Muslims of Uttar Pradesh
Encyclopedia
Muslims in Uttar Pradesh number about 30,740,158 (18.4961%), and form the largest religious minority in the state. They are also known as Urdu
speakers, on account of Urdu being their native language, and have also been referred to as Hindustani Musalman. In the strict sense, the Uttar Pradesh Muslims do not form a single ethnic community. They are differentiated by sectarian and caste
divisions, as well as by dialect
and geographical distribution. Nevertheless, the Uttar Pradesh
Muslims possess a sense of group of group identity based on cultural and historic factors. These include the Islamic religion, a Persian
cultural tradition and its Indian offspring, the Urdu language. The Muslim population of Uttar Pradesh is unevenly distributed, with a greater number concentrated in western Uttar Pradesh
. They are also a disproportionately urban community, reflecting an old historic legacy. Muslims are a not a majority in any district, with Rampur
coming close at around 49% .
Much of Uttar Pradesh
formed part of the various Sultanate
after 1000 CE and was ruled from their capital, Delhi
. As a consequence of these invasions, their arose a community in what is now Uttar Pradesh
, which was referred to as Hindustani Musalmans. In medieval times, the term Hindustani Musalman was applied to those Muslims who were either converts to Islam
or who had a long settled in India
. These Hindustani Musalmans did not form a single community, as they were divided by ethnic, linguistic and economic differences. Often these early settlers lived in fortified towns, known as qasbas. Important qasbas include Kakori
in Lucknow District
, and Sandhila
in Hardoi District
. With the rise of the Mongols
under Genghis Khan
, there was an influx of Muslim refugees into North India
, many of whom settled in the provincial qasbas, bringing with them a Persianized culture. Many of these early settlers are the ancestors of the Sayyid
and Shaikh
communities. In these qasbas, over time a number of cultural norms arose, which still typify many Uttar Pradesh Muslim traditions. The Turkish
Sultans of Delhi and their Mughal
successors patronized the émigré Muslim culture: Islamic jurists of the Hanafi
school, Persian literati who were Athna Ashri Shia and Sufis of several orders, including the Chishti, Qadiri and Naqshbandi
. These Sufi orders were particularly important in converting Hindu
s to Islam
.
In western Uttar Pradesh
, there was conversion to Islam
of a number of agrarian castes such as the Tyagi
, Ranghar
and Muley Jat
. Many of these convert communities kept many of their pre-Islamic customs, such as clan
exogamy
. According to some scholars, this also led to the creeping into caste
system.
This region also saw the settlement of Pashtun
soldiers and administrors from what is now Pakistan
and Afghanistan
. The largest settlement was that of Rohilkhand
, which was home to a number of Pashtun
principalities. Other immmigrants included Kambohs from Punjab
, who together with the Pathan
formed part of the ruling elite in North India
.
Indian converts to Islam
ultimately outnumbered the immigrant Muslims, and were also of diverse origin. Many of the converts belonged to the Hindu
artisan caste
s, who were drawn to the new qasbas. Over time, many of these artisan groups evolved into caste like groupings, such as the Momin
, who were weavers. Many of these new converts continued to speak their original dialects, such as Awadhi and Khari boli. These groups were sometimes referred to collectively as ajlaf. Groups that claimed actual or putative foreign ancestry were referred to as ashrafs. Over time a fourfold division arose among the Ashraf, with the Sayyid
s, the actual or claimed descendent of the Prophet Mohammad, the Shaikh
, communities signifies Arab descent and comes under high caste of society, however majority are the native Brahmin
, Kshatriya
and Vaishya
clans who used the title of Sheikh after conversion to Islam
, the Mughal
s, descendents of Central Asian Turks
and Mongols and the Pathans
, descendents of Pashtun
tribesmen from Pakistan
and Afghanistan
. Occasionally, important convert communities such as the Kayastha Muslim
of eastern Uttar Pradesh, were also granted Ashraf status.
With the collapse of the Sultanate of Delhi, the Mughal
established their control, U.P. became the heartland of their vast empire; the region was known as Hindustan, which is used to this day as the name for India in several languages. Agra and Fatehpur Sikri were the capital cities of Akbar, the great Mughal Emperor of India. At their zenith, during the rule of Aurangzeb
, the Mughal Empire covered almost the entire Indian subcontinent (including present day Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh), which was ruled at different times from Delhi
, Agra
and Allahabad
.
When the Mughal Empire
disintegrated, their territory remained confined to the Doab
region of and Delhi
. Other areas of Hindustan (U.P.) were now ruled by different rulers: Oudh was ruled by the Nawabs of Oudh, Rohilkhand
by the Rohilla
s, Bundelkhand
by the Marathas and Benaras by its own king, while Nepal
controlled Kumaon-Garhwal as a part of Greater Nepal
. The state's capital city of Lucknow
was established by the Muslim Nawabs of Oudh in the 18th century. It became an important centre of Muslim
culture, and the centre for the development of Urdu
literature.
Of all the Muslim states and dependencies of the Mughal empire
, Awadh
had the newest royal family. They were descended from a Persian
adventurer called Sa'adat Khan, originally from Khurasan
in Persia. There were many Khurasanis in the service of the Mughals, mostly soldiers, and if successful, they could hope for rich rewards. These Khurasanis were Shia, and Lucknow
became a centre of Shia culture in Uttar Pradesh
. Burhan ul Mulk Sa'adat Khan proved to be amongst the most successful of this group. In 1732, he was made governor of the province of Awadh. His original title was Nazim
, which means Governor
, but soon he was made Nawab
. In 1740, the Nawab was called Wazir
or vizier
, which means Chief Minister
, and thereafter he was known as the Nawab Wazir. In practice, from Sa'adat Khan onwards, the titles had been hereditary, though in theory they were in the gift of the Mughal emperor, to whom allegiance was paid. A nazar, or token tribute, was sent each year to Delhi
, and members of the imperial family were treated with great deference; two of them actually lived in Lucknow
after 1819, and were treated with great courtesy.
By the early 19th Century, the British
had established their control over what is now Uttar Pradesh
. This led to an end of almost eight centuries of Muslim
rule over Uttar Pradesh
. The British
rulers created a class of feudal landowners who were generally referred to as zamindar
s, and in Awadh
as taluqdar
s. Many of these large landowners provided patronage to the arts, and funded many of the early Muslim educational institutions. A major educational institution was the Aligarh Muslim University
, which gave its name to the Aligarh movement. Under the guidance of Sir Sayyid Ahmed Khan, the Urdu speaking Muslim elite sought to retain their position of political and administrative importance by reconciling their Mughal and Islamic culture with English education. A somewhat different educational movement was led by the Ulema
of Deoband
, who founded a religious school or Dar-ul-Uloom designed to revitalize Islamic learning. The aim of the Deobandi
s, as the movement became known as was to purge the Muslims of all strata of traditions and customs that were claimed to be Hindu
. Most of the early proselytization was concentrated in the Doab
region where Deoband
is located, which was home to a number of peasant castes, such as the Rajput Muslim
, Gujjar
, Tyagi and Jat
, who had maintained a number of pre-Islamic customs. A reaction to the growth of the Deobandi
movement was the rise of the Barelvi
sub-sect, which was much more tolerant of the customs and traditions of the local population.
The role of Urdu language played an important role in the development of Muslim self-consciousness in the early twentieth century. Uttar Pradesh Muslims set up anjumans or associations for the protection and promotion of Urdu
. These early Muslim
associations formed the nucleus of the All India Muslim League in Dhaka
in 1905. Many of the leaders belonged to the Ashraf category. Uttar Pradesh Muslims formed the core of the movement for a separate Muslim
state, later known as Pakistan
. The eventual effect of this movement led to the partition of India
, and creation of Pakistan
. This led to an exodus of many Muslim
professionals to Pakistan
, and the division of the Uttar Pradeshi Muslims, with the formation of the Muhajir ethnic group of Pakistan
. The role of the Aligarh Muslim University
was extremely important in the creation of Pakistan
.
lost its status. The abolishment of the zamindar
i system also had a profound impact, as these large landowners provided patronage to local artisans. This was especially true of the Awadh
region. But Muslim artisan communities have held their own, with the growth of specialized industries such as lock manufacturing in Aligarh. The Muslim peasantry in western Uttar Pradesh
benefited from the Green Revolution
, while those in eastern Uttar Pradesh
did poorly. Another important event was the demise of the Muslim League, with most Muslims initially supporting the Indian National Congress
. The post partition period also saw a reduction in communal violence between Hindu
s and Muslims. This was also a period where Muslim leadership was still in the hands of Ashraf leaders such as Abdul Majeed Khwaja
in Aligarh and Rafi Ahmed Kidwai
in Barabanki
. However, from the late 1960s onwards, there has been an increase in the number of communal riots, culminating in the destruction of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya in December 1992. This period has also seen the decline of Muslim support for the Congress Party.
The last three decades have seen two issues confronting the Muslim community, often referred to as Mandir and Mandal. Mandir refers to the building of a Hindu
temple in the town of Ayodhya in eastern Uttar Pradesh
, on the site of a mosque. This cause has been championed by the Bharatiya Janata Party
, and as a consequence, there has been an increase in communal violence. The other issue is commonly referred to as Mandal, a reference to the Mandal Commission
, which was set up to consider the question of seat reservations and quotas for people to redress caste discrimination. Among the groups identified for reservation included a number of ajlaf communities. This has led to greater assertion of ajlaf political power, and a decline in the ashraf leadership. A major controversy is a demand for the Muslim community to receive reservation as a whole, which is being opposed by many ajlaf communities. There are also demands to extend the scheduled caste status, which the Indian Constitution restricts to Hindu
caste
s only, to Muslim arzal groups like the Halalkhor
and Lal Begi
.
Famous Muslims from Uttar Pradesh include the poet Javed Akhtar
, Vice President of India Hamid Ansari, historian Irfan Habib
, politician Salman Khursheed and cricketer Mohammad Kaif.
Sufis (Islamic mystics) played an important role in the spread of Islam in India. They were very successful in spreading Islam, as many aspects of Sufi belief systems and practices had their parallels in Indian philosophical literature, in particular nonviolence and monism
. The Sufis' orthodox approach towards Islam made it easier for Hindus to practice. Hazrat Khawaja Muin-ud-din Chishti
, Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki
, Nizam-ud-din Auliya, Shah Jalal, Amir Khusro
, Sarkar Sabir Pak, Shekh Alla-ul-Haq Pandwi, Ashraf Jahangir Semnani
, Sarkar Waris Pak
, Ata Hussain Fani Chishti
trained Sufis for the propagation of Islam in different parts of India. Once the Islamic Empire was established in India, Sufis invariably provided a touch of colour and beauty to what might have otherwise been rather cold and stark reigns. The Sufi movement also attracted followers from the artisan
and untouchable communities; they played a crucial role in bridging the distance between Islam and the indigenous traditions. Ahmad Sirhindi
, a prominent member of the Naqshbandi
Sufi advocated the peaceful conversion of Hindus to Islam. Imam Ahmed Rida Khan
contributed a lot by defending traditional and orthodox Islam in India by his famous work Fatawa Razvia.
quom and Behlim
or Fareedi
biradari.
It is commonly believed that Muslims in Uttar Pradesh are divided into the ashraf and ajlaf categories which are distinguished by ethnic origin and descent. However, a number of students making empirical studies of Muslim communities in different parts of India have found that this distinction is not really meaningful in understanding the existing pattern among the diverse social groups in any locality. It may be asked, therefore, if the 'ashraf' and 'ajlaf' categories constitute meaningful units of distinction for the study of social stratification among Indian Muslims. Technically, the ashraf are descendents of groups with foreign ancestry, while the ajlaf are those whose ancestors are said to have converted to Islam
. The Ashraaf are further divided into four groupings, the Sayyid
, the supposed descendants of the Prophet Mohammed, the Shaikh
claiming descents from early Arab
or Iran
ian settlers, the Mughal
who claim descent from the Mughal Dynasty and finally the Pathan
, who claim descents from Pashtun
groups that have settled in India
. Technically the first two groups intermarry with each other, while the latter two intermarry. Included sometimes in the ashraf category are Muslim Rajput groups such as the Ranghar
and Khanzada
. A third category, arzaal are supposed to be converts from from Hindu
Dalit
communities. However, the term arzaal is never used in Uttar Pradesh
. Groups that tend to fall in this category include the Halalkhor
and Lal Begi
. The reality is more complicated, with UP Muslims identifying themselves in smaller units called biradaris, which are localized lineage groupings. For example the Qidwai
Shaikh are one such localized lineage group, concentrated in Barabanki District
.
Those communities falling within the ajlaf category were traditionally associated with the practice of a particular craft, for example the Ansari
were weavers, while the Saifi
were blacksmiths. These artisan communities also call themselves biradaries or brotherhoods in English
, and each biradari is characterised by strict endogamy. In the older parts of town and cities in Uttar Pradesh
, they are also characterised by residential segration. . Among other traditional artisan biradaris in UP are the Behna
, Bhatiara
, Bhishti, Manihar
, Dhobi
, Muslim Halwai
, Teli
and Raj
, which were at one time associated with a particular craft or trade.
In addition to occupational specialization, both biradaris are also concentrated in a particular geographic area. For example, the Doab
region to home to number of biradaris of peasant cultivators, such as the Baloch
, Dogar
, Garha
, Gujjar
, Jat
, Jhojha
, Kamboh, Rajput
and Muslim Tyagi, often living in their own villages, and following distinct customs. Almost all these groups are Sunni, and speak Khari boli. While the region of Awadh
is home to both large communities of Ansari
s, Khanzada
s and Shaikh
, some of whom are Shia, and most speak Awadhi.
The population is also further divided by linguistic divisions, most UP Muslims speak Urdu
, but in addition tend also to speak a local dialect. Most biradaries in western Uttar Pradesh speak Khari boli, while those in Awadh speak Awadhi.
haque sunni intellectual teacher and landowners found in lucknow,agra,barelliy,ballia
What unite the various Muslim communities in Uttar Pradesh is the use of the Urdu
language. Urdu has much in common with the Hindustani
, as is thus mutually intelligible with Standard Hindi. The grammatical description in this article concerns this standard Urdu. The original language of the Mughals was Chagatai
, a Turkic
language, but after their arrival in South Asia, they came to adopt Persian. Gradually, the need to communicate with local inhabitants led to a composition of Sanskrit-derived languages, written in the Perso-Arabic script
and with literary conventions and specialized vocabulary being retained from Persian, Arabic and Turkic; the new standard was eventually given its own name of Urdu.
Urdu is often contrasted with Hindi, another standardised form of Hindustani
. The main differences between the two are that Standard Urdu is conventionally written in Nastaliq calligraphy style of the Perso-Arabic script
and draws vocabulary from Persian, Arabic, Turkish and local languages while Standard Hindi is conventionally written in Devanāgarī
and draws vocabulary from Sanskrit
comparatively more heavily. Most linguists nonetheless consider Urdu and Hindi to be two standardized forms of the same language; others classify them separately, while some consider any differences to be sociolinguistic
.
It should be noted, however, that mutual intelligibility decreases in literary and specialized contexts. Furthermore, due to religious nationalism since the partition of British India and consequent continued communal tensions, native speakers of both Hindi and Urdu increasingly assert them to be completely distinct languages.
Later on, during the Mughal Empire
, the development of Urdu was further strengthened and started to emerge as a new language. The official language of the Ghurids
, Delhi Sultanate
, the Mughal Empire, and their successor states, as well as the cultured language of poetry and literature, was Persian
, while the language of religion was Arabic
. Most of the Sultan
s and nobility in the Sultanate period were Turks from Central Asia
who spoke Turkic
as their mother tongue. The Mughals were also from Central Asia, they spoke Turkish as their first language; however the Mughals later adopted Persian. Persian became the preferred language of the Muslim elite of north India before the Mughals entered the scene. Babur's mother tongue was a Turkic language and he wrote exclusively in Turkish. His son and successor Humayun also spoke and wrote in this Turkic language. Muzaffar Alam, a noted scholar of Mughal and Indo-Persian history, asserts that Persian became the lingua franca of the empire under Akbar for various political and social factors due to its non-sectarian and fluid nature.
Urdu's vocabulary remains heavily influenced by the Persian language. Since the 1800s, English
started to replace Persian as the official language in India and it also contributed to influence the Urdu language. As of today, Urdu's vocabulary is strongly influenced by the English language
.
The Uttar Pradesh Muslim
s clung to their old established habits and tastes, including a numberless variety of dishes and beverages. The Mughal
and Indo-Iranian
heritage played an influential role in the making of their cuisine, having taste vary from mild to spicy and is often associated with aroma
. There cuisine tends to use stronger spices and flavors. Most of a dastarkhawan
dining table include chapatti
, rice
, dal
, vegetable and meat curry
. Special dishes include biryani
, qorma
, kofta
, seekh kabab
, Nihari
and Haleem
, Nargisi Koftay
, Kata-Kat, Rogani Naan, Naan
, sheer-qurma
(sweet), qourma, chai (sweet, milky tea), paan
, and other delicacies associated with North Indian Muslim culture.
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...
speakers, on account of Urdu being their native language, and have also been referred to as Hindustani Musalman. In the strict sense, the Uttar Pradesh Muslims do not form a single ethnic community. They are differentiated by sectarian and 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...
divisions, as well as by dialect
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
and geographical distribution. Nevertheless, the 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...
Muslims possess a sense of group of group identity based on cultural and historic factors. These include the Islamic religion, a Persian
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
cultural tradition and its Indian offspring, the Urdu language. The Muslim population of Uttar Pradesh is unevenly distributed, with a greater number concentrated 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...
. They are also a disproportionately urban community, reflecting an old historic legacy. Muslims are a not a majority in any district, with Rampur
Rampur District
Rampur district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Rampur town is the district headquarters. Rampur district is a part of Moradabad division. The district occupies an area of 2,367 km²...
coming close at around 49% .
Early History
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...
formed part of the various Sultanate
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate is a term used to cover five short-lived, Delhi based kingdoms or sultanates, of Turkic origin in medieval India. The sultanates ruled from Delhi between 1206 and 1526, when the last was replaced by the Mughal dynasty...
after 1000 CE and was ruled from their capital, 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...
. As a consequence of these invasions, their arose a community in what is now 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...
, which was referred to as Hindustani Musalmans. In medieval times, the term Hindustani Musalman was applied to those Muslims who were either converts to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
or who had a long settled 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...
. These Hindustani Musalmans did not form a single community, as they were divided by ethnic, linguistic and economic differences. Often these early settlers lived in fortified towns, known as qasbas. Important qasbas include Kakori
Kakori
Kakori is a town and a nagar panchayat in Lucknow district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is situated 14 km north of Lucknow. More widely known for its kebabs, Zardozi work and Dasheri mangoes, Kakori is also the centre of once flourishing Urdu poetry, literature and the Qadiriya...
in Lucknow District
Lucknow District
Lucknow District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The city of Lucknow is the district headquarters and the district is part of Lucknow Division...
, and Sandhila
Sandila
Sandila is a city and a municipal board in Hardoi district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-History:Nothing much is known about the ancient history of Sandila. According to folk sayings, it was a forested area, believed to be the worship land of legendary sage Shandilya...
in Hardoi District
Hardoi District
Hardoi disctrict is a district of Uttar Pradesh, India, and Hardoi town is the district headquarters. Hardoi district is a part of Lucknow division.-Economy:...
. With the rise of the Mongols
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
under Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
, there was an influx of Muslim refugees into 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...
, many of whom settled in the provincial qasbas, bringing with them a Persianized culture. Many of these early settlers are the ancestors of the Sayyid
Sayyid of Uttar Pradesh
The Sayyid of Uttar Pradesh in India are a Muslim community who are members of the wider Sayyid community of South Asia. They are also known as Mir and Pirzada. Many are also now found in Pakistan.-History and origin:...
and 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...
communities. In these qasbas, over time a number of cultural norms arose, which still typify many Uttar Pradesh Muslim traditions. The Turkish
Turkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...
Sultans of Delhi and their Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
successors patronized the émigré Muslim culture: Islamic jurists of the Hanafi
Hanafi
The Hanafi school is one of the four Madhhab in jurisprudence within Sunni Islam. The Hanafi madhhab is named after the Persian scholar Abu Hanifa an-Nu‘man ibn Thābit , a Tabi‘i whose legal views were preserved primarily by his two most important disciples, Abu Yusuf and Muhammad al-Shaybani...
school, Persian literati who were Athna Ashri Shia and Sufis of several orders, including the Chishti, Qadiri and Naqshbandi
Naqshbandi
Naqshbandi is one of the major Sufi spiritual orders of Sufi Islam. It is considered to be a "Potent" order.The Naqshbandi order is over 1,300 years old, and is active today...
. These Sufi orders were particularly important in converting 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 to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
.
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...
, there was conversion to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
of a number of agrarian castes such as the Tyagi
Tyagi (Muslim)
Muslim Tyagis are a part of the Tyagi community that follows Islam. Tyagis are a mixed Hindu and Muslim Brahmin community of North India and Pakistan. Muslim Tyagis are also known as Mulla Brahmin and in Moradabad District, and they are known as Chaudhry...
, 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...
and Muley Jat
Muley Jat
The Muley Jat, or sometimes pronounced as Mola/Mula Jat are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, and the province of Punjab in Pakistan...
. Many of these convert communities kept many of their pre-Islamic customs, such as clan
Clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clan members may be organized around a founding member or apical ancestor. The kinship-based bonds may be symbolical, whereby the clan shares a "stipulated" common ancestor that is a...
exogamy
Exogamy
Exogamy is a social arrangement where marriage is allowed only outside of a social group. The social groups define the scope and extent of exogamy, and the rules and enforcement mechanisms that ensure its continuity. In social studies, exogamy is viewed as a combination of two related aspects:...
. According to some scholars, this also led to the creeping into 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...
system.
This region also saw the settlement of Pashtun
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
soldiers and administrors from what is now 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...
and Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. The largest settlement was that of 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...
, which was home to a number of Pashtun
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
principalities. Other immmigrants included Kambohs from Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
, who together with the Pathan
Pathans of Uttar Pradesh
The Pathans of Uttar Pradesh , have a large community of Pashtuns in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, who form one of the largest Muslim communities in the state...
formed part of the ruling elite 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...
.
Indian converts to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ultimately outnumbered the immigrant Muslims, and were also of diverse origin. Many of the converts belonged to 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...
artisan 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...
s, who were drawn to the new qasbas. Over time, many of these artisan groups evolved into caste like groupings, such as the Momin
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...
, who were weavers. Many of these new converts continued to speak their original dialects, such as Awadhi and Khari boli. These groups were sometimes referred to collectively as ajlaf. Groups that claimed actual or putative foreign ancestry were referred to as ashrafs. Over time a fourfold division arose among the Ashraf, with the Sayyid
Sayyid of Uttar Pradesh
The Sayyid of Uttar Pradesh in India are a Muslim community who are members of the wider Sayyid community of South Asia. They are also known as Mir and Pirzada. Many are also now found in Pakistan.-History and origin:...
s, the actual or claimed descendent of the Prophet Mohammad, the 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...
, communities signifies Arab descent and comes under high caste of society, however majority are the native Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
, Kshatriya
Kshatriya
*For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya or Kashtriya, meaning warrior, is one of the four varnas in Hinduism...
and Vaishya
Vaishya
Vaishya is one of the four varnas of the Hindu social order. According to Vedic tradition, this caste primarily comprises merchants, farmers, cattle-herders and artisans.-Duties of Vaishyas:...
clans who used the title of Sheikh after conversion to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, the Mughal
Mughal (tribe)
The term Mughal is simply a Turkic word and many groups in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh use the term Mughal to describe themselves...
s, descendents of Central Asian Turks
Turkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...
and Mongols and the Pathans
Pathans of Uttar Pradesh
The Pathans of Uttar Pradesh , have a large community of Pashtuns in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, who form one of the largest Muslim communities in the state...
, descendents of Pashtun
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
tribesmen from 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...
and Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. Occasionally, important convert communities such as the Kayastha Muslim
Muslim Kayasths
The Kayastha Muslim are community of Muslims, descendents of members of the Kayasth caste who embraced Islam. They live in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, the provinces of Sindh and Punjab in Pakistan and many have now settled in United Kingdom, United States and Canada. The community uses...
of eastern Uttar Pradesh, were also granted Ashraf status.
With the collapse of the Sultanate of Delhi, the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
established their control, U.P. became the heartland of their vast empire; the region was known as Hindustan, which is used to this day as the name for India in several languages. Agra and Fatehpur Sikri were the capital cities of Akbar, the great Mughal Emperor of India. At their zenith, during the rule of Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
, the Mughal Empire covered almost the entire Indian subcontinent (including present day Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh), which was ruled at different times from 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...
, Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
and Allahabad
Allahabad
Allahabad , or Settled by God in Persian, is a major city of India and is one of the main holy cities of Hinduism. It was renamed by the Mughals from the ancient name of Prayaga , and is by some accounts the second-oldest city in India. It is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh,...
.
Later History
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
disintegrated, their territory remained confined to 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...
region of 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...
. Other areas of Hindustan (U.P.) were now ruled by different rulers: Oudh was ruled by the Nawabs of Oudh, 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...
by the Rohilla
Rohilla
The Rohilla are a community of Hindi-speaking Pashtun also known as Pathan, historically found in the state of Uttar Pradesh, in North India. Most are now also found in Pakistan where they are now part of the Mohajir community. At one time, they form one of the largest Pashtun diaspora community...
s, Bundelkhand
Bundelkhand
Bundelkhand anciently known as Chedi Kingdom is a geographic region of central India...
by the Marathas and Benaras by its own king, while 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...
controlled Kumaon-Garhwal as a part of Greater Nepal
Greater Nepal
Greater Nepal is a concept referring to the state of Nepal extending beyond present boundaries to include territories ceded to the British East India Company under the Sugauli Treaty that ended the Anglo-Nepalese War in 1814–16...
. The state's capital city of Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
was established by the Muslim Nawabs of Oudh in the 18th century. It became an important centre 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...
culture, and the centre for the development 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...
literature.
Of all the Muslim states and dependencies of the Mughal empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
, Awadh
Awadh
Awadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
had the newest royal family. They were descended from a Persian
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
adventurer called Sa'adat Khan, originally from Khurasan
Greater Khorasan
Greater Khorasan or Ancient Khorasan is a historical region of Greater Iran mentioned in sources from Sassanid and Islamic eras which "frequently" had a denotation wider than current three provinces of Khorasan in Iran...
in Persia. There were many Khurasanis in the service of the Mughals, mostly soldiers, and if successful, they could hope for rich rewards. These Khurasanis were Shia, and Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
became a centre of Shia culture 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...
. Burhan ul Mulk Sa'adat Khan proved to be amongst the most successful of this group. In 1732, he was made governor of the province of Awadh. His original title was Nazim
Nazim
A nazim is the coordinator of cities and towns in Pakistan. Nazim is the title in Urdu of the chief elected official of a local government in Pakistan, such as a district, tehsil, union council, or village council....
, which means Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
, but soon he was made Nawab
Nawab
A Nawab or Nawaab is an honorific title given to Muslim rulers of princely states in South Asia. It is the Muslim equivalent of the term "maharaja" that was granted to Hindu rulers....
. In 1740, the Nawab was called Wazir
Vizier
A vizier or in Arabic script ; ; sometimes spelled vazir, vizir, vasir, wazir, vesir, or vezir) is a high-ranking political advisor or minister in a Muslim government....
or vizier
Vizier
A vizier or in Arabic script ; ; sometimes spelled vazir, vizir, vasir, wazir, vesir, or vezir) is a high-ranking political advisor or minister in a Muslim government....
, which means Chief Minister
Chief Minister
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government...
, and thereafter he was known as the Nawab Wazir. In practice, from Sa'adat Khan onwards, the titles had been hereditary, though in theory they were in the gift of the Mughal emperor, to whom allegiance was paid. A nazar, or token tribute, was sent each year to 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...
, and members of the imperial family were treated with great deference; two of them actually lived in Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
after 1819, and were treated with great courtesy.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
had established their control over what is now 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...
. This led to an end of almost eight centuries 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...
rule over 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 British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
rulers created a class of feudal landowners who were generally referred to as zamindar
Zamindar
A Zamindar or zemindar , was an aristocrat, typically hereditary, who held enormous tracts of land and ruled over and taxed the bhikaaris who lived on batavaslam. Over time, they took princely and royal titles such as Maharaja , Raja , Nawab , and Mirza , Chowdhury , among others...
s, and in Awadh
Awadh
Awadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
as taluqdar
Taluqdar
A taluqdar or talukdar , is a term used for Indian land holders in Mughal and British times, responsible for collecting taxes from a district...
s. Many of these large landowners provided patronage to the arts, and funded many of the early Muslim educational institutions. A major educational institution was the Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh Muslim University ,is a residential academic university, established in 1875 by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan as Mohammedan Angelo-Oriental College and later granted the status of Central University by an Act of the Indian Parliament in 1920...
, which gave its name to the Aligarh movement. Under the guidance of Sir Sayyid Ahmed Khan, the Urdu speaking Muslim elite sought to retain their position of political and administrative importance by reconciling their Mughal and Islamic culture with English education. A somewhat different educational movement was led by the Ulema
Ulema
Ulama , also spelt ulema, refers to the educated class of Muslim legal scholars engaged in the several fields of Islamic studies. They are best known as the arbiters of shari‘a law...
of Deoband
Deoband
Deoband is a city and a municipal board in Saharanpur district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located in the upper Doab region of Uttar Pradesh. Deoband used to be surrounded by dense forests, and was believed to be the abode of the Goddess Durga, according to one tradition this is...
, who founded a religious school or Dar-ul-Uloom designed to revitalize Islamic learning. The aim of the Deobandi
Deobandi
Deobandi is a movement of Sunni Islam. The movement began at Darul Uloom Deoband in Deoband, India, where its foundation was laid on 30 May 1866.-History:...
s, as the movement became known as was to purge the Muslims of all strata of traditions and customs that were claimed to be 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...
. Most of the early proselytization was concentrated 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...
region where Deoband
Deoband
Deoband is a city and a municipal board in Saharanpur district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located in the upper Doab region of Uttar Pradesh. Deoband used to be surrounded by dense forests, and was believed to be the abode of the Goddess Durga, according to one tradition this is...
is located, which was home to a number of peasant castes, such as the Rajput Muslim
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...
, Gujjar
Muslim Gujjar (Uttar Pradesh)
The Muslim Gujjar of Uttar Pradesh are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are Muslim converts of the wider Gujjar community of South Asia. The Gujjar of Uttar Pradesh are, in fact, three distinct communities, those of the Doab region, those of Awadh and the...
, Tyagi and Jat
Muley Jat
The Muley Jat, or sometimes pronounced as Mola/Mula Jat are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, and the province of Punjab in Pakistan...
, who had maintained a number of pre-Islamic customs. A reaction to the growth of the Deobandi
Deobandi
Deobandi is a movement of Sunni Islam. The movement began at Darul Uloom Deoband in Deoband, India, where its foundation was laid on 30 May 1866.-History:...
movement was the rise of the Barelvi
Barelvi
Barelvi is a term used for the movement of Sufi , Sunni Islam originating in the Indian subcontinent.The Movement is known as Ahle Sunnat movement to its followers....
sub-sect, which was much more tolerant of the customs and traditions of the local population.
The role of Urdu language played an important role in the development of Muslim self-consciousness in the early twentieth century. Uttar Pradesh Muslims set up anjumans or associations for the protection and promotion 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...
. These early 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...
associations formed the nucleus of the All India Muslim League in Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
in 1905. Many of the leaders belonged to the Ashraf category. Uttar Pradesh Muslims formed the core of the movement for a separate 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...
state, later known as 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...
. The eventual effect of this movement led to 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...
, and creation 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...
. This led to an exodus of many 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...
professionals to 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...
, and the division of the Uttar Pradeshi Muslims, with the formation of the Muhajir ethnic group 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...
. The role of the Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh Muslim University ,is a residential academic university, established in 1875 by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan as Mohammedan Angelo-Oriental College and later granted the status of Central University by an Act of the Indian Parliament in 1920...
was extremely important in the creation 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...
.
Modern history
The net result of partition and independence in 1947, was the division of the Urdu speaking Uttar Pradesh Muslims. It also led to major social, political and cultural changes, for example 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...
lost its status. The abolishment of the zamindar
Zamindar
A Zamindar or zemindar , was an aristocrat, typically hereditary, who held enormous tracts of land and ruled over and taxed the bhikaaris who lived on batavaslam. Over time, they took princely and royal titles such as Maharaja , Raja , Nawab , and Mirza , Chowdhury , among others...
i system also had a profound impact, as these large landowners provided patronage to local artisans. This was especially true of the Awadh
Awadh
Awadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
region. But Muslim artisan communities have held their own, with the growth of specialized industries such as lock manufacturing in Aligarh. The Muslim peasantry 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...
benefited from the Green Revolution
Green Revolution
Green Revolution refers to a series of research, development, and technology transfer initiatives, occurring between the 1940s and the late 1970s, that increased agriculture production around the world, beginning most markedly in the late 1960s....
, while those in eastern 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...
did poorly. Another important event was the demise of the Muslim League, with most Muslims initially supporting the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
. The post partition period also saw a reduction in communal violence between 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 and Muslims. This was also a period where Muslim leadership was still in the hands of Ashraf leaders such as Abdul Majeed Khwaja
Abdul Majeed Khwaja
Abdul Majeed Khwaja Indian lawyer, educationist, social reformer and freedom fighter, was born at Aligarh, a small but historically significant town in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh....
in Aligarh and Rafi Ahmed Kidwai
Rafi Ahmed Kidwai
Rafi Ahmed Kidwai , was an Indian independence activist and a socialist, sometimes described as an Islamic socialist...
in Barabanki
Barabanki District
The Barabanki district is one of four districts of Faizabad division, lies at the very heart of Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and forms as it were a centre from which no less than seven other districts radiate...
. However, from the late 1960s onwards, there has been an increase in the number of communal riots, culminating in the destruction of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya in December 1992. This period has also seen the decline of Muslim support for the Congress Party.
The last three decades have seen two issues confronting the Muslim community, often referred to as Mandir and Mandal. Mandir refers to the building of a 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...
temple in the town of Ayodhya in eastern 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...
, on the site of a mosque. This cause has been championed by the Bharatiya Janata Party
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...
, and as a consequence, there has been an increase in communal violence. The other issue is commonly referred to as Mandal, a reference to the Mandal Commission
Mandal commission
The Mandal Commission was established in India in 1979 by the Janata Party government under Prime Minister Morarji Desai with a mandate to "identify the socially or educationally backward." It was headed by Indian parliamentarian Bindheshwari Prasad Mandal to consider the question of seat...
, which was set up to consider the question of seat reservations and quotas for people to redress caste discrimination. Among the groups identified for reservation included a number of ajlaf communities. This has led to greater assertion of ajlaf political power, and a decline in the ashraf leadership. A major controversy is a demand for the Muslim community to receive reservation as a whole, which is being opposed by many ajlaf communities. There are also demands to extend the scheduled caste status, which the Indian Constitution restricts to 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...
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...
s only, to Muslim arzal groups like the Halalkhor
Halalkhor
The Halalkhor are a Dalit Muslim community , found in the states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in India . They are mostly Shias. The Halalkhor are also known as Shaikhra or Shahani in Bihar and Muslim Bhangi and Mehtar in Uttar Pradesh....
and Lal Begi
Lal Begi
The Lal Begi are a scheduled caste found in the states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in India . The Muslim branch of the Lal Begi are known as Hasnati and the Hindu branch are known as Balmiki.-History and origin:...
.
Famous Muslims from Uttar Pradesh include the poet Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar is a poet, lyricist and scriptwriter from India. Some of his most successful work was done in the late 1970s and 1980s with Salim Khan as half of the script-writing duo credited as Salim-Javed...
, Vice President of India Hamid Ansari, historian Irfan Habib
Irfan Habib
Irfan Habib is an Indian Marxist historian, a former Chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research and a Padma Bhushan awardee. He is a Professor Emeritus at Aligarh Muslim University. He has served in the Indian History Congress for many years. Irfan Habib and R.S...
, politician Salman Khursheed and cricketer Mohammad Kaif.
Sufi Orders
Monism
Monism is any philosophical view which holds that there is unity in a given field of inquiry. Accordingly, some philosophers may hold that the universe is one rather than dualistic or pluralistic...
. The Sufis' orthodox approach towards Islam made it easier for Hindus to practice. Hazrat Khawaja Muin-ud-din Chishti
Moinuddin Chishti
Sultan-ul-Hind, Moinuddin Chishti was born in 1141 and died in 1230 CE. Also known as Gharīb Nawāz "Benefactor of the Poor" , he is the most famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order of the Indian Subcontinent. He introduced and established the order in South Asia...
, Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki
Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki
Qutub ul Aqtab Hazrat Khwaja Syed Muhammad Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki was a renowned Muslim Sufi mystic, saint and scholar of the Chishti Order from Delhi, India. He was the disciple and the spiritual successor of Moinuddin Chishti as head of the Chishti order. Before him the Chishti order in India...
, Nizam-ud-din Auliya, Shah Jalal, Amir Khusro
Amir Khusro
Ab'ul Hasan Yamīn ud-Dīn Khusrow , better known as Amīr Khusrow Dehlawī , was an Indian musician, scholar and poet. He was an iconic figure in the cultural history of the Indian subcontinent...
, Sarkar Sabir Pak, Shekh Alla-ul-Haq Pandwi, Ashraf Jahangir Semnani
Ashraf Jahangir Semnani
Hazrat Khawaja Syed Makhdoom Ashraf Jahangir Semnani was a Sufi Saint of both the Chishti and Qadiri Orders of Sufism....
, Sarkar Waris Pak
Sarkar Waris Pak
Haji Waris Ali Shah or Sarkar Waris Pak was a Sufi saint from Dewa, Barabanki, India. Sarkar Waris Pak was the successor to the Qadriyya -Razzakiyya Silsila. He was born in the 26th generation of Hazrat Imam Hussain. The date of his birth is disputed, varying from 1233 A.H. to 1238 A.H...
, Ata Hussain Fani Chishti
Ata Hussain Fani Chishti
Hazrat Ata Hussain Fani , also known as Ata Hussain Gayavi or Haji Ata Hussain Chishti Monami Abulolai, was a famous Sufi saint of the chisti order in South Asia. He was the first Sufi to go in the complete non-Muslim locality of Gaya and spread Islam...
trained Sufis for the propagation of Islam in different parts of India. Once the Islamic Empire was established in India, Sufis invariably provided a touch of colour and beauty to what might have otherwise been rather cold and stark reigns. The Sufi movement also attracted followers from the artisan
Artisan
An artisan is a skilled manual worker who makes items that may be functional or strictly decorative, including furniture, clothing, jewellery, household items, and tools...
and untouchable communities; they played a crucial role in bridging the distance between Islam and the indigenous traditions. Ahmad Sirhindi
Ahmad Sirhindi
Imām Rabbānī Shaykh Ahmad al-Farūqī al-Sirhindī was an Indian Islamic scholar from Punjab, a Hanafi jurist, and a prominent member of the Naqshbandī Sufi order. He is described as Mujaddid Alf Thānī, meaning the "reviver of the second millennium", for his work in rejuvenating Islam and opposing...
, a prominent member of the Naqshbandi
Naqshbandi
Naqshbandi is one of the major Sufi spiritual orders of Sufi Islam. It is considered to be a "Potent" order.The Naqshbandi order is over 1,300 years old, and is active today...
Sufi advocated the peaceful conversion of Hindus to Islam. Imam Ahmed Rida Khan
Ahmed Rida Khan
Ahmed Raza Khan Fazil-e-Barelvi was a Sunni Islamic scholar and sufi, whose works influenced the Barelvi movement of South Asia. Raza Khan wrote on numerous topics, including law, religion, philosophy and the sciences...
contributed a lot by defending traditional and orthodox Islam in India by his famous work Fatawa Razvia.
Social system
Some South Asian Muslims have been known to stratify their society according to quoms. These Muslims practise a ritual-based system of social stratification. The Quoms who deal with human emissions are ranked the lowest. These quams are further divided into biradaris, which claim descent from an actual or putative common male ancestor. For example, an individual will belong to the ShaikhShaikh 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...
quom and Behlim
Behlim
The Behlim are a Muslim community found mainly in North India.A small number are also found in the city of Karachi in Pakistan.- Origin :The Behlim trace their descent the Sufi Masud Ghazi, and the word is said to be a corruption of the word ba-ilm, meaning those who are knowledgeable in Arabic...
or Fareedi
Fareedi
Fareedi , is a clan of the Farooqi tribe named after Hazrat Bābā Farīduddīn Mas'ūd Ganjshakar, a murid of a sheikh who belongs to the sufi order of Baba Fareed Shaker Gunj.- Origin :...
biradari.
It is commonly believed that Muslims in Uttar Pradesh are divided into the ashraf and ajlaf categories which are distinguished by ethnic origin and descent. However, a number of students making empirical studies of Muslim communities in different parts of India have found that this distinction is not really meaningful in understanding the existing pattern among the diverse social groups in any locality. It may be asked, therefore, if the 'ashraf' and 'ajlaf' categories constitute meaningful units of distinction for the study of social stratification among Indian Muslims. Technically, the ashraf are descendents of groups with foreign ancestry, while the ajlaf are those whose ancestors are said to have converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. The Ashraaf are further divided into four groupings, the Sayyid
Sayyid of Uttar Pradesh
The Sayyid of Uttar Pradesh in India are a Muslim community who are members of the wider Sayyid community of South Asia. They are also known as Mir and Pirzada. Many are also now found in Pakistan.-History and origin:...
, the supposed descendants of the Prophet Mohammed, the 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...
claiming descents from early Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
or Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian settlers, the Mughal
Mughal (tribe)
The term Mughal is simply a Turkic word and many groups in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh use the term Mughal to describe themselves...
who claim descent from the Mughal Dynasty and finally the Pathan
Pathans of Uttar Pradesh
The Pathans of Uttar Pradesh , have a large community of Pashtuns in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, who form one of the largest Muslim communities in the state...
, who claim descents from Pashtun
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
groups that have settled 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...
. Technically the first two groups intermarry with each other, while the latter two intermarry. Included sometimes in the ashraf category are Muslim Rajput 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...
and Khanzada
Khanzada (Awadh)
The Khanzada or Khan Zadeh are a community of Hindu converted Muslim Rajputs, found in the Awadh region of the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. A few are also found in the state of Bihar. This community is distinct from the Rajasthan Khanzadas, who are also a community of Muslim Rajputs. They also...
. A third category, arzaal are supposed to be converts from from 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...
Dalit
Dalit
Dalit is a designation for a group of people traditionally regarded as Untouchable. Dalits are a mixed population, consisting of numerous castes from all over South Asia; they speak a variety of languages and practice a multitude of religions...
communities. However, the term arzaal is never used 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...
. Groups that tend to fall in this category include the Halalkhor
Halalkhor
The Halalkhor are a Dalit Muslim community , found in the states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in India . They are mostly Shias. The Halalkhor are also known as Shaikhra or Shahani in Bihar and Muslim Bhangi and Mehtar in Uttar Pradesh....
and Lal Begi
Lal Begi
The Lal Begi are a scheduled caste found in the states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in India . The Muslim branch of the Lal Begi are known as Hasnati and the Hindu branch are known as Balmiki.-History and origin:...
. The reality is more complicated, with UP Muslims identifying themselves in smaller units called biradaris, which are localized lineage groupings. For example the Qidwai
Qidwai
The Qidwai or Kidwai are a community of Muslims in Pakistan and India. They are mostly settled in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also settled in the city of Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. The Qidwai, together with the Milki, Malik and Chaudhary are one of the four sub-group of a...
Shaikh are one such localized lineage group, concentrated in Barabanki District
Barabanki District
The Barabanki district is one of four districts of Faizabad division, lies at the very heart of Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and forms as it were a centre from which no less than seven other districts radiate...
.
Those communities falling within the ajlaf category were traditionally associated with the practice of a particular craft, for example the 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...
were weavers, while the Saifi
Saifi
The Saifi are a Muslim community found in North India, Pakistan. They are now considered as forming a community with in the Shaikh caste. They are also known as Muslim BadhaiLohar Kalayi gar.-History and origin:...
were blacksmiths. These artisan communities also call themselves biradaries or brotherhoods in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, and each biradari is characterised by strict endogamy. In the older parts of town and cities 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 are also characterised by residential segration. . Among other traditional artisan biradaris in UP are the Behna
Behna
The Behna are a Muslim community, found in North India . In eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, they were known as Dhuna or Dhunia. They also known as Naddaf in South India and Pinjara in Gujarat and Rajasthan...
, Bhatiara
Bhatiara
The Bhatiara are a Pathan community, found in North India. They are also known as Farooqi or Shaikh Farooqi.-History and origin:...
, Bhishti, Manihar
Manihar
The Manihar or more commonly referred to as the Siddiqui Manihar, are a Muslim community, found mainly in North India, and the province of Sindh in Pakistan. A small number of Manihar are also found in the Terai region of Nepal.-History and origin:...
, Dhobi
Muslim Dhobi
The Muslim Dhobi are a Muslim community that is traditionally involved in washing clothes in South Asia. They are considered to be Muslim converts from the Hindu Dhobi caste, and are found in North India and Pakistan...
, Muslim Halwai
Muslim Halwai
The Muslim Halwai are a Muslim community found in Pakistan and in the Uttar Pradesh state, in India. They were former members of the Hindu Halwai caste, who have converted to Islam. Halva means sweets in Urdu and Halvai or Halwai are sweet makers...
, Teli
Muslim Teli
The Muslim Teli are an ethnic group found in Pakistan and India. The word Tel means oil and Teli means person dealing with manufacture and sale of cooking oil in Urdu...
and Raj
Raj (caste)
The Raj are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as Maimar and sometimes Mistry.-History and origin:...
, which were at one time associated with a particular craft or trade.
In addition to occupational specialization, both biradaris are also concentrated in a particular geographic area. For example, 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...
region to home to number of biradaris of peasant cultivators, such as the Baloch
Baluch (Uttar Pradesh)
The Baloch are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are descended from Baluch tribesmen who settled in this region of North India in the late Middle Ages...
, Dogar
Dogar
Dogar is a Muslim, Punjabi tribe in the Punjab region of Pakistan. It is also used as a family name in Turkey and Northern Iraq among some Kurds and Turks.-Ethnography:...
, Garha
Garha
The Garha or sometimes pronounced Gara and occasionally Gada are a Muslim community or caste found in the states of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, India.-History and origin:...
, Gujjar
Muslim Gujjar (Uttar Pradesh)
The Muslim Gujjar of Uttar Pradesh are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are Muslim converts of the wider Gujjar community of South Asia. The Gujjar of Uttar Pradesh are, in fact, three distinct communities, those of the Doab region, those of Awadh and the...
, Jat
Muley Jat
The Muley Jat, or sometimes pronounced as Mola/Mula Jat are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, and the province of Punjab in Pakistan...
, Jhojha
Jhojha
The Jhojha are a Muslim community or caste found in the state of Uttar Pradesh, in India. Some members of this community migrated to Pakistan in 1947 and have settled in Karachi, Sindh.-History and origin:...
, Kamboh, Rajput
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...
and Muslim Tyagi, often living in their own villages, and following distinct customs. Almost all these groups are Sunni, and speak Khari boli. While the region of Awadh
Awadh
Awadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
is home to both large communities of 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...
s, Khanzada
Khanzada (Awadh)
The Khanzada or Khan Zadeh are a community of Hindu converted Muslim Rajputs, found in the Awadh region of the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. A few are also found in the state of Bihar. This community is distinct from the Rajasthan Khanzadas, who are also a community of Muslim Rajputs. They also...
s and 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...
, some of whom are Shia, and most speak Awadhi.
The population is also further divided by linguistic divisions, most UP Muslims 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...
, but in addition tend also to speak a local dialect. Most biradaries in western Uttar Pradesh speak Khari boli, while those in Awadh speak Awadhi.
Communities
Here is brief description of the main communities.-
Community Sect Description Distribution Abbasi AbbasiAbbasi is a prominent Islamic family name. - Origin :The Abbasid caliphate was founded by the descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad's youngest uncle, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, in Harran in 750 CE and shifted its capital in 762 to Baghdad...Sunni a Shaikh Shaikh of Uttar PradeshThe 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...
biradari, mainly urbanfound mainly in Bulandshahr District Bulandshahr DistrictBulandshahar District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. Bulandshahr city is the district headquarters.-Geography:...
, Farrukhabad DistrictFarrukhabad DistrictFarrukhabad district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The town of Fatehgarh is the district headquarters. The district is part of Kanpur Division....
, Etawah DistrictEtawah DistrictEtawah district is a district in the southwestern portion of Uttar Pradesh state of India. Etawah town is the district headquarters. Etawah district is part of Kanpur Division. The district covers an area of 2311 km²...
, Bareilly DistrictBareilly DistrictBareilly district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. City of Bareilly is the district headquarters. The district consists of six tehsils. These are: Aonla, Baheri, City of Bareilly, Faridpur, Meerganj and Nawabganj. Bareilly district is a part of Bareilly Division....
, Moradabad DistrictMoradabad DistrictMoradabad 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...
, Allahabad DistrictAllahabad DistrictAllahabad district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Allahabad town is the district headquarters. Allahabad district is a part of Allahabad Division.As of 2011 it is the most populous district of Uttar Pradesh ....
, Kanpur DistrictKanpur DistrictKanpur district is one of the districts of the Uttar Pradesh state of India. It is a part of Kanpur division and its district headquarters is Kanpur. Due to increase in population of Kanpur District, for proper administration it has been divided into two. The term Kanpur refers to the combination...
, Jaunpur DistrictJaunpur DistrictJaunpur is a district in the Varanasi Division of Uttar Pradesh state in India. Jaunpur serves as the district headquarters.-Geography:The district of Jaunpur is situated in the North-West part of Varanasi Division. Its land area extends from 24.240N to 26.120N latitude and between 82.70E and...
, Ballia DistrictBallia DistrictBallia district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state, India. Ballia district is a part of Azamgarh Division situated in eastern Part of Uttar Pradesh. Main occupation is agriculture. Ballia City is district headquarters and commercial Market of this district. There are four Tehsil in...
and Basti DistrictAhbans Khanzada Ahbans KhanzadaThe Ahbans Khanzada are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are part of the larger Khanzada community found in the Awadh region. The community uses the surname Khan.-Origin:...some Sunni, some Shia a community landowners and cultivators found mainly in Lakhimpur Kheri District and Hardoi District Hardoi DistrictHardoi disctrict is a district of Uttar Pradesh, India, and Hardoi town is the district headquarters. Hardoi district is a part of Lucknow division.-Economy:...Alavi largely Shia, some Sunni a Shaikh Shaikh of Uttar PradeshThe 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...
biradarifound in Muzaffarnagar District Muzaffarnagar DistrictMuzaffarnagar district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. It is part of Saharanpur division. The town of Muzaffarnagar is the district headquarters.-Communication:...
, Allahabad DistrictAllahabad DistrictAllahabad district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Allahabad town is the district headquarters. Allahabad district is a part of Allahabad Division.As of 2011 it is the most populous district of Uttar Pradesh ....
, Azamgarh DistrictAzamgarh districtAzamgarh district is one of the three districts of Azamgarh Division in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Etymology:The district is named after its headquarters town, Azamgarh. Azam, son of Vikramajit, founded the town in 1665. Vikramajit a descendant of Gautam Rajputs of Mehnagar in pargana...
, Basti District and Lucknow DistrictLucknow DistrictLucknow District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The city of Lucknow is the district headquarters and the district is part of Lucknow Division...Ansari Shaikh Shaikh of Uttar PradeshThe 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...
Sunni a Shaikh Shaikh of Uttar PradeshThe 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...
biradari, mainly urbanSaharanpur District Saharanpur DistrictSaharanpur district is the northernmost of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state, India. Bordering the states of Haryana and Uttarakhand, and close to the foothills of Shivalik range, it lies in the northern part of the Doab region...
, Muzaffarnagar DistrictMuzaffarnagar DistrictMuzaffarnagar district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. It is part of Saharanpur division. The town of Muzaffarnagar is the district headquarters.-Communication:...
, Meerut DistrictMeerut DistrictMeerut district , is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Meerut is the district headquarters. Meerut district is a part of Meerut division.-Demographics:...
, Bulandshahr DistrictBulandshahr DistrictBulandshahar District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. Bulandshahr city is the district headquarters.-Geography:...
, Aligarh DistrictAligarh DistrictAligarh District is a district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Its district seat is located in the city of Aligarh .The Aligarh District belongs to Aligarh Division...
, Agra DistrictAgra DistrictAgra District is one of the 70 districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and the historical city of Agra is the district headquarters. Agra district is a part of Agra division.-Geography:...
, RohilkhandRohilkhandRohilkhand 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...
and AwadhAwadhAwadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...Ansari Momin Momin AnsariThe 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...
Sunni a community of weavers found throughout Uttar Pradesh Atishbaz AtishbazThe Atishbaz are a Muslim community found in the state Uttar Pradesh in India. They also refer to themselves as Atishbaz Shaikh or sometimes just Shaikh, which is also a common surname. Atishbaz also known as darugar. The Uttar Pradesh Atishbaz have been granted Other Backward Class status...
Sunni a community of fireworks manufacturers found mainly in Awadh AwadhAwadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
and Varanasi DistrictVaranasi DistrictVaranasi district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India, with Varanasi city as the district headquarters. Varanasi district is a part of Varanasi division. The district occupies an area of 1,535 km². The district has a population of 3,138,671 .-Divisions:The...Bachgoti Khanzada Bachgoti KhanzadaThe Bachgoti Khanzada are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are sub-group with in the larger Khanzada community of eastern Uttar Pradesh. Common surnames include khan and kunwar.- Origin :...
Sunni, except the taluqdar TaluqdarA taluqdar or talukdar , is a term used for Indian land holders in Mughal and British times, responsible for collecting taxes from a district...
familiesa community of landowners and cultivators mainly in Sultanpur District Sultanpur DistrictSultanpur District is a district in the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India. The district is a part of Faizabad Division. Its administrative head is Sultanpur.-History:...
and Faizabad DistrictFaizabad DistrictSee also: Faizabad Faizabad district is one of the 71 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. Faizabad city is the administrative headquarters of this district. The district occupies an area of 2,764 km²...Baghban BaghbanBaghban is a 2003 Bollywood drama film directed by Ravi Chopra, with a star cast of Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Salman Khan, Mahima Chaudhary, Paresh Rawal, Rimi Sen, Lilette Dubey and others...
Sunni mainly cultivators Lakhimpur Kheri District and Sitapur District Sitapur DistrictSitapur district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, with Sitapur town as the district headquarters. Sitapur district is a part of Lucknow division. This district covers an area of 5743 km². It has a population of 3,619,661....Bais Sunni landowners and cultivators found in Shahjahanpur District Shahjahanpur DistrictShahjahanpur district is one of the historical districts of Uttar Pradesh in the republic of India. It is a part of Bareilly division. The main town is Shahjahanpur and its Tehsils are: Powayan, Tilhar, Jalalabad, and Kanth....
, Fatehpur DistrictFatehpur districtFatehpur district is one of the 71 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The district covers an area of 4,152 km². The district has a population of 2,308,384 . Fatehpur city is the administrative headquarters of the district. Located on the banks of the sacred rivers Ganges and...
, Banda DistrictBanda DistrictBanda district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Banda is the district headquarters. It is a part of Chitrakoot Division.Banda is famous for its Shajar stone, used for making jewellery, and the historically and architecturally significant sites Khajuraho and Kalinjar. Khajuraho is...
, Jaunpur DistrictJaunpur DistrictJaunpur is a district in the Varanasi Division of Uttar Pradesh state in India. Jaunpur serves as the district headquarters.-Geography:The district of Jaunpur is situated in the North-West part of Varanasi Division. Its land area extends from 24.240N to 26.120N latitude and between 82.70E and...
, Ghazipur DistrictGhazipur DistrictGhazipur 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...
, Gorakhpur DistrictGorakhpur DistrictGorakhpur district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in India. Gorakhpur is the administrative headquarters of the district.-History:The district was ceded by the Nawab of Awadh to the British East India Company in 1801. With this cession, Gorakhpur was raised to the status of a district. The...
, Basti District, Azamgarh DistrictAzamgarh districtAzamgarh district is one of the three districts of Azamgarh Division in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Etymology:The district is named after its headquarters town, Azamgarh. Azam, son of Vikramajit, founded the town in 1665. Vikramajit a descendant of Gautam Rajputs of Mehnagar in pargana...
, Raebareli DistrictRaebareli DistrictRaebareli District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The town of Raebareli is the district headquarters. The district is part of Lucknow Division.-Raebareli District in 1911:...
, Sitapur DistrictSitapur DistrictSitapur district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, with Sitapur town as the district headquarters. Sitapur district is a part of Lucknow division. This district covers an area of 5743 km². It has a population of 3,619,661....
, Bahraich DistrictBahraich DistrictBahraich District is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Bahraich town is the district headquarters. Bahraich District is a part of Devipatan Division.-History:...
, Faizabad DistrictFaizabad DistrictSee also: Faizabad Faizabad district is one of the 71 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. Faizabad city is the administrative headquarters of this district. The district occupies an area of 2,764 km²...
, Sultanpur DistrictSultanpur DistrictSultanpur District is a district in the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India. The district is a part of Faizabad Division. Its administrative head is Sultanpur.-History:...
, Pratapgarh District and Barabanki DistrictBarabanki DistrictThe Barabanki district is one of four districts of Faizabad division, lies at the very heart of Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and forms as it were a centre from which no less than seven other districts radiate...Baluch Baluch (Uttar Pradesh)The Baloch are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are descended from Baluch tribesmen who settled in this region of North India in the late Middle Ages...Sunni landowners and cultivators found mainly in Saharanpur District Saharanpur DistrictSaharanpur district is the northernmost of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state, India. Bordering the states of Haryana and Uttarakhand, and close to the foothills of Shivalik range, it lies in the northern part of the Doab region...
, Muzaffarnagar DistrictMuzaffarnagar DistrictMuzaffarnagar district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. It is part of Saharanpur division. The town of Muzaffarnagar is the district headquarters.-Communication:...
, Meerut DistrictMeerut DistrictMeerut district , is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Meerut is the district headquarters. Meerut district is a part of Meerut division.-Demographics:...
, Bulandshahr DistrictBulandshahr DistrictBulandshahar District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. Bulandshahr city is the district headquarters.-Geography:...
, Aligarh DistrictAligarh DistrictAligarh District is a district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Its district seat is located in the city of Aligarh .The Aligarh District belongs to Aligarh Division...
and Mathura DistrictMathura DistrictMathura District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of northern India. The historic town of Mathura is the district headquarters.The district is bounded on the northeast by Aligarh District, on the southeast by Hathras District, on the south by Agra District, and on the west by Rajasthan and...Banjara Banjara (Muslim)The Muslim Banjara are a Muslim community found in the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh in India. Many members of this community migrated to Pakistan in 1947 and have settled in Karachi and Sindh. They are also known as the Rahmani, especially in Uttar Pradesh, and they use...
Sunni traditionally a community of carriers, but now mainly landowners and cultivators. found mainly in the Doab DoabA Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
and RohilkhandRohilkhandRohilkhand 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...
. Also found in the districts of UnnaoUnnao DistrictUnnao District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The town of Unnao is the district headquarters. The district is part of Lucknow Division.-History:...
, SitapurSitapur DistrictSitapur district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, with Sitapur town as the district headquarters. Sitapur district is a part of Lucknow division. This district covers an area of 5743 km². It has a population of 3,619,661....
and Kheri districts of AwadhAwadhAwadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...Bandmati Muslim BandhmatiThe Bandhmati are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India.- Origin :The Muslim Bandhmati are Muslim converts from the Hindu Bandhmati caste. In Hindi, the word bandhmati literally means a manufacturer of ropes. The exact circumstances to their conversion to Islam are...Sunni traditionally ropemakers found mainly in Saharanpur District Saharanpur DistrictSaharanpur district is the northernmost of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state, India. Bordering the states of Haryana and Uttarakhand, and close to the foothills of Shivalik range, it lies in the northern part of the Doab region...Bannu Israil Bannu IsrailThe Banu Israil Shaikh are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. Their name means "Children of Israel", and the community traces its descent from the Jewish community of Madinah...Sunni a Shaikh Shaikh of Uttar PradeshThe 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...
biradari, mainly urbanmainly in the Doab DoabA Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
and RohilkhandRohilkhandRohilkhand 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...Bansphor Muslim BansphorThe Muslim Bansphor are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are Muslim converts from the Hindu Bansphor caste.-Origin:...
Sunni traditionally involved in the manufacture of bamboo furtniture found mainly in the Doab DoabA Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
and RohilkhandRohilkhandRohilkhand 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...
(BijnorBijnor DistrictBijnor is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India. Bijnor city is the district headquarters.-Geography :...
and MoradabadMoradabad DistrictMoradabad 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...
districts)Barhai Muslim BarhaiThe Muslim Barhai , or sometimes pronounced Badhai are Muslim community, found in North India. They are Muslim converts from the Hindu Barhai caste. A small number are also found in the Terai region of Nepal. The community is also sometimes referred to as Multani.-Origin:The community derive their...
Sunni traditionally carpenters found in the Doab DoabA Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
and RohilkhandRohilkhandRohilkhand 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...Behlim BehlimThe Behlim are a Muslim community found mainly in North India.A small number are also found in the city of Karachi in Pakistan.- Origin :The Behlim trace their descent the Sufi Masud Ghazi, and the word is said to be a corruption of the word ba-ilm, meaning those who are knowledgeable in Arabic...
Sunni Shaikh Shaikh of Uttar PradeshThe 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...
biradari, mainly urbanfound mainly in the Doab DoabA Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
, with scattered communities in GondaGonda DistrictGonda is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh, India. Gonda is the district headquarters, and also the administrative centre for the Devipatan Division....
and BahraichBahraich DistrictBahraich District is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Bahraich town is the district headquarters. Bahraich District is a part of Devipatan Division.-History:...Behna BehnaThe Behna are a Muslim community, found in North India . In eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, they were known as Dhuna or Dhunia. They also known as Naddaf in South India and Pinjara in Gujarat and Rajasthan...
, also known as DhunaSunni traditionally cotton carders found in Awadh AwadhAwadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
, RohilkhandRohilkhandRohilkhand 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...
and PuravanchalBhale Sultan Khanzada Bhale Sultan KhanzadaThe Bhale Sultan Khanzada are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are a sub-group within the Khanzada community of eastern Uttar Pradesh.-Origin:...
mainly Shia, some Sunni mainly landowners and cultivators found in Bulandshahr District Bulandshahr DistrictBulandshahar District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. Bulandshahr city is the district headquarters.-Geography:...
, Raebareli DistrictRaebareli DistrictRaebareli District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The town of Raebareli is the district headquarters. The district is part of Lucknow Division.-Raebareli District in 1911:...
, Faizabad DistrictFaizabad DistrictSee also: Faizabad Faizabad district is one of the 71 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. Faizabad city is the administrative headquarters of this district. The district occupies an area of 2,764 km²...
, Sultanpur DistrictSultanpur DistrictSultanpur District is a district in the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India. The district is a part of Faizabad Division. Its administrative head is Sultanpur.-History:...
, Barabanki DistrictBarabanki DistrictThe Barabanki district is one of four districts of Faizabad division, lies at the very heart of Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and forms as it were a centre from which no less than seven other districts radiate...
, Gonda DistrictGonda DistrictGonda is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh, India. Gonda is the district headquarters, and also the administrative centre for the Devipatan Division....
, Bahraich DistrictBahraich DistrictBahraich District is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Bahraich town is the district headquarters. Bahraich District is a part of Devipatan Division.-History:...
, Gonda DistrictGonda DistrictGonda is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh, India. Gonda is the district headquarters, and also the administrative centre for the Devipatan Division....
and Lakhimpur Kheri DistrictBharbhunja BharbhunjaThe Bharbhunja are a Muslim community found in the states of Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh in India. In Uttar Pradesh, the community are also known as Bharbhunja Shaikh.- Origin :...
Sunni traditionally grain parchers found mainly in the Doab DoabA Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
, RohilkhandRohilkhandRohilkhand 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...
and the districts of SitapurSitapur DistrictSitapur district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, with Sitapur town as the district headquarters. Sitapur district is a part of Lucknow division. This district covers an area of 5743 km². It has a population of 3,619,661....
, BahraichBahraich DistrictBahraich District is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Bahraich town is the district headquarters. Bahraich District is a part of Devipatan Division.-History:...
, and BarabankiBarabanki DistrictThe Barabanki district is one of four districts of Faizabad division, lies at the very heart of Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and forms as it were a centre from which no less than seven other districts radiate...
in AwadhAwadhAwadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...Bharsaiyan BharsaiyanThe Bharsaiyan or Bharaiyan are a Rajput clan found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India.-Origin:The word Bharsaiyan is said to be a corruption of the word bhainsauliyan or a native of the town of Bhaisaul, where the tribe is said to have originated from. They claim to be a clan of Mainpuri...
Sunni landowners and cultivators found mainly in Raebareli District Raebareli DistrictRaebareli District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The town of Raebareli is the district headquarters. The district is part of Lucknow Division.-Raebareli District in 1911:...Bhatiara BhatiaraThe Bhatiara are a Pathan community, found in North India. They are also known as Farooqi or Shaikh Farooqi.-History and origin:...
Sunni traditionally innkeepers, now many are cultivators and petty traders found throughout Uttar Pradesh, with concentrations in Aligarh Aligarh DistrictAligarh District is a district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Its district seat is located in the city of Aligarh .The Aligarh District belongs to Aligarh Division...
, BadaunBadaun DistrictBudaun district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Budaun town is the district headquarters. Budaun district is a part of Bareilly division. The district covers an area of 5168 km²...
, MoradabadMoradabad DistrictMoradabad 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...
and AllahabadAllahabad DistrictAllahabad district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Allahabad town is the district headquarters. Allahabad district is a part of Allahabad Division.As of 2011 it is the most populous district of Uttar Pradesh ....
districtBhatti Khanzada Bhatti KhanzadaThe Bhatti Khanzada of Awadh are a Muslim Rajput community found mainly in the Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh in India. There is also a distinct community of Bhattis found in the village of Yahiapur in Pratapgarh district. The Awadh region covers most of the eastern areas of Uttar Pradesh, and...
Sunni, except the taluqdar TaluqdarA taluqdar or talukdar , is a term used for Indian land holders in Mughal and British times, responsible for collecting taxes from a district...
families who are Shialandowners and cultivators found mainly in the Doab DoabA Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
, RohilkhandRohilkhandRohilkhand 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...
and BarabankiBarabanki DistrictThe Barabanki district is one of four districts of Faizabad division, lies at the very heart of Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and forms as it were a centre from which no less than seven other districts radiate...
, Pratapgarh and BahraichBahraich DistrictBahraich District is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Bahraich town is the district headquarters. Bahraich District is a part of Devipatan Division.-History:...
districts of AwadhAwadhAwadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...Bhishti , also known as Saqqa Abbasi Sunni traditionally water carriers, now mainly traders found in Awadh AwadhAwadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
, RohilkhandRohilkhandRohilkhand 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...
and AwadhAwadhAwadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...Bhumihar Muslim BhumiharThe 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...
Sunni landowners and cultivators found in Ghazipur District Ghazipur DistrictGhazipur 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...Bisati BisatiThe Bisati` are a Muslim community, found in North India . Many members of this community migrated to Pakistan in 1947 and have settled in Karachi and Sindh.-History and origin:...
Sunni traditionally pedlars and traders found mainly in the Doab DoabA Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
and RohilkhandRohilkhandRohilkhand 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...Bisen Khanzada Bisen KhanzadaThe Bisen 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:...some Shia, some Sunni landowners and cultivators found mainly in Basti District, Gorakhpur District Gorakhpur DistrictGorakhpur district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in India. Gorakhpur is the administrative headquarters of the district.-History:The district was ceded by the Nawab of Awadh to the British East India Company in 1801. With this cession, Gorakhpur was raised to the status of a district. The...
, Azamgarh DistrictAzamgarh districtAzamgarh district is one of the three districts of Azamgarh Division in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Etymology:The district is named after its headquarters town, Azamgarh. Azam, son of Vikramajit, founded the town in 1665. Vikramajit a descendant of Gautam Rajputs of Mehnagar in pargana...
, Raebareli DistrictRaebareli DistrictRaebareli District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The town of Raebareli is the district headquarters. The district is part of Lucknow Division.-Raebareli District in 1911:...
, Sitapur DistrictSitapur DistrictSitapur district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, with Sitapur town as the district headquarters. Sitapur district is a part of Lucknow division. This district covers an area of 5743 km². It has a population of 3,619,661....
, Faizabad DistrictFaizabad DistrictSee also: Faizabad Faizabad district is one of the 71 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. Faizabad city is the administrative headquarters of this district. The district occupies an area of 2,764 km²...
, Sultanpur DistrictSultanpur DistrictSultanpur District is a district in the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India. The district is a part of Faizabad Division. Its administrative head is Sultanpur.-History:...
, Barabanki DistrictBarabanki DistrictThe Barabanki district is one of four districts of Faizabad division, lies at the very heart of Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and forms as it were a centre from which no less than seven other districts radiate...
, and Bahraich DistrictBahraich DistrictBahraich District is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Bahraich town is the district headquarters. Bahraich District is a part of Devipatan Division.-History:...Chandel Khanzada Chandel KhanzadaThe Chandel Khanzada are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are part of the larger Khanzada community found in the Awadh region. The community uses the surname Khan.-Origin:...some Shia, some Sunni landowners and cultivators found in Awadh AwadhAwadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...Chhipi Muslim ChhipiThe Muslim Chhipi are Muslim community found mainly in the states of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh in India. They are Muslim converts from the Hindu Chhipi caste.-Origin:...
Sunni traditionally dyers and cloth printers found in Rohilkhand RohilkhandRohilkhand 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...
and DoabDoabA Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...Chik ChikThe Chik are a Muslim community, found in the states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as Bakar Qasab, Buz Qassab and Chikwa. The Chik have been granted Other Backward Class status in both Bihar and Uttar Pradesh....
waSunni traditionally mutton butchers found in Rohilkhand RohilkhandRohilkhand 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...
and AwadhAwadhAwadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...Churihar Churihar-Origin:The word Churihar us derived from the Hindi word chura hara, literally a manufacturer of bangles. They were traditionally associated with the manufacture of bangles, and have no origin myth. It is likely, that they are amalgam of different groups who took to manufacturing bangles, and are...
Sunni traditionally bangle makers found in Mathura District Mathura DistrictMathura District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of northern India. The historic town of Mathura is the district headquarters.The district is bounded on the northeast by Aligarh District, on the southeast by Hathras District, on the south by Agra District, and on the west by Rajasthan and...
, Agra DistrictAgra DistrictAgra District is one of the 70 districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and the historical city of Agra is the district headquarters. Agra district is a part of Agra division.-Geography:...
, Lalitpur DistrictLalitpur District, Uttar PradeshLalitpur District is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India. Lalitpur district is a part of Jhansi Division. Lalitpur is the main town and administrative headquarters. The district occupies an area of 5,039 km²....
and Jhansi DistrictJhansi DistrictJhansi District is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The town of Jhansi is the district headquarters.The district is bordered on the north by Jalaun District, to the east by Hamirpur and Mahoba districts, to the south by Tikamgarh District of Madhya Pradesh state, to...Dabgar Muslim DabgarThe Muslim Dabgar are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as Dalgar and are converts to Islam from the Hindu Dabgar caste.-Origin:...
Sunni traditionally manufacturers of rawhide jars Meerut District Meerut DistrictMeerut district , is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Meerut is the district headquarters. Meerut district is a part of Meerut division.-Demographics:...
, Etawah DistrictEtawah DistrictEtawah district is a district in the southwestern portion of Uttar Pradesh state of India. Etawah town is the district headquarters. Etawah district is part of Kanpur Division. The district covers an area of 2311 km²...
, and Jhansi DistrictJhansi DistrictJhansi District is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The town of Jhansi is the district headquarters.The district is bordered on the north by Jalaun District, to the east by Hamirpur and Mahoba districts, to the south by Tikamgarh District of Madhya Pradesh state, to...Dafali DafaliThe Dafali are a Muslim community found in the state Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as Shaikh Derveshi or just Derveshi. The Dafali have been granted Other Backward Class status.-Origin:...
Sunni traditionally agricultural workers throughout Uttar Pradesh Darzi DarziThe Darzi are a Muslim community, found in North India and Pakistan. Darzi means tailor in Urdu. A small number are also found in the Terai region of Nepal. They are also known as Idrisi or Idrisi Shaikh.-History and origin:...
Sunni traditionally tailors found throughout Uttar Pradesh Dhagi Muslim DhagiThe Muslim Dhagi are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They were also known as the Julahas.-Origin:The Muslim Dhagi are converts from the Hindu Dhagi caste. They get their name from the Hindi term dhaga, which means a thread. The Dhagi were traditionally involved in...
traditionally weavers Sunni found in Saharanpur District Saharanpur DistrictSaharanpur district is the northernmost of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state, India. Bordering the states of Haryana and Uttarakhand, and close to the foothills of Shivalik range, it lies in the northern part of the Doab region...
, Muzaffarnagar DistrictMuzaffarnagar DistrictMuzaffarnagar district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. It is part of Saharanpur division. The town of Muzaffarnagar is the district headquarters.-Communication:...
and Meerut DistrictMeerut DistrictMeerut district , is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Meerut is the district headquarters. Meerut district is a part of Meerut division.-Demographics:...Dharhi Dharhi-Origin:Their name is a corruption of the Sanskrit word dhrista, which means impudent. The community are traditionally associated with singing. Like other Muslim groups involved with in singing, there occupation has led to the community evolving a distinct identity from neighbouring Uttar Pradesh...
Shia traditionally musicians found throughout Uttar Pradesh Dhobi Muslim DhobiThe Muslim Dhobi are a Muslim community that is traditionally involved in washing clothes in South Asia. They are considered to be Muslim converts from the Hindu Dhobi caste, and are found in North India and Pakistan...
, also known as HawariSunni traditionally washer men found throughout Uttar Pradesh Dikhit Khanzada Dikhit KhanzadaThe Dikhit Khanzada are a sub-group wirthin the Khanzada community found in eastern Uttar Pradesh in India. They also refer to themselves as Dikhit Thakurs or sometimes just Thakurs...
Sunni cultivators and landowners found mainly in Banda District Banda DistrictBanda district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Banda is the district headquarters. It is a part of Chitrakoot Division.Banda is famous for its Shajar stone, used for making jewellery, and the historically and architecturally significant sites Khajuraho and Kalinjar. Khajuraho is...
, Ghazipur DistrictGhazipur DistrictGhazipur 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...
and Fatehpur DistrictFatehpur districtFatehpur district is one of the 71 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The district covers an area of 4,152 km². The district has a population of 2,308,384 . Fatehpur city is the administrative headquarters of the district. Located on the banks of the sacred rivers Ganges and...Dogar DogarDogar is a Muslim, Punjabi tribe in the Punjab region of Pakistan. It is also used as a family name in Turkey and Northern Iraq among some Kurds and Turks.-Ethnography:...
Sunni cultivators and landowners Muzaffarnagar District Muzaffarnagar DistrictMuzaffarnagar district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. It is part of Saharanpur division. The town of Muzaffarnagar is the district headquarters.-Communication:...
, Ghaziabad District, and Bulandshahr DistrictBulandshahr DistrictBulandshahar District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. Bulandshahr city is the district headquarters.-Geography:...Fareedi FareediFareedi , is a clan of the Farooqi tribe named after Hazrat Bābā Farīduddīn Mas'ūd Ganjshakar, a murid of a sheikh who belongs to the sufi order of Baba Fareed Shaker Gunj.- Origin :...
Sunni a Shaikh biradari found in Fatehpur District Fatehpur districtFatehpur district is one of the 71 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The district covers an area of 4,152 km². The district has a population of 2,308,384 . Fatehpur city is the administrative headquarters of the district. Located on the banks of the sacred rivers Ganges and...
, Kanpur DistrictKanpur DistrictKanpur district is one of the districts of the Uttar Pradesh state of India. It is a part of Kanpur division and its district headquarters is Kanpur. Due to increase in population of Kanpur District, for proper administration it has been divided into two. The term Kanpur refers to the combination...
, Badaun DistrictBadaun DistrictBudaun district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Budaun town is the district headquarters. Budaun district is a part of Bareilly division. The district covers an area of 5168 km²...
, Moradabad DistrictMoradabad DistrictMoradabad 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...
, Shahjahanpur DistrictShahjahanpur DistrictShahjahanpur district is one of the historical districts of Uttar Pradesh in the republic of India. It is a part of Bareilly division. The main town is Shahjahanpur and its Tehsils are: Powayan, Tilhar, Jalalabad, and Kanth....
and Lakhimpur Kheri DistrictFaqir Faqir (caste)The Faqir are a Muslim ethnic group found in India. They are also known as Shah Alvi or Sain in North India, which is now their preferred self-designation and in West Bengal, they are known as Sahajia...
Sunni traditionally ascetics, but also cultivators found throughout Uttar Pradesh Gaddi Muslim GaddiThe Muslim Gaddi are a Muslim community found mainly in North India. After the partition of India in 1947, the Gaddi of the states of Haryana and Delhi migrated to Pakistan and are now found in the provinces of Punjab and Sindh. In Pakistan, the community is often referred to as Gadi Rajput, and...Sunni cultivators found throughout Uttar Pradesh Garha GarhaThe Garha or sometimes pronounced Gara and occasionally Gada are a Muslim community or caste found in the states of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, India.-History and origin:...Sunni landowners and cultivators found in Saharanpur District Saharanpur DistrictSaharanpur district is the northernmost of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state, India. Bordering the states of Haryana and Uttarakhand, and close to the foothills of Shivalik range, it lies in the northern part of the Doab region...
, Muzaffarnagar DistrictMuzaffarnagar DistrictMuzaffarnagar district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. It is part of Saharanpur division. The town of Muzaffarnagar is the district headquarters.-Communication:...
and Meerut DistrictMeerut DistrictMeerut district , is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Meerut is the district headquarters. Meerut district is a part of Meerut division.-Demographics:...Gautam Khanzada Gautam KhanzadaThe Gautam Khanzada are a sub-group wirthin the Khanzada community found in eastern Uttar Pradesh in India. They also refer to themselves as Gautam Thakurs. The Gautam Khanzada are Muslim converts from the Gautam community.-Origin:...Sunni landowners and cultivators found in Fatehpur District Fatehpur districtFatehpur district is one of the 71 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The district covers an area of 4,152 km². The district has a population of 2,308,384 . Fatehpur city is the administrative headquarters of the district. Located on the banks of the sacred rivers Ganges and...
, Ghazipur DistrictGhazipur DistrictGhazipur 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...
, Azamgarh DistrictAzamgarh districtAzamgarh district is one of the three districts of Azamgarh Division in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Etymology:The district is named after its headquarters town, Azamgarh. Azam, son of Vikramajit, founded the town in 1665. Vikramajit a descendant of Gautam Rajputs of Mehnagar in pargana...
, Banda DistrictBanda DistrictBanda district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Banda is the district headquarters. It is a part of Chitrakoot Division.Banda is famous for its Shajar stone, used for making jewellery, and the historically and architecturally significant sites Khajuraho and Kalinjar. Khajuraho is...
, Sitapur DistrictSitapur DistrictSitapur district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, with Sitapur town as the district headquarters. Sitapur district is a part of Lucknow division. This district covers an area of 5743 km². It has a population of 3,619,661....
, Gonda DistrictGonda DistrictGonda is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh, India. Gonda is the district headquarters, and also the administrative centre for the Devipatan Division....
, Lakhimpur Kheri District, Gonda DistrictGonda DistrictGonda is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh, India. Gonda is the district headquarters, and also the administrative centre for the Devipatan Division....
and Sultanpur DistrictSultanpur DistrictSultanpur District is a district in the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India. The district is a part of Faizabad Division. Its administrative head is Sultanpur.-History:...Ghosi Ghosi (tribe)The Ghosi are a Muslim community found mainly in North India. The meaning of Ghosi is "to shout" as he herds his cattle. They are associated with the occupation cattle rearing and the selling of milk.According to famous British historians H.A. Rose, Ibbetson, Maclagan Ghosi 's are none other than...Sunni traditionally dairymen and cultivators found throughout Uttar Pradesh Goriya GoriyaThe 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...
Sunni cultivators found Basti District and Sidharthnagar District Gujjar Muslim Gujjar (Uttar Pradesh)The Muslim Gujjar of Uttar Pradesh are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are Muslim converts of the wider Gujjar community of South Asia. The Gujjar of Uttar Pradesh are, in fact, three distinct communities, those of the Doab region, those of Awadh and the...Sunni, except a few in Barabanki District Barabanki DistrictThe Barabanki district is one of four districts of Faizabad division, lies at the very heart of Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and forms as it were a centre from which no less than seven other districts radiate...
who are ShisShisShiset is the name of a settlement in Sharjah....cultivators found in the Doab DoabA Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
, AwadhAwadhAwadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
and Bijnor DistrictBijnor DistrictBijnor is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India. Bijnor city is the district headquarters.-Geography :...Hajjam HajjamHajjam , alternately pronounced and spelled as Hajaam , are a ethnic group found in North India and Pakistan. In Pakistan, they are settled in Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan. The word Hajaam is derived from the Urdu word Hajaamat which in Urdu means barber and hairdresser...
Sunni traditionally barbers found throughout Uttar Pradesh Halwai Muslim HalwaiThe Muslim Halwai are a Muslim community found in Pakistan and in the Uttar Pradesh state, in India. They were former members of the Hindu Halwai caste, who have converted to Islam. Halva means sweets in Urdu and Halvai or Halwai are sweet makers...Sunni traditionally barbers found throughout Uttar Pradesh Halalkhor HalalkhorThe Halalkhor are a Dalit Muslim community , found in the states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in India . They are mostly Shias. The Halalkhor are also known as Shaikhra or Shahani in Bihar and Muslim Bhangi and Mehtar in Uttar Pradesh....Sunni traditionally sweepers and agricultural labourers found throughout Uttar Pradesh Iraqi Iraqi biradriThe word Birâdrî means Brotherhood originating from the word Birâdar meaning "Brother" in Persian. In Pakistan and India it is used to denote a number of social strata among Muslims....Sunni traditionally petty traders found in Awadh AwadhAwadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
, Allahabad DistrictAllahabad DistrictAllahabad district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Allahabad town is the district headquarters. Allahabad district is a part of Allahabad Division.As of 2011 it is the most populous district of Uttar Pradesh ....
, Ghazipur DistrictGhazipur DistrictGhazipur 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...
, Azamgarh DistrictAzamgarh districtAzamgarh district is one of the three districts of Azamgarh Division in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Etymology:The district is named after its headquarters town, Azamgarh. Azam, son of Vikramajit, founded the town in 1665. Vikramajit a descendant of Gautam Rajputs of Mehnagar in pargana...
, Basti District, Ballia DistrictBallia DistrictBallia district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state, India. Ballia district is a part of Azamgarh Division situated in eastern Part of Uttar Pradesh. Main occupation is agriculture. Ballia City is district headquarters and commercial Market of this district. There are four Tehsil in...
, Jaunpur DistrictJaunpur DistrictJaunpur is a district in the Varanasi Division of Uttar Pradesh state in India. Jaunpur serves as the district headquarters.-Geography:The district of Jaunpur is situated in the North-West part of Varanasi Division. Its land area extends from 24.240N to 26.120N latitude and between 82.70E and...
and Mirzapur DistrictMirzapur DistrictMirzapur district is one of the 70 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The district is bounded on the north by Sant Ravidas Nagar and Varanasi districts, on the east by Chandauli district, on the south by Sonbhadra district and on the norhwest by Allahabad district. The district...Ja'fri Ja'friThe Ja'fri are a biradari of Shaikhs found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They take their name from Ja'far ibn Abi Talib, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad, who from his charitable activity was called Abul Masikin, the father of the poor in Arabic, who was their alleged ancestor...Sunni a Shaikh biradari Jaga Shia musicians and genealogists Awadh AwadhAwadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
and RohilkhandRohilkhandRohilkhand 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...Jat Muley JatThe Muley Jat, or sometimes pronounced as Mola/Mula Jat are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, and the province of Punjab in Pakistan...
Sunni landowners and cultivators found in Saharanpur District Saharanpur DistrictSaharanpur district is the northernmost of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state, India. Bordering the states of Haryana and Uttarakhand, and close to the foothills of Shivalik range, it lies in the northern part of the Doab region...
, Muzaffarnagar DistrictMuzaffarnagar DistrictMuzaffarnagar district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. It is part of Saharanpur division. The town of Muzaffarnagar is the district headquarters.-Communication:...
, Meerut DistrictMeerut DistrictMeerut district , is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Meerut is the district headquarters. Meerut district is a part of Meerut division.-Demographics:...
, Baghpat District and Ghaziabad DistrictJhojha JhojhaThe Jhojha are a Muslim community or caste found in the state of Uttar Pradesh, in India. Some members of this community migrated to Pakistan in 1947 and have settled in Karachi, Sindh.-History and origin:...
Sunni landowners and cultivators found in Saharanpur District Saharanpur DistrictSaharanpur district is the northernmost of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state, India. Bordering the states of Haryana and Uttarakhand, and close to the foothills of Shivalik range, it lies in the northern part of the Doab region...
, Muzaffarnagar DistrictMuzaffarnagar DistrictMuzaffarnagar district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. It is part of Saharanpur division. The town of Muzaffarnagar is the district headquarters.-Communication:...
and Bijnor DistrictBijnor DistrictBijnor is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India. Bijnor city is the district headquarters.-Geography :...Jogi Faqir Jogi FaqirThe Jogi Faqir or Faqir are a Muslim community, found in North India. They are also known as Madariya Faqir. The Jogi Faqir are Muslim converts from the Hindu Jogi caste, and are one of the two sub-divisions of the Faqir found in Uttar Pradesh....
Sunni traditionally ascetics, many are cultivators found throughout Uttar Pradesh Johiya Khanzada Johiya KhanzadaThe Johiya Khanzada are a Muslim community found in eastern part of the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are a sub-group within the larger Khanzada community. The Johiya are found mainly near Chail and Khairagarh, in Allahabad District. They a cluster of eighty four villages, known as chaurasi...
Sunni landowners and cultivators found in Allahabad District Allahabad DistrictAllahabad district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Allahabad town is the district headquarters. Allahabad district is a part of Allahabad Division.As of 2011 it is the most populous district of Uttar Pradesh ....Kabaria KabariaThe Kabaria, sometimes pronounced as Kabariya are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, mainly in the Awadh region. A small number of Kabaria are also found in the Terai region of Nepal...Sunni cultivators found in Lucknow District Lucknow DistrictLucknow District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The city of Lucknow is the district headquarters and the district is part of Lucknow Division...
, Barabanki DistrictBarabanki DistrictThe Barabanki district is one of four districts of Faizabad division, lies at the very heart of Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and forms as it were a centre from which no less than seven other districts radiate...
and Bahraich DistrictBahraich DistrictBahraich District is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Bahraich town is the district headquarters. Bahraich District is a part of Devipatan Division.-History:...Kamangar Kamangar-History and origin:The name of the community is from the Persian word کمانگر which means bow-maker. The North Indian Kamangar trace their ancestry from a man by the name of Bani Saad. They migrated into Sindh, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh from Rewari in Haryana, accompanying the Mughal armies...
Sunni traditionally manufactured bows found in Doab DoabA Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
and RohilkhandRohilkhandRohilkhand 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...Kamboh largely Sunni, some Shia landowners and cultivators found in the Doab DoabA Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
and RohilkhandRohilkhandRohilkhand 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...
, especially in Etah DistrictEtah DistrictEtah district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Etah town is the district headquarters. Etah district is a part of Aligarh Division. It is dominated by Yadavs and Rajputs.-Economy:...Kankali KankaliThe Kankali are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as Kankal and Mangta.- Origin :The word kankali is said to be derived from the Hidi word kangal, meaning a pauper. This is said to refer to the fact that the Kankali were once a community of...
Sunni traditionally musicians found in northern Awadh AwadhAwadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
and GorakhpurGorakhpurGorakhpur is a city in the eastern part of the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, near the border with Nepal. It is the administrative headquarters of Gorakhpur District and Gorakhpur Division. Gorakhpur is one of the proposed capitals of the Purvanchal state which is yet to be formed...Kanmailia KanmailiaThe Kanmailia are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. Their preferred self-designation is Shaikh.- Origin :The Kanmailia are a Muslim occupational caste, that traditionally specialized in cleaning ear wax. They get their name from two Hindi words, kan meaning ears and...
Sunni traditionally labourers found throughout Uttar Pradesh Kasgar KasgarThe Kasgar are a Muslim community, found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India . After independence of Pakistan in 1947, many Kasgar migrated and resettled in Pakistan...Sunni traditionally potters found in Awadh AwadhAwadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...Kayastha Muslim KayasthsThe Kayastha Muslim are community of Muslims, descendents of members of the Kayasth caste who embraced Islam. They live in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, the provinces of Sindh and Punjab in Pakistan and many have now settled in United Kingdom, United States and Canada. The community uses...Sunni traditionally scribes and accountants, as well as landowners found in Allahabad District Allahabad DistrictAllahabad district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Allahabad town is the district headquarters. Allahabad district is a part of Allahabad Division.As of 2011 it is the most populous district of Uttar Pradesh ....
and Pratapgarh DistrictKhanzada Khanzada (Awadh)The Khanzada or Khan Zadeh are a community of Hindu converted Muslim Rajputs, found in the Awadh region of the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. A few are also found in the state of Bihar. This community is distinct from the Rajasthan Khanzadas, who are also a community of Muslim Rajputs. They also...landowners and cultivators found throughout eastern Uttar Pradesh Khokhar Khanzada Khokhar KhanzadaThe Khokhar Khanzada are a Muslim Rajput community found mainly in the Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh in India. They have no connection with the Ranghar Khokhar of Moradabad district in western Uttar Pradesh, another community of Muslim Khokhars settled in Uttar Pradesh. The Khokhar are a well...Sunni landowners and cultivators found in Moradabad District Moradabad DistrictMoradabad 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...
and Fatehpur DistrictFatehpur districtFatehpur district is one of the 71 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The district covers an area of 4,152 km². The district has a population of 2,308,384 . Fatehpur city is the administrative headquarters of the district. Located on the banks of the sacred rivers Ganges and...Khumra KhumraKhumra are a Muslim community found mainly in the Rohilkhand region of Uttar Pradesh in India. A few were also found in Panipat and Karnal in Haryana, most of whom are now found in Pakistan. They generally refer themselves as Khumra Shaikh...
Sunni were once millstone manufacturers found in the Doab and Rohilkhand Kingharia KinghariaThe Kingharia are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as Panwariya.- Origin :The Kingharia are a community of singers and beggers. Their name is derived from the word kingri, which is a type of a violin. The word Kingharia literally means someone...
Shia traditionally were singers and entertainers found in Mirzapur District Mirzapur DistrictMirzapur district is one of the 70 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The district is bounded on the north by Sant Ravidas Nagar and Varanasi districts, on the east by Chandauli district, on the south by Sonbhadra district and on the norhwest by Allahabad district. The district...
, Banda DistrictBanda DistrictBanda district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Banda is the district headquarters. It is a part of Chitrakoot Division.Banda is famous for its Shajar stone, used for making jewellery, and the historically and architecturally significant sites Khajuraho and Kalinjar. Khajuraho is...
and Ghazipur DistrictGhazipur DistrictGhazipur 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...Kumhar KumharKumhar or Kumbhar ; also known as Prajapati, is a caste or community of India, mainly belonging to the Hindu religion. The word "Kumhar" literally means "potter" in Indian languages, pottery being the traditional occupation of the Kumhars....
Sunni traditionally potters found throughout Uttar Pradesh Kunjra KunjraThe Kunjra are a Muslim community found in North India, Central India and Pakistan.-History and origin:The Kunjra are a community associated with green grocing, who sell mainly vegetable and fruits. The name of the community is derived from arabic word kunj, which means a group of warrior...
Sunni landowners and cultivators found throughout Uttar Pradesh Lal Begi Lal BegiThe Lal Begi are a scheduled caste found in the states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in India . The Muslim branch of the Lal Begi are known as Hasnati and the Hindu branch are known as Balmiki.-History and origin:...
, also known as HasnatiShia traditionally sweepers and agricultural workers found throughout Uttar Pradesh Lalkhani LalkhaniThe Lalkhani are a Muslim Rajput community, found in North India. They are a sub-division of the Bargujar clan of Rajputs. The community is found mainly in the districts of Aligarh and Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh. They are found in Dataganj and Gunnaur tehsils of Badaun District...
Sunni landowners and cultivators found in Aligarh District Aligarh DistrictAligarh District is a district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Its district seat is located in the city of Aligarh .The Aligarh District belongs to Aligarh Division...
and Bulandshahr DistrictBulandshahr DistrictBulandshahar District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. Bulandshahr city is the district headquarters.-Geography:...Madari MadariThe Madari are a Muslim community found in North India. They are a community of Muslim Faqirs.- Origin :The Madari are followers of a celebrated Sufi saint Zinda Shah of Makanpur in Awadh. His real name was Bazi ul din Shah and was born in Aleppo in Syria. The saint is said to still alive, hence...
Sunni traditionally ascetics found throughout Uttar Pradesh Malkana MalkanaThe Malkana are a Muslim community found in Pakistan and North India. They are also known as Musalman Rajput.-History and origin:According to the traditions of the Farukhabad District Malkanas, they were originally members of the Hindu Rajput caste. They were converted during the reign of the...
Sunni landowners and cultivators found mainly in Agra District Agra DistrictAgra District is one of the 70 districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and the historical city of Agra is the district headquarters. Agra district is a part of Agra division.-Geography:...
, Mathura DistrictMathura DistrictMathura District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of northern India. The historic town of Mathura is the district headquarters.The district is bounded on the northeast by Aligarh District, on the southeast by Hathras District, on the south by Agra District, and on the west by Rajasthan and...
, Etah DistrictEtah DistrictEtah district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Etah town is the district headquarters. Etah district is a part of Aligarh Division. It is dominated by Yadavs and Rajputs.-Economy:...
and Mainpuri DistrictMainpuri DistrictMainpuri district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Mainpuri town is the district headquarters. Mainpuri district is a part of Agra division.-Demographics:...Mandarkia Mandarkia- Origin :The Mandarkia claim to be a clan of the Sombansi Rajputs of Awadh. They trace their descent from one Kishan Chand, a Sombansi Rajput, who is also said to have founded the town of Kishni. A descenndent of Kishan Chand was Mandar Sah, from whom they get their name. A section of the...
Sunni landowners and cultivators found in Sultanpur District Sultanpur DistrictSultanpur District is a district in the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India. The district is a part of Faizabad Division. Its administrative head is Sultanpur.-History:...Manihar ManiharThe Manihar or more commonly referred to as the Siddiqui Manihar, are a Muslim community, found mainly in North India, and the province of Sindh in Pakistan. A small number of Manihar are also found in the Terai region of Nepal.-History and origin:...
Sunni traditionally bangle makers found throughout Uttar Pradesh Meo MeoMayo or Meo or Mewati is a prominent Muslim Rajput tribe from North-Western India. A considerable number of Meos migrated to Pakistan after independence in 1947 and now they are estimated to be over 12 million. In Pakistan, Meos have lost their distinct group identity and cultural traditions and...
Sunni landowners and cultivators found in the Doab DoabA Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
and RohilkhandRohilkhandRohilkhand 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...Milki Milki (caste)The Milki are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as Malik, and found entirely in the Awadh region. A small number of Milki are also found in Karachi in Pakistan. The Milki, together with the Qidwai, Malik and Chaudhary are one of the four sub-group...
largely Sunni, some Shia Shaikh biradari mainly in Awadh AwadhAwadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
, Allahabad DistrictAllahabad DistrictAllahabad district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Allahabad town is the district headquarters. Allahabad district is a part of Allahabad Division.As of 2011 it is the most populous district of Uttar Pradesh ....
, Azamgarh DistrictAzamgarh districtAzamgarh district is one of the three districts of Azamgarh Division in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Etymology:The district is named after its headquarters town, Azamgarh. Azam, son of Vikramajit, founded the town in 1665. Vikramajit a descendant of Gautam Rajputs of Mehnagar in pargana...
, Gorakhpur DistrictGorakhpur DistrictGorakhpur district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in India. Gorakhpur is the administrative headquarters of the district.-History:The district was ceded by the Nawab of Awadh to the British East India Company in 1801. With this cession, Gorakhpur was raised to the status of a district. The...
and Basti DistrictMirasi MirasiThe Mirasi are a Muslim or Sikh caste, found in Northern India and Pakistan. They are also known as Pakhwaji, Kalawart and Qawwal.The Mirasi community are the genealogists of a number of communities in Northern India and Pakistan. Most Mirasis are Muslim, but Rababi and Dhadi sub-groups are...
Shia traditionally singers found throughout Uttar Pradesh Mughal Mughal (tribe)The term Mughal is simply a Turkic word and many groups in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh use the term Mughal to describe themselves...
largely Shia, some Sunni landowners and cultivators found throughout Uttar Pradesh Mujavir MujavirThe Mujavir are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as Shaikh Hashemi.- Origin :The word mujavir literally means caretakers, and the Mujavir are the caretakers of the shrine of the famous Sufi, Saiyid Salar Masood in Bahraich. They claim that their...
Sunni custodians of the shrine of Syed Salar Masud found in Bahraich District Bahraich DistrictBahraich District is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Bahraich town is the district headquarters. Bahraich District is a part of Devipatan Division.-History:...Muker MukerMuker is a village and civil parish in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England. Situated in Swaledale, one of the Yorkshire Dales, its name...
Sunni traditionally carriers, now mainly cultivators found in Shahjahanpur District Shahjahanpur DistrictShahjahanpur district is one of the historical districts of Uttar Pradesh in the republic of India. It is a part of Bareilly division. The main town is Shahjahanpur and its Tehsils are: Powayan, Tilhar, Jalalabad, and Kanth....
, Lakhimpur Kheri District, Bahraich DistrictBahraich DistrictBahraich District is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Bahraich town is the district headquarters. Bahraich District is a part of Devipatan Division.-History:...
and Balrampur DistrictBalrampur districtBalrampur district is one of the 72 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in India. Balrampur town located on the bank of the Rapti is the district headquarters. Balrampur district is a part of Devipatan division, and historic Awadh region....Nagar Muslims Nagar MuslimsThe 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:...
Sunni landowners and cultivators found mainly in Bulandshahr District Bulandshahr DistrictBulandshahar District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. Bulandshahr city is the district headquarters.-Geography:...Nalband Nalband (tribe)The Nalband are a Muslim community found in the states of Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh in India, and the province of Punjab in Pakistan. They are also found in Turkey, where the spelling Nalbant is more common. - Origin :...
Sunni traditionally horseshoe manufacturers found in the Doab DoabA Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...Nanbai NanbaiThe Nanbai are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. Many members of Nanbai community have migrated to Pakistan after independence and have settled in Karachi, Sindh.-History and origin:...
Sunni traditionally bakers found in Awadh AwadhAwadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
, Shahjahanpur DistrictShahjahanpur DistrictShahjahanpur district is one of the historical districts of Uttar Pradesh in the republic of India. It is a part of Bareilly division. The main town is Shahjahanpur and its Tehsils are: Powayan, Tilhar, Jalalabad, and Kanth....
and Fatehpur DistrictFatehpur districtFatehpur district is one of the 71 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The district covers an area of 4,152 km². The district has a population of 2,308,384 . Fatehpur city is the administrative headquarters of the district. Located on the banks of the sacred rivers Ganges and...Naqqal NaqqalThe Naqqal are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as the Kashmiri Bhand and recently as Kashmiri Shaikh. The Naqqal are a sub-group within the larger Bhand community. -Origin:...
Sunni traditionally mimes and entertainers found mainly in Awadh AwadhAwadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...Nat Nat (Muslim)The Nat are a Muslim community found in North India. A few are also found in the Terai region of Nepal. They are Muslim converts from the Hindu Nat caste.-History and origin:...Sunni traditionally acrobats and entertainers found throughout Uttar Pradesh Panchpiria PanchpiriaThe Panchpiria are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India..-Origin:The word panchpiria literally in Urdu means a follower of five pirs or Sufi holy men, from the Urdu word for five which is panch, and pir or holyman. This community gets its name from the fact that they are...
Sunni found in Awadh AwadhAwadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...Pankhiya PankhiyaThe Pankhiya are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as the sunni seikh.-Origin:The Pankhiya claim to have converted to Islam some five centuries ago, and some claiming to have belonged originally to the sunni seikh caste. The Pankhiya are found...
Sunni cultivators found in Shahjahanpur District Shahjahanpur DistrictShahjahanpur district is one of the historical districts of Uttar Pradesh in the republic of India. It is a part of Bareilly division. The main town is Shahjahanpur and its Tehsils are: Powayan, Tilhar, Jalalabad, and Kanth....
, Hardoi DistrictHardoi DistrictHardoi disctrict is a district of Uttar Pradesh, India, and Hardoi town is the district headquarters. Hardoi district is a part of Lucknow division.-Economy:...
, Kanpur DistrictKanpur DistrictKanpur district is one of the districts of the Uttar Pradesh state of India. It is a part of Kanpur division and its district headquarters is Kanpur. Due to increase in population of Kanpur District, for proper administration it has been divided into two. The term Kanpur refers to the combination...
, Allahabad DistrictAllahabad DistrictAllahabad district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Allahabad town is the district headquarters. Allahabad district is a part of Allahabad Division.As of 2011 it is the most populous district of Uttar Pradesh ....
, Basti District and Azamgarh DistrictAzamgarh districtAzamgarh district is one of the three districts of Azamgarh Division in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Etymology:The district is named after its headquarters town, Azamgarh. Azam, son of Vikramajit, founded the town in 1665. Vikramajit a descendant of Gautam Rajputs of Mehnagar in pargana...Pathans Pathans of Uttar PradeshThe Pathans of Uttar Pradesh , have a large community of Pashtuns in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, who form one of the largest Muslim communities in the state...
Sunni landowners and cultivators throughout Uttar Pradesh Putliwale PutliwaleThe Putliwale are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India.-Origin:The word Putliwale is a combination of two terms, putli which means a puppet in Urdu and wale meaning people. They claim to be of Pathan origin. According to their traditions, the Mughal Emperor Akbar was...
Sunni traditionally pupeteers in Awadh AwadhAwadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...Qalandar Qalandar (caste)The Qalandar are a Muslim community, found in North India . They are also known as Qalander Faqir. A few Qalandar are also found in the Terai region of Nepal.-History and origin:...
Sunni traditionally ascetics found in the Doab DoabA Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
, RohilkhandRohilkhandRohilkhand 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...
and Allahabad DistrictAllahabad DistrictAllahabad district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Allahabad town is the district headquarters. Allahabad district is a part of Allahabad Division.As of 2011 it is the most populous district of Uttar Pradesh ....Qassab QassabThe Qassab are members of the Muslim community involved in meat business. They are butchers and work in abattoirs and meat shops where they process and sell meat of poultry, seafood, cattle, goats, sheeps, etc. The most common surname of Qassab community is Quraishi. But all Quraishis are not ...
, also known as QureshiSunni traditionally butchers and hides merchants found throughout Uttar Pradesh Qaum Punjaban Punjabi Saudagaran-e-DelhiThe Jamiat-e-Punjabi-Saudagaran-e-Delhi or sometime referred to as the Qaum-e-Punjabian , or simply Shamsi Biradari are a community of Muslims that historically came from Sargodha in Punjab and then lived mainly in the old Delhi, India. They also settled in a number of towns in western Uttar...
, also known as Shamsi BiradariSunni traditionally merchants found in Aligarh District Aligarh DistrictAligarh District is a district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Its district seat is located in the city of Aligarh .The Aligarh District belongs to Aligarh Division...
, Agra DistrictAgra DistrictAgra District is one of the 70 districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and the historical city of Agra is the district headquarters. Agra district is a part of Agra division.-Geography:...
, Moradabad DistrictMoradabad DistrictMoradabad 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...
, and Kanpur DistrictKanpur DistrictKanpur district is one of the districts of the Uttar Pradesh state of India. It is a part of Kanpur division and its district headquarters is Kanpur. Due to increase in population of Kanpur District, for proper administration it has been divided into two. The term Kanpur refers to the combination...Qidwai QidwaiThe Qidwai or Kidwai are a community of Muslims in Pakistan and India. They are mostly settled in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also settled in the city of Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. The Qidwai, together with the Milki, Malik and Chaudhary are one of the four sub-group of a...
some Shia, some Sunni Shaikh biradari found mainly in Barabanki District Barabanki DistrictThe Barabanki district is one of four districts of Faizabad division, lies at the very heart of Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and forms as it were a centre from which no less than seven other districts radiate...Qureshi Sunni Shaikh biradari found throughout Uttar Pradesh Raibhat Muslim RaibhatThe Muslim Raibhat are a Muslim community found in North India. They are converts to Islam from the Rai Bhat community. The Muslim Rai Bhat are the heredity bards and genealogists of many communities in India...
Sunni, some Shia in Awadh AwadhAwadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
traditionally genealogist found throughout Uttar Pradesh Raj Raj (caste)The Raj are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as Maimar and sometimes Mistry.-History and origin:...
Sunni traditionally masons found in the Doab DoabA Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
, RohilkhandRohilkhandRohilkhand 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...
and AwadhAwadhAwadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...Ramaiya RamaiyaThe Ramaiya are a caste found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India . Many members of this community migrated to Pakistan in 1947 and have settled in Karachi and Sindh.-History and origin:...
Sunni traditionally traders and peddlers found in Muzaffarnagar District Muzaffarnagar DistrictMuzaffarnagar district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. It is part of Saharanpur division. The town of Muzaffarnagar is the district headquarters.-Communication:...
and Bijnor DistrictBijnor DistrictBijnor is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India. Bijnor city is the district headquarters.-Geography :...Ranghar RangharRanghar 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...
, also known as Rajput MuslimsSunni landowners and cultivators found in the Doab DoabA Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
and RohilkhandRohilkhandRohilkhand 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...
, with especial concentrations in SaharanpurSaharanpur DistrictSaharanpur district is the northernmost of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state, India. Bordering the states of Haryana and Uttarakhand, and close to the foothills of Shivalik range, it lies in the northern part of the Doab region...
, MuzaffarnagarMuzaffarnagar DistrictMuzaffarnagar district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. It is part of Saharanpur division. The town of Muzaffarnagar is the district headquarters.-Communication:...
and MeerutMeerut DistrictMeerut district , is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Meerut is the district headquarters. Meerut district is a part of Meerut division.-Demographics:...Rangrez Muslim RangrezThe Rangrez are a Muslim community found in North India. They are also known as Sabagh. Many members of Muslim Rangrez community have migrated to Pakistan after independence and have settled in Karachi, Sindh.-History and origin:...
Sunni traditionally dyers throughout Uttar Pradesh Rayeen RayeenThe Rayeen are a Sunni Muslim community and are found in the state of Uttar Pradesh, in India.Mostly educated and big cultivarors,Rayeen traces their origin from Syria Arabclaiming relationship with Pakistani landlord Rayeen Community....
Sunni traditionally landowners and cultivators found in Saharanpur District Saharanpur DistrictSaharanpur district is the northernmost of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state, India. Bordering the states of Haryana and Uttarakhand, and close to the foothills of Shivalik range, it lies in the northern part of the Doab region...
, Muzaffarnagar DistrictMuzaffarnagar DistrictMuzaffarnagar district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. It is part of Saharanpur division. The town of Muzaffarnagar is the district headquarters.-Communication:...
, Rampur DistrictRampur DistrictRampur district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Rampur town is the district headquarters. Rampur district is a part of Moradabad division. The district occupies an area of 2,367 km²...
, Bareilly DistrictBareilly DistrictBareilly district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. City of Bareilly is the district headquarters. The district consists of six tehsils. These are: Aonla, Baheri, City of Bareilly, Faridpur, Meerganj and Nawabganj. Bareilly district is a part of Bareilly Division....
and Pilibhit DistrictPilibhit DistrictPilibhit district is one of the districts in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, and Pilibhit city is the district headquarters. Pilibhit district is a part of Bareilly Division.The city is famous for its contribution to Bollywood, Urdu literature and its involvement in Politics of India...Rohella Sunni, a few Shia in Rampur District Rampur DistrictRampur district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Rampur town is the district headquarters. Rampur district is a part of Moradabad division. The district occupies an area of 2,367 km²...a community of landowners and cultivators found in Rohilkhand RohilkhandRohilkhand 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...Sadaat Amroha Sadaat AmrohaThe Sadaat Amroha or Amrohi Syed are a community of Sayyids, historically settled in the town of Amroha, in Uttar Pradesh, India. Many members of Sadaat Amroha community have migrated to Pakistan after independence have settled in Karachi, Sindh....
largely Shia, some Sunni mainly an urban community found in Jyotiba Phule Nagar District Jyotiba Phule Nagar DistrictJyotiba Phule Nagar district is one of the 72 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. Amroha town is the district headquarters. According to Government of India, the district is one of the Minority Concentrated District in India on the basis of the 2001 census data on population,...Sadaat-e-Bilgram Sadaat-e-BilgramThe Saadat-e-Bilgram are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They also known as the Bilgrami Sayyid , and Bilgrami is often used as a surname.- Origin :...
Shia landowners and cultivators found in Hardoi District Hardoi DistrictHardoi disctrict is a district of Uttar Pradesh, India, and Hardoi town is the district headquarters. Hardoi district is a part of Lucknow division.-Economy:...
and Fatehpur DistrictFatehpur districtFatehpur district is one of the 71 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The district covers an area of 4,152 km². The district has a population of 2,308,384 . Fatehpur city is the administrative headquarters of the district. Located on the banks of the sacred rivers Ganges and...Sai Sai (caste)The Sai or sometimes pronounced Sayee are a Muslim community found in the states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as the Sain.-Origin:...Sunni a caste of ascetics found in Saharanpur District Saharanpur DistrictSaharanpur district is the northernmost of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state, India. Bordering the states of Haryana and Uttarakhand, and close to the foothills of Shivalik range, it lies in the northern part of the Doab region...
, Bijnor DistrictBijnor DistrictBijnor is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India. Bijnor city is the district headquarters.-Geography :...
, Lakhimpur Kheri District, Sitapur DistrictSitapur DistrictSitapur district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, with Sitapur town as the district headquarters. Sitapur district is a part of Lucknow division. This district covers an area of 5743 km². It has a population of 3,619,661....
, Bahraich DistrictBahraich DistrictBahraich District is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Bahraich town is the district headquarters. Bahraich District is a part of Devipatan Division.-History:...
and Bahraich DistrictBahraich DistrictBahraich District is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Bahraich town is the district headquarters. Bahraich District is a part of Devipatan Division.-History:...Saiqalgar Saiqalgar-Origin:The term Saiqalgar is derived from the Persian word صیقلگر saiqalgar, which means a polisher. They were traditionally involved in the polishing and furbishing of metals. Little is known as to the origin of this community, other than the fact that they are one of a number of Muslim artisan...Sunni traditionally metal polishers, now mainly petty traders found mainly in Awadh AwadhAwadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
, also found in Saharanpur DistrictSaharanpur DistrictSaharanpur district is the northernmost of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state, India. Bordering the states of Haryana and Uttarakhand, and close to the foothills of Shivalik range, it lies in the northern part of the Doab region...
and Aligarh DistrictAligarh DistrictAligarh District is a district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Its district seat is located in the city of Aligarh .The Aligarh District belongs to Aligarh Division...Saifi SaifiThe Saifi are a Muslim community found in North India, Pakistan. They are now considered as forming a community with in the Shaikh caste. They are also known as Muslim BadhaiLohar Kalayi gar.-History and origin:...
Sunni traditionally ironsmiths mainly in the Doab DoabA Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
and RohilkhandRohilkhandRohilkhand 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...Sayyid Sayyid of Uttar PradeshThe Sayyid of Uttar Pradesh in India are a Muslim community who are members of the wider Sayyid community of South Asia. They are also known as Mir and Pirzada. Many are also now found in Pakistan.-History and origin:...largely Shia, some Sunni found throughout Uttar Pradesh Uttar PradeshUttar 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...Shaikh Shaikh of Uttar PradeshThe 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...mainly Sunni, some Shia among the Qidwai QidwaiThe Qidwai or Kidwai are a community of Muslims in Pakistan and India. They are mostly settled in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also settled in the city of Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. The Qidwai, together with the Milki, Malik and Chaudhary are one of the four sub-group of a...
and MilkiMilki (caste)The Milki are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as Malik, and found entirely in the Awadh region. A small number of Milki are also found in Karachi in Pakistan. The Milki, together with the Qidwai, Malik and Chaudhary are one of the four sub-group...
found throughout Uttar Pradesh Uttar PradeshUttar 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...Shaikhzada ShaikhzadaThe Shaikhzada are a Muslim community found in the Uttar Pradesh state of India. Many members of the Shaikhzada community migrated to Pakistan after independence, settling in Karachi and Sindh.-History and origin:...Sunni landowners and cultivators found in Muzaffarnagar District Muzaffarnagar DistrictMuzaffarnagar district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. It is part of Saharanpur division. The town of Muzaffarnagar is the district headquarters.-Communication:...
and Saharanpur DistrictSaharanpur DistrictSaharanpur district is the northernmost of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state, India. Bordering the states of Haryana and Uttarakhand, and close to the foothills of Shivalik range, it lies in the northern part of the Doab region...Sherwani Sherwani (tribe)Sarwani or Sherwani is a Batani Pashtun tribe settled in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.- History :The history of Pashtuns is based mainly on myths and largely on truths. One Niamatullah, in the court of Mughul Emperor Jahangir, in 17th century wrote the history of Pashtuns, in his book"TARIKH E...Sunni landowners and cultivators found throughout in Bulandshahr District Bulandshahr DistrictBulandshahar District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. Bulandshahr city is the district headquarters.-Geography:...
, Moradabad DistrictMoradabad DistrictMoradabad 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...
and Aligarh DistrictAligarh DistrictAligarh District is a district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Its district seat is located in the city of Aligarh .The Aligarh District belongs to Aligarh Division...Sikarwar Khanzada Sikarwar KhanzadaThe 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:...Sunni landowners and cultivators found in Ghazipur District Ghazipur DistrictGhazipur 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...
, Azamgarh DistrictAzamgarh districtAzamgarh district is one of the three districts of Azamgarh Division in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Etymology:The district is named after its headquarters town, Azamgarh. Azam, son of Vikramajit, founded the town in 1665. Vikramajit a descendant of Gautam Rajputs of Mehnagar in pargana...
, Gorakhpur DistrictGorakhpur DistrictGorakhpur district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in India. Gorakhpur is the administrative headquarters of the district.-History:The district was ceded by the Nawab of Awadh to the British East India Company in 1801. With this cession, Gorakhpur was raised to the status of a district. The...
, Basti District, Faizabad DistrictFaizabad DistrictSee also: Faizabad Faizabad district is one of the 71 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. Faizabad city is the administrative headquarters of this district. The district occupies an area of 2,764 km²...
and Sultanpur DistrictSultanpur DistrictSultanpur District is a district in the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India. The district is a part of Faizabad Division. Its administrative head is Sultanpur.-History:...Teli Muslim TeliThe Muslim Teli are an ethnic group found in Pakistan and India. The word Tel means oil and Teli means person dealing with manufacture and sale of cooking oil in Urdu...
Sunni traditionally oil pressers, most of the Teli of the Doab DoabA Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
and RohilkhandRohilkhandRohilkhand 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...
are cultivatorsfound throughout Uttar Pradesh Uttar PradeshUttar 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...Turk Turk (caste)The Turk are a Muslim community found in the Terai region of the states of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh in India.-Origin:The Turks claim to have come from Central Asia to India with the armies of Mohammad Ghori, who settled in the slopes of the Himalayas, to guard the plains of North India from...
Sunni landowners and cultivators found mainly in Rampur District Rampur DistrictRampur district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Rampur town is the district headquarters. Rampur district is a part of Moradabad division. The district occupies an area of 2,367 km²...
and Bareilly DistrictBareilly DistrictBareilly district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. City of Bareilly is the district headquarters. The district consists of six tehsils. These are: Aonla, Baheri, City of Bareilly, Faridpur, Meerganj and Nawabganj. Bareilly district is a part of Bareilly Division....Tyagi Sunni landowners and cultivators found mainly in Saharanpur District Saharanpur DistrictSaharanpur district is the northernmost of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state, India. Bordering the states of Haryana and Uttarakhand, and close to the foothills of Shivalik range, it lies in the northern part of the Doab region...
, Muzaffarnagar DistrictMuzaffarnagar DistrictMuzaffarnagar district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. It is part of Saharanpur division. The town of Muzaffarnagar is the district headquarters.-Communication:...
, Bagpat DistrictBagpat DistrictBaghpat district is one of the 71 districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Baghpat town is the district headquarters. This district covers an area of 1321 km². The district has a population of 1,163,991.-Economy:...
, Meerut DistrictMeerut DistrictMeerut district , is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Meerut is the district headquarters. Meerut district is a part of Meerut division.-Demographics:...
, Bijnor DistrictBijnor DistrictBijnor is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India. Bijnor city is the district headquarters.-Geography :...
and Moradabad DistrictMoradabad DistrictMoradabad 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...Zamindara ZamindaraThe Zamindara are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as Rautara. Many members of Zamindara community have migrated to Pakistan after independence have settled in Karachi, Sindh.-History and origin:...
Sunni a community of landowners and cultivators mainly in Azamgarh District Azamgarh districtAzamgarh district is one of the three districts of Azamgarh Division in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Etymology:The district is named after its headquarters town, Azamgarh. Azam, son of Vikramajit, founded the town in 1665. Vikramajit a descendant of Gautam Rajputs of Mehnagar in pargana...
haque sunni intellectual teacher and landowners found in lucknow,agra,barelliy,ballia
Muslim Population by district
Here is a breakdown of the Muslim poulation by district according to the 2001 Census of India.| Number | District | Headquarters | Population (2001) | Muslim population (2001) | Percentage | |
| 1 | Rampur Rampur District Rampur district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Rampur town is the district headquarters. Rampur district is a part of Moradabad division. The district occupies an area of 2,367 km²... |
Rampur Rampur, Uttar Pradesh Rampur is a city and a municipality located in Rampur District in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Rampur district is located at Longitude 78-0-54 to 69-0-28 East and Latitude 28-25 to 29-10 North and spans an area of 2,367 km².It also gave its name to a former princely state of British... |
1,923,739 | 945,277 | 49% | |
| 2 | Moradabad 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... |
Moradabad Moradabad Moradabad is a city and a municipal corporation in Moradabad district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It was established in 1600 by prince Murad, the son of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan; as a result the city came to be known as Moradabad. It is the administrative headquarters of... |
3,810,983 | 1,735,381 | 46% | |
| 3 | Bijnor Bijnor District Bijnor is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India. Bijnor city is the district headquarters.-Geography :... |
Bijnor Bijnor Bijnor variously spelt as Bijnaur and Bijnour, is a city and a municipal board in Bijnor district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India... |
3,131,619 | 1,306,329 | 42% | |
| 4 | Jyotiba Phule Nagar | Amroha Amroha Amroha is a small town in the north-western Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. It is located north-west of Moradabad, near the Sot River... |
1,499,068 | 590,308 | 39% | |
| 5 | Saharanpur Saharanpur District Saharanpur district is the northernmost of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state, India. Bordering the states of Haryana and Uttarakhand, and close to the foothills of Shivalik range, it lies in the northern part of the Doab region... |
Saharanpur Saharanpur Saharanpur is a city and a Municipal Corporation in the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India. It is the administrative headquarters of Saharanpur District as well as Saharanpur Division... |
2,896,863 | 1,132,919 | 39% | |
| 6 | Muzaffarnagar Muzaffarnagar District Muzaffarnagar district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. It is part of Saharanpur division. The town of Muzaffarnagar is the district headquarters.-Communication:... |
Muzaffarnagar Muzaffarnagar Muzaffarnagar is a major city and a municipal board in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The city was established in Mughal period by a Sayyid Jagirdar, Munawar Lashkar Ali, and so named in honour of his father, Muzaffar Ali Khan. It is the headquarters of the Muzaffarnagar district. It is a... |
3,543,362 | 1,349,629 | 38% | |
| 7 | Balrampur Balrampur district Balrampur district is one of the 72 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in India. Balrampur town located on the bank of the Rapti is the district headquarters. Balrampur district is a part of Devipatan division, and historic Awadh region.... |
Balrampur Balrampur Balrampur is a city and a municipal board in Balrampur district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is situated on the bank of river Rapti and is the district headquarters of Balarampur district... |
1,682,350 | 617,675 | 37% | |
| 8 | Bahraich Bahraich District Bahraich District is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Bahraich town is the district headquarters. Bahraich District is a part of Devipatan Division.-History:... |
Bahraich Bahraich Bahraich is a city and a municipal board in Bahraich district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Located on the Saryu River, a tributary of river Ghaghra, Bahraich is 125 km north-east of Lucknow, the state capital. The towns of Barabanki, Gonda, Balrampur, Lakhimpur and Sitapur share... > |
2,381,072 | 829,361 | 35% | |
| 9 | Bareilly Bareilly District Bareilly district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. City of Bareilly is the district headquarters. The district consists of six tehsils. These are: Aonla, Baheri, City of Bareilly, Faridpur, Meerganj and Nawabganj. Bareilly district is a part of Bareilly Division.... |
Bareilly Bareilly Bareilly is a prominent city in Bareilly district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Standing on the Ramganga river, it is the capital of the Bareilly division and the geographical region Rohilkhand... |
3,618,589 | 1,226,386 | 34% | |
| 10 | Meerut Meerut District Meerut district , is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Meerut is the district headquarters. Meerut district is a part of Meerut division.-Demographics:... |
Meerut | 2,997,361 | 975,715 | 33% | |
| 11 | Siddharthnagar | Navgarh Navgarh Naugarh is the district headquarters of Siddharthnagar district in Uttar Pradesh, India... |
2,040,085 | 600,336 | 29% | |
| 12 | Shravasti Shravasti District Shravasti District is one of the districts of the Uttar Pradesh state of India and Bhinga town is district headquarter. Shravasti district is a part of Devipatan Division... |
Bhinga Bhinga ' is a town, nagar panchayat and district headquarter of Shrawasti district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India.-Geography: is located at . It has an average elevation of 120 metres . is also the East end of country.... |
1,176,391 | 301,117 | 26% | |
| 13 | Bagpat Bagpat District Baghpat district is one of the 71 districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Baghpat town is the district headquarters. This district covers an area of 1321 km². The district has a population of 1,163,991.-Economy:... |
Bagpat Bagpat Baghpat is a city and a municipal board in Baghpat district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Baghpat District.... |
1,163,991 | 287,871 | 25% | |
| 14 | Ghaziabad | Ghaziabad | 3,290,586 | 782,915 | 24% | |
| 15 | Pilibhit Pilibhit District Pilibhit district is one of the districts in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, and Pilibhit city is the district headquarters. Pilibhit district is a part of Bareilly Division.The city is famous for its contribution to Bollywood, Urdu literature and its involvement in Politics of India... |
Pilibhit Pilibhit Pilibhit |Hafizabad]]) is a city and a municipal board in the Pilibhit district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Pilibhit is the north-eastern most district of Bareilly division, situated in the Rohilkhand region of the sub-Himalayan Plateau belt on the boundary of Nepal, known for the origin... |
1,645,183 | 390,773 | 24% | |
| 16 | Sant Kabir Nagar | Khalilabad | 1,420,226 | 341,154 | 24% | |
| 17 | Barabanki Barabanki District The Barabanki district is one of four districts of Faizabad division, lies at the very heart of Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and forms as it were a centre from which no less than seven other districts radiate... |
Barabanki | 2,673,581 | 589,197 | 22% | |
| 18 | Badaun Badaun District Budaun district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Budaun town is the district headquarters. Budaun district is a part of Bareilly division. The district covers an area of 5168 km²... |
Badaun | 3,069,426 | 654,797 | 21% | |
| 19 | Bulandshahr Bulandshahr District Bulandshahar District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. Bulandshahr city is the district headquarters.-Geography:... |
Bulandshahr | 2,913,122 | 613,660 | 21% | |
| 20 | Lucknow Lucknow District Lucknow District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The city of Lucknow is the district headquarters and the district is part of Lucknow Division... |
Lucknow Lucknow Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division.... |
3,647,834 | 748,687 | 21% | |
| 21 | Gonda Gonda District Gonda is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh, India. Gonda is the district headquarters, and also the administrative centre for the Devipatan Division.... |
Gonda | 2,765,586 | 532,585 | 19% | |
| 22 | Lakhimpur Kheri Lakhimpur Kheri Lakhimpur Kheri is a district of Uttar Pradesh in the Lucknow division. It is located in India along the border with Nepal. The headquarters of the Lakhimpur Kheri District are situated in the city of Lakhimpur.... |
Kheri Kheri Kheri is a town and a nagar panchayat in Lakhimpur Kheri district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Geography:Kheri is located at . It has an average elevation of 148 metres .-Demographics:... |
3,207,232 | 612,638 | 19% | |
| 23 | Mau Mau district Mau district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India and Mau town is the district headquarters. Mau district is a part of Azamgarh Division. Mau district is situated in the south-eastern part of the state with headquarters at Mau town... |
Mau Mau Mau , formerly Mau Nath Bhanjan , nearly 90 km from Varanasi is the powerhouse of textile weavers in Eastern UP, India. It is a small industrial town on the banks of Ghaghra . The Tamasa river flows through the city... |
1,853,997 | 353,003 | 19% | |
| 24 | Sitapur Sitapur District Sitapur district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, with Sitapur town as the district headquarters. Sitapur district is a part of Lucknow division. This district covers an area of 5743 km². It has a population of 3,619,661.... |
Sitapur Sitapur Sitapur formerly spelled as Citapore is a town and a municipal board in Sitapur district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is in the Lucknow Division of Uttar Pradesh... |
3,619,661 | 696,126 | 19% | |
| 25 | Aligarh Aligarh District Aligarh District is a district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Its district seat is located in the city of Aligarh .The Aligarh District belongs to Aligarh Division... |
Aligarh | 2,992,286 | 531,956 | 18% | |
| 26 | Shahjahanpur Shahjahanpur District Shahjahanpur district is one of the historical districts of Uttar Pradesh in the republic of India. It is a part of Bareilly division. The main town is Shahjahanpur and its Tehsils are: Powayan, Tilhar, Jalalabad, and Kanth.... |
Shahjahanpur Shahjahanpur Shahjahanpur is a municipal board, town and district headquarters of Shahjahanpur District in Uttar Pradesh, India.-History:During the reign of Shahjahan, Mughal forces demolished the city of Kant... |
2,547,855 | 455,049 | 18% | |
| 27 | Kushinagar Kushinagar District Kushinagar District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. Padarauna is the district headquarters. The district is named for Kushinagar, a Buddhist pilgrimage site where Gautama Buddha attained parinirvana in the 6th or 5th centuries BCE.... |
Padarauna | 2,893,196 | 487,674 | 17% | |
| 28 | Maharajganj Maharajganj District Maharajganj district is one of the 71 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India, and the town of Maharajganj is the district headquarters.-Geography:... |
Maharajganj Maharajganj Maharajganj is a town and a notified area in Siwan district in the Indian state of Bihar.-Geography:Maharajganj is located at . It has an average elevation of 66 metres .-Demographics:... |
2,173,878 | 357,822 | 17% | |
| 29 | Ambedkar Nagar Ambedkar Nagar District Ambedkar Nagar district is a district in the Faizabad division. It was formed in 1995 by the then chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Ms. Mayawati, and was named after one of the most contributing personalities in Indian legislation, Dr.Bhimrao Ambedkar.-Geography:The total area of the district is... |
Akbarpur Akbarpur, Ambedkar Nagar Akbarpur is a city and a municipal board in Ambedkar Nagar district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India... |
2,026,876 | 332,212 | 16% | |
| 30 | Firozabad Firozabad District Firozabad district forms one of the western districts of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which has Firozabad Town as its district headquarters. The district is a part of the Agra division and has a total population of 836,808... |
Firozabad Firozabad Firozabad is a city in India, in the state of Uttar Pradesh.The ancient name of this town was Chandwar nagar; it is said that once in reign of Akbar the great, revenue was being brought through the city. it was looted by the people who lived here... |
2,052,958 | 260,414 | 16% | |
| 31 | Kannauj Kannauj District Kannauj District is an administrative district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India, along the river Ganges. The historic town of Kannauj, northwest of Kanpur, is the administrative center.-Geography:... |
Kannauj Kannauj Kannauj , also spelt Kanauj, is a city, administrative headquarters and a municipal board or Nagar Palika Parishad in Kannauj district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The city's name is traditionally derived from the term Kanyakubja . Kannauj is an ancient city, in earlier times the capital... |
1,388,923 | 219,104 | 16% | |
| 32 | Kanpur Nagar | Kanpur | 4,167,999 | 653,881 | 16% | |
| 33 | Sultanpur Sultanpur District Sultanpur District is a district in the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India. The district is a part of Faizabad Division. Its administrative head is Sultanpur.-History:... |
Sultanpur | 3,214,832 | 524,642 | 16% | |
| 34 | Varanasi Varanasi District Varanasi district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India, with Varanasi city as the district headquarters. Varanasi district is a part of Varanasi division. The district occupies an area of 1,535 km². The district has a population of 3,138,671 .-Divisions:The... |
Varanasi Varanasi -Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south... |
3,138,671 | 497,516 | 16% | |
| 35 | Azamgarh Azamgarh district Azamgarh district is one of the three districts of Azamgarh Division in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Etymology:The district is named after its headquarters town, Azamgarh. Azam, son of Vikramajit, founded the town in 1665. Vikramajit a descendant of Gautam Rajputs of Mehnagar in pargana... |
Azamgarh Azamgarh Azamgarh is a town in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is headquarters of Azamgarh district and Azamgarh Division.-History:Azamgarh, one of the easternmost districts of the State, once formed a part of the ancient Kosala kingdom, except the north-eastern part of it which was included in the... |
3,939,916 | 593,907 | 15% | |
| 36 | Basti | Basti Basti, Uttar Pradesh Basti is a town and a municipal board in Basti district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Geography:LOCATION & BOUNDARIES:- The district lies between the parallels of 26° 23' and 27° 30' North and Latitude and 82° 17' and 83° 20' East longitude. Its maximum length from north to south is about... |
2,084,814 | 306,540 | 15% | |
| 37 | Farrukhabad Farrukhabad District Farrukhabad district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The town of Fatehgarh is the district headquarters. The district is part of Kanpur Division.... |
Fatehgarh Fatehgarh Fatehgarh is a cantonment town in Farrukhabad district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located on the right bank of the Ganges River. It is the administrative headquarters of Farrukhabad District. Fatehgarh derives its name from an old fort. It is a small city with no significant... |
1,570,408 | 232,599 | 15% | |
| 38 | Faizabad Faizabad District See also: Faizabad Faizabad district is one of the 71 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. Faizabad city is the administrative headquarters of this district. The district occupies an area of 2,764 km²... |
Faizabad Faizabad City of Faizabad , previous capital of Awadh, is the headquarters of Faizabad District and a municipal board in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, situated on the banks of river Ghaghra . Faizabad has a twin city of Ayodhya, which is considered to be the birthplace of Rama... |
2,088,928 | 304,434 | 15% | |
| 39 | Kaushambi Kaushambi District Kaushambi district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Manjhanpur town is the district headquarters. Kaushambi district is a part of Allahabad Division.- History :... |
Manjhanpur Manjhanpur Manjhanpur is a town, nagar panchayat and district headquarter of Kaushambi district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Demographics: India census, Manjhanpur had a population of 14,150. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Manjhanpur has an average literacy rate of 55%,... |
1,293,154 | 174,698 | 14% | |
| 40 | Pratapgarh | Pratapgarh Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh Pratapgarh also called Bela, Bela Pratapgarh, Partapgarh or Partabgarh, is a city and nagar panchayat of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Pratapgarh district, part of the Faizabad Division... |
2,731,174 | 374,126 | 14% | |
| 41 | Allahabad Allahabad District Allahabad district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Allahabad town is the district headquarters. Allahabad district is a part of Allahabad Division.As of 2011 it is the most populous district of Uttar Pradesh .... |
Allahabad Allahabad Allahabad , or Settled by God in Persian, is a major city of India and is one of the main holy cities of Hinduism. It was renamed by the Mughals from the ancient name of Prayaga , and is by some accounts the second-oldest city in India. It is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh,... |
4,936,105 | 627,735 | 13% | |
| 42 | Fatehpur Fatehpur district Fatehpur district is one of the 71 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The district covers an area of 4,152 km². The district has a population of 2,308,384 . Fatehpur city is the administrative headquarters of the district. Located on the banks of the sacred rivers Ganges and... |
Fatehpur Fatehpur, Fatehpur Fatehpur is a city and a municipal board in Fatehpur district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India.-Geography:Fatehpur is located at . It has an average elevation of 110 metres... |
2,308,384 | 307,047 | 13% | |
| 43 | Gautam Buddha Nagar | Noida Noida Noida , short for the New Okhla Industrial Development Area, is an area in India under the management of the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority . Noida came into administrative existence on 17 April 1976 and celebrates 17 April as "Noida Day". It was set up as part of an urbanization... |
1,202,030 | 156,415 | 13% | |
| 44 | Hardoi Hardoi District Hardoi disctrict is a district of Uttar Pradesh, India, and Hardoi town is the district headquarters. Hardoi district is a part of Lucknow division.-Economy:... |
Hardoi Hardoi Hardoi is a city and a municipal board in Hardoi district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of Hardoi District.-Geography:Hardoi is located at... |
3,398,306 | 445,419 | 13% | |
| 45 | Deoria Deoria District Deoria district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Deoria town is the district headquarters. Deoria district is a part of Gorakhpur division.-Ancient:... |
Deoria Deoria Deoria is a town in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is one of 5 tehsils of Deoria district. The name of the Railway Station is Deoria Sadar.-Ancient:... |
2,712,650 | 308,731 | 12% | |
| 46 | Rae Bareli | Rae Bareli | 2,872,335 | 340,129 | 12% | |
| 47 | Sant Ravidas Nagar Sant Ravidas Nagar Sant Ravidas Nagar District -History:Sant Ravidas Nagar District was created on June 30, 1994 as 65th district of the state. The district is famous for its carpets in India and abroad.-Geography:... |
Gyanpur Gyanpur Gyanpur is a town and a nagar panchayat in Sant Ravidas Nagar district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Geography:Gyanpur is located at . It has an average elevation of 81 metres .-Demographics:... |
1,353,705 | 161,962 | 12% | |
| 48 | Unnao Unnao District Unnao District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The town of Unnao is the district headquarters. The district is part of Lucknow Division.-History:... |
Unnao Unnao The town of Unnao is the headquarters of Unnao District in Uttar Pradesh, India between Kanpur and Lucknow. It is approximately 18 km from Kanpur & 60 km from Lucknow . It is connected to these two cities by roadway as well as by railway. The nearest airport is at Amausi about... |
2,700,324 | 296,780 | 11% | |
| 49 | Etah Etah District Etah district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Etah town is the district headquarters. Etah district is a part of Aligarh Division. It is dominated by Yadavs and Rajputs.-Economy:... |
Etah Etah Etah is a town which is also the district headquarters of Etah district of Uttar Pradesh state, India.-Geography:Etah is located at . It has an average elevation of 170 metres .... |
2,790,410 | 319,386 | 11% | |
| 50 | Chandauli Chandauli District Chandauli District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Chandauli town is the district headquarters. Chandauli district is a part of Varanasi Division.... |
Chandauli Chandauli Chandauli , also known as Chandoli, is a town and a nagar panchayat in Chandauli district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Chandauli District.-Geography:... |
1,643,251 | 168,281 | 10% | |
| 51 | 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... |
Ghazipur Ghazipur Ghazipur , or Ghazipur City, previously spelt Ghazeepore, is a city/town and a municipal corporation and headquarter of Ghazipur district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Ghazipur Division and Sub-division... |
3,037,582 | 300,327 | 10% | |
| 52 | Jalaun Jalaun District Jalaun District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India.The district is named after town of Jalaun, which was the former headquarters of a Maratha governor, but the administrative headquarters of the district is at Orai. Other large towns in the district are Kalpi, Konch, and... |
Orai Orai Orai is a city and a municipal board in Jalaun district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is the district headquarter for Jalaun District which is part of Jhansi division.... |
1,454,452 | 146,317 | 10% | |
| 53 | Jaunpur Jaunpur District Jaunpur is a district in the Varanasi Division of Uttar Pradesh state in India. Jaunpur serves as the district headquarters.-Geography:The district of Jaunpur is situated in the North-West part of Varanasi Division. Its land area extends from 24.240N to 26.120N latitude and between 82.70E and... |
Jaunpur Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh Jaunpur is a city and a municipal board in Jaunpur district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.Jaunpur district is located to the northwest of the district of Varanasi in the eastern part of the North Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. According to the 2001 census, Jaunpur district had a population... |
3,911,679 | 399,186 | 10% | |
| 54 | Mahamaya Nagar Mahamaya Nagar District Mahamaya Nagar district , earlier known as Hathras district, is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India. The town of Hathras is the district headquarters. Mahamaya Nagar district is a part of Aligarh Division. This district occupies an area of 1800.1 km²... |
Hathras Hathras Hathras is a city and a municipal board in Mahamaya Nagar district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is the headquarters of the district that was created on 3 May 1997 by incorporating parts of Aligarh, Mathura and Agra districts. It forms a part of Aligarh Division... |
1,336,031 | 134,851 | 10% | |
| 55 | Agra Agra District Agra District is one of the 70 districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and the historical city of Agra is the district headquarters. Agra district is a part of Agra division.-Geography:... |
Agra Agra Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most... |
3,620,436 | 323,634 | 9% | |
| 56 | Gorkakhpur Gorakhpur District Gorakhpur district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in India. Gorakhpur is the administrative headquarters of the district.-History:The district was ceded by the Nawab of Awadh to the British East India Company in 1801. With this cession, Gorakhpur was raised to the status of a district. The... |
Gorakhpur Gorakhpur Gorakhpur is a city in the eastern part of the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, near the border with Nepal. It is the administrative headquarters of Gorakhpur District and Gorakhpur Division. Gorakhpur is one of the proposed capitals of the Purvanchal state which is yet to be formed... |
3,769,456 | 344,960 | 9% | |
| 57 | Kanpur Dehat Kanpur Dehat district Ramabai Nagar district , formerly known as Kanpur Dehat district, is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The administrative headquarters of the district are at Mati, Akbarpur. This district is part of Kanpur division.-History:... |
Akbarpur | 1,563,336 | 145,525 | 9% | |
| 58 | Banda Banda District Banda district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Banda is the district headquarters. It is a part of Chitrakoot Division.Banda is famous for its Shajar stone, used for making jewellery, and the historically and architecturally significant sites Khajuraho and Kalinjar. Khajuraho is... |
Banda | 1,537,334 | 126,203 | 8% | |
| 59 | Hamirpur Hamirpur District, Uttar Pradesh Hamirpur district is one of the 70 districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India and Hamirpur town is the district headquarters. Hamirpur district is a part of Chitrakoot Division. The district occupies an area of 4,121.9 km². The district has a population of 1,042,374... |
Hamirpur Hamirpur, Uttar Pradesh Hamirpur is a city and a municipal board in Hamirpur district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of Hamirpur District.-Geography:... |
1,043,724 | 83,064 | 8% | |
| 60 | Mathura Mathura District Mathura District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of northern India. The historic town of Mathura is the district headquarters.The district is bounded on the northeast by Aligarh District, on the southeast by Hathras District, on the south by Agra District, and on the west by Rajasthan and... |
Mathura | 2,074,516 | 167,628 | 8% | |
| 61 | Mirzapur Mirzapur District Mirzapur district is one of the 70 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The district is bounded on the north by Sant Ravidas Nagar and Varanasi districts, on the east by Chandauli district, on the south by Sonbhadra district and on the norhwest by Allahabad district. The district... |
Mirzapur Mirzapur Mirzapur is a city in the heart of North India, nearly 650 km between Delhi and Kolkata and also equidistant from Allahabad and Varanasi. Located in the state of Uttar Pradesh, Mirzapur has a population of a little over 205,264 and is renowned for its famous carpet and brassware industry... |
2,116,042 | 158,204 | 8% | |
| 62 | Auraiya Auraiya district Auraiya district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Auraiya town is the district headquarters.-History:On 17 September 1997 two tehsils named Auraiya and Bidhuna were separated from district Etawah to form the new district named as Auraiya.-Geography:The district of... |
Auraiya Auraiya Auraiya is a city and a municipal board in Auraiya district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is district headquarters as well.NH 2 passes through the center of the town.Dibiyapur RS is nearest Railway Station.Kanpur Airport is nearest airport.... > |
1,179,993 | 83,719 | 7% | |
| 63 | Ballia Ballia District Ballia district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state, India. Ballia district is a part of Azamgarh Division situated in eastern Part of Uttar Pradesh. Main occupation is agriculture. Ballia City is district headquarters and commercial Market of this district. There are four Tehsil in... |
Ballia Ballia Ballia is a city with a municipal board in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The eastern boundary of the city lies at the junction of the Ganges and the Ghaghara... |
2,761,620 | 181,553 | 7% | |
| 64 | Etawah Etawah District Etawah district is a district in the southwestern portion of Uttar Pradesh state of India. Etawah town is the district headquarters. Etawah district is part of Kanpur Division. The district covers an area of 2311 km²... |
Etawah Etawah Etawah is a city on the Yamuna River in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. It is the administrative headquarters of Etawah District. The city was an important center for the Revolt of 1857 . Also is the place of sangam or confluence between Yamuna and Chambal... |
1,338,871 | 95,926 | 7% | |
| 65 | Jhansi Jhansi District Jhansi District is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The town of Jhansi is the district headquarters.The district is bordered on the north by Jalaun District, to the east by Hamirpur and Mahoba districts, to the south by Tikamgarh District of Madhya Pradesh state, to... |
Jhansi Jhansi Jhansi Hindi:झाँसी, , Marathi: झाशी, is a historical city of India. Jhansi is the administrative headquarters of Jhansi District and Jhansi Division. The original walled city grew up around its stone fort, which crowns a neighboring rock. This district is on the bank of river Betwa.The National... |
1,744,931 | 129,785 | 7% | |
| 66 | Mahoba Mahoba District Mahoba district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India and Mahoba town is the district headquarters. Mahoba district is a part of Chitrakoot Division. The district occupies an area of 2884 km². It has a population of 708,447... |
Mahoba Mahoba Mahoba is a city and Mahoba District of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, in the Bundelkhand region. Mahoba is known for its closeness to Khajuraho, Laundi and other historic places like Kulpahar, Charkhari, Kalinjar, Orchha, and Jhansi... |
708,447 | 47,335 | 7% | |
| 67 | Mainpuri Mainpuri District Mainpuri district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Mainpuri town is the district headquarters. Mainpuri district is a part of Agra division.-Demographics:... |
Mainpuri Mainpuri Mainpuri is a city and a municipal board in Mainpuri district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of the Mainpuri district and is situated to the north-east of Agra.-Geography:... |
1,596,718 | 84,577 | 5% | |
| 68 | Sonbhadra Sonbhadra Sonbhadra or Sonebhadra is the 2nd largest district of Uttar Pradesh, India. The district has an area of 6788 km² and a population of 1,463,468 , with a population density of 216 persons per km²... |
Robertsganj Robertsganj Robertsganj is a city and a municipal board in Sonbhadra district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Located in the southeastern corner of the state. Robertsganj is the administrative headquarters of Sonbhadra District.- Geography :Robertsganj is located at... |
1,463,519 | 79,102 | 5% | |
| 69 | Chitrakoot Chitrakoot District Chitrakoot district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Chitrakoot town is the district headquarters. Chitrakoot district is a part of Chitrakoot Division. The district occupies an area of 3,205 km². The district has a population of 766,225... |
Chitrakoot | 766,225 | 27,168 | 4% | |
| 70 | Lalitpur Lalitpur District, Uttar Pradesh Lalitpur District is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India. Lalitpur district is a part of Jhansi Division. Lalitpur is the main town and administrative headquarters. The district occupies an area of 5,039 km².... |
Lalitpur Lalitpur, India Lalitpur is a city and a municipal board in Lalitpur district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is also district headquarters of Lalitpur district.-Demographics:... |
977,734 | 28,796 | 3% |
Language
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...
language. Urdu has much in common with the Hindustani
Hindustani language
Hindi-Urdu is an Indo-Aryan language and the lingua franca of North India and Pakistan. It is also known as Hindustani , and historically, as Hindavi or Rekhta...
, as is thus mutually intelligible with Standard Hindi. The grammatical description in this article concerns this standard Urdu. The original language of the Mughals was Chagatai
Chagatai language
The Chagatai language is an extinct Turkic language which was once widely spoken in Central Asia, and remained the shared literary language there until the early twentieth century...
, a Turkic
Turkic languages
The Turkic languages constitute a language family of at least thirty five languages, spoken by Turkic peoples across a vast area from Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean to Siberia and Western China, and are considered to be part of the proposed Altaic language family.Turkic languages are spoken...
language, but after their arrival in South Asia, they came to adopt Persian. Gradually, the need to communicate with local inhabitants led to a composition of Sanskrit-derived languages, written in the Perso-Arabic script
Perso-Arabic script
The Persian or Perso-Arabic alphabet is a writing system based on the Arabic script. Originally used exclusively for the Arabic language, the Arabic alphabet was adapted to the Persian language, adding four letters: , , , and . Many languages which use the Perso-Arabic script add other letters...
and with literary conventions and specialized vocabulary being retained from Persian, Arabic and Turkic; the new standard was eventually given its own name of Urdu.
Urdu is often contrasted with Hindi, another standardised form of Hindustani
Hindustani language
Hindi-Urdu is an Indo-Aryan language and the lingua franca of North India and Pakistan. It is also known as Hindustani , and historically, as Hindavi or Rekhta...
. The main differences between the two are that Standard Urdu is conventionally written in Nastaliq calligraphy style of the Perso-Arabic script
Perso-Arabic script
The Persian or Perso-Arabic alphabet is a writing system based on the Arabic script. Originally used exclusively for the Arabic language, the Arabic alphabet was adapted to the Persian language, adding four letters: , , , and . Many languages which use the Perso-Arabic script add other letters...
and draws vocabulary from Persian, Arabic, Turkish and local languages while Standard Hindi is conventionally written in Devanāgarī
Devanagari
Devanagari |deva]]" and "nāgarī" ), also called Nagari , is an abugida alphabet of India and Nepal...
and draws vocabulary from Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
comparatively more heavily. Most linguists nonetheless consider Urdu and Hindi to be two standardized forms of the same language; others classify them separately, while some consider any differences to be sociolinguistic
Sociolinguistics
Sociolinguistics is the descriptive study of the effect of any and all aspects of society, including cultural norms, expectations, and context, on the way language is used, and the effects of language use on society...
.
It should be noted, however, that mutual intelligibility decreases in literary and specialized contexts. Furthermore, due to religious nationalism since the partition of British India and consequent continued communal tensions, native speakers of both Hindi and Urdu increasingly assert them to be completely distinct languages.
Later on, during the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
, the development of Urdu was further strengthened and started to emerge as a new language. The official language of the Ghurids
Ghurids
The Ghurids or Ghorids were a medieval Muslim dynasty of Iranian origin that ruled during the 12th and 13th centuries in Khorasan. At its zenith, their empire, centred at Ghōr , stretched over an area that included the whole of modern Afghanistan, the eastern parts of Iran and the northern section...
, Delhi Sultanate
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate is a term used to cover five short-lived, Delhi based kingdoms or sultanates, of Turkic origin in medieval India. The sultanates ruled from Delhi between 1206 and 1526, when the last was replaced by the Mughal dynasty...
, the Mughal Empire, and their successor states, as well as the cultured language of poetry and literature, was Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, while the language of religion was Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
. Most of the Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
s and nobility in the Sultanate period were Turks from Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
who spoke Turkic
Chagatai language
The Chagatai language is an extinct Turkic language which was once widely spoken in Central Asia, and remained the shared literary language there until the early twentieth century...
as their mother tongue. The Mughals were also from Central Asia, they spoke Turkish as their first language; however the Mughals later adopted Persian. Persian became the preferred language of the Muslim elite of north India before the Mughals entered the scene. Babur's mother tongue was a Turkic language and he wrote exclusively in Turkish. His son and successor Humayun also spoke and wrote in this Turkic language. Muzaffar Alam, a noted scholar of Mughal and Indo-Persian history, asserts that Persian became the lingua franca of the empire under Akbar for various political and social factors due to its non-sectarian and fluid nature.
Urdu's vocabulary remains heavily influenced by the Persian language. Since the 1800s, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
started to replace Persian as the official language in India and it also contributed to influence the Urdu language. As of today, Urdu's vocabulary is strongly influenced by the English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
Cuisine
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 clung to their old established habits and tastes, including a numberless variety of dishes and beverages. The Mughal
Mughlai cuisine
Mughlai cuisine is a style of cookery developed in the Indian Subcontinent by the imperial kitchens of the Mughal Empire. It represents the cooking style used in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Pakistan and in parts of Dhaka in Bangladesh and Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh...
and Indo-Iranian
Indo-Iranians
Indo-Iranian peoples are a linguistic group consisting of the Indo-Aryan, Iranian, Dardic and Nuristani peoples; that is, speakers of Indo-Iranian languages, a major branch of the Indo-European language family....
heritage played an influential role in the making of their cuisine, having taste vary from mild to spicy and is often associated with aroma
Odor
An odor or odour is caused by one or more volatilized chemical compounds, generally at a very low concentration, that humans or other animals perceive by the sense of olfaction. Odors are also commonly called scents, which can refer to both pleasant and unpleasant odors...
. There cuisine tends to use stronger spices and flavors. Most of a dastarkhawan
Dastarkhān
A dastarkhan is the name applied across Central Asia to the traditional space where food is eaten. The term may refer to the tablecloth which is spread on the ground, floor, or table and is used as a sanitary surface to use for food, but it is also used more broadly to refer to the entire meal...
dining table include chapatti
Chapati
Chapati or Chapatti or Chapathi is an unleavened flatbread from the Indian subcontinent. Versions of it are found in Turkmenistan and in East African countries Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania...
, rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
, dal
Dal
Dal is a preparation of pulses which have been stripped of their outer hulls and split. It also refers to the thick stew prepared from these, an important part of Indian, Nepali, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, and Bangladeshi cuisine...
, vegetable and meat curry
Curry
Curry is a generic description used throughout Western culture to describe a variety of dishes from Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Thai or other Southeast Asian cuisines...
. Special dishes include biryani
Biryani
Biryani, biriani, or beriani is a set of rice-based foods made with spices, rice and meat, fish, eggs or vegetables. The name is derived from the Persian word beryā which means "fried" or "roasted"....
, qorma
Korma
Korma is a dish originating in South Asia or Central Asia which can be made with yoghurt, cream, nut and seed pastes or coconut milk; it is usually considered a type of curry...
, kofta
Kofta
Kofta is a Middle Eastern and South Asian meatball or meatloaf.In the simplest form, koftas consist of balls of minced or ground meat—usually beef or lamb—mixed with spices and/or onions...
, seekh kabab
Kebab
Kebab is a wide variety of meat dishes originating in Middle East and later on adopted by the Middle East, and Asia Minor, and now found worldwide. In English, kebab with no qualification generally refers more specifically to shish kebab served on the skewer...
, Nihari
Nihari
Nihari is a popular meat dish of Pakistanis of South Asia. Its roots lie in the Nawab kitchens having achieved fame via the storied royal kitchens of Lucknow in present-day Uttar Pradesh, long the seat of the Nawab of Avadh and is also relished in India by Muslims and non-Muslim foodies...
and Haleem
Haleem
Haleem is a thick Arabic, Persian, Turkish, and South Asian dish. In Anatolia, Iran, the Caucasus region and northern Iraq, types of haleem are Keşkek and Harisa. Harisa is also a popular version in Pakistan. Although the dish varies from region to region, it always includes wheat, lentils and meat...
, Nargisi Koftay
Kofta
Kofta is a Middle Eastern and South Asian meatball or meatloaf.In the simplest form, koftas consist of balls of minced or ground meat—usually beef or lamb—mixed with spices and/or onions...
, Kata-Kat, Rogani Naan, Naan
Naan
Naan is a leavened, oven-baked flatbread. It is typical of and popular in South and Central Asia, in Iran, and in South Asian restaurants abroad. Influenced by the large influx of South Asian labour, naan has also become popular in Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf states.Originally, naan is a...
, sheer-qurma
Sheer korma
Sheer korma or Sheer Khurma is a festival vermicelli pudding prepared by Muslims on Eid ul-Fitr in South Asian countries especially Pakistan. It is a traditional Muslim festive breakfast, and a dessert for celebrations...
(sweet), qourma, chai (sweet, milky tea), paan
Paan
Paan, from the word pān is an Indian, Pakistani, Uttarvarshi and Southeast Asian tradition of chewing betel leaf with areca nut and slaked lime paste, and katha brown powder paste, with many regional and local variations...
, and other delicacies associated with North Indian Muslim culture.