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Khas Bahun
Bahun
Regions with significant populations
   Nepal3,292,373 (11.2% of Nepal's population) (2021)[1]
Languages
Nepali (Khas-Kura)
Religion
Hinduism 99.56% (2011), Christianity 0.31% (2011)[2]
Related ethnic groups
Chhetri, Thakuri and other Khas people


Bahun (Nepali: बाहुन), also known as Hill Brahmins,[3] are a Brahmin varna among the Khas of Nepal. Their origins are from the Himalayan belt of South Asia. According to the 2011 Nepal census, Bahun is the second most populous group after Chhetri.[4]

According to 1854 Muluki Ain (Nepalese Legal Code), Bahuns were regarded as caste among sacred thread bearers (Tagadhari) and twice-born Hindus.[5]

Origin

Further information: Khas people

Traditionally, Bahuns were members of the Khas community together Chhetris.[6] Possibly due to political power of the Khasa Malla kingdom, Khas Brahmins and Khas Kshatriyas[7] had high social status in the present-day western Nepal.[6] Bahuns, regarded as upper class Khas group together with Chhetris, were associated mostly with the Gorkha Kingdom and its expansion.[8][8][9]

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).[10] Bahun are the second largest Hindu group in Nepal with a population of 3,212,704 (99.6% of Bahuns).[10] 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%).[10]

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.[11] As per the Public Service Commission, Brahmins (33.3%) and Chhetris (15.01%) 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.[12] 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.[13]

Geographic distribution

According to the 2021 Nepal census, 3,292,373 people (11.29%) of the population of Nepal are Bahun (Hill Brahmins).[14] 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

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See also

References

  1. ^ National Statistics Office (2021). National Population and Housing Census 2021, Caste/Ethnicity Report. Government of Nepal (Report).
  2. ^ Central Bureau of Statistics (2014). Population monograph of Nepal (PDF) (Report). Vol. II. Government of Nepal.
  3. ^ Oberst, Robert (27 April 2018). Government and Politics in South Asia, Student Economy Edition. Routledge. p. 284. ISBN 978-0-429-97340-6.
  4. ^ "Nepal Census 2011" (PDF).
  5. ^ Sherchan 2001, p. 14.
  6. ^ a b John T Hitchcock 1978, pp. 116–119.
  7. ^ John T Hitchcock 1978, p. 116.
  8. ^ a b Whelpton 2005, p. 31.
  9. ^ "Nepal -".
  10. ^ a b c "Nepal Census 2011" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 September 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  11. ^ Dhakal, Amit (11 June 2014). "निजामती सेवामा सबैभन्दा बढी प्रतिनिधित्व राजपूत, कायस्थ र तराई ब्राम्हण". Setopati.
  12. ^ "Brahmins and Chhetris land most government jobs". kathmandupost.com.
  13. ^ "Brahmins and Chhetris continue to dominate entry into civil service". kathmandupost.com.
  14. ^ National Statistics Office (2021). National Population and Housing Census 2021, Caste/Ethnicity Report. Government of Nepal (Report).
  15. ^ Chabilal Upadhyaya - Wikipedia
  16. ^ Raj, Prakash A. (2006). Dancing Democracy: The power of a Third Eye. Rupa & Company. ISBN 9788129109460.
  17. ^ a b c d "Girija Prasad Koirala: The architect of democracy in Nepal". Dawn. 23 March 2010. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  18. ^ Westminster legacies. UNSW Press. 2005. ISBN 978-0-86840-848-4. Retrieved 15 May 2009.
  19. ^ "Flight of a free bird". My Republica. 7 March 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  20. ^ Goldenberg, Suzanne (4 May 1999). "Man Mohan Adhikari". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  21. ^ "CPN Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal elected as 39th Prime Minister of Nepal". Xinhuanet. Archived from the original on 5 August 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  22. ^ "Prachanda elected Prime Minister of Nepal". The Hindu. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  23. ^ "CPN-UML Comrades Apart". Spotlight Nepal Magazine. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  24. ^ "Caste no bar". Nepali Times. 16 January 2009. Retrieved 12 February 2018.

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