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Population
The population per sq.km. is 320 as per Census 2001. The area of
Bhind is 4459sq. Km.During 1901-61, the rural population increased by 41.68%, where as the
urban population showed an increase of 256.28 %. During 1970-71 the corresponding rural
and urban population rose to as high as 72.0% and 448.76%. |
The population of Bhind is as follows
(2001 census)
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Total |
Rural |
Urban |
| Persons |
1,428,559 |
1,089,626 |
338,933 |
| Males |
780,902 |
596,980 |
183,922 |
| Females |
647,657 |
492,646 |
155,011 |
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Sex Ratio
Sex Ratio is the number of females per 1000
males. The 2001 Sex ratio in Bhind is
| Total |
Rural |
Urban |
| 829 |
825 |
843 |
Migration
About 50 percent of the
population was reported to be born with in the Bhind district in the beginning of the
century. Four percent of the population then, came from the United Provinces. From Bhind
and then Sheopur district a large number of people first migrated to the plateau during
the middle of first decade of the current century and many never returned and
settled down fertile spots in the southernpart of Guna and Vidisha. Out of total
population of 641,169 in the year 1961 in all 562,221 were born in the District.
Languages
The popular languages of the district
are Hindi (99.02%),Punjabi(0.40%) and Urdu(0.34%) .Percentage of
Rajasthani,Marathi,Marwari, Bundelkhandi, Malayalam , English speakers are
negligible.
Religion and Caste
With about 95% of the population
practicing Hindu religion, the District is predominantly Hindu
, followed by a little more than 3% Muslim
and about 1.5% Jain population, a few
number of Christians ,Buddhists and Sikhs
also live in Bhind. The most important caste is that of Bhadoriya
Rajaputs. They were the rulers of of the tract during the 17th and 18th
century. Some of the village's names indicate the dominant caste there eg. Jori
Brahmin village in Bhind tehsil. Among Musalmans , Shaikhs and Pathans are
predominant. Though Syeds and Mughals are also not less in numbers. Besides there are
numerous trade groups such as Rangrez, Sikligar etc.
Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe
There
were 162,793 persons as Scheduled Castes and 895 persons as Scheduled Tribes
according to Census 1971. Thus in number the tribal population is quite insignificant. The
SCs are is in the rural areas but STs are spread up nearly equally in Rural
and urban areas.
The Koli or Kori, were
traditionally the weaver caste. They formed nearly 12.4% of the total SC population of the
District in 1961 They live mostly in rural areas. |
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The
Khatik word is derived from the Sanskrit "Khattika" meaning a
butcher or a hunter. Therefore , traditionally it is a functional caste of butchers and
vegetable sellers. They live mostly in rural areas. |
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The Dhanuk word is
derived from Sanskrit 'dhanushka', meaning archer. Thus they were archers or
watchmen and later assigned other menial tasks. They formed nearly 2.5% of SC population
in 1961.
The Basoda are workers in bamboos. In the District they formed 1.75% of
the SCs in 1961.
The Scheduled Tribes form a very small section of the population
numbering only 477 in 1961, the maximum number among them was that of the Korkus followed
by Seharias and Gonds.
Now, a large number of people from Scheduled Caste and
Scheduled Tribe are working mostly as Cultivators, agricultural labourers and
in other services. Very few of them are engaged in their traditional works. |
General Structure , Religious, Beliefs, Manners
and Customs
The society is composed of orthodox Sanatan Hindus fold. Durga , Sita,
Karilee and many other Goddesses are revered and worshipped here. Lord Rama and Hanuman (
Bajranga) are worshipped throughout the District and Krishna and Shiva (Mahadeva)
have a special place in the hearts of the devotees.
Hindu women in general have many religious beliefs
such as worshipping the sacred TULSI plant and PEEPAL tree. They observe
fast on Ekadashi and other auspicious dates, along with some of the elderly
male members of the family. |
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Jains also have a number of
religious observances and many fairs are organized in the District to commemorate
Lord Mahavira and celebrate other festivals. |
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The village is a unit. Co
residence of breeds a kind of Patriotism and feeling of identity with neighbors and this
is aided by ritual kinship. Brahmans and Rajputs still consider it derogatory to their
caste to put their hand to the plough, employing servants to carry out this part of the
work. Castes of the upper strata regard themselves and are regarded by others as superior.
This is demonstrated in their everyday interaction patterns, especially in the rural
areas. Among these are
(1) the adoption of distinctive titles and Sur names
(2) the mode of greeting
(3) the seating arrangements at communal gatherings such as the village Panchayat meeting
or all village festivals
Brahmins and Rajputs (Kshatriyas) are respectively addressed by others
as Panditji Maharaj and Thakur Saheb.
Social Life
Property and
Inheritance prevalent among the people in the District are generally in accordance with
the usual practice and the traditional laws applicable to the communities concerned. Among
Hindus, the normal practice for sons to divide uniformly among themselves the property of
the father. The partition of dwelling house is by forming separate tenements in the house
, with one common room known as POR , which is shared by all. Divisions in the
agricultural holding are marked by putting up kutcha mad across the fields. The
daughters are still usually ignored.
Marriage
Monogamy
is the rule ,because marriage among the Hindus is a sacrament and there are various
restrictions on marriage. Marriage relations between parties belonging to different castes
and even sub castes , is normally not permitted. Similarly marriage between boy and girl
of the same Gotra is prohibited. Horoscopes of the prospective bride and
bridegroom are consulted and their matching to a minimum desirable extent is necessary for
the finalization of the relation.
The auspicious day of marriage is fixed among the Hindus after
consulting the astrologer and the ceremony commences with Ganesh Pujan and with
the formal arrival of the bridegroom's party, the barat, consisting of relations
and close friends of the bride groom, at the bride's house. The brief ritual of dwar
Puja is the welcome ceremony. The sacred rite of marriage takes place at
pre-appointed auspicious moment called lagna with lighting of the sacred
fire hawan and the chanting of mantras.The kanyadaan and the saptapadi
are the two most important features of a Hindu marriage, which follow soon after. The
ceremony of palang bethoin is performed the next day. This is also the day of the
departure of the bride bida as it is called.
Marriage is a contract among Muslims. Any annulment of this contract
entitles the wife to an alimony (Mehr). Mangani or ceremony of betrothal
is the first formal rite. The principal marriage ceremony is solemnized by the Qazi
of the bride's side. as among Hindus, the concluding part of the marriage rite (Rukhsat)
is departure of the bride to her husband's house.
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The social evil of dowry is penetrated in the society. The
proportion of working women (2%) is much less, as compared to the State (19%)
indicating a high degree of economic dependence of women on their men counterparts.
The drinking of locally made liquor is common among Rajput
males especially on festivals. In other castes it is limited to a few individuals
There are various forms of Gambling practiced in the District,
card-games being the main form.
HOME LIFE
Types of Dwelling . The
way houses are built depends very much on the availability of materials which are
available locally for the house construction. The well to do in the village use locally
made good quality bricks for walls and tiles for the roof. Their houses have fairly high
entrance doors which have a mehrab on top of them. In most of the houses the court
and cattle yard form part of the house.
Dress Hindus wear dhoti or loin-cloth,mizrai or
bandi a short coat reaching to the waist, and a pagri or turban.
The Mohemmadan influence has given them paijamas and long kurtas
with or without a cap in the Kasba and towns. Pants, shirt are a common wear in
towns among the educated , labour and business class. Rajputs wear safa or piece of
delicately tinted muslin, folded like a pugri as head-dress. Elderly persons
usually carry a dupatta or sheet hanging over their shoulders. The younger
generation in the towns however , now prefers to wear all types of modern western
dresses. The women wear a colored lehenga (petticoat) and a choli (bodice).
On the upper part of the body a piece of colored or printed cloth called orhnis is
used to cover the head and shoulders. On the south-east side of the District females use
colored dhotis (Saris) in place of lehengas or orhnis.
Food Meals are generally taken thrice a day, in the early morning before
going to work which is called Kaleu , in the midday, and in the evening which is
called biaru. Fulki or cakes of wheat , bajra and jowar
form the staple food of the people . In the urban areas rice is also eaten along with
wheat cakes, where as barley cakes are consumed by a few , mostly cultivators , in
the rural areas. In pulses gram and tur are preferred to moong , urd,
masar and peas etc. ape and mustard oil is much in use for frying purposes.
Ground nut and til oil are also consumed to some extend by the middle
classes. Others satisfy themselves with hydrogenated oils.
Festivals
Dasahra, Diwali , Holi and Muharram are the four most important festivals
celebrated in the District. Makar Sankranti, Raksha Bandhan, Ram Navami,Hanuman Jayanthi,
Maha Shivarathri, Ganesh Chaturthi, Janmashtami, Nag Panchami etc are other festivals of
the Hindus ,whereas Id-ul-Zuha,Shab -i -barat, Ramzan and Id-ul-Fitr are
other festivals of the Muslims. New year's day , Christmas, Good Friday etc.. are the
important festivals of Christians. Sikhs celebrate the birth anniversaries of Guru Nanak,
Guru Govind Singh and some other Gurus and take out gorgeous processions on these
occasions with the appropriate recitation from the Guru Granth Sahib. |
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