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. 1 2 O’Malley, L.S.S. Bengal District Gazeteers—Birbhum (1996 ed.). Government of West Bengal. p. 41.
  2. O’Malley, L.S.S. Bengal District Gazaeteers—Bankura (1995 ed.). Government of West Bengal. pp. 65–67.
  3. 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.
  4. Gupta, Ganesh (2005). Padabi Abhidhan [Dictionary of Family Names] (in Bengali). Kolkata: Annapurna Prakashan. p. 52.
  5. "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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