Bagdi caste

For disambiguation, see Bagadi.

The Bagdis (Bengali: বাগদি) are indigenous people descended from people with Dravidian links found in the Indian state of West Bengal and Bangladesh. The Bagdis are populous in Bankura, Birbhum and other districts in the western fringe of West Bengal. They speak Bengali[1][2][3]

The Bagdis numbered 2,740,385 in West Bengal in the 2001 Indian census and were 14.9 per cent of the scheduled caste population of West Bengal. 47.7 per cent of the Bagdis were literate – 60.4 per cent males and 34.8 per cent females were literate.[4]

At one time the Bagdis were one of the important professional warrior clans but some bands of Bagdis were involved in criminal activities and as a result were declared as criminal tribes.[5] However, there are cases where they have been misled and misrepresented.[6]

References

  1. ↑ Rahman, S M Mahfuzur (2012). "Bagdi". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
  2. ↑ O’Malley, L.S.S., Bengal District Gazaeteers, Bankura, pp. 65-67, 1995 edition, Government of West Bengal
  3. ↑ O’Malley, L.S.S., Bengal District Gazeteers, Birbhum, p.41, 1996 edition, Government of West Bengal
  4. ↑ "West Bengal, Census of India 2001, Data Highlights – The Scheduled Castes" (PDF). Office of the Registrar General, India. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
  5. ↑ "Robbery". boloji. Retrieved 2009-06-29.
  6. ↑ "Profile Text". Joshua Project. Retrieved 2009-06-29.

See also


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