Valmiki caste

The Valmiki is a large cluster of castes, and local groups from India. This community has a history from the age of Ramayana. The Valmikis can be classified as a caste or Sampradaya (tradition). In terms of being classified as Sampradaya, the Valmikis trace their tradition to the Hindu sage Valmiki who is traditionally ascribed as the writer of the epic Ramayana.[1] According to historians Valmiki of North India is basically Kshatriya. Valmiki Nayaka people have been ruled by South India during the medieval period of India. The term Valmiki Nayaka covers various patrilineal clans historically associated with warriorhood. Valmiki's of South India is called the Kshatriya class.[2]

Valmiki
Regions with significant populations
All India
Languages
Hindi Punjabi Gujarati Marathi Telugu Kannada
Religion
Hinduism
This article is about the Indian caste community. It is not to be confused with Balmiki sect.

North India

In North India Valmiki are considered Hindu. There they have historically faced exclusion and oppression in society, and are frequently affected by anti-Dalit violence and repression by members of other castes.[3]

According to the 2001 Census of India, the Valmikis formed 11.2 per cent of the Scheduled Caste population in Punjab[4] and were the second-most populous Scheduled Caste in Delhi National Capital Region.[5] [6] There are few Valmiki temples in the National Capital Region.[7]

The 2011 Census of India for Uttar Pradesh showed the Valmiki population, which was classified as a Scheduled Caste, as 1,319,241.[8]

South India

In South India they are considered as Backward castes. In Karnataka they form the third largest community in the state there population is somewhere around 4.5 to 4.7 Million. They are Significantly present in South, Central and North Eastern parts of Karnataka mainly in Chitradurga district, Bellary district, Mysore district, Chamrajanagar disrtict, Raichur district, Davanagere district, Dharwad district, Haveri district, Tumkur district, Shivamogga district, Belgaum district, Bagalkot district, Koppal district, Yadgir district, Challakere, Molakalmuru, Jagalur, Hospete, Kampli, Siraguppa, Pavagada, Nayakanahatti and Madhugiri. In Karnataka they are also known as Nayaka, Palegara, Beda, Valmiki Nayaka, Talavar. There is a Mutt Called Shree Valmiki Mata Maha Samsthana belonging to this community in Rajanahalli in Harihar Taluk of Davanagere district which is one of the most popular and Powerful Mutt's in Karnataka represents and show Cases the Valmiki Culture, history, achievements and Contributions to the State of Karnataka and India. There are soo many Kings and Rulers from this Community who ruled almost all South India from past 800 years. Kings like Raja Veera Madakari Nayaka of Chitradurga, Gandugali Kumara Rama, Shivappa Nayaka of Shivamogga, Nayakas of Chitradurga, Harappanahalli Palegars and many more. This Community people also served as Military Officers, Military Commanders during Vijayanagara Reign. There is a decent population of this community present in Tamil Nadu and Kerala also they are called as Nayar or Nayakar in these two states. According to the Indian Census of 2011, the Valmiki's represent 0.7 per cent in Andhra Pradesh and are mainly concentrated in Anantapur, Kurnool and Kadapa districts of Andhra Pradesh.[9][10] They also built a temple of Valmiki in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh.[11] In Andhra Pradesh they are known as Boya Valmikis or Valmikis.[12]

Other countries

In the UK, the Council of Valmiki Sabhas UK claims to represent the Valmiki.[13][14]

See also

References
  1. Stephen Jacobs. Hinduism Today: An Introduction. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 117. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
  2. Madakari Nayaka
  3. Narender Kumar, Manoj Rai. 2006. Dalit Leadership in Panchayats: A Comparative Study of Four States. Rawat Publications
  4. "Punjab: Data Highlights: The Scheduled Castes" (PDF). Census I. 2001. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  5. "Delhi: Data Highlights: The Scheduled Castes" (PDF). Census India. 2001. p. 1. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  6. Leslie, J.(2003) Authority and Meaning in Indian Religions: Hinduism and the Case of Valmiki. Ashgate publishing. ISBN 0754634302
  7. https://www.bhaktibharat.com/mandir/bhagwan-valmiki-mandir
  8. "A-10 Individual Scheduled Caste Primary Census Abstract Data and its Appendix - Uttar Pradesh". Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  9. Caste,Class and Social Articulation in Andhra Pradesh:Mapping Differential Regional Trajectories (PDF), Osmania University
  10. J. Sreenath; S. H. Ahmad (1989). All India anthropometric survey: analysis of data. South Zone. Anthropological Survey of India. p. 37.
  11. Mohammad, Afsar. The Festival of Pirs: Popular Islam and Shared Devotion in South India. Oxford University Press.
  12. Virendra Kumar (1975). Committees and Commissions in India, 1947-73: 1979 (2 v.). Concept Publishing Company. p. 42.
  13. Stephen Jacobs. 2010. Hinduism Today: An Introduction. A&C Black, Jun 24, 2011
  14. "Memorandum submitted by Central Valmiki Sabha International (UK)". United Kingdom Parliament. 12 November 2009. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
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