Damai
Nepalese occupational caste
title: "Damai" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["caste-system-in-nepal", "dalit-communities"] description: "Nepalese occupational caste" topic_path: "general/caste-system-in-nepal" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damai" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Nepalese occupational caste ::
::data[format=table title="infobox ethnic group"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| group | Damai |
| native_name | दमाइँ |
| native_name_lang | ne |
| image | Playing Damaha.jpg |
| image_caption | Damai men playing traditional Damaha |
| region1 | Nepal |
| pop1 | 565,932 (1.9% of Nepal's population) (2021) |
| region2 | India, Bhutan and Burma |
| langs | Kalautya Rudika (Damai kura)Nepali (Khas kura) |
| rels | Shamanism, Buddhism, Hinduism 96.59% (2011), Christianity 3.22% (2011) |
| related | Khas people, Kami, Badi, Sarki, Gandarbha/Gaine |
| :: |
| group = Damai | native_name = दमाइँ | native_name_lang = ne | image = Playing Damaha.jpg | image_caption = Damai men playing traditional Damaha | region1 = Nepal | pop1 = 565,932 (1.9% of Nepal's population) (2021) | region2 = India, Bhutan and Burma | langs = Kalautya Rudika (Damai kura)Nepali (Khas kura) | rels = Shamanism, Buddhism, Hinduism 96.59% (2011), Christianity 3.22% (2011) | related = Khas people, Kami, Badi, Sarki, Gandarbha/Gaine The Damai ( ; 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 a "Lower caste”.
The Government of kingdom of Nepal abolished the caste-system and criminalized any caste-based discrimination, including "untouchability" in 1963 under the rule of King Mahendra.
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.
Geographical distribution
At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, the frequency of Damai by province was as follows:
- Karnali Province (4.0%)
- Gandaki Province (3.9%)
- Sudurpashchim Province (2.6%)
- Lumbini Province (1.9%)
- Koshi Province (1.8%)
- Bagmati Province (1.4%)
- Madhesh Province (0.2%)
The frequency of Damai was higher than national average (1.8%) in the following districts:
- Parbat (7.5%)
- Myagdi (5.8%)
- Kalikot (5.1%)
- Dailekh (5.0%)
- Baglung (4.7%)
- Doti (4.6%)
- Surkhet (4.6%)
- Mustang (4.4%)
- Bajura (4.2%)
- Jajarkot (4.0%)
- Lamjung (3.9%)
- Dadeldhura (3.8%)
- Gulmi (3.7%)
- Kaski (3.7%)
- Syangja (3.7%)
- Western Rukum (3.7%)
- Rolpa (3.6%)
- Humla (3.5%)
- Tanahun (3.4%)
- Okhaldhunga (3.3%)
- Arghakhanchi (3.2%)
- Eastern Rukum (3.2%)
- Mugu (3.2%)
- Pyuthan (3.2%)
- Achham (3.1%)
- Sindhuli (3.1%)
- Tehrathum (3.1%)
- Gorkha (3.0%)
- Salyan (3.0%)
- Udayapur (2.8%)
- Dang (2.7%)
- Khotang (2.7%)
- Bhojpur (2.6%)
- Dhading (2.5%)
- Jumla (2.5%)
- Nawalpur (2.5%)
- Kanchanpur (2.3%)
- Ramechhap (2.3%)
- Dolakha (2.2%)
- Kailali (2.2%)
- Panchthar (2.2%)
- Sankhuwasabha (2.2%)
- Baitadi (2.1%)
- Chitwan (2.1%)
- Dhankuta (2.1%)
- Jhapa (1.9%)
- Palpa (1.9%)
- Sindhupalchowk (1.9%)
References
Bibliography
References
- National Statistics Office. (2021). "National Population and Housing Census 2021, Caste/Ethnicity Report". Government of Nepal.
- Central Bureau of Statistics. (2014). "Population monograph of Nepal". Government of Nepal.
- (2017). "The Splendour of Sikkim- Culture and Traditions of the Ethnic Communities of Sikkim". Cultural Affairs and Heritage Department, Government of India.
- Gurung, Harka (2005) Social Exclusion and Maoist Insurgency. Paper presented at National Dialogue Conference at ILO Convention 169 on Indigenous and Tribal peoples, Kathmandu, 19–20 January 2005.
- Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Nepal: Deadly caste-based attacks spur outcry over social discrimination {{!}} DW {{!}} 16.06.2020".
- "Nepal Census 2011".
- "2011 Nepal Census, District Level Detail Report".
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