Bhumihar Brahmin in India


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.

Introduction / History

The Brahmin Bhumihars are a landowning caste of northeast India. The name Bhumihar means "landowner." They gained much of their property through military service during the Mughal period. They served as zamidars, aristocrats who collected taxes for the Muslim rulers. Later on during the British period, the Bhumihars sometimes served in the British army and at other times fought against British rule.

For the past 150 years the Bhumihars have been fighting to get their status of Brahmins confirmed by Indian society. Other Brahmins have seen them as an offshoot of the Kshatriya or warrior caste or even the laborer caste. Today they are officially accepted as Brahmins even though they only perform three of the six duties of a Brahmin priest.

The Bhumihar are active in politics and serve as government leaders in the states of northeast India. Their first language is Hindi. They also speak other regional languages.

The ancestors of the Nobel Prize-winning author V. S. Naipaul were Bhumihars. He won the Nobel Prize for literature in 2001.


Where Are they Located?

The Brahmin Bhumihar live primarily in the Indian states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh.


What Are Their Lives Like?

As Brahmins, the Bhumihars live at the highest level of Indian society. Many attain graduate degrees and work as attorneys, university professors, military officers, government leaders, engineers and computer scientists.

The Bhumihar still hold large tracts of land in northeast India. Lower castes farm the land for the landowners. The land is passed on from fathers to sons.

Young Bhumihars are given some freedom as to whom they marry. They are strongly encouraged by their families to marry other Bhumihars or other Brahmins.

Some of the Bhumihars are vegetarians. Others eat meat except for beef and pork.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Bhumihar are Hindus. It is an essential part of their identity. There is a wide range of belief among them from being devoted believers in the Hindu gods to being secularists. The Bhumihar generally do not serve as temple priests or officiate at religious rituals for the lower castes as many Brahmins do.

The large majority of Bhumihar participate in the Hindu holidays of Holi, the festival of colors, Diwali, the festival of lights and Navratri, the celebration of the Nine Nights.


What Are Their Needs?

The Brahmin Bhumihars must see their sin and need for a Savior.
The Bhumihar need to see the love and light of Christ lived out before their eyes.


Prayer Points

Pray for Christ to reveal Himself to Bhumihars.
Pray for Holy Spirit directed Christ followers to go to Brahmin Bhumihar communities and live out the teachings of Christ among them.
Pray for a disciple making movement to emerge among every Bhumihar community.


Scripture Prayers for the Brahmin Bhumihar in India.


References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhumihar


Profile Source:   David Kugel  

People Name General Brahmin Bhumihar
People Name in Country Brahmin Bhumihar
Natural Name Bhumihar Brahmin
Pronunciation BOO-mee-har BRAH-min
Alternate Names Babhan; Bhumihar Brahman; Bhumihar Brahmin; Bhumihar Grihase; Bhumihar Grihast; Bhumihar Grihast Brahman; Bhumihar Grihast Brahmin; Brahman Dogamia; Brahmin Dogamia; Zamidar Brahman; Zamidar Brahmin; Zaminadar Brahman; Zaminadar Brahmin; Zamindar Brahman; Zamindar Brahmin; ब्रामिन, भूमिहार
Population this Country 3,289,000
Population all Countries 3,308,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 66
People ID 19924
ROP3 Code 115705
ROP25 Code 301405
ROP25 Name Brahmin
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States on file 7
Largest States
Bihar
2,422,000
Uttar Pradesh
570,000
Jharkhand
258,000
West Bengal
35,000
Odisha
4,100
Maharashtra
500
Andaman and Nicobar
40
Districts Interactive map, listing and data download
Specialized Website South Asia Peoples
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States 7
  Bihar 2,422,000
  Uttar Pradesh 570,000
  Jharkhand 258,000
  West Bengal 35,000
  Odisha 4,100
  Maharashtra 500
  Andaman and Nicobar 40
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
100.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Hindi (1,463,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 8
Secondary Languages
Bhojpuri
964,000
Maithili
165,000
Magahi
148,000
Bengali
17,000
Angika
11,000
Bundeli
4,000
Chhattisgarhi
300
Primary Language Hindi (1,463,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 8
Secondary Languages
  Bhojpuri 964,000
  Maithili 165,000
  Magahi 148,000
  Bengali 17,000
  Angika 11,000
  Bundeli 4,000
  Chhattisgarhi 300
People Groups Speaking Hindi

Primary Language:  Hindi

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Bible-New Testament Yes  (1811-1998)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1818-2022)
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Photo Source Anonymous 
Map Source People Group Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source David Kugel 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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