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Balmikism is a
Balmikism is a Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
sect that reveres the sage Balmiki
Chuhra is a Dalit caste in India and Pakistan. Populated regions include the Punjab region of India and Pakistan, as well as Uttar Pradesh in India, among other parts of the Indian subcontinent such as southern India. Their traditional occupatio ...
(also known as Bala Shah or Lal Beg) as their ancestor as a patron saint
A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...
. Followers believe that Balmiki was an avatar
Avatar (, ; ), is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means "descent". It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, goddess or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appearanc ...
of God, and they consider his works, the ''Ramayana
The ''Rāmāyana'' (; sa, रामायणम्, ) is a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic composed over a period of nearly a millennium, with scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th ...
'' and the '' Yoga Vasistha'', as their holy scripture
Religious texts, including scripture, are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They differ from literature by being a compilation or discussion of beliefs, mythologies, ritual prac ...
. Balmiki is often depicted as wearing red clothing and is thus known as Lal Bhekh (or Lal Beg).
Balmiki mandirs (temples) are open to all and the most important festival celebrated by Balmiki Hindus is Balmiki Jayanti, which marks the birthday of Balmiki.
Many worshippers at Balmiki Hindu temples are Dalit
Dalit (from sa, दलित, dalita meaning "broken/scattered"), also previously known as untouchable, is the lowest stratum of the Caste system in India, castes in India. Dalits were excluded from the four-fold Varna (Hinduism), varna syste ...
s, especially those belonging to the Chuhra
Chuhra is a Dalit caste in India and Pakistan. Populated regions include the Punjab region of India and Pakistan, as well as Uttar Pradesh in India, among other parts of the Indian subcontinent such as southern India. Their traditional occupatio ...
community, though adherents from other castes pray there too and patrons of Balmiki temples come from diverse castes.
See also
*Valmiki caste
Valmiki is a name used by a variety of communities throughout India who all claim descent from the author of the ''Ramayana'', Valmiki. The Valmikis can be classified as a caste or Sampradaya (tradition/sect). In the North West Punjab region, ...
*Ardaas
''Ardaas'' is a Balmiki ritual performed in the Ashram at the beginning of the community service called Puja. It is performed standing facing the murti of Valmiki
Valmiki (; Sanskrit: वाल्मीकि, ) is celebrated as the wikt: ...
*Pargat Diwas
Pargat Diwas, or Valmiki Jayanti, is an annual Indian festival celebrated in particular by the Balmiki religious group, to commemorate the birth of the ancient Indian poet and philosopher Valmiki, who is thought to have lived around 500 BCE. The ...
References
{{reflist Hindu denominations