Mirshikar
Encyclopedia
The Mirshikar are a Muslim
community, found in North India
. They are also known as Chirimar.
words, mir meaning lord and shikar meaning a hunt, and their name means a leader of a hunting party. They were a community who were employed as trekkers by the various rulers of north and central Bihar
. They were initially settled in Bihar
by the rulers of Dumraon
in the 18th Century. The Mirshikar speak a dialect which is a combination of Urdu
, Hindi
and Maithili
.
. They are an endogamous community, marrying close kin. The community is still involved in the trapping of birds and animals such as porcupines. However, the majority are landless agricultural labourers. There has also been a steady emigration of the Mirshikar to Kolkata
, where many are now found. A few are also involved in the manufacture of bamboos flute. They are an extremely marginalized community, with a poor literacy rates. The Mirshikar are Sunni Muslim
s, and are fairly orthodox.
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 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...
. They are also known as Chirimar.
History and origin
The word Mirshikar is a combination of two UrduUrdu
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...
words, mir meaning lord and shikar meaning a hunt, and their name means a leader of a hunting party. They were a community who were employed as trekkers by the various rulers of north and central 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 were initially settled 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....
by the rulers of Dumraon
Dumraon
Dumraon is a city and a municipality in Buxar district in the state of Bihar, India. Ustad Bismillah Khan, the shehnai maestro from India was born on 21 March 1916 at Bhirung Raut Ki Gali here.-Introduction:...
in the 18th Century. The Mirshikar speak a dialect which is a combination 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...
, 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...
and Maithili
Maithili language
Maithili language is spoken in the eastern region of India and South-eastern region of Nepal. The native speakers of Maithili reside in Bihar, Jharkhand,parts of West Bengal and South-east Nepal...
.
Present circumstances
The Mirshikar are scattered are all over BiharBihar
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 an endogamous community, marrying close kin. The community is still involved in the trapping of birds and animals such as porcupines. However, the majority are landless agricultural labourers. There has also been a steady emigration of the Mirshikar to Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, where many are now found. A few are also involved in the manufacture of bamboos flute. They are an extremely marginalized community, with a poor literacy rates. The Mirshikar 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, and are fairly orthodox.