Editing Valmiki caste

{{pp|small=yes}}
{{short description|Caste in India}}
{{About-distinguish|the Indian caste community|Balmiki sect}}
{{use British English|date=May 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}

The '''Valmiki'''s 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 a [[caste system in India|caste]] or ''[[sampradaya]]'' (tradition/sect).<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.comVa?id=IEVqCwAAQBAJ|title=Valmiki Hindu Jati|date=19 January 2021|isbn=9789350485668|language=Hindi}}</ref>  

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 Baba|Gangu Mehtar]] and [[Bhura Singh Valmiki]].

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 (India)|Punjab]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_punjab.pdf|publisher=Census I |title=Punjab: Data Highlights: The Scheduled Castes |year=2001|access-date=2015-01-05}}</ref> and were the second-most populous Scheduled Caste in [[Delhi|Delhi National Capital Region]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_delhi.pdf|title=Delhi: Data Highlights: The Scheduled Castes |year=2001 |publisher=Census India|access-date=2015-01-05 |page=1}}</ref><ref>Leslie, J.(2003) Authority and Meaning in Indian Religions: Hinduism and the Case of Valmiki. Ashgate publishing their favorite weapon is karha . {{ISBN|0754634302}}</ref>{{page needed|date=April 2020}} The [[2011 Census of India]] for [[Uttar Pradesh]] showed the Valmiki population, which was classified as a Scheduled Caste, as 1,319,241.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/PCA/SC_ST/PCA-A10/SC-0900-PCA-A-10-ddw.xlsx |title= A-10 Individual Scheduled Caste Primary Census Abstract Data and its Appendix - Uttar Pradesh |publisher=Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India |access-date=2017-02-04}}</ref>

==Demographics==

<!-- Please maintain alphabetical order. -->
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! State, U.T
! Population
! Population %
! Notes
|-
| Andhra Pradesh<ref>{{cite web |title=A-11 Appendix: District wise scheduled tribe population (Appendix), Andhra Pradesh - 2011 |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/43027 |access-date=29 August 2024}}</ref>
| 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<ref>SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Bihar - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2115 (Accessed: 17 August 2024). </ref>
| 207,549
| 0.199%
| Counted as Hari, Mehtar, Bhangi
|-
| Chandigarh<ref>SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Chandigarh - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2109 (Accessed: 17 August 2024). </ref>
| 82,624
| 7.82%
| Counted as Mazhabi, Balmiki, Chura or Bhangi
|-
| Chhattisgarh<ref>SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Chhattisgarh - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2125 (Accessed: 17 August 2024). </ref>
| 19,016
| 0.074%
| Counted as Bhangi, Mehtar, Balmiki, Lalbegi,  Dharkar
|-
| NCT of Delhi<ref>SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, NCT of Delhi - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2112 (Accessed: 17 August 2024). </ref>
| 577,281
| 3.43 %
| Counted as Chuhra (Balmiki)
|-
| Goa<ref>SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Goa - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2133 (Accessed: 24 August 2024). </ref>
| 309
| 0.0%
| Counted as Bhangi (Hadi)
|-
| Gujarat<ref>SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Gujarat - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2127 (Accessed: 17 August 2024). </ref>
| 439,444
| 0.72%
| Counted as Bhangi, Mehtar, Olgana, Rukhi,  Malkana,  Halalkhor,  Lalbegi,  Balmiki,  Korar,  Zadmalli,Barwashia, Barwasia, Jamphoda, Zampada, Zampda, Rushi, Valmiki
|-
| Haryana<ref>SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Haryana - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2111 (Accessed: 17 August 2024). </ref>
| 1,079,682
| 4.25%
| Counted as Balmiki, Chura, Bhangi, Mazhabi and Mazhabi Sikh
|-
| Himachal Pradesh<ref>SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Himachal Pradesh - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2107 (Accessed: 17 August 2024). </ref>
| 35,150
| 0.51%
| Counted as Balmiki,  Bhangi,  Chuhra, Chura,  Chuhre and Mazhabi
|-
| Jammu & Kashmir<ref>SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Jammu & Kashmir - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2106 (Accessed: 24 August 2024). </ref>
| 6918
| 0.0%
| Counted as Chura, Bhangi, Balmiki, Mehtar
|-
| Jharkhand<ref>SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Jharkhand - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2123 (Accessed: 17 August 2024). </ref>
| 58,242
| 0.17%
| Counted as Hari, Mehtar, Bhangi
|-
| Karnataka<ref>SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Karnataka - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2132 (Accessed: 17 August 2024). </ref>
| 5,281
| 0.0086%
| Counted as Bhangi, Mehtar, Olgana, Rukhi,  Malkana,  Halalkhor,  Lalbegi,  Balmiki, Korar,  Zadmalli
|-
| Madhya Pradesh<ref>SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Madhya Pradesh - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2126 (Accessed: 17 August 2024). </ref>
| 365,769
| 0.5%
| Counted as Bhangi, Mehtar, Balmik, Lalbegi,  Dharkar
|-
| Maharashtra<ref>SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Maharashtra - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2130 (Accessed: 17 August 2024). </ref>
| 217,166
| 0.19%
| Counted as Bhangi, Mehtar, Olgana, Rukhi,  Malkana,  Halalkhor,  Lalbegi,  Balmiki,  Korar,  Zadmalli, Hela
|-
| Mizoram<ref>SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Mizoram - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2118 (Accessed: 24 August 2024). </ref>
| 21
| 0.0%
| Counted as Mehtar, Bhangi
|-
| Odisha<ref>SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Odisha - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2124 (Accessed: 24 August 2024). </ref>
| 2,453
| 0.0%
| Counted as Hari, Mehtar, Bhangi
|-
| Punjab<ref>SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Punjab - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2108 (Accessed: 17 August 2024). </ref>
| 3,500,874
| 12.61%
| Counted as Mazhabi, Mazhabi Sikh, Balmiki, Chuhra, Bhangi
|-
| Rajasthan<ref>SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Rajasthan - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2113 (Accessed: 17 August 2024). </ref>
| 625,011
| 0.91%
| Counted as Majhabi, Bhangi, Chura, Mehtar, Olgana,  Rukhi,  Malkana,  Halalkhor,  Lalbegi,  Balmiki,  Valmiki,  Korar,  Zadmalli
|-
| Tripura<ref>SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Mizoram - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2119 (Accessed: 24 August 2024). </ref>
| 1,851
| 0.0%
| Counted as Mehtor
|-
| Uttarakhand<ref>SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Uttarakhand - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2110 (Accessed: 17 August 2024). </ref>
| 118,421
| 1.17%
| Counted as Mazhabi and Balmiki
|-
| Uttar Pradesh<ref>SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, Uttar Pradesh - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2114 (Accessed: 17 August 2024). </ref>
| 1,319,241
| 0.66%
| Counted as Balmiki
|-
| West Bengal<ref>SC-14: Scheduled caste population by religious community, West Bengal - 2011 (2021) India. Available at: https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/2122 (Accessed: 24 August 2024). </ref>
| 431,257
| 0.47%
| Counted as Hari, Mehtar,  Mehtor,  Bhangi, Balmiki
|}

==Notable people==
*[[Om Prakash Valmiki]]
*[[Hans Raj Hans]]
*[[Navraj Hans]]
*[[Yuvraj Hans]]
*[[Sudeepa]]
*[[Devi Das Nahar]]
*[[Sabar Koti]]

==Other countries==
In the UK, the Council of Valmiki Sabhas UK claims to represent the Valmiki.<ref name=Jacobs>{{cite book |first=Stephen |last=Jacobs |year=2010 |title=Hinduism Today: An Introduction |publisher=A & C Black}}</ref>{{page needed|date=June 2020}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt200809/jtselect/jtrights/169/169we17.htm|title=Memorandum submitted by Central Valmiki Sabha International (UK)|publisher=[[Parliament of the United Kingdom|United Kingdom Parliament]]|date=12 November 2009|access-date=19 May 2015}}</ref>

==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==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Dalit communities]]
[[Category:Hindu communities]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Punjab]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Gujarat]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Delhi]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Haryana]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Chhattisgarh]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Assam]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Bihar]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Odisha]]
[[Category:Scheduled Tribes of Andhra Pradesh]]