The Valmikis are a variety of communities throughout India who all claim descent from the legendary author of the Ramayana, Valmiki. The Valmikis can be classified as a caste or sampradaya (tradition/sect).[1]
In the north-west Punjab region, this caste had adopted Sikhism. During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, many Valmiki were prominent rebels. Notable examples include Matadin Bhangi, Gangu Mehtar and Bhura Singh Valmiki.
According to the 2001 Census of India, the Valmikis formed 11.2 per cent of the Scheduled Caste population in the Indian state of Punjab[2] and were the second-most populous Scheduled Caste in Delhi National Capital Region.[3][4][page needed] The 2011 Census of India for Uttar Pradesh showed the Valmiki population, which was classified as a Scheduled Caste, as 1,319,241.[5]
Demographics
| State, U.T | Population | Population % | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh[6] | 70,513 | 0.083% | In the Joint State of Andhara Pradesh during the 2011 census, the Valmiki caste had been counted as a Scheduled Tribe instead of a Scheduled Caste. |
| Bihar[7] | 207,549 | 0.199% | Counted as Hari, Mehtar, Bhangi |
| Chandigarh[8] | 82,624 | 7.82% | Counted as Mazhabi, Balmiki, Chura or Bhangi |
| Chhattisgarh[9] | 19,016 | 0.074% | Counted as Bhangi, Mehtar, Balmiki, Lalbegi, Dharkar |
| NCT of Delhi[10] | 577,281 | 3.43 % | Counted as Chuhra (Balmiki) |
| Goa[11] | 309 | 0.0% | Counted as Bhangi (Hadi) |
| Gujarat[12] | 439,444 | 0.72% | Counted as Bhangi, Mehtar, Olgana, Rukhi, Malkana, Halalkhor, Lalbegi, Balmiki, Korar, Zadmalli,Barwashia, Barwasia, Jamphoda, Zampada, Zampda, Rushi, Valmiki |
| Haryana[13] | 1,079,682 | 4.25% | Counted as Balmiki, Chura, Bhangi, Mazhabi and Mazhabi Sikh |
| Himachal Pradesh[14] | 35,150 | 0.51% | Counted as Balmiki, Bhangi, Chuhra, Chura, Chuhre and Mazhabi |
| Jammu & Kashmir[15] | 6918 | 0.0% | Counted as Chura, Bhangi, Balmiki, Mehtar |
| Jharkhand[16] | 58,242 | 0.17% | Counted as Hari, Mehtar, Bhangi |
| Karnataka[17] | 5,281 | 0.0086% | Counted as Bhangi, Mehtar, Olgana, Rukhi, Malkana, Halalkhor, Lalbegi, Balmiki, Korar, Zadmalli |
| Madhya Pradesh[18] | 365,769 | 0.5% | Counted as Bhangi, Mehtar, Balmik, Lalbegi, Dharkar |
| Maharashtra[19] | 217,166 | 0.19% | Counted as Bhangi, Mehtar, Olgana, Rukhi, Malkana, Halalkhor, Lalbegi, Balmiki, Korar, Zadmalli, Hela |
| Mizoram[20] | 21 | 0.0% | Counted as Mehtar, Bhangi |
| Odisha[21] | 2,453 | 0.0% | Counted as Hari, Mehtar, Bhangi |
| Punjab[22] | 3,500,874 | 12.61% | Counted as Mazhabi, Mazhabi Sikh, Balmiki, Chuhra, Bhangi |
| Rajasthan[23] | 625,011 | 0.91% | Counted as Majhabi, Bhangi, Chura, Mehtar, Olgana, Rukhi, Malkana, Halalkhor, Lalbegi, Balmiki, Valmiki, Korar, Zadmalli |
| Tripura[24] | 1,851 | 0.0% | Counted as Mehtor |
| Uttarakhand[25] | 118,421 | 1.17% | Counted as Mazhabi and Balmiki |
| Uttar Pradesh[26] | 1,319,241 | 0.66% | Counted as Balmiki |
| West Bengal[27] | 431,257 | 0.47% | Counted as Hari, Mehtar, Mehtor, Bhangi, Balmiki |
Notable people
Other countries
In the UK, the Council of Valmiki Sabhas UK claims to represent the Valmiki.[28][page needed][29]
See also
References
- ^ Valmiki Hindu Jati (in Hindi). 19 January 2021. ISBN 9789350485668.
- ^ "Punjab: Data Highlights: The Scheduled Castes" (PDF). Census I. 2001. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- ^ "Delhi: Data Highlights: The Scheduled Castes" (PDF). Census India. 2001. p. 1. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- ^ Leslie, J.(2003) Authority and Meaning in Indian Religions: Hinduism and the Case of Valmiki. Ashgate publishing their favorite weapon is karha . ISBN 0754634302
- ^ "A-10 Individual Scheduled Caste Primary Census Abstract Data and its Appendix - Uttar Pradesh". Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
- ^ "A-11 Appendix: District wise scheduled tribe population (Appendix), Andhra Pradesh - 2011". Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Bihar - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2115 (Accessed: 17 August 2024).
- ^ SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Chandigarh - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2109 (Accessed: 17 August 2024).
- ^ SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Chhattisgarh - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2125 (Accessed: 17 August 2024).
- ^ SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, NCT of Delhi - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2112 (Accessed: 17 August 2024).
- ^ SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Goa - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2133 (Accessed: 24 August 2024).
- ^ SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Gujarat - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2127 (Accessed: 17 August 2024).
- ^ SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Haryana - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2111 (Accessed: 17 August 2024).
- ^ SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Himachal Pradesh - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2107 (Accessed: 17 August 2024).
- ^ SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Jammu & Kashmir - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2106 (Accessed: 24 August 2024).
- ^ SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Jharkhand - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2123 (Accessed: 17 August 2024).
- ^ SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Karnataka - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2132 (Accessed: 17 August 2024).
- ^ SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Madhya Pradesh - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2126 (Accessed: 17 August 2024).
- ^ SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Maharashtra - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2130 (Accessed: 17 August 2024).
- ^ SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Mizoram - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2118 (Accessed: 24 August 2024).
- ^ SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Odisha - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2124 (Accessed: 24 August 2024).
- ^ SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Punjab - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2108 (Accessed: 17 August 2024).
- ^ SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Rajasthan - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2113 (Accessed: 17 August 2024).
- ^ SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Mizoram - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2119 (Accessed: 24 August 2024).
- ^ SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Uttarakhand - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2110 (Accessed: 17 August 2024).
- ^ SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Uttar Pradesh - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2114 (Accessed: 17 August 2024).
- ^ SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, West Bengal - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2122 (Accessed: 24 August 2024).
- ^ Jacobs, Stephen (2010). Hinduism Today: An Introduction. A & C Black.
- ^ "Memorandum submitted by Central Valmiki Sabha International (UK)". United Kingdom Parliament. 12 November 2009. Retrieved 19 May 2015.