History of Bhumihar

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Bhumihar Brahmins also known as Bhumihar (भूमिहार) are an influential Hindu sub-caste who have traditionally resided in fertile regions of Indo-Gangetic plains of North India, in the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. They were referred to as Baabhans (बाभन) too, an apabhramsha word for Brahmin.

Bhumihar is a caste Mainly Found in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand , Uttar Pradesh and in the Bundelkhand area of the Madhya Pradesh . One Story of their origin is that the Bhumihar Brahmins Parashurama destroyed the Kshatriya Many times and he set up in their Place the descendent's of Brahmins. Bhumihar Brahmins is known as Karm Kandi Pandit in the sixteenth Century Particularly in North Bihar. In South Bihar their Most Prestigious King (Gopal Sharan) was the Tekari Family in the Eighteenth Century. In our Country So many Bhumihar Scholars have been born like Swami Sahajanand Saraswati , Sir Ganesh Dutt and Siyaram Tiwary the Former Dean of the Vishwa Bharti university Formerly Known as Shanti Niketan.

Gotra and Pravaras of the Bhumihar

The Gotras of the Bhumihar has been mainly Kept on the name of the Rishis.Initially,there are mainly nine gotras of the bhumihar. But Pravaras are classified into the name of the Seven Rishis, that is given below :-

            • Agastya
            • Angirasa
            • Atri
            • Bhrigu
            • Kashyapa
            • Vasishtha
            • Vishwamitra

             

             

            In Rigved author has been written that the Rishi Jamadagni was a descendants of Rishi Bhirgu While the rishis Gautam and Bhardavaja Were the descendants of rishi Angirasa.

 

Etymology: The word Bhumihar consists of two Sanskrit words, bhoomi (भूमि), meaning "land" and har (हर), meaning 'seizer'. There are a lot of theories about the origin of this caste and there is no unanimous accord over any of them excepting one which is the authority of Swami Sahajanand Saraswati who gives the most acceptable account of the origin and history of Bhumihar Brahmins. The name of his book is "Brahmarshi Vansha Vistar". Some of the other theorists owe the origin of the Bhumihar to the displacement of Brahmins from Western India following the Muslim invasion or, a change of religion to Buddhism and reconversion to Hinduism or, a change of profession from priesthood to farming or, a gradual shift from priestly and academic activities to farming and conquest, owing to lack of support from the rulers during the reign of ignorant kings. At some point of time the word 'Bhumi' was also used for some administrative unit or revenue unit or some geographical unit, just like Bundelkhand or Jharkhand. Singhbhumi, Birbhumi and Manbhumi are or was names of districts. Dhalbhumi was an adminitrative unit. Thus the word 'Bhumihar' may also mean Talukdar or Jagirdars etc.

Bhumihar Brahmins is also known for taking the revenge .As for example when Kshatriya King has stolen the Parashurama's Father wish-granting Cow, Kamdhenu. That time he has killed thousands of kshatriya army. But in retaliation the King's Son has killed the Parashurama's Father. Then, he has decided to destroy the Kshatriya and he has fought battles from the Kshatriya 21 times and destroyed all the Kshatriya . This shows the Power between the kshatriya and Bhumihar Brahmins.

THE CLANS

Suryanarayan Pandey in his book Sainik Brahmin has noted that only in two situation they were separated 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. 

Usually Bhumihar clans are known by the original place from which they come. For example Bhumihars from Dighwa nearby DIGHAWA DUBAULI ( Gopalganj , Old SARAN ) went to Barahiya and settled there and known as Dighwait Bhumihars, similarly, Eksaria Bhumihars belongs to Eksaar village in Balia but spread over complete Saran district of Bihar. But there are others like Jijhoutiya Bhumihar Brahmins who reside in Eastern U.P. and the region of Jhansi. Chitponia Bhumihar of Nawada are from Maharashtra. In fact at times they are considered as a separate Brahmin sub-caste altogether. Swami Sahajanand Saraswati was from Jijhoutia clan of Bhumihar Brahmins. Then there are others like Bhriguvansh, claiming lineage from Maharishi Bhrigu as the name suggests. There are around two to three dozen such clans. Drona Ticar (Domkatar colloquially) is another Bhumihar clan. There were some famous zamindars and feudal lords like:

★ Kashi Naresh (Varanasi)
★ Maharaja Of Hathwa (also pronounced HATHUA, Gopalganj, Old SARAN)
★ Maharaja of Bettiah (Champaran)
★ Raja of Amawan (old MONGHYR)
★ Raja of Tekari (old GAYA)
★ Zamindar of Chainpur, Sheohar, Pandooi
★ Zamindar of HAKAM-REOTITH in Old SARAN (Now Gopalganj)
★ Bagaura Naresh (Siwan)
★ Udayni Kothi near Bagaura estate (Siwan)
★ Goreya Kothi

The Village Eksar from where the origination of Eksaria started is situated in Ballia. The First clan of Eksaria Bhumihar Brahmins was Jaganath Dixit, who migrated probably from Indraprasth or from Hastinapur in the year 1551 A.D. and became mantra guru of Nepal Maharaj. The eksaria migrated to Parsa garh and subsequently to Chainpur, Bagaura, Chittauli etc and famous "REOTITH-HAKAM" village Zamindaars are Eksaria Bhumihar.