Babhan

Babhan also known as Bhumihar are an Indo-Aryan Ethnic Group Primarily Native to the Magadh region(Magahi Dialect Belt) in the East Indian states Bihar and Jharkhand. They are also found in some parts of West Bengal and Nepal.^[1] It is spoken in approximately twelve districts of Bihar (Gaya, Patna, Jehanabad, Aurangabad, Nalanda, Sheikhpura, Nawada, Lakhisarai, Arwal, Jamui and in some parts of Banka), twelve districts of Jharkhand (Hazaribag, Palamu, Chatra, Koderma, Jamtara, Bokaro, Dhanbad, Giridih, Deoghar, Garhwa, Latehar, Chatra) and in West Bengal's Malda district.

Who They Are

They are known for owning land. In the past, many of them were zamindars (landowners who collected taxes). They had power and influence in villages and towns. Some Bhumihars were also soldiers and kings in history.^[2]

History

In the time of the Mughals and British, many Bhumihars worked as zamindars. They controlled large areas of land and collected rent from farmers. Some well-known Bhumihar zamindari families were Hathwa Raj, Tekari Raj, and Bettiah Raj.^[3]

Later, many Bhumihars joined the Indian Freedom Movement and worked for social change. Some became leaders in education, politics, and government jobs.^[4]

References

↑ Nedumpara, Jose J. (2004). Political economy and class contradictions: a study. New Delhi: Anmol Publications. ISBN 978-81-261-1718-5.
↑ Bayly, Susan (2001). Caste, society and politics in India from the eighteenth century to the modern age. The new Cambridge history of India / general ed. Gordon Johnson 4, The evolution of contemporary South Asia (1. paperback ed ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-79842-6. {{cite book}}: |edition= has extra text (help)
↑ Chaudhary, R. B. (2003-01). "Land and Society in India: Agrarian Relations in Colonial North Bihar". Indian Historical Review. 30 (1–2): 224–226. doi:10.1177/037698360303000219. ISSN 0376-9836. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
↑ Brown, Judith M.; Gandhi, Mohandas Karamchand (2007). Gandhi's rise to power: Indian politics 1915 - 1922. Cambridge South Asian studies (Digitally print. version ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-09873-1.

[1] Nedumpara, Jose J. (2004). Political economy and class contradictions: a study. New Delhi: Anmol Publications. ISBN 978-81-261-1718-5.

[2] Bayly, Susan (2001). Caste, society and politics in India from the eighteenth century to the modern age. The new Cambridge history of India / general ed. Gordon Johnson 4, The evolution of contemporary South Asia (1. paperback ed ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-79842-6. {{cite book}}: |edition= has extra text (help)

[3] Chaudhary, R. B. (2003-01). "Land and Society in India: Agrarian Relations in Colonial North Bihar". Indian Historical Review. 30 (1–2): 224–226. doi:10.1177/037698360303000219. ISSN 0376-9836. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[4] Brown, Judith M.; Gandhi, Mohandas Karamchand (2007). Gandhi's rise to power: Indian politics 1915 - 1922. Cambridge South Asian studies (Digitally print. version ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-09873-1.

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