Brahmin is the priestly and scholarly varna (broad status category) at the top of the traditional Hindu caste hierarchy, historically associated with ritual officiation, Vedic scholarship and, in many regions, land administration and government service. Brahmin communities are internally highly diverse, comprising numerous distinct endogamous sub-castes (jatis) organized differently by region across the Indian subcontinent, and Brahmin identity today spans a wide range of occupations well beyond the traditional priestly role. The extent to which caste hierarchy, including Brahmin social position, reflects an unbroken ancient tradition versus a form substantially hardened under colonial-era administration is an actively debated question in South Asian historiography (see this atlas's open question on the colonial-construction debate).
Facts
Group TypeSourced to the subject's own account Typical RegionSourced to the subject's own accountSouth Asia (India and Nepal, with diaspora communities worldwide) 1 Primary LanguageSourced to the subject's own accountRegional Indian languages (Sanskrit historically as a liturgical and scholarly language) 1 Subsistence ModeSourced to the subject's own accountTraditionally priestly, scholarly and administrative occupations within the varna system; contemporary Brahmin communities work across the full range of modern professions. 1 Disputed
Population Estimateestimated 65 to 70 million in India (roughly 5 percent of the Indian population) 1 Sourced to the subject's own accountIndia has not published a caste-wise census since 1931; contemporary figures are drawn from sample surveys and are contested in Indian public debate. Sources
Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.
View At A Past Year
The atlas records no dated fact of its own for this entry, so there is no other year to choose.