Bahun

Bahun
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It has been suggested that Brahman-Hill be merged into this article or section. (Discuss) Proposed since May 2010.
Brahman (Bahun) (Nepali: बाहुन) is a colloquial Nepali term for a member of the Pahari or "hill" Brahmin (Nepali: ब्राह्मण) caste, who are traditionally educators, scholars and priests of Hinduism. By tradition—and by civil law until 1962—they represented the highest of the four Hindu varna or castes. Bahuns from the "hills" have been represented disproportionately in Nepal's education system, political parties and civil service since the country was unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah and his heirs in the 18th century.
Excluding the indigenous janajati ethnic groups Newar, Magar, Gurung, Tamang, Rai, Limbu, Sherpa, Mananggay, Mustang-gi, Thakali, Dolpo, Walungi and similar ethnic groups comprise over 50% of the population of the Middle Hills, the Khas Bahun represent 31% of the Hindu population while the second-ranked Khas Chhetri or Kshatriya and Thakuri castes who were traditionally rulers and soldiers make up another 42%. This leaves only 27% engaged in occupational castes such as blacksmiths, tailors/musicians, tanners/cobblers, potters, sweepers and goldsmiths. This top-heavy social structure contrasts strongly with that of Nepal's Terai plains and the adjacent territories of northern India.
The Brahman community is the major chunk of the indigenous Khas community of Nepal. They moved eastward along Xinxiang province of China, the Western Tibet, the himalayan foothills from Kashmir and Kumao/Garwal. They settled first in the Karnali River basin, then the Gandaki and finally the Kosi basin as well as into Sikkim and Bhutan.
Contents  [hide]
1 Family names of the Bahun
2 Notable Bahuns
2.1 Politics
2.2 Arts
3 External links
[edit]Family names of the Bahun

A अ - Acharya (आचार्य), Adhikari (अधिकारी), Arjel (अर्जेल)/Arjyal (अर्ज्याल)/Aryal (अर्याल), Awasthi (अवस्थी)
Ā आ - Atreya (आत्रेय),
B ब - Badal (बडाल), Banskota (बास्कोटा), Baral (बराल), Bastakoti (बस्ताकोटी), Banstola (बांस्तोला), Basyal/Bashyal/Basel (बस्याल/ बश्याल/ बसेल)
Bh भ - Bhandari (भन्डारी), Bhatta (भट्ट), Bhattarai (भट्टराई), Bhetuwal (भेटुवाल), Bhurtel (भुर्तेल)
Ch च - Chalise (चालिसे), Chapagain (चापगाईँ), Chataut (चटौत), Chaulagain (चौलागाई), Chiluwal (चिलुवाल)
D द - Dawadi Dahal (दहाल), Devkota (देवकोटा),Dulal
D ड - Dallakoti (डल्लाकोटी), Dumre (डुम्रे)
Dh ढ - Dhakal (ढकाल), Dhungel (ढुंगेल),Dhungana
G ग - Gajurel (गजुरेल), Gaudel (गौडेल), Gautam (गौतम), Gotame (गोतामे), Guragain/Gurangain (गुरागाईँ), Gyanwali (ज्ञवाली), Gaire (गैरे)
Gh घ - Ghimire (घिमिरे)
H ह - Humagain (हुमगाईँ)
J ज - Jaisi (जैसी), Joshi (जोशी)
K क - Kafle (कफ्ले/काफ्ले), Kalakheti (कलाखेती), Kandel (कंडेल)/Kadel (कडेल), Koirala (कोइराला)
Kh ख - Khanal (खनाल), Kharel (खरेल), Khatiwada (खतिवडा)
L - Lamsal(लम्साल), Lekhak (लेखक), Lohani (लोहनी)
M म - Mainali (मैनाली), Maratha (मराठा), Mishra (मिश्र)
N - Nepal (नेपाल), Neupane (न्यौपाने), Niraula (निरौला)
O ओ - Ojha (ओझा), Oli (ऑळी)
P प - Prasai(n) (प्रसाईं), Parajuli(पराजुली), Pageni (पंगेनी), Pandey (पाँडे), Pandit (पण्डित), Pant (पन्त), Pathak (पाठक), Pokhrel/Pokharel (पोखरेल), Paudyal (पौड्याल)/Poudyal/Paudel (पौडेल), Pudasiani (पुडासैनी), Pyakurel (प्याकुरेल)Pukar
Ph फ - Phuyal (फुयाल)
R र - Regmi (रेग्मी), Rijal (रिजाल), Rimal (रिमाल), Rishal (रिशाल)
Sh श - Sharma (शर्मा), Shivakoti (शिवाकोटी)
S स - Sangraula (संग्रौला), Sapkota (सापकोटा), Satyal (सत्याल), Sedhain (सेढाई), Sigdel (सिग्देल), Simkhada (सिम्खडा),Subedi (सुवेदी),
T त - Timilsina (तिमल्सेना), Tiwari (तिवारी), Tripathi (त्रिपाठी)
Th थ - Thapaliya (थपलिया)
W व - Wagle (वाग्ले)
U उ - Upadhyaya (उपाध्याय), Upreti/Uprety (उप्रेती)
Very often, Khas Bahuns can be identified by their middle names being Dev (देव), Nath (नाथ), Mani (मणि), Raj (राज), Prasad (प्रसाद), Devi (देवी) or Kumari (कुमारी). They never use bahadur (बहादुर) in their names because it is associated mainly with Chhetris (Kshatriya) and "martial tribes".
[edit]Notable Bahuns

[edit]Politics
Manmohan Adhikari,Former Prime Minister of Nepal
Girija Prasad Koirala ,Former Prime Minister of Nepal
Dr. Upendra Devkota , Former health minister of Nepal
Madhav Kumar Nepal ,Former Prime Minister of Nepal
Jhalanath Khanal ,Former Prime Minister of Nepal
Pushpa Kamal Dahal ,Former Prime Minister of Nepal
Dr. Baburam Bhattarai ,Prime Minister of Nepal
[edit]Arts
Haribansha Aacharya
Manisha Koirala
[edit]External links

The complete reference to Brahmins: Material from this site has been borrowed for this article with the permission of Dr. Vepachedu
A List of Brahmin Castes and Sub-castes
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