Mallaah
Encyclopedia
The Mallah (Bangla:মাল্লা)are the traditional boatmen caste
and ethnic group
of North India
, East India
and Pakistan
. A small number of Mallah are also found in Nepal
.
The word mallaah is said to come from an Arabic word which means a motion of moving like bird’s wing. In Bangla the words majhi and malla usually go together and refer to communities affiliated with the river and sea. Those of India are largely Hindu
, with a small Muslim minority, while those of Pakistan
are Muslim
. Phoolan Devi
, the controversial dacoit and politician belonged to the Mallah community.
and Ganges rivers of Delhi
, Uttar Pradesh
and Bihar
. Most Mallah groups trace their descent from the ancient Nishada tribe, mentioned in the Mahabharat. They are related to the Kewat
community, who form the bulk of the boatmen class of North India
. Other Mallah sub-groups include the Bind
, the Goriya
, the Chai
, Tiar
and Dhimar tribes. All of these groups of Hindu
Mallaah are endogamous
. Among the Muslim Mallaah, the Chaudriya are largest sub-group, followed by the Jarya. The Muslim Mallaah are found mainly in western Uttar Pradesh
. Many Mallaah are now cultivators, with a few now have also taken to other occupations. In Uttar Pradesh
, they speak Khari boli, Awadhi and Hindi
. They have backward caste status in Uttar Pradesh
, and Scheduled Caste status in Delhi
. The majority of the community are Hindu
, although there are a small number of Muslim Mallah.
In Bihar
, they are both cultivators and boatmen. They claim descent from the Hindu
god Nisadh. The community is also known as Mandalji or Machua. They speak the Angika dialect of Hindi
. The community consist of three sub-castes, the Dhoar, Parbattikurin, and Semeri.
In North India
, the Mallaah have set up a caste association, the Akhil Bharitiya Nishad Sabha (the All India Nishad Association), which acts as a community welfare association.
and Orissa
another sub-group of the Mallah community is present and they are known as Mahishya
. This community is found mainly in the coastal region of the Bay of Bengal
. They speak Bengali
and are Hindu
s.
, the Mallaah are the traditional boatmen of Sindh
, living along the inlets of the Indus delta.
In Punjab
, the boatmen belong either to the Mallaah or Jhabel
tribe. In south west Punjab, they are often regarded as a clan of Jats, and found mainly along the banks of the Indus. In this region, many Mallaah are cultivators, and have given up their occupation as boatmen. They generally combine their specialized occupation of boat management with other occupations such as fishing and the growing of waternuts. All the Punjab Mallaah are Muslims. In Bahawalpur
, the Mallaah, Mohana
and Jhabel
are said to have a common origin, with Mohana being fishermen, the Mallaah being boatmen and Jhabel being cultivators.
Caste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
and ethnic group
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
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...
, East India
East India
East India is a region of India consisting of the states of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Orissa. The states of Orissa and West Bengal share some cultural and linguistic characteristics with Bangladesh and with the state of Assam. Together with Bangladesh, West Bengal formed the...
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...
. A small number of Mallah are also found in Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
.
The word mallaah is said to come from an Arabic word which means a motion of moving like bird’s wing. In Bangla the words majhi and malla usually go together and refer to communities affiliated with the river and sea. Those of India are largely Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
, with a small Muslim minority, while those of 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...
are 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...
. Phoolan Devi
Phoolan Devi
Phoolan Devi , popularly known as the "Bandit Queen", was an Indian dacoit and later a politician. After being gang-raped by some upper-caste members of her gang, Phoolan Devi turned a bandit, and killed 22 upper-caste villagers in 1981. Following this, she became notorious across India as a bandit...
, the controversial dacoit and politician belonged to the Mallah community.
In North India
The community is found along the banks of the YamunaYamuna
The Yamuna is the largest tributary river of the Ganges in northern India...
and Ganges rivers of Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, 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 Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
. Most Mallah groups trace their descent from the ancient Nishada tribe, mentioned in the Mahabharat. They are related to the Kewat
Kewat
The Kewat are a Hindu caste, found in the states of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh in India. They are the traditional boatmen of North India.-History and origin:...
community, who form the bulk of the boatmen class 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...
. Other Mallah sub-groups include the Bind
Bind (tribe)
The Bind are scheduled caste, found in North India. They are also known as Chatai Bin or Chai.-History and origin:They originate from the Vindhya hills in central India. According to their traditions, the daughter of Nisadh, on the way to her husband's house, was passing by a river, when she was...
, the Goriya
Goriya
The Goriya are a Hindu scheduled caste found in the states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in India. Those found in the Basti Division of eastern Uttar Pradesh have converted to Islam, and now form a distinct community of Muslim Goriya...
, the Chai
Chain (caste)
The Chain, sometimes also pronounced as Chai, are cultivating and fishing caste found in eastern Uttar Pradesh in India. They are a sub-group within the larger Kewat communinity of North India.- Origin :...
, Tiar
Tiar
The Tiar are scheduled caste, found in North India. They are also known as the Parihar.-History and origin:The word tiar is a corruption of the Sanskrit word thivara, which means a hunter. They were traditionally hunters, but with the greater deforestation of their environment, they are now mainly...
and Dhimar tribes. All of these groups of Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
Mallaah are endogamous
Endogamy
Endogamy is the practice of marrying within a specific ethnic group, class, or social group, rejecting others on such basis as being unsuitable for marriage or other close personal relationships. A Greek Orthodox Christian endogamist, for example, would require that a marriage be only with another...
. Among the Muslim Mallaah, the Chaudriya are largest sub-group, followed by the Jarya. The Muslim Mallaah are found mainly in western 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...
. Many Mallaah are now cultivators, with a few now have also taken to other occupations. In 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...
, they speak Khari boli, Awadhi and Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
. They have backward caste status in 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 Scheduled Caste status in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
. The majority of the community are Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
, although there are a small number of Muslim Mallah.
In Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
, they are both cultivators and boatmen. They claim descent from the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
god Nisadh. The community is also known as Mandalji or Machua. They speak the Angika dialect of Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
. The community consist of three sub-castes, the Dhoar, Parbattikurin, and Semeri.
In 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...
, the Mallaah have set up a caste association, the Akhil Bharitiya Nishad Sabha (the All India Nishad Association), which acts as a community welfare association.
In East India
In West BengalWest Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
and Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
another sub-group of the Mallah community is present and they are known as Mahishya
Mahishya
Mahishya , also spelled as Mahisya, is a Bengali Hindu caste. Members of this caste are traditionally found in the Indian states of West Bengal and Orissa. Mahishyas are one of the predominant castes in West Bengal especially in the southern districts of Howrah, Paschim Medinipur, Purba Medinipur,...
. This community is found mainly in the coastal region of the Bay of Bengal
Bay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal , the largest bay in the world, forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. It resembles a triangle in shape, and is bordered mostly by the Eastern Coast of India, southern coast of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to the west and Burma and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the...
. They speak Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
and are Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s.
In Pakistan
It 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...
, the Mallaah are the traditional boatmen of 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...
, living along the inlets of the Indus delta.
In Punjab
Punjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
, the boatmen belong either to the Mallaah or Jhabel
Jhabel
The Jhabel are a Seraiki tribe, found in the province of Punjab. .-History and origin:The Jhabel are essentially a tribe of fishermen and boatmen, found in the southern districts of Punjab, mainly along the banks of the Indus and Sutlej rivers. In additions, they are also involved in collecting...
tribe. In south west Punjab, they are often regarded as a clan of Jats, and found mainly along the banks of the Indus. In this region, many Mallaah are cultivators, and have given up their occupation as boatmen. They generally combine their specialized occupation of boat management with other occupations such as fishing and the growing of waternuts. All the Punjab Mallaah are Muslims. In Bahawalpur
Bahawalpur
Bahawalpur , located in the province of Punjab, is the twelfth largest city in Pakistan. The city was once the capital of the former princely state of Bahawalpur. The city was home to various Nawabs and counted as part of the Rajputana states...
, the Mallaah, Mohana
Mohana (tribe)
The Mohana or sometimes pronounced Mohano are a Sindhi tribe, that is historically connected with fishing. Many Mohana prefer self-designation Mir-bahar, which means lord of the sea. They are found through out Sindh, but are concentrated along the shore of Lake Manchar. In Baluchistan, the Mohana...
and Jhabel
Jhabel
The Jhabel are a Seraiki tribe, found in the province of Punjab. .-History and origin:The Jhabel are essentially a tribe of fishermen and boatmen, found in the southern districts of Punjab, mainly along the banks of the Indus and Sutlej rivers. In additions, they are also involved in collecting...
are said to have a common origin, with Mohana being fishermen, the Mallaah being boatmen and Jhabel being cultivators.