Bahun

Bahun (Khas Brahmin) (Nepali: बाहुन) are group of people belonging to Brahmin caste in Khas group, an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group. Generally, the Parvate/Pahari (hilly) Brahmins are called as Bahuns or Khas Bahuns. They are Sub caste of the Kanyakubja Brahmin.^[1][2][3] Bahuns mainly served as priests, teachers and astrologers as per their caste. Bahuns were able to hold government offices, administration and politics.

Bahun (priest) with traditional Dhaka topi

Bahun (Pahadi Brahmin/Nepali Brahmin)

बाहुन (पहाडी ब्राह्मण/नेपाली ब्राह्मण) Bāhuna (pahāḍī brāhmaṇa/nēpālī brāhmaṇa)
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Total population
32 lakhs (12.2% of Nepal), as per Nepal Census 2011
Regions with significant populations
Nepal
Languages
Nepali language (Khas Kura) as mother tongue
Religion
Hinduism (99% approx.) with ancestral deity worship
Related ethnic groups
Brahmin, Khas, Garhwali, Kshetri, Thakuri

According to 1854 Muluki Ain (Legal Code) of Nepal, Bahuns belong to sacred thread bearers (Yagyopavit) and twice born (Dvija) Hindus.^[4]

Khas Bahun family names

Acharya, Adhikari, Amgain/Apagain, Aryal/Arjyel, Awasthi, Banjara, Bajgain, Banjade, Banskota, Banstola, Baral, Bartaula, Bastakoti, Brahmin Bhandari(not to be mistaken from Chhetri Bhandari), Bhatta, Bhattarai, Bhurtel, Bhusal, Bist, Burlakoti, Chalise, Chataut, Chapagain, Chaugain, Chaulagain, Dangal, Dahal, Dawadi/Duwadi, Devkota, Dhakal, Dhital, Dhungana, Dhungel, Dixit, Dulal, Gaire, Gautam, Ghimire, Ghorasaini, Guragain, Gyawali, Humagain, Jamarkattel, Joshi, Kafle, Kalauni, Kattel, Khanal, Khaniya, Kharel/Kharal, Kuikel, Khatiwada, Koirala, Lamichhane, Lamsal, Lekhak, Lohani, Luintel, Mainali, Marasini, Mishra, Nepal, Neupane, Niroula, Ojha, Oli, Padhya, Pandey, Pandit, Paneru, Panta, Parajuli, Pathak, Phuyal, Pokharel/Pokhrel, Poudel/Paudyal/Poudar(hill), Prasain, Pudasaini, Pyakurel, Rijal, Rimal, Risal, Regmi, Rupakheti, Sanjel, Sangroula, Sapkota, Sedhain, Sharma, Shiwakoti, Sigdel, Sitoula, Silwal, Subedi, Thapaliya, Timsina/Timalsina/Timilsina, Tiwari, Tripathi, Trital, Upadhyaya, Upreti, Wagle, Wasti/Osti etc

References

1. Declan Quigley, David Gellner (2017). Contested Hierarchies: A Collaborative Ethnography of Caste Among the Newars of Kathmandu. edited by David Gellner & Declan Quigley. Macmillan and Company limited. p. 199.
2. Chaturvedi, Shyam lal (1945). In Fraternity with Nepal, An Account of the Activities Under the Auspices of the Wider Life Movement for the Furtherance and Consolidation of the Indo-Nepalese Cultural Fellowship. p. 65.
3. Hachhethu, Krishna (2023). Nation-Building and Federalism in Nepal. p. 40.
4. Serchan, Sanjaya (2001). Democracy, Pluralism and Change. ISBN 978-99933-54-39-0.