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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{infobox ethnic group|
{{infobox ethnic group|
|group= Halwai
| group Ā  Ā  Ā  Ā  Ā  = Halwai
|image= Ā 
| image Ā  Ā  Ā  Ā  Ā  = Ā 
|popplace = ā€¢ {{flagcountry|India}} ā€¢ {{flagcountry|Nepal}} * {{flagcountry|Pakistan}}
| popplace Ā  Ā  Ā  Ā  = ā€¢ {{flagcountry|India}}ā€¢{{flagcountry|Bangladesh}}
|langs = ā€¢ [[Hindi language|Hindi]] ā€¢ [[Awadhi]] ā€¢ [[Bhojpuri]] . [[Bhagalpur |AngikaĀ  ]]Ā  ā€¢ [[Marwari language|Marwari]] [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]{{cn|date=February 2020}}
ā€¢{{flagcountry|Nepal}} * {{flagcountry|Pakistan}}
|rels= ā€¢ [[Hinduism]], [[Jainism]] Ā 
| langs Ā  Ā  Ā  Ā  Ā  = ā€¢ [[Hindi language|Hindi]] ā€¢ [[Bengali language|Bengali]] ā€¢ [[Maithili language|Maithili]] .[[Awadhi language|Awadhi]] ā€¢ [[Bhojpuri language|Bhojpuri]] . [[Bhagalpur |AngikaĀ  ]]Ā  ā€¢ [[Marwari language|Marwari]] [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]{{cn|date=February 2020}}
|related= ā€¢ [[Muslim Halwai]] ā€¢ [[Bania (caste)|Bania]] ā€¢ [[Vaishya]]
| rels Ā  Ā  Ā  Ā  Ā  Ā  = ā€¢ [[Hinduism]], [[Jainism]]
| related Ā  Ā  Ā  Ā  = ā€¢ [[Muslim Halwai]] ā€¢ [[Bania (caste)|Bania]] ā€¢ [[Vaishya]]
}}
}}
'''Halwai''' is an [[Caste system in India|Indian caste]] whose traditional occupation was [[confectionery]] and sweet-making. The name is derived from the word '''[[Halwa]]''' [[plough]].
'''Halwai''' is an [[Caste system in India|Indian caste]] and a social class, whose traditional occupation was [[confectionery]] and sweet-making. The name is derived from the word '''''[[Halwa]]''''' which is a sweet dish.


'''Balarama''' is the celebrated plougher so called '''Halwahi''' or '''Halwai''', one of the pillars of agriculture along with livestock with whom '''Krishna''' is associated with. The plough is Balarama's weapon. In the ''Bhagavata Purana'', he uses it to fight demons, dig a way for [[Yamuna]] river to come closer to [[Vrindavan]] and pull the entire capital of [[Hastinapura]] into the Ganges river.<ref name="Hudson2008p99">{{cite book|author=D Dennis Hudson|title=The Body of God: An Emperor's Palace for Krishna in Eighth-Century Kanchipuram|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IMCxbOezDi4C |year=2008|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-970902-1|pages=97ā€“101}}</ref>
The community is known by different names in different parts of India. For instance, it's called Modanseni, Yagyaseni, Kany Kujb Halwai, Madheshiya Halwai, [[Kandu|Kanu (Kandu)]] etc. in [[Bihar]] and [[Uttar Pradesh]]. Moira-Modak in [[West Bengal]]; [[Gudia (caste)|Gudia]] in [[Odisha]] and so on.<ref>{{Cite web |title=:: West Bengal Commission for Backward Classes :: |url=http://wbcbc.gov.in/html/hoeme.html |access-date=2024-05-31 |website=wbcbc.gov.in }}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
Ā 
==Customs==
Ā 
'''Balarama''' is the celebrated plougher so called '''Halwahi''' or '''Halwai''' or '''Haluwai''', one of the pillars of agriculture along with livestock with whom '''Krishna''' is associated with. The plough is Balarama's weapon. In the ''Bhagavata Purana'', he uses it to fight demons, dig a way for [[Yamuna]] river to come closer to [[Vrindavan]] and pull the entire capital of [[Hastinapura]] into the Ganges river.<ref name="Hudson2008p99">{{cite book|author=D Dennis Hudson|title=The Body of God: An Emperor's Palace for Krishna in Eighth-Century Kanchipuram|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IMCxbOezDi4C |year=2008|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-970902-1|pages=97ā€“101}}</ref>


Baba Ganinath Govindji is the kul [[Guru]] (school) of Halwai caste.<ref>"Ritual as Language: The Case of South Indian Food Offerings". [[Gabriella Eichinger Ferro-Luzzi|Gabriella Eichinger, Ferro-Luzzi]]. ''Current Anthropology'', Vol. 18, No. 3 (Sep., 1977), pp. 507-514.</ref>
Baba Ganinath Govindji is the kul [[Guru]] (school) of Halwai caste.<ref>"Ritual as Language: The Case of South Indian Food Offerings". [[Gabriella Eichinger Ferro-Luzzi|Gabriella Eichinger, Ferro-Luzzi]]. ''Current Anthropology'', Vol. 18, No. 3 (Sep., 1977), pp. 507-514.</ref>


==Origins==
==Halwais in Nepal==
In parts of [[Uttar Pradesh]], some believe that they have descended from a man by the name 'Bhalandan.' This Bhalandan came into being due to the will of the [[Hindu]] god [[Brahma]]. This individual married a woman named Marutwati. Their son was an individual who was named Vatsa Priti. One of the latter's descendants, an individual called Modan, took to making sweetmeats.<ref>''[https://books.google.com/books?id=bBdWAAAAYAAJ&dq=People+of+India%3A+Uttar+Pradesh%2C+Volume+42&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=Bhalandan People of India: Uttar Pradesh]'' Volume XLII, Part 2. edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 597. {{ISBN|9788173041143}}.</ref>
The [[Central Bureau of Statistics (Nepal)|Central Bureau of Statistics]] of Nepal classifies the Halwai as a subgroup within the broader social group of [[Madheshi people|Madheshi]] Other Caste.<ref> Population Monograph of Nepal, Volume II [https://nepal.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/Population%20Monograph%20V02.pdf]</ref> At the time of the [[2011 Nepal census]], 83,869 people (0.3% of the population of Nepal) were Halwai. The frequency of Halwais by province was as follows:
* [[Madhesh Province]] (0.8%)
* [[Koshi Province]] (0.4%)
* [[Lumbini Province]] (0.3%)
* [[Bagmati Province]] (0.1%)
* [[Gandaki Province]] (0.0%)
* [[Karnali Province]] (0.0%)
* [[Sudurpashchim Province]] (0.0%)


The community set up its own association, the Kanyakubja Vaishya Halwai Mahasabha, which was established in [[Varanasi]] in the early part of the 1900s.<ref>''People of India: Uttar Pradesh'', Volume XLII. edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 601.</ref>
The frequency of Halwais was higher than national average (0.3%) in the following districts:<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://cbs.gov.np/wp-content/upLoads/2018/12/Volume05Part02.pdf |title=2011 Nepal Census, District Level Detail Report |access-date=11 April 2023 |archive-date=14 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314170005/https://cbs.gov.np/wp-content/upLoads/2018/12/Volume05Part02.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Siraha District|Siraha]] (2.1%)
* [[Saptari District|Saptari]] (1.8%)
* [[Dhanusha District|Dhanusha]] (1.5%)
* [[Sunsari District|Sunsari]] (1.1%)
* [[Mahottari District|Mahottari]] (0.8%)
* [[Morang District|Morang]] (0.8%)
* [[Kapilvastu District|Kapilvastu]] (0.6%)
* [[Banke District|Banke]] (0.5%)
* [[Parasi District|Parasi]] (0.5%)
* [[Sarlahi District|Sarlahi]] (0.5%)
* [[Rupandehi District|Rupandehi]] (0.4%)


==See also==
==See also==
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{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


[[Category:Social groups of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Bania communities]]
[[Category:Bania communities]]
[[Category:Social groups of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Social groups of Uttar Pradesh]]
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[[Category:Social groups of Bihar]]
[[Category:Social groups of Bihar]]
[[Category:Social groups of Odisha]]
[[Category:Social groups of Odisha]]
[[Category:Indian castes by profession]]
[[Category:Indian castes]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Nepal]]

Latest revision as of 04:49, 9 September 2025


Halwai
Regions with significant populations
ā€¢  Indiaā€¢ Bangladesh ā€¢   Nepal *  Pakistan
Languages
ā€¢ Hindi ā€¢ Bengali ā€¢ Maithili .Awadhi ā€¢ Bhojpuri . Angika ā€¢ Marwari Punjabi[citation needed]
Religion
ā€¢ Hinduism, Jainism
Related ethnic groups
ā€¢ Muslim Halwai ā€¢ Bania ā€¢ Vaishya

Halwai is an Indian caste and a social class, whose traditional occupation was confectionery and sweet-making. The name is derived from the word Halwa which is a sweet dish.

The community is known by different names in different parts of India. For instance, it's called Modanseni, Yagyaseni, Kany Kujb Halwai, Madheshiya Halwai, Kanu (Kandu) etc. in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Moira-Modak in West Bengal; Gudia in Odisha and so on.[1]

Customs[edit | edit source]

Balarama is the celebrated plougher so called Halwahi or Halwai or Haluwai, one of the pillars of agriculture along with livestock with whom Krishna is associated with. The plough is Balarama's weapon. In the Bhagavata Purana, he uses it to fight demons, dig a way for Yamuna river to come closer to Vrindavan and pull the entire capital of Hastinapura into the Ganges river.[2]

Baba Ganinath Govindji is the kul Guru (school) of Halwai caste.[3]

Halwais in Nepal[edit | edit source]

The Central Bureau of Statistics of Nepal classifies the Halwai as a subgroup within the broader social group of Madheshi Other Caste.[4] At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, 83,869 people (0.3% of the population of Nepal) were Halwai. The frequency of Halwais by province was as follows:

The frequency of Halwais was higher than national average (0.3%) in the following districts:[5]

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ā†‘ ":: West Bengal Commission for Backward Classes ::". wbcbc.gov.in. Retrieved 31 May 2024.[permanent dead link]
  2. ā†‘ D Dennis Hudson (2008). The Body of God: An Emperor's Palace for Krishna in Eighth-Century Kanchipuram. Oxford University Press. pp. 97ā€“101. ISBN 978-0-19-970902-1.
  3. ā†‘ "Ritual as Language: The Case of South Indian Food Offerings". Gabriella Eichinger, Ferro-Luzzi. Current Anthropology, Vol. 18, No. 3 (Sep., 1977), pp. 507-514.
  4. ā†‘ Population Monograph of Nepal, Volume II [1]
  5. ā†‘ "2011 Nepal Census, District Level Detail Report" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 March 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
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