Valmiki caste

The Valmikis are a variety of communities throughout India who all claim descent from the legendary author of the Ramayana, Valmiki. The Valmikis can be classified as an ethnic group, caste or sampradaya (tradition/sect). Valkimis from Odisha and Andhra Pradesh natively speak the Kupia language.

In the north-west Punjab region, this caste had adopted Sikhism. During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, many Valmiki were prominent rebels. Notable examples include Matadin Bhangi, Gangu Mehtar and Bhura Singh Valmiki. Members of this caste are now inclined towards politics and government high positions.

According to the 2001 Census of India, the Valmikis formed 11.2 per cent of the Scheduled Caste population in the Indian state of Punjab and were the second-most populous Scheduled Caste in Delhi National Capital Region. The 2011 Census of India for Uttar Pradesh showed the Valmiki population, which was classified as a Scheduled Caste, as 1,319,241.

Demographics

State, U.T	Population	Population %	Notes
Andhra Pradesh	70,513	0.083%	In the Joint State of Andhara Pradesh during the 2011 census, the Valmiki caste had been counted as a Scheduled Tribe instead of a Scheduled Caste.
Bihar	207,549	0.199%	Counted as Hari, Mehtar, Bhangi
Chandigarh	82,624	7.82%	Counted as Mazhabi, Balmiki, Chura or Bhangi
Chhattisgarh	19,016	0.074%	Counted as Bhangi, Mehtar, Balmiki, Lalbegi, Dharkar
NCT of Delhi	577,281	3.43 %	Counted as Chuhra (Balmiki)
Goa	309	0.0%	Counted as Bhangi (Hadi)
Gujarat	439,444	0.72%	Counted as Bhangi, Mehtar, Olgana, Rukhi, Malkana, Halalkhor, Lalbegi, Balmiki, Korar, Zadmalli,Barwashia, Barwasia, Jamphoda, Zampada, Zampda, Rushi, Valmiki
Haryana	1,079,682	4.25%	Counted as Balmiki, Chura, Bhangi, Mazhabi and Mazhabi Sikh
Himachal Pradesh	35,150	0.51%	Counted as Balmiki, Bhangi, Chuhra, Chura, Chuhre and Mazhabi
Jammu & Kashmir	6918	0.0%	Counted as Chura, Bhangi, Balmiki, Mehtar
Jharkhand	58,242	0.17%	Counted as Hari, Mehtar, Bhangi
Karnataka	5,281	0.0086%	Counted as Bhangi, Mehtar, Olgana, Rukhi, Malkana, Halalkhor, Lalbegi, Balmiki, Korar, Zadmalli
Madhya Pradesh	365,769	0.5%	Counted as Bhangi, Mehtar, Balmik, Lalbegi, Dharkar
Maharashtra	217,166	0.19%	Counted as Bhangi, Mehtar, Olgana, Rukhi, Malkana, Halalkhor, Lalbegi, Balmiki, Korar, Zadmalli, Hela
Mizoram	21	0.0%	Counted as Mehtar, Bhangi
Odisha	2,453	0.0%	Counted as Hari, Mehtar, Bhangi
Punjab	3,500,874	12.61%	Counted as Mazhabi, Mazhabi Sikh, Balmiki, Chuhra, Bhangi
Rajasthan	625,011	0.91%	Counted as Majhabi, Bhangi, Chura, Mehtar, Olgana, Rukhi, Malkana, Halalkhor, Lalbegi, Balmiki, Valmiki, Korar, Zadmalli
Tripura	1,851	0.0%	Counted as Mehtor
Uttarakhand	118,421	1.17%	Counted as Mazhabi and Balmiki
Uttar Pradesh	1,319,241	0.66%	Counted as Balmiki
West Bengal	431,257	0.47%	Counted as Hari, Mehtar, Mehtor, Bhangi, Balmiki

Other countries

In the UK, the Council of Valmiki Sabhas UK claims to represent the Valmiki.

See also

• Mazhabi Sikh
• Matadin Bhangi
• Madakari Nayaka
• Bhai Jiwan Singh
• Bhura Singh Valmiki
• Gangu Baba
• Sikh Light Infantry
• Valmiki
• Bhagwan Valmiki Tirath Sthal
• Balmikism
• Valmiki Ashram

References

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