Bhumihar Brahmins
Bhumihar Brahmins... love, 'em; hate 'em, you can't ignore 'em. It surprises me, very pleasantly, that a post I wrote in 2007, is still visited and commented on.
Pundit Yogendra Bhattacharya in his book "Hindu castes and sets" defines 'Bhumihar Brahmin' as landholders who held grants of land for secular services. Whoever held a secular fief was Bhumihar. If he was a Brahmin, he was called a Bhumihar Brahmin.
Bhumihar Brahmins perform all their religious ceremonies in the same manner as other Brahmins, but they are not entitled to accept religious gifts or to minister to anyone as a priest. The usual surnames/titles of the Bhumihar Brahmins are same as those of other Brahmins of Northern India. A few of them have Rajputana surnames/titles.
Ideally, the Bhumihar Brahmins are supposed to perform sixteen major Saṃskāra rites during the course of their lifetime.
Pundit Yogendra Bhattacharya in his book "Hindu castes and sets" defines 'Bhumihar Brahmin' as landholders who held grants of land for secular services. Whoever held a secular fief was Bhumihar. If he was a Brahmin, he was called a Bhumihar Brahmin.
Bhumihar Brahmins perform all their religious ceremonies in the same manner as other Brahmins, but they are not entitled to accept religious gifts or to minister to anyone as a priest. The usual surnames/titles of the Bhumihar Brahmins are same as those of other Brahmins of Northern India. A few of them have Rajputana surnames/titles.
Ideally, the Bhumihar Brahmins are supposed to perform sixteen major Saṃskāra rites during the course of their lifetime.
In the pre-natal stage, Garbhadharana (conception), Pumsavana (rite for consecrating a male child in the womb) and Simantonnayana (rite for parting the hair of a pregnant woman) are performed.
During childhood, Jatakarma (birth ceremony), Namakarana (naming ceremony), Nishkarmana (first outing) Annaprasana (first feeding solid food), Choodakarana (first tonsure) and Karnavedha (ear piercing) are performed.
During education of the child, Vidhyarambha (starting of education), Upanayanam (thread ceremony- initiation), Vedarambha (starting of the study of the Vedas), Keshanta or Godana (first shaving of the beard) and Samavartanam or Snaana (ending of studentship) are performed.
During adulthood, Vivaha (marriage) and Anthyesthi (funeral rites) are the main ceremonies.
All the orthodox Bhumihar Brahmins try to adhere to these customs but, times have changed and all Samskaras are no longer practical.
All the orthodox Bhumihar Brahmins try to adhere to these customs but, times have changed and all Samskaras are no longer practical.
Only the most essential ones like Garbhadharana (conception), Jatakarma (birth ceremony), Namakarana (naming ceremony), Annaprasana (first feeding solid food), Choodakarana (first tonsure), Vidhyarambha (starting of education), Upanayanam (thread ceremony- initiation), Vivaha (marriage) and Anthyesthi (funeral rites) are performed.
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