https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=HalwaiHalwai - Revision history2026-07-30T16:43:52ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Halwai&diff=462952&oldid=prevLesterKitamura4 at 23:19, 8 September 20252025-09-08T23:19:05Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{original research|date=September 2021}}<br />
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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}<br />
{{infobox ethnic group|<br />
| group = Halwai<br />
| image = <br />
| popplace = • {{flagcountry|India}}•{{flagcountry|Bangladesh}}<br />
•{{flagcountry|Nepal}} * {{flagcountry|Pakistan}}<br />
| langs = • [[Hindi language|Hindi]] • [[Bengali language|Bengali]] • [[Maithili language|Maithili]] .[[Awadhi language|Awadhi]] • [[Bhojpuri language|Bhojpuri]] . [[Bhagalpur |Angika ]] • [[Marwari language|Marwari]] [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]{{cn|date=February 2020}}<br />
| rels = • [[Hinduism]], [[Jainism]]<br />
| related = • [[Muslim Halwai]] • [[Bania (caste)|Bania]] • [[Vaishya]]<br />
}}<br />
'''Halwai''' is an [[Caste system in India|Indian caste]] and a social class, whose traditional occupation was [[confectionery]] and sweet-making. The name is derived from the word '''''[[Halwa]]''''' which is a sweet dish.<br />
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The community is known by different names in different parts of India. For instance, it's called Modanseni, Yagyaseni, Kany Kujb Halwai, Madheshiya Halwai, [[Kandu|Kanu (Kandu)]] etc. in [[Bihar]] and [[Uttar Pradesh]]. Moira-Modak in [[West Bengal]]; [[Gudia (caste)|Gudia]] in [[Odisha]] and so on.<ref>{{Cite web |title=:: West Bengal Commission for Backward Classes :: |url=http://wbcbc.gov.in/html/hoeme.html |access-date=2024-05-31 |website=wbcbc.gov.in }}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> <br />
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==Customs==<br />
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'''Balarama''' is the celebrated plougher so called '''Halwahi''' or '''Halwai''' or '''Haluwai''', one of the pillars of agriculture along with livestock with whom '''Krishna''' is associated with. The plough is Balarama's weapon. In the ''Bhagavata Purana'', he uses it to fight demons, dig a way for [[Yamuna]] river to come closer to [[Vrindavan]] and pull the entire capital of [[Hastinapura]] into the Ganges river.<ref name="Hudson2008p99">{{cite book|author=D Dennis Hudson|title=The Body of God: An Emperor's Palace for Krishna in Eighth-Century Kanchipuram|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IMCxbOezDi4C |year=2008|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-970902-1|pages=97–101}}</ref><br />
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Baba Ganinath Govindji is the kul [[Guru]] (school) of Halwai caste.<ref>"Ritual as Language: The Case of South Indian Food Offerings". [[Gabriella Eichinger Ferro-Luzzi|Gabriella Eichinger, Ferro-Luzzi]]. ''Current Anthropology'', Vol. 18, No. 3 (Sep., 1977), pp. 507-514.</ref><br />
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==Halwais in Nepal==<br />
The [[Central Bureau of Statistics (Nepal)|Central Bureau of Statistics]] of Nepal classifies the Halwai as a subgroup within the broader social group of [[Madheshi people|Madheshi]] Other Caste.<ref> Population Monograph of Nepal, Volume II [https://nepal.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/Population%20Monograph%20V02.pdf]</ref> At the time of the [[2011 Nepal census]], 83,869 people (0.3% of the population of Nepal) were Halwai. The frequency of Halwais by province was as follows:<br />
* [[Madhesh Province]] (0.8%)<br />
* [[Koshi Province]] (0.4%)<br />
* [[Lumbini Province]] (0.3%)<br />
* [[Bagmati Province]] (0.1%)<br />
* [[Gandaki Province]] (0.0%)<br />
* [[Karnali Province]] (0.0%)<br />
* [[Sudurpashchim Province]] (0.0%)<br />
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The frequency of Halwais was higher than national average (0.3%) in the following districts:<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://cbs.gov.np/wp-content/upLoads/2018/12/Volume05Part02.pdf |title=2011 Nepal Census, District Level Detail Report |access-date=11 April 2023 |archive-date=14 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314170005/https://cbs.gov.np/wp-content/upLoads/2018/12/Volume05Part02.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><br />
* [[Siraha District|Siraha]] (2.1%)<br />
* [[Saptari District|Saptari]] (1.8%)<br />
* [[Dhanusha District|Dhanusha]] (1.5%)<br />
* [[Sunsari District|Sunsari]] (1.1%)<br />
* [[Mahottari District|Mahottari]] (0.8%)<br />
* [[Morang District|Morang]] (0.8%)<br />
* [[Kapilvastu District|Kapilvastu]] (0.6%)<br />
* [[Banke District|Banke]] (0.5%)<br />
* [[Parasi District|Parasi]] (0.5%)<br />
* [[Sarlahi District|Sarlahi]] (0.5%)<br />
* [[Rupandehi District|Rupandehi]] (0.4%)<br />
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==See also==<br />
* [[Chandu Halwai]]<br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Bania communities]]<br />
[[Category:Social groups of Uttar Pradesh]]<br />
[[Category:Social groups of Madhya Pradesh]]<br />
[[Category:Social groups of Rajasthan]]<br />
[[Category:Social groups of Bihar]]<br />
[[Category:Social groups of Odisha]]<br />
[[Category:Indian castes by profession]]<br />
[[Category:Indian castes]]<br />
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Nepal]]</div>LesterKitamura4