Damai
दमाइँ | |
|---|---|
Damai men playing traditional Damaha | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Nepal | 565,932 (1.9% of Nepal's population) (2021) |
| Languages | |
| Kalautya Rudika (Damai kura)Nepali (Khas kura) | |
| Religion | |
| Shamanism, Buddhism, Hinduism 96.59% (2011), Christianity 3.22% (2011) | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Khas people, Kami, Badi, Sarki, Gandarbha/Gaine | |
Damai (Nepali: दमाइँ pronounced [dʌmaĩ]; IAST: Damāĩ) is an occupational caste found among indigenous people comprising 45 subgroups. Their surnames take after the subgroup they belong to. People belonging to this caste are traditionally tailors and musicians capable of using the naumati baja - an ensemble of nine traditional musical instruments. The term Damai is coined from the musical instrument Damaha. The 1854 Nepalese Muluki Ain (Legal Code) categorized Damai as "Lower caste” category.
The Government of Nepal abolished the caste-system and criminalized any caste-based discrimination, including "untouchability" in 1963. The country, previously ruled by a Hindu monarchy was a Hindu nation which has now become a secular state. It was declared a republic in 2008, thereby ending it as the Hindu kingdom with its caste-based discriminations and the untouchability roots.
According to the 2021 Nepal census, Damai make up 1.94% of Nepal's population (or 565,932 people). Damai are categorized under "Hill Dalit" among the 9 broad social groups, along with Kami, Badi, Sarki and Gaine by the Government of Nepal.