Muslim Bansphor
Encyclopedia
The Muslim Bansphor are a Muslim
community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh
in India
. They are Muslim
converts from the Hindu
Bansphor
caste
.
community, who have taken to the manufacture of bamboo furniture. Little is known about the exact circumstances of the conversion of some groups of Bansphor
to Islam
. The fact they are found mainly in the Doab
and Rohilkhand
, both regions with large Muslim
populations. In Moradabad District
, where large scale conversion of the Dom
community took place, it is not surprising then to find the largest concentration of Muslim Bansphor. They speak Khari Boli, although many also speak Urdu
.
groups, have a preference of marrying close kin. They practice both parallel cousin and cross cousin marriages. Although the Bansphor live in multi-caste villages, but occupy their own distinct quarters, and there is little interaction with neighbouring Muslim
groups such as the Ranghar
, Shaikh
and Ansari
. Each of their settlement contains an informal caste
council, known as a panchayat. The panchayat is headed by a chaudhary, a position which is heredity. In addition, there is an overarching panchayat of between three and four villages, which headed by a chaudhary. The panchayat resolves any intra-community dispute, as well as acting an instrument of social control. They Bansphor are Sunni Muslim
s, but incorporate many folk beliefs.
The Bansphor are still involved in their traditional occupation, which is the manufacture of Bamboo furniture. These are then sold at the local market. A significant number of Bansphor are agricultural labourers, while other often migrating to Mumbai
and Delhi
to work as daily wage labourers. The Bansphor are among a group of Muslim
communities in Uttar Pradesh
, who live an extremely marginal economic existence. Unlike other groups, they have not been granted Other Backward Class status, which would have made them eligible for government affirmative action programmes.
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 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...
converts 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...
Bansphor
Bansphor
The Bansphor are a Hindu caste found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as Banbasi, and have scheduled caste status.-Origin:...
caste
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...
.
Origin
The Bansphor are a sub-division of the DomDom
- People :* Dom people, an ethnic group in the Middle East* Doms, people of indigenous origin found in the Indian state of West Bengal* Domba or Dom, an ethnic group of India...
community, who have taken to the manufacture of bamboo furniture. Little is known about the exact circumstances of the conversion of some groups of Bansphor
Bansphor
The Bansphor are a Hindu caste found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as Banbasi, and have scheduled caste status.-Origin:...
to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. The fact they are found mainly in the Doab
Doab
A Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
and Rohilkhand
Rohilkhand
Rohilkhand is a region of northwestern Uttar Pradesh state of India.Rohilkhand lies on the upper Ganges alluvial plain and has an area of about 25,000 km²/10,000 square miles...
, both regions with large 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...
populations. In Moradabad District
Moradabad District
Moradabad district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Moradabad town is the district headquarters. Moradabad district is a part of Moradabad division...
, where large scale conversion of the Dom
Dom
- People :* Dom people, an ethnic group in the Middle East* Doms, people of indigenous origin found in the Indian state of West Bengal* Domba or Dom, an ethnic group of India...
community took place, it is not surprising then to find the largest concentration of Muslim Bansphor. They speak Khari Boli, although many also speak 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...
.
Present circumstances
The Bansphor practice strict community endogamy, and like other neighbouring MuslimMuslim
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...
groups, have a preference of marrying close kin. They practice both parallel cousin and cross cousin marriages. Although the Bansphor live in multi-caste villages, but occupy their own distinct quarters, and there is little interaction with neighbouring 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...
groups such as the Ranghar
Ranghar
Ranghar are a Muslim ethnic group, which is found in Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan and Haryana and Uttar Pradesh states of India. Ranghar were native to Indian state of Haryana and also found in the Doab region of Uttar Pradesh, as well as Delhi in India...
, Shaikh
Shaikh of Uttar Pradesh
The Shaikh are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are part of the larger Shaikh community of South Asia. Quite a few Shaikh have immigrated to Pakistan, where they form an important element in the Muhajir community...
and Ansari
Momin Ansari
The Momin Ansari or Ansari, are a Muslim community, found mainly in West and North India, and the province of Sindh in Pakistan. A small number of Ansaris are also found in the Terai region of Nepal. The community were once known as al ansar, although the term is now obsolete. In North India, the...
. Each of their settlement contains an informal caste
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...
council, known as a panchayat. The panchayat is headed by a chaudhary, a position which is heredity. In addition, there is an overarching panchayat of between three and four villages, which headed by a chaudhary. The panchayat resolves any intra-community dispute, as well as acting an instrument of social control. They Bansphor 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, but incorporate many folk beliefs.
The Bansphor are still involved in their traditional occupation, which is the manufacture of Bamboo furniture. These are then sold at the local market. A significant number of Bansphor are agricultural labourers, while other often migrating to Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
and 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...
to work as daily wage labourers. The Bansphor are among a group of 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...
communities 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...
, who live an extremely marginal economic existence. Unlike other groups, they have not been granted Other Backward Class status, which would have made them eligible for government affirmative action programmes.