Doms
This article is about the Bengali Hindu caste. For the singular "Dom" of the plural "Doms", see Dom. For other uses, see DOMS.
| Dom ডোম | |
|---|---|
| Religions | Hinduism |
| Languages | Bengali |
| Populated States | West Bengal, Bangladesh |
| Population | 316,337 (2001 census) |
| Family names | Dom, Bansfor, Mallick |
Doms (Bengali: ডোম)are a Bengali Hindu caste found in large numbers in Birbhum, Bankura and other districts in the western fringe of the Indian state of West Bengal.[1][2] Traditionally, Doms were basket-makers, cultivators, labourers and drummers; their wives serving as midwives.[1]
The Doms were formerly classified as a criminal tribe under the Criminal Tribes Acts of the British Raj.[3][4]
Demographics
Doms numbered 316,337 the 2001 census and were 1.7 percent of the scheduled caste population of West Bengal. 46.0 percent of Doms were literate – 58.9 percent males and 32.6 percent females were literate.[5]
References
- 1 2 O’Malley, L.S.S. Bengal District Gazeteers—Birbhum (1996 ed.). Government of West Bengal. p. 41.
- ↑ O’Malley, L.S.S. Bengal District Gazaeteers—Bankura (1995 ed.). Government of West Bengal. pp. 65–67.
- ↑ Bates, Crispin (1995). "Race, Caste and Tribe in Central India: the early origins of Indian anthropometry". In Robb, Peter. The Concept of Race in South Asia. Delhi: Oxford University Press. p. 227. ISBN 978-0-19-563767-0. Retrieved 2011-12-01.
- ↑ Gupta, Ganesh (2005). Padabi Abhidhan [Dictionary of Family Names] (in Bengali). Kolkata: Annapurna Prakashan. p. 52.
- ↑ "West Bengal, Census of India 2001, Data Highlights – The Scheduled Castes" (PDF). Office of the Registrar General, India. Retrieved 28 June 2009.
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