Bachgoti Khanzada
Encyclopedia
The Bachgoti Khanzada are a Muslim
community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh
in India
. They are sub-group with in the larger Khanzada
community of eastern Uttar Pradesh
. Common surnames include khan
and kunwar.
Rajput
chieftain, who was a contemporary of the Mughal
Emperor Babar
. Tilok Chand is said to said to have been captured by the Emperor, after an unsecusful rebellion, and given the option to convert to Islam
, or face long incarceration. He chose the former option, and took the new name Tatar Khan. His sons, Barid Khan and Jalal Khan adopted the name the khanzada, which literally means a son of a khan. Hasan Khan, a son of Barid Khan, is said to have founded the town of Hasanpur
, which was the headquarters of the tribe. The Bachgoti Khanzada were substantial landowners in eastern Uttar Pradesh
, and provided the taluqdar
families of Hasanpur
, Maniarpur and Gangeo.
and Sultanpur
. They are Sunni Muslim
s, except the taluqdar
families, but incorporate many folk beliefs. The Bachgoti speak both Awadhi and Urdu
. They were at one time substantial landowners, but with the carrying out of land reform by the government of India
after independence in 1947, they lost many of their larger estates. The community are now small to medium sized farmers, growing wheat, sorghum, pulses and sugar cane. They have no caste council or panchayat, although there are localized panchayats in their villages. Although the community did practice clan exogamy, this is no longer the case.
The sense of belonging to the Rajput
community remains strong, with the Bachgoti Khanzada still strongly identifying themselves with the wider Rajput
community of Awadh
, and often refer to themselves as simply Rajput
. This is shown by the persistence in their marriages of Rajput customs, like bursting of fire crackers and sending specially made laddoos
to biradati members. Many members of the community continue to serve in the armed forces of India
, an activity traditionally associated with the Rajputs. However, like other Indian Muslims, there is growing movement towards orthodoxy, with many of their villages containing madrasas. The madrasas have also facilitated the growth of Urdu
, with it beginning to replace the Awadhi dialect they traditionally spoke.
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. They are sub-group with in the larger Khanzada
Khanzada (Awadh)
The Khanzada or Khan Zadeh are a community of Hindu converted Muslim Rajputs, found in the Awadh region of the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. A few are also found in the state of Bihar. This community is distinct from the Rajasthan Khanzadas, who are also a community of Muslim Rajputs. They also...
community of eastern Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
. Common surnames include khan
Khan (title)
Khan is an originally Altaic and subsequently Central Asian title for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadic Turko-Mongol tribes living to the north of China. 'Khan' is also seen as a title in the Xianbei confederation for their chief between 283 and 289...
and kunwar.
Origin
The Bachgoti Khanzada claim descent from Tilok Chand, a BachgotiBachgoti
- Origin :The Bachgoti claim descent from Chauhan Rajputs, settled in Mainpuri. These Mainpuri Chauhan fled Delhi under the leadership of Bariar Singh. The fugitives settled in Sultanpur in eastern Uttar Pradesh. According to their traditions, they are descended from Rana Sangat, a great nephew of...
Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
chieftain, who was a contemporary of the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
Emperor Babar
Babur
Babur was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who, following a series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal dynasty of South Asia. He was a direct descendant of Timur through his father, and a descendant also of Genghis Khan through his mother...
. Tilok Chand is said to said to have been captured by the Emperor, after an unsecusful rebellion, and given the option to convert to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, or face long incarceration. He chose the former option, and took the new name Tatar Khan. His sons, Barid Khan and Jalal Khan adopted the name the khanzada, which literally means a son of a khan. Hasan Khan, a son of Barid Khan, is said to have founded the town of Hasanpur
Hasanpur
Hasanpur is a city and a municipal board in Jyotiba Phule Nagar district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Education:RGM Computer Education & V.T.I. Near munsifi Branch...
, which was the headquarters of the tribe. The Bachgoti Khanzada were substantial landowners in eastern Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
, and provided the taluqdar
Taluqdar
A taluqdar or talukdar , is a term used for Indian land holders in Mughal and British times, responsible for collecting taxes from a district...
families of Hasanpur
Hasanpur
Hasanpur is a city and a municipal board in Jyotiba Phule Nagar district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Education:RGM Computer Education & V.T.I. Near munsifi Branch...
, Maniarpur and Gangeo.
Present Circumstances
The Bachgoti Khanzada are found mainly in the districts of FaizabadFaizabad District
See also: Faizabad Faizabad district is one of the 71 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. Faizabad city is the administrative headquarters of this district. The district occupies an area of 2,764 km²...
and Sultanpur
Sultanpur District
Sultanpur District is a district in the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India. The district is a part of Faizabad Division. Its administrative head is Sultanpur.-History:...
. They are Sunni Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s, except the taluqdar
Taluqdar
A taluqdar or talukdar , is a term used for Indian land holders in Mughal and British times, responsible for collecting taxes from a district...
families, but incorporate many folk beliefs. The Bachgoti speak both Awadhi and Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
. They were at one time substantial landowners, but with the carrying out of land reform by the government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
after independence in 1947, they lost many of their larger estates. The community are now small to medium sized farmers, growing wheat, sorghum, pulses and sugar cane. They have no caste council or panchayat, although there are localized panchayats in their villages. Although the community did practice clan exogamy, this is no longer the case.
The sense of belonging to the Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
community remains strong, with the Bachgoti Khanzada still strongly identifying themselves with the wider Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
community of Awadh
Awadh
Awadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
, and often refer to themselves as simply Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
. This is shown by the persistence in their marriages of Rajput customs, like bursting of fire crackers and sending specially made laddoos
Laddu
Laddu or Laddoo is a ball-shaped sweet popular in South Asian countries including India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh as well as countries with immigrants from South Asia. Laddu is made of flour and sugar with other ingredients that vary by recipe...
to biradati members. Many members of the community continue to serve in the armed forces of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, an activity traditionally associated with the Rajputs. However, like other Indian Muslims, there is growing movement towards orthodoxy, with many of their villages containing madrasas. The madrasas have also facilitated the growth of Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
, with it beginning to replace the Awadhi dialect they traditionally spoke.