Hajjam

Hijama

Salmani and Turkia
Regions with significant populations
India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan
Languages
Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi
Religion
Islam
Related ethnic groups
Saifi, Shaikh

[1] Hijama, also known as cupping, are an ethnic group in India known for practicing cupping therapy. The word Hijama has been derived from the Arabic word Al Hajm, means "sucking", referring to this therapy. A practitioner was called a Hijama in Arab countries, and the name was used in India as well.^{[1][verification needed]}

The Hajjam in Nepal

The Central Bureau of Statistics of Nepal classifies the Hajjam (called Hajam in the Nepal census) as a subgroup within the broader social group of Madheshi Other Caste.^[2] At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, 117,758 people (0.4% of the population of Nepal) were Hajjam. The frequency of Hajjam by province was as follows:

• Madhesh Province (1.4%)
• Lumbini Province (0.5%)
• Koshi Province (0.3%)
• Bagmati Province (0.1%)
• Gandaki Province (0.0%)
• Karnali Province (0.0%)
• Sudurpashchim Province (0.0%)

The frequency of Hajjam was higher than national average (0.4%) in the following districts:^[3]

• Saptari (1.5%)
• Dhanusha (1.4%)
• Parsa (1.4%)
• Rautahat (1.4%)
• Siraha (1.4%)
• Mahottari (1.3%)
• Sarlahi (1.3%)
• Bara (1.2%)
• Kapilvastu (1.1%)
• Banke (0.9%)
• Parasi (0.9%)
• Rupandehi (0.8%)
• Morang (0.6%)
• Sunsari (0.5%)

References

1. Qureshi, Naseem Akhtar; Ali, Gazzaffi Ibrahim; Abushanab, Tamer Shaban; El-Olemy, Ahmed Tawfik; Alqaed, Meshari Saleh; El-Subai, Ibrahim S.; Al-Bedah, Abdullah M.N. (May 2017). "History of cupping ( Hijama ): a narrative review of literature". Journal of Integrative Medicine. 15 (3): 172–181. doi:10.1016/s2095-4964(17)60339-x. ISSN 2095-4964. PMID 28494847.
2. Population Monograph of Nepal, Volume II
3. "2011 Nepal Census, District Level Detail Report" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 March 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.