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Bahun

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{{Short description|Nepali Brahmins of Khas descent}}

{{more citations needed|date=October 2020}}

{{EngvarB|date=November 2023}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}

{{Infobox ethnic group

| group = Khas Bahun

| native_name = Bahun

| image =

| caption =

| region1 = {{flag|Nepal}}

| pop1 = 3,292,373 (11.2% of Nepal's population) (2021){{cite report |date=2021 |title=National Population and Housing Census 2021, Caste/Ethnicity Report |author=National Statistics Office |work=Government of Nepal |url=https://censusnepal.cbs.gov.np/results/downloads/caste-ethnicity}}

| languages = Nepali (Khas-Kura)

| religions = Hinduism 99.56% (2011), Christianity 0.31% (2011){{cite report |date=2014 |title=Population monograph of Nepal |volume=II |author=Central Bureau of Statistics |publisher=Government of Nepal |url=https://nepal.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/Population%20Monograph%20V02.pdf}}

| related = Chhetri, Thakuri and other Khas people

}}

Bahun ({{langx|ne|बाहुन}}), also known as Hill Brahmins,{{cite book |last1=Oberst |first1=Robert |title=Government and Politics in South Asia, Student Economy Edition |date=27 April 2018 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-429-97340-6 |page=284 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WptYDwAAQBAJ&dq=bahun+hill+brahmin&pg=PT284}} are a Brahmin varna among the Khas of Nepal. They are a sub-caste of the Kanyakubja Brahmin{{Cite book |last=Declan Quigley |first=David Gellner |url=https://archive.org/details/ContestedHierarchiesACollaborativeEthnographyOfCasteAmongTheNewarsOfKathmanduEdi/page/n166/mode/1up?q=Bahun+Kanyakubja |title=Contested Hierarchies: A Collaborative Ethnography of Caste Among the Newars of Kathmandu. edited by David Gellner & Declan Quigley |page=199|date=2017 |publisher=Macmillan and Company limited|language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Chaturvedi |first=Shyam lal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=91ACAAAAMAAJ |title=In Fraternity with Nepal, An Account of the Activities Under the Auspices of the Wider Life Movement for the Furtherance and Consolidation of the Indo-Nepalese Cultural Fellowship |page=65|date=1945|language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Hachhethu |first=Krishna |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fe3DEAAAQBAJ |title=Nation-Building and Federalism in Nepal|page=40|date=2023|publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-887291-7 |language=en}} while their origins are from Kannauj{{Cite book |last=Hachhethu |first=Krishna |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fe3DEAAAQBAJ |title=Nation-Building and Federalism in Nepal|page=40|date=2023|publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-887291-7 |language=en}} and the Himalayan belt of South Asia. According to the 2011 Nepal census, Bahun is the second most populous group after Chhetri.{{Cite web|url=https://unstats.un.org/unsD/demographic/sources/census/wphc/Nepal/Nepal-Census-2011-Vol1.pdf|title=Nepal Census 2011}}

According to 1854 Muluki Ain, the first Nepalese civil code, Bahuns were regarded as caste among sacred thread bearers (Tagadhari) and twice-born Hindus.{{sfn|Sherchan|2001|p=14}}

Origin

{{see|Khas people}}

Traditionally, Bahuns were members of the Khas community together Chhetris.{{sfn|John T Hitchcock|1978|pp=116-119}} Possibly due to political power of the Khasa Malla kingdom, Khas Brahmins and Khas Kshatriyas{{sfn|John T Hitchcock|1978|p=116}} had high social status in the present-day western Nepal.{{sfn|John T Hitchcock|1978|pp=116-119}} Bahuns, regarded as upper class Khas group together with Chhetris, were associated mostly with the Gorkha Kingdom and its expansion.{{sfn|Whelpton|2005|p=31}}{{sfn|Whelpton|2005|p=31}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Nepal|title=Nepal -}}

There appears to be general agreement in historical records and family genealogy that Hill Brahmins (both Purbia and Kumai Bahuns) migrated from the Gangetic Plains to the western Himalayas then from there to the eastern Himalayas including Nepal. Nepali historians have claimed that Hill Brahmins entered the Himalayan region from Kannauj.{{Cite book|author=Prakash Raj|title=Brahmins in Nepal|date=1996 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4i1uAAAAMAAJ&q=kannauj+brahmins+nepal|page=14|publisher=Nabeen Publications |isbn=978-0-7855-7366-1 }}

According to Acharya Bamsavali, Bahuns have migrated from Kanyakubja to Jumla in Nepal.{{Cite book|author=Prakash Raj|title=Brahmins in Nepal|date=1996 |publisher=Nabeen Publications |isbn=978-0-7855-7366-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4i1uAAAAMAAJ&q=kanyakubja+jumla}}

Demography

According to the 2011 Nepal census, Bahuns (referred as Hill-Brahmin) are the second most populous group after Khas Chhetri with 12.2% of Nepal's population (or 3,226,903 people).{{Cite web|url=http://cbs.gov.np/image/data/Population/Population%20Monograph%20of%20Nepal%202014/Population%20Monograph%20V02.pdf|title=Nepal Census 2011|access-date=26 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918043750/http://cbs.gov.np/image/data/Population/Population%20Monograph%20of%20Nepal%202014/Population%20Monograph%20V02.pdf|archive-date=18 September 2017|url-status=dead}} Bahun are the second largest Hindu group in Nepal with a population of 3,212,704 (99.6% of Bahuns). Bahuns are the largest group in 15 districts in Nepal: Jhapa, Morang, Kathmandu, Chitwan, Nawalparasi, Rupandehi, Kaski, Syangja, Parbat, Gulmi and Arghakhanchi. Among these, Bahuns in Parbat (35.7%), Arghakhanchi (32.8%), Dhading (30.9%), Chitwan (28.6%), Kaski (27.8%) and Gulmi (25.2%) consist more than 25% of the district population. Kathmandu has largest Bahun population with 410,126 people (23.5%).

Bahuns have the highest civil service representation with 39.2% of Nepal's bureaucracy while having only 12.1% of Nepal's total population. The civil service representation to population ratio is 3.2 times for Bahuns which is fourth in Nepal. Khas Chhetris represent 1.6 times in civil services to their percentage of population, which is the highest in Nepal.{{Cite news|first=Amit|last=Dhakal|url=http://archive.setopati.com/raajneeti/12636/|title= निजामती सेवामा सबैभन्दा बढी प्रतिनिधित्व राजपूत, कायस्थ र तराई ब्राम्हण|date=11 June 2014|newspaper= Setopati}} As per the Public Service Commission, Brahmins (33.3%) and Chhetris (20.01%) were two largest caste group to obtain governmental jobs in F.Y. 2017-18 even though 45% governmental seats are reserved for women, indigenous and ethnic minorities, Madhesis, dalits, people with disability and those from the backward regions.{{Cite web|url=https://kathmandupost.com/miscellaneous/2018/10/16/brahmins-and-chhetris-land-most-government-jobs|title=Brahmins and Chhetris land most government jobs|website=kathmandupost.com}} Similarly, in the fiscal 2018–19, Bahuns (24.87%) and Chhetris (9.63%) maintained 35% of their proportion in civil service as per Public Service Commission.{{Cite web|url=https://kathmandupost.com/national/2019/11/12/brahmins-and-chhetris-continue-to-dominate-entry-into-civil-service|title=Brahmins and Chhetris continue to dominate entry into civil service|website=kathmandupost.com}}

Geographic distribution

According to the 2021 Nepal census, 3,292,373 people (11.29%) of the population of Nepal are Bahun (Hill Brahmins).{{cite report |date=2021 |title=National Population and Housing Census 2021, Caste/Ethnicity Report |author=National Statistics Office |work=Government of Nepal |url=https://censusnepal.cbs.gov.np/results/downloads/caste-ethnicity}} The frequency of Bahun (Hill Brahmins) by province was as follows:

The frequency of Bahun (Hill Brahmins) was higher than national average (12.2%) in the following districts:

Notable people

= Academics =

= Artists =

= Athletes =

== Cricketers ==

== Footballers ==

== Swimmers ==

== Other athletes ==

= Entertainment =

== Actors/Filmmakers ==

== Singers ==

== Other entertainers ==

= Entrepreneurs =

= Humanitarians =

= Mountaineers =

= Politicians =

  • Madhav Prasad Devkota
  • Ravi Lamichhane
  • Chabilal UpadhyayaChabilal Upadhyaya - Wikipedia{{Circular reference|date=May 2021}}
  • Ranga Nath Poudyal{{cite book |last=Raj |first=Prakash A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rVNuAAAAMAAJ&q=sarbajit+rana+magar |title=Dancing Democracy: The power of a Third Eye |publisher=Rupa & Company |year=2006 |isbn=9788129109460}}
  • Krishna Prasad Koirala and Koirala family{{cite news |date=23 March 2010 |title=Girija Prasad Koirala: The architect of democracy in Nepal |newspaper=Dawn |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/822354 |access-date=13 December 2017}}
  • Matrika Prasad Koirala
  • Tanka Prasad Acharya{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JTg0ZTM8X4oC&pg=PA63 |title=Westminster legacies |publisher=UNSW Press |year=2005 |isbn=978-0-86840-848-4 |access-date=15 May 2009}}
  • Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala
  • Girija Prasad Koirala
  • Krishna Prasad Bhattarai{{cite news |date=7 March 2011 |title=Flight of a free bird |newspaper=My Republica |url=http://www.myrepublica.com/archive/54381/Flight-of-a-free-bird |access-date=13 December 2017}}
  • Man Mohan Adhikari{{cite news |last=Goldenberg |first=Suzanne |date=4 May 1999 |title=Man Mohan Adhikari |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/1999/may/04/guardianobituaries.suzannegoldenberg |access-date=13 December 2017}}
  • KP Sharma Oli
  • Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda){{Cite news |title=CPN Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal elected as 39th Prime Minister of Nepal |publisher=Xinhuanet |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-08/03/c_135561309.htm |url-status=dead |access-date=13 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160805025844/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-08/03/c_135561309.htm |archive-date=5 August 2016}}{{cite news |title=Prachanda elected Prime Minister of Nepal |newspaper=The Hindu |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/Prachanda-elected-Prime-Minister-of-Nepal/article15282412.ece |access-date=13 December 2017}}
  • Madhav Kumar Nepal{{Cite news |title=CPN-UML Comrades Apart |publisher=Spotlight Nepal Magazine |url=https://www.spotlightnepal.com/2014/05/23/cpn-uml-comrades-apart/ |access-date=13 December 2017}}
  • Baburam Bhattarai{{Cite news |date=16 January 2009 |title=Caste no bar |publisher=Nepali Times |url=http://nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=15581#.WoEo8YHA40M |access-date=12 February 2018}}

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See also

References

{{reflist}}

Bibliography

  • {{cite book |author=Dor Bahadur Bista |author-link=Dor Bahadur Bista |title=Fatalism and Development: Nepal's Struggle for Modernization |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JzFROpFVYRAC&pg=PA48 |year=1991 |publisher=Orient Blackswan |isbn=978-81-250-0188-1 }}
  • {{cite book |title=Dynamics of a hill society: Nepalis in Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas |last=Subba |first=Tanka Bahadur |date=1989 |publisher=Mittal Publications |isbn=9788173041143 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1yZuAAAAMAAJ}}
  • {{cite book |author=John T Hitchcock |contribution=An Additional Perspective on the Nepali Caste System |editor=James F. Fisher |title=Himalayan Anthropology: The Indo-Tibetan Interface |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B0C-IhEKrSEC&pg=PA113 |year=1978 |publisher=Walter de Gruyter |isbn=978-90-279-7700-7 }}
  • {{cite journal |author=Richard Burghart |title=The Formation of the Concept of Nation-State in Nepal |jstor=2056748 |journal=The Journal of Asian Studies |volume=44 |issue=1 |year=1984 |pages=101–125 |doi=10.2307/2056748|s2cid=154584368 }}
  • {{Cite book| title = A History of Nepal| last1 = Whelpton | first1 = John| year = 2005 | publisher = Cambridge University Press | isbn = 978-0521804707 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=WSo6PgAACAAJ}}
  • {{Cite book| title = Democracy, pluralism and Change: An Inquiry into Nepalese context| last1 = Sherchan | first1 = Sanjay | year = 2001 | publisher = Chhye Pahhuppe | isbn = 9789993354390 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=-SyOAAAAMAAJ}}
  • {{Cite book|title=Journal of Nepalese Literature, Art and Culture|volume =4| author = Nepala Rajakiya Pragya Pratisthana| publisher =Royal Nepal Academy|year =2001|location= Nepal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HyxuAAAAMAAJ}}
  • {{cite journal|last=Witzel|first=Michael|title=Toward a History of the Brahmins|journal=Journal of the American Oriental Society|volume=113|year=1993|issue=2 |pages=264–268|doi=10.2307/603031 |jstor=603031|issn=0003-0279}}

{{Ethnic groups in Nepal}}

{{Brahmin communities}}

Category:Brahmin communities of Nepal

Category:Khas people

Category:Brahmins

Category:Brahmin communities

Category:Gurkhas

Category:Ethnic groups in Nepal

Category:Ethnic groups in South Asia

Category:Hindu ethnic groups

Category:Hindu communities