | == What's the Origin of Bhumihars ? == | ||
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Babhans are thus former Brahmins who adopted Buddhism and subsequently reintegrated into | Babhans are thus former Brahmins who adopted Buddhism and subsequently reintegrated into | ||
Hinduism with a relegated status, still similar to Brahmins, although without the sacredness | Hinduism with a relegated status, still similar to Brahmins, although without the sacredness | ||
attached to it but higher than Rajpoots.< | attached to it but higher than Rajpoots.<ref name="census1911">[https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Census_of_India_1911/6C1RAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA373&printsec=frontcover&dq=superior%20to ''Census of India, 1911'', Volume I: India, Part I – Report]. Census of India</ref><ref name="census1901vol6">[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.55930/page/n393/mode/2up ''Census of India, 1901'', Volume VI: Lower Provinces of Bengal and Their Feudatories]. Census of India</ref> During this | ||
religious transition, they '''drifted away from the Brahminical order and became a | religious transition, they '''drifted away from the Brahminical order and became a | ||
completely | completely | ||
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We will discuss the evidence supporting this in the next section | We will discuss the evidence supporting this in the next section | ||
== Historical Testimony of Conversions == | == Historical Testimony of Conversions == | ||
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Bhumihars)'' during | Bhumihars)'' during | ||
Ashoka's reign around 300 BCE. If anyone needs a proven example of such a conversion, it is | Ashoka's reign around 300 BCE. If anyone needs a proven example of such a conversion, it is | ||
now available.< | now available.<ref name="dalrymple">[https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Age_of_Kali.html?id=psbFzupTAR8C ''The Age of Kali: Indian Travels and Encounters'']. William Dalrymple. 1998.</ref> | ||
[[File:Origin1.png|thumb|500px|center|Buddhist conversion of Bhumihars]] | [[File:Origin1.png|thumb|500px|center|Buddhist conversion of Bhumihars]] | ||
== Origins according to report of The Asiatic Society, Ministry of Culture, GOI == | == Origins according to report of The Asiatic Society, Ministry of Culture, GOI == | ||
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to be known as distinct caste called Bhumihars. Some continued as heads of former Buddhist | to be known as distinct caste called Bhumihars. Some continued as heads of former Buddhist | ||
monasteries, which later turned into Hindu worship centres called Thakurwadis which could be | monasteries, which later turned into Hindu worship centres called Thakurwadis which could be | ||
found in many Bhumihar villages even to this day.< | found in many Bhumihar villages even to this day.<ref name="asiaticsociety2018">[https://asiaticsocietykolkata.org/uploads/Journal%20Vol.%20LX.%20No.%204_2018.pdf#page=48 ''Journal of the Asiatic Society'', Vol. LX, No. 4]. Asiatic Society. 2018.</ref> | ||
[[File:origin2.jpg|thumb|center|500px|Fall of Buddhism & Re-conversion]] | [[File:origin2.jpg|thumb|center|500px|Fall of Buddhism & Re-conversion]] | ||
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monasteries. The centre of their population, Magadha, and their other settlements coincide | monasteries. The centre of their population, Magadha, and their other settlements coincide | ||
with the regions where Buddhism was strongest and persisted for the longest time according | with the regions where Buddhism was strongest and persisted for the longest time according | ||
to British era historian and Sanskrit linguist Haraprasad Shastri Bhattacharya.< | to British era historian and Sanskrit linguist Haraprasad Shastri Bhattacharya.<ref name="hariprasad">[https://archive.org/details/babhan_hari_prasad_sastri_journal_of_asiatic_society_of_bengal/page/n78/mode/1up?q=%22favours+the+theory+of+their+Buddhistic+origin%22 "Babhan"]. Article in the ''Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal''. Hari Prasad Sastri. Early 20th century.</ref><ref name="census1901report">[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.55930/page/n393/mode/1up?q=%22as+referring+to+their+having+seized%22 ''Census of India, 1901'', Volume VI: Lower Provinces of Bengal and Their Feudatories, Part I: Report]. Census of India. 1901.</ref><ref name="magadhreport">[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.206879/page/n54/mode/1up?q=%22covered+by+the+ancient+kingdom+of+Magadha%22 Report on the Magadha Region]. Government of India. Early 20th century.</ref> | ||
<div style="text-align:center;"> | <div style="text-align:center;"> | ||
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remains. The fact that these villages are almost entirely inhabited by Babhans or Bhumihars | remains. The fact that these villages are almost entirely inhabited by Babhans or Bhumihars | ||
lends further weight to the Buddhist-Brahmin origin theory by establishing geographical | lends further weight to the Buddhist-Brahmin origin theory by establishing geographical | ||
continuity.< | continuity.<ref name="ghosrawan">[https://archive.org/details/dli.calcutta.00033/page/265/mode/2up?q=ghosrawan ''Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal'']. Asiatic Society of Bengal. Early 20th century.</ref> | ||
[[File:origin6.jpg|thumb|400px|center|Historical Testimony — upload manually]] | [[File:origin6.jpg|thumb|400px|center|Historical Testimony — upload manually]] | ||
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presence in that village. This adds further credence to the view that early Bhumihar | presence in that village. This adds further credence to the view that early Bhumihar | ||
settlements coincided with Buddhist centres, strengthening the theory that their origins | settlements coincided with Buddhist centres, strengthening the theory that their origins | ||
trace back to Brahmin groups who had adopted Buddhism.< | trace back to Brahmin groups who had adopted Buddhism.<ref name="biharpuravid">[https://www.exoticindiaart.com/book/details/journal-of-bihar-puravid-parisad-vols-xiii-and-xiv-january-december-1989-1990-old-and-rare-book-hao658/ ''Journal of Bihar Puravid Parishad'', Vols. XIII–XIV]. Bihar Puravid Parishad. 1990.</ref> | ||
[[File:origin7.jpg|thumb|center|500px|Historical Testimony — upload manually]] | [[File:origin7.jpg|thumb|center|500px|Historical Testimony — upload manually]] | ||
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in 1907 that the uniform physical type of the | in 1907 that the uniform physical type of the | ||
Bhumihars rules out the idea that they are a mixed race, noting that their consistent | Bhumihars rules out the idea that they are a mixed race, noting that their consistent | ||
physical characteristics completely invalidates such a defamatory claim.< | physical characteristics completely invalidates such a defamatory claim.<ref name="crooke1907">[https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Natives_of_Northern_India/5zGBAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0 ''Natives of Northern India'']. William Crooke. 1907.</ref> | ||
<blockquote>'''Quoted from his book –''' "The uniformity of the physical type among them disposes of the suggestion that they are a mixed race"</blockquote> | <blockquote>'''Quoted from his book –''' "The uniformity of the physical type among them disposes of the suggestion that they are a mixed race"</blockquote> | ||
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absolutely no reliable evidence to support the scandalous claim that Bhumihars are | absolutely no reliable evidence to support the scandalous claim that Bhumihars are | ||
partly | partly | ||
Rajput and partly Brahmin, or a mixture of Rajputs and other castes.< | Rajput and partly Brahmin, or a mixture of Rajputs and other castes.<ref name="sherring1872">[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.469749/page/39/mode/1up ''Hindu Tribes and Castes'', Volume I]. M. A. Sherring. 1872.</ref> | ||
<blockquote>'''Quoted from his book –''' "Some doubt has been thrown on the purity of their blood as Brahmans. It has been said that they are Kshatriya or Rajpoot Brahmans; or are partly Rajpoots and partly of other castes. I have been unable to obtain any trustworthy evidence for such assertions"</blockquote> | <blockquote>'''Quoted from his book –''' "Some doubt has been thrown on the purity of their blood as Brahmans. It has been said that they are Kshatriya or Rajpoot Brahmans; or are partly Rajpoots and partly of other castes. I have been unable to obtain any trustworthy evidence for such assertions"</blockquote> | ||
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With regard to the claim that Bhumihars | With regard to the claim that Bhumihars | ||
are part Rajput and part Brahmin, D. L. | are part Rajput and part Brahmin, D. L. | ||
Drake‑Brockman, a British civil services officer who wrote district gazetteers, stated in 1911 that he found no concrete evidence to support this defamatory theory. Instead, he recorded that it was generally their Hindu Rajput and Brahmin neighbours who propagated the slander that Bhumihars were of mixed Brahmin–Rajput descent.< | Drake‑Brockman, a British civil services officer who wrote district gazetteers, stated in 1911 that he found no concrete evidence to support this defamatory theory. Instead, he recorded that it was generally their Hindu Rajput and Brahmin neighbours who propagated the slander that Bhumihars were of mixed Brahmin–Rajput descent.<ref name="drakebrockman">[https://archive.org/details/dli.ministry.07345 ''Azamgarh: A Gazetteer'', Volume XIX of the District Gazetteers of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh]. D. L. Drake Brockman. 1909.</ref> | ||
<blockquote>'''Quoted from his book –''' "Their Brahman and Rajput neighbours generally insinuate that they are of mixed Brahman and Rajput breed, but there is no evidence in varticular to support this view"</blockquote> | <blockquote>'''Quoted from his book –''' "Their Brahman and Rajput neighbours generally insinuate that they are of mixed Brahman and Rajput breed, but there is no evidence in varticular to support this view"</blockquote> | ||
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groups are usually the oldest and most enduring elements in the organisation of a caste | groups are usually the oldest and most enduring elements in the organisation of a caste | ||
or | or | ||
tribe, which is inconsistent with the idea of a later "degraded" offshoot.< | tribe, which is inconsistent with the idea of a later "degraded" offshoot.<ref name="risley1903a">[https://archive.org/details/in.gov.ignca.30980/mode/2up ''Census of India, 1901'', Volume I: India, Ethnographic Appendices]. H. H. Risley (Census Commissioner). 1903.</ref> | ||
<blockquote>'''Quoted from his book –''' "An examination of the sections or exogamous | <blockquote>'''Quoted from his book –''' "An examination of the sections or exogamous | ||
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This theory is again rejected by HH Risley in his ethnography, which | This theory is again rejected by HH Risley in his ethnography, which | ||
notes that the appearance and demeanour of the Babhans are inconsistent with the idea that they were suddenly promoted from low-caste status at a single feast of Jarasandha.< | notes that the appearance and demeanour of the Babhans are inconsistent with the idea that they were suddenly promoted from low-caste status at a single feast of Jarasandha.<ref name="risley1903b">[https://archive.org/details/tribescastesofno0000croo/mode/1up ''Census of India, 1901'', Volume I: India, Ethnographic Appendices]. H. H. Risley. 1903.</ref> | ||
<blockquote>'''Quoted from his book –''' "The last theory is at once refuted by the | <blockquote>'''Quoted from his book –''' "The last theory is at once refuted by the | ||
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group raised to Brahmin rank by King Jarasandha at some ceremonial feast. | group raised to Brahmin rank by King Jarasandha at some ceremonial feast. | ||
He treated this tale as unsubstantiated legend rather than a historical fact.< | He treated this tale as unsubstantiated legend rather than a historical fact.<ref name="crooke1896">[https://archive.org/details/tribescastesofno0000croo/mode/1up ''The Tribes and Castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh'', Volume II]. William Crooke. 1896.</ref> | ||
== References == | == References == | ||
{ | {{reflist}} | ||