Origin
The most credible and historically supported, firmly established origin story, endorsed by respected historians and corroborated by authentic published sources, holds that the Bhumihars are the erstwhile native Brahmins of Magadha who had converted to Buddhism. Upon their later reconversion to Hinduism, they lost their former ritual status. Babhans are thus former Brahmins who adopted Buddhism and subsequently reintegrated into Hinduism with a relegated status, still similar to Brahmins, although without the sacredness attached to it but higher than Rajpoots During this religious transition, they drifted away from the Brahminical order and became a completely distinct caste, while assuming control over lands and shrines associated with abandoned Buddhist monasteries, hence the name Bhūmi + Hāraka (Bhumihar), meaning “Those who usurped lands”.
We will discuss the evidence supporting this in the next section
Historical Testimony of Conversions
The internationally renowned historian William Dalrymple, through his field research, identified an entire village of Brahmins who had converted to Buddhism (present day Bhumihars) during Ashoka’s reign around 300 BCE. If anyone needs a proven example of such a conversion, it is now available.
