Lal Begi
Encyclopedia
The Lal Begi are a scheduled caste found in the states of Bihar
and Uttar Pradesh
in India
. The Muslim branch of the Lal Begi are known as Hasnati and the Hindu
branch are known as Balmiki.
In Bihar
, the Lal Begi claim descent from the saint Balmiki
, and originated in Rajasthan
. They are distributed in the urban centres of Jharia
, Dhanbad
, Sindri
, Katras
and Chas.
The community has undergone a major split. A section of the Lal Beg have embraced Hinduism
, and now are known as Balmiki. As Balmiki, they have obtained scheduled caste status. The exact religious status of the community remains in a flux, with some members taking Hindu
names to obtain the advantage of scheduled caste status. Most Lal Begi have remained Muslim
, and follow the hinduism. They have also set up a caste association, the Hasnati Biradari.
In Bihar
, the community consists of a number clans such as the Bhiwal, Pandit and Chamria. They are employed by the municipal authorities as sweepers. A small number are now employed as daily wage labourers. The community is now divided between Hindu
and Muslim
sections, and boundaries between the two groups is hardening. In past, the groups intermarried, but this is no longer the cases. They speak the various local dialects of Hindi
, with very few having any knowledge of Urdu
.
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
and Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The Muslim branch of the Lal Begi are known as Hasnati and the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
branch are known as Balmiki.
History and origin
According to their traditions, they are followers of Mehtar Ilyas. The Mehtar took to sweeping as an occupation, after he was summoned to the heavens, where a meeting of prophets was occurring. He wanted to spit, but was unable to find a spittoon, so spat upwards. The spit fell on the prophets, and God as a punishment made him sweep the spit. His descendents were cursed to live their life as sweepers. The Mehtar was one day approached by a Sufi saint, who asked him why he did not wear a coat. The Mehtar replied, that as a sweeper, he did not need a coat. The saint commanded that he wear a coat, and the Mehtar went to a open a pitcher, but was unable to do so. So the saint said, use my name, and you will be open the pitcher. And out of the pitcher came a young boy,m who was named Lal Beg. The community claim descent from this boy.In Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
, the Lal Begi claim descent from the saint Balmiki
Balmiki
Balmiki is Dalit communities in the Indian state of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana and also in Pakistan and was historically restricted to three occupations: cleaning latrines, sweeping, and scavenging . They prefer to be known as Bhangi...
, and originated in Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
. They are distributed in the urban centres of Jharia
Jharia
Jharia is a notified area and one of eight development blocks in Dhanbad district in Jharkhand state, India. More than one town in India shares this name.- City :...
, Dhanbad
Dhanbad
Dhanbad features climate that is transitional between a humid subtropical climate and a tropical wet and dry climate. Summer starts from last week of March and ends in mid-June. Peak temperature in summer can reach 47oC. Dhanbad also receives heavy rainfall...
, Sindri
Sindri
- Overview :Sindri is an industrial township within the Dhanbad municipal limits of the Dhanbad District of Jharkhand state. Sindri was well known because of a large Fertilizer factory conceived here in the early industrialized India...
, Katras
Katras
Katras is a town equivalent to a city in terms of facilities and a notified area in Dhanbad district in the Indian state of Jharkhand.-Geography:Katras is located at . It has an average elevation of 201 metres .-Demographics:...
and Chas.
Present circumstances
The Lal Beg have been sweepers and scavenger, both activities considered as polluting . As such, they have been an extremely marginalized community. Many members of the community work as sweepers for the municipal authorities and hospitals.The community has undergone a major split. A section of the Lal Beg have embraced Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
, and now are known as Balmiki. As Balmiki, they have obtained scheduled caste status. The exact religious status of the community remains in a flux, with some members taking Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
names to obtain the advantage of scheduled caste status. Most Lal Begi have remained Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
, and follow the hinduism. They have also set up a caste association, the Hasnati Biradari.
In Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
, the community consists of a number clans such as the Bhiwal, Pandit and Chamria. They are employed by the municipal authorities as sweepers. A small number are now employed as daily wage labourers. The community is now divided between Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
sections, and boundaries between the two groups is hardening. In past, the groups intermarried, but this is no longer the cases. They speak the various local dialects of Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
, with very few having any knowledge of Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
.