Bairagi Brahmin (caste)

From Bharatpedia, an open encyclopedia


This article is about the Bairagi caste. For Hindustani classical raga, see Bairagi (raga).
Not to be confused with the Celibate Ascetics (Vairagi).
Bairagi
Swami • Vaishnav • Mahant
Goswami shri tulsi das ji.jpg
A Portrait of Bairagi Mahant
(Tilak of Ramanandi Sampradaya on his body)
ClassificationRamanandi Sampradaya
Kuladevta (male)Rama • Krishna • (Avatars of Vishnu) • Hanuman
Kuladevi (female)Sita • Radha• Tulsi • (Avtars of Lakshmi)
GuruRamananda • Tulsidas • Ramanuja
NishanKapidhwaj (Hanuman on Flag)
ReligionsOm symbol.svg Hinduism
LanguagesHindi • Awadhi • Bhojpuri • Braj Bhasha • Maithili • Magahi • Angika • Bajjika • Nagpuri • Bagheli • Bundeli • Kannauji • Kauravi • Haryanvi • Punjabi • Rajasthani • Gujarati • Chhattisgarhi • Odia • Bengali • Marathi
CountryIndia • Nepal
Populated statesIndia
Uttar Pradesh • Bihar • Jharkhand • Madhya Pradesh • Himachal Pradesh • Uttarakhand • Rajasthan • Punjab • Maharastra • Gujarat • Chhattisgarh • Odisha • West Bengal • Haryana
Nepal
Madhesh
Feudal titleMahant/Swami/Bawa
ColorBhagwa
Historical groupingBrahmin
StatusMonasterial Community

Bairagi Brahmin is a Hindu caste. They are also called by different names that are Swami, Bairagi, Mahant, Vaishnav, Vairagi, Ramanandi, Shami, Vaishnav , Pujari. They are Vaishnav, and wear the sacred thread. They belong to the Ramanandi Sampradaye. A majority of Bairagi Brahmin is found in West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Bihar and the eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh. Bairagi are considered as part of the upper castes of Bengal – Brahmin, Rajput, Chatri, Grahacarya and Baidya.[1]

Bairagi Brahmin belong to the Brahmin varna. Senugupta describes them as a High caste group.[2] William Pinch believes that the Bairagi branch of Vaishnavas is the result of the Galta conference of 17th Century.[3]

According to Mayer, the Bairagis were one of a few sectarian castes which accepted admissions from higher castes. He states that they Bairagis had a worldly and celibate branches of the caste. He states they were considered of equal status with Brahmins, Rajputs, and Jats.[4]

Dynasties[edit]

Nandgaon[edit]

The first ruler Mahant Ghasi Das of Nandgaon State, was recognized as a feudal chief by the British government in 1865 and was granted a sanad of adoption. Later the British conferred the title of raja on the ruling mahant.[5][6]

Chhuikhadan[edit]

The chiefs of Chhuikhadan State were originally under the Bhonsles of Nagpur, the first Chief being Mahant Rup Das in 1750. However, after defeat of Marathas, they were recognized by British as feudatory chiefs in 1865 conferring the title and sanad to Mahant Laxman Das.[7]

Akharas[edit]

There are three prominent Bairagi (Vaishnav) Akharas:[8][9]

Hanuman Garhi Temple, a major site of Ramanandi Bairagis in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh.

Mahabharat[edit]

The Mahabharata says that once, after Babruvahana dug a dry pond, a Bairagi Brahmin reached the centre of pond and instantly water came out of the pond with a thunderous noise.[11]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Nirmal Kumar Bose, Some Aspects of Caste in Bengal, p.399, Vol. 71, No. 281, Traditional India: Structure and Change, American Folklore Society
  2. ↑ Senugupta, Parna (2011). Pedagogy for Religion: Missionary Education and the Fashioning of Hindus and Muslims in Bengal. University of California Press. pp. 104, 112.
  3. ↑ Choubey, Devendra. Sahitya Ka Naya Soundaryashastra (in हिन्दी). Kitabghar Prakashan. p. 282. ISBN 978-81-89859-11-4.
  4. ↑ Mayer, Adrian C. (1960). Caste and Kinship in Central India. Routledge. pp. 28–29. 36–39.
  5. ↑ Chhattisgarh ki Riyaste/Princely stastes aur Jamindariyaa. Raipur: Vaibhav Prakashan. 2011. ISBN 978-81-89244-96-5.
  6. ↑ Chhattisgarh ki Janjaatiyaa/Tribes aur Jatiyaa/Castes. Delhi: Mansi publication. 2011. ISBN 978-81-89559-32-8.
  7. ↑ Princely states of India: a guide to chronology and rulers by David P. Henige - 2004 - Page 48
  8. ↑ [South Asian Religions on Display: Religious Processions in South Asia and in the Diaspora, Knut A. Jacobsen, ISBN hardback 978-0-415-4373-3, ISBN ebook ISBN hardback 978-0-203-93059-5]
  9. ↑ Jāyasavāla, Akhileśa (1991). 18vīṃ śatābdī meṃ Avadha ke samāja evaṃ saṃskr̥ti ke katipaya paksha: śodha prabandha (in हिन्दी). Śāradā Pustaka Bhavana.
  10. ↑ "बाकी अखाड़ों से अलग कैसे है 'दिगंबर अखाड़ा'?". News18 India. 19 December 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  11. ↑ Makhan Jha (1998), India and Nepal : Sacred Centres and Anthropological Researches, p. 100, ISBN 81-7533-081-3
Information red.svg
Scan the QR code to donate via UPI
Dear reader, We kindly request your support in maintaining the independence of Bharatpedia. As a non-profit organization, we rely heavily on small donations to sustain our operations and provide free access to reliable information to the world. We would greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to consider donating to our cause, as it would greatly aid us in our mission. Your contribution would demonstrate the importance of reliable and trustworthy knowledge to you and the world. Thank you.

Please select an option below or scan the QR code to donate
₹150 ₹500 ₹1,000 ₹2,000 ₹5,000 ₹10,000 Other


Retrieved from "https://en.bharatpedia.org/index.php?title=Bairagi_Brahmin_(caste)&oldid=398456"