Jats of Kutch
Encyclopedia
The Jats of Kutch are a cattle breeding nomadic Muslim
community, found in the Kutch region of Gujarat in India
. They are one of a number of communities of Maldhari pastoral nomads found in the Banni
region of Kutch.
, in Pakistan
, where a good members of the tribe still reside. Those who remain in Sindh
are referred to as the Sindhi Jat
s. From there, they moved into the Bani region in search of pastorage. With the partition of India
, the Jat of Kutch have lost all contact with their kinsmen in Sindh
. They appear to be distinct from the Jat community of North India
and Pakistan
.
and Porbandar
), Verai Jat (Banaskantha District
), and Kutchi Jat (found in Kutch District
). The Kutchi are further subdivided into the Dhanetah, Girasia and Fakirani, the latter consider themselves superior to the other two, and are strictly endogamous. They are further divided into clans like the Badajang, Podani, Aamar, Vangayi, while the Girasia are divided into the Mudrag, Bhallad and Hallayi. All these clans, except the Fakirani, enjoy equal status. The Saurashtra Jat, known as Malaks, maintain a system of gotra
exogamy.
In addition to cattle rearing, the community are also involved in the breeding of camels, especially the Fakirani. A good many of the Saurashtra community are small scale peasant farmers. A few are landless, and work in as agricultural labourers. The Kutch Jat are also known for their embroidery work.
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 Kutch region of Gujarat 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 one of a number of communities of Maldhari pastoral nomads found in the Banni
Banni Grasslands Reserve
Banni Grasslands Reserve or Banni grasslands form a belt of arid grassland ecosystem on the outer southern edge of the desert of the marshy salt flats of Rann of Kutch in Kutch District, Gujarat State, India. They are known for rich wildlife and biodiversity and are spread across an area of...
region of Kutch.
History and origin
The Jat, or Jath claim descent from Hindu Jats of the Indus delta region of SindhSindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
, in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, where a good members of the tribe still reside. Those who remain in Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
are referred to as the Sindhi Jat
Jats of Sindh
The Jat or Jath are a Muslim community found in the province of Sindh in Pakistan and the Kutch region of India. They are also known as Jamote.-History and origin:...
s. From there, they moved into the Bani region in search of pastorage. With the partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
, the Jat of Kutch have lost all contact with their kinsmen in Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
. They appear to be distinct from the Jat community of North India
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
Present circumstances
The Jats are a Maldhari cattle hearding group, and are mainly distributed in Kutch and Saurashtra. They have three territorial divisions, the Halai Jat (found in JamnagarJamnagar
Jamnagar is a city and a municipal corporation in Jamnagar district in the Indian state of Gujarat. The city was built up substantially by Maharaja Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji in the 1920s, when the district was known as Nawanagar. The district lies just to the south of the Gulf of Kutch and is...
and Porbandar
Porbandar
Porbandar is a coastal city in the Indian state of Gujarat, perhaps best known for being the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi and Sudama...
), Verai Jat (Banaskantha District
Banaskantha district
Banaskantha is one among the twenty-six districts of the Gujarat state of India. The administrative headquarters of the district is at Palanpur which is also its largest city...
), and Kutchi Jat (found in Kutch District
Kutch District
Kutch district is a district of Gujarat state in western India. Covering an area of 45,652 km², it is the largest district of India....
). The Kutchi are further subdivided into the Dhanetah, Girasia and Fakirani, the latter consider themselves superior to the other two, and are strictly endogamous. They are further divided into clans like the Badajang, Podani, Aamar, Vangayi, while the Girasia are divided into the Mudrag, Bhallad and Hallayi. All these clans, except the Fakirani, enjoy equal status. The Saurashtra Jat, known as Malaks, maintain a system of gotra
Gotra
In the Hindu society, the term Gotra broadly refers to people who are descendants in an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor. Panini defines gotra for grammatical purposes as apatyam pautraprabhrti gotram , which means "the word gotra denotes the progeny beginning with the son's son"...
exogamy.
In addition to cattle rearing, the community are also involved in the breeding of camels, especially the Fakirani. A good many of the Saurashtra community are small scale peasant farmers. A few are landless, and work in as agricultural labourers. The Kutch Jat are also known for their embroidery work.