Bhumihars are known as Babhan. They are a community of Brahmins who have taken up Land and given up (TYAGI) priest craft (begging and doing Karmakand) even though there are few karmakandi Bhumihar brahmins in Hazaribagh Gaya, Patna & Benaras. They are spread from Afghanistan, Punjab, Maharastra, Gujrat, Kerala to Bihar. In Punjab they were known as Mohiyals, Chitapavan, Anavil, Havyak, Niyogi, Barendro but they claim descent from Lord Parshuram. Actually Lord Parshuram was the first Brahmin in History to wear arms and to teach lessons to the Kings and bring them to justice. He also seized their land and handed over to Brahmins. The same brahmins are known as Bhumihar brahmins. Bhujbal bhumi bhup binu kinhi, bipul bar maheedevan dinhee. (Ram-Charit-Manas) The word Bhumihar derives its name from sanskrit word “Bhumi�? meaning land and Hara meaning maker. Earlier ethnographic accounts [Risley, Crooke1896] contain a large number of legends, which trace their Brahmin origin and the Brahmins who abandoned their priestly profession and took to landowning. “Babhan�? is a corrupt form of the word Brahmins. Some scholars, Pandit Hazariprashad Dwivedy and Sree Kameshwar Ojha believes; Bhumihar is a short form of Bhumi-Agrahar Bhojee Brahmin. Brahmins, who were responsible for Agrahar collection. King Harsha of Kannauj appointed them for this purpose. According to the different standard dictionaries Bhumihar means a community of brahmins of UP&Bihar ( Standard Hindi to Hindi dictionary – Manak hindi shabdkosh; Hindi Sahitya Sammelan, Prayag ). Almost all Hindi dictionaries says Bhumihar or Babhan means Brahmin. According to Sammanantra Kosh Bhumihar brahmins means- Babhan, Tyagi. As per Kanyakubja Vansawalee, Bhumihars are one of of the divisions of Kanyakubja brahmins. There are five divisons of Kanyakubja Brahmins namely Sarvariya, Sanadhaya, Jujhotiya, Bhumihar and Prakrit Kanaujiya, This view was supported by the great historian Sir H. Eliot in his book supplemental glossary and also seen in the population report, It is also mentioned that all the above said division have common custom and traditions. Suryanarayan Pandey in his book Sainik Brahmin has noted that only in two situation they were seprated from Kanyakubja brahmin the first was, when they were honoured and given land as AGRAHARAM by the kings of different states and second when they were attacked by muslim ruler. They wanted to preserve Hindu cultural heritage so they came to Eastern Kashi. Lot of other Brahmins also have mixed and mingled with Bhumihar Brahmins such as Prachin Brahmins of Bihar known as SOBARNIYA has Savarna Gotra, Jujhotiya from Bundelkhand Sarvariya and Sanadhya from Kanyakubja Tatiha, Nokhuliya of Nonhtar of Bithur, Kinvar of Aakin(Kanpur), Baruar of Bafra, Sankarvar of Fatehpur, Pahitipuri Pandey of Pahitiya, Hirapuri Pandey of Haripur Unnav, Eksariya of Hastinapur (Mohiyal-Bali).
Posted on: Wed, 05 Jun 2013 20:03:34 +0000
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