Muslim Bhumihar
Encyclopedia
The Muslim Bhumihar or sometimes pronounced as Bhuinhar are a Muslim
community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh
in India
. They are also known as Bhumihar Pathan and are found mainly in the district of Ghazipur
. The community is one of three Muslim
groups in Uttar Pradesh
, the other two being the Muslim Tyagi and the Nagar Muslims
, that claim a Brahmin
origin.
Bhumihar
caste
. They are said to have been converted to Islam
during the period of Lodhi
rule over Ghazipur District
. Other traditions refer to the conversion having taken place during the rule of Sher Shah Suri
. The Muslim Bhumihar belong entirely to a single clan, the Kinwar, who claim to have come from Karnataka
in the distant past, and like other Bhumihar claim to be Brahmin
. They now occupy a compact territory between near the town of Bara, between the Ganges river and the Bihar
state border.
s, whom they intermarry. Unlike Hindu
Bhumihars, the Muslim Bhumihar do not practice clan exogamy, and marry close kin. There are however still cases of village exogamy. They are now mainly are a community of peasant cultivators, but historically were in possession of most of the Bara
of Ghazipur District
. The Bhumihar speak Bhojpuri, although most also understand Urdu
. Each of their settlement contains an informal caste council known as a panchayat, which enforces communal norms as well as resolving intra-community disputes. The Bhumihar are Sunni, although they practice many folk beliefs.
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 also known as Bhumihar Pathan and are found mainly in the district of Ghazipur
Ghazipur District
Ghazipur District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The city of Ghazipur is the district headquarters. The district is part of Varanasi Division...
. The community is one of three 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 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...
, the other two being the Muslim Tyagi and the Nagar Muslims
Nagar Muslims
The Nagar are Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are Muslim converts from the larger Nagar Brahmin community. The Nagar are also known as Nagar Shaikh.-Origin:...
, that claim a Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
origin.
Origin
The Bhumihar Muslims are converts from the HinduHindu
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...
Bhumihar
Bhumihar
Bhumihar or Babhan or Bhuin-har is a Brahmin Hindu community mainly found in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh.- Varna status :...
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...
. They are said to have been converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
during the period of Lodhi
Lodhi dynasty
Lodi Dynasty was a Pashtun dynasty that was the last dynasty to rule the Delhi Sultanate. The dynasty founded by Bahlul Lodi ruled from 1451 to 1526...
rule over Ghazipur District
Ghazipur District
Ghazipur District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The city of Ghazipur is the district headquarters. The district is part of Varanasi Division...
. Other traditions refer to the conversion having taken place during the rule of Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri , birth name Farid Khan, also known as Sher Khan , was the founder of the short-lived Sur Empire in northern India, with its capital at Delhi, before its demise in the hands of the resurgent Mughal Empire...
. The Muslim Bhumihar belong entirely to a single clan, the Kinwar, who claim to have come from Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
in the distant past, and like other Bhumihar claim to be Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
. They now occupy a compact territory between near the town of Bara, between the Ganges river and the 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....
state border.
Present circumstances
The community has much in common with the neighbouring Sikarwar KhanzadaSikarwar Khanzada
The Sikarwar Khanzada are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are a part of the wider Khanzada community of eastern Uttar Pradesh. The community uses the surname khan.-Origin:...
s, whom they intermarry. Unlike 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...
Bhumihars, the Muslim Bhumihar do not practice clan exogamy, and marry close kin. There are however still cases of village exogamy. They are now mainly are a community of peasant cultivators, but historically were in possession of most of the Bara
Bâra
Bâra is a commune in Neamţ County, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Bâra, Negreşti and Rediu.-References:...
of Ghazipur District
Ghazipur District
Ghazipur District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The city of Ghazipur is the district headquarters. The district is part of Varanasi Division...
. The Bhumihar speak Bhojpuri, although most also understand 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...
. Each of their settlement contains an informal caste council known as a panchayat, which enforces communal norms as well as resolving intra-community disputes. The Bhumihar are Sunni, although they practice many folk beliefs.