Naqqal
Encyclopedia
The 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.
language, and the Naqqal get their name from the fact they were mimics at the court of the Nawabs of Awadh. According to some traditions, they are a branch of the Mirasi
community, while others consider them to be a sub-group of the Bhand
community. They were invited by Nawab Nasir-ud-din Haider of Awadh from Kashmir
. Most trace their descent from Ali Jan who arrived from Kashmir
, and served at the court of Wajid Ali Shah
. His descendents kept the tradition of mimicry, entertaining the taluqdar
s of Awadh
.
city. They now speak Urdu
and Awadhi, and dislike the use of the word Naqqal, claiming to be Shaikh
. They are strictly endogamous, marrying close kin, and practice both cross cousin and parallel cousin marriages. The community have no system of exogamous clans.
The traditional occupation of the Naqqal was mimicry (as bahrupiyas), but like other guild based castes, they have seen a decline in their traditional occupation. Most Naqqal have now taking up shop keeping and peddling, while some are now wage labourers. They are in the process of acquiring a new identity as Kashmiri Shaikh
, and this has meant the progressive abandonment of their traditionally occupation. It is quite possible that if they succeed, the Naqqal name will be consigned to history. The Naqqal are Shia, and their customs are similar to other Muslim
communities in the city of Lucknow
.
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. They are also known as the Kashmiri Bhand and recently as Kashmiri Shaikh
Kashmiri Shaikh
Kashmiri Shaikh mainly live in Kashmir regions of Pakistan and India. The Kahmiri Shaikhs are considered to be a clan of Punjabi Muslims of Kashmiri origin found predominantly in Pakistan Punjab and also in India....
. The Naqqal are a sub-group within the larger Bhand
Bhand
Bhānds are the traditional folk entertainers of India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. In India and Nepal, the Bhand are now an endogamous Muslim community, which is no longer involved in their traditional occupation of folk entertainment...
community.
Origin
The Naqqal literally means mimicry in the 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...
language, and the Naqqal get their name from the fact they were mimics at the court of the Nawabs of Awadh. According to some traditions, they are a branch of the Mirasi
Mirasi
The 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...
community, while others consider them to be a sub-group of the Bhand
Bhand
Bhānds are the traditional folk entertainers of India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. In India and Nepal, the Bhand are now an endogamous Muslim community, which is no longer involved in their traditional occupation of folk entertainment...
community. They were invited by Nawab Nasir-ud-din Haider of Awadh from Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
. Most trace their descent from Ali Jan who arrived from Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
, and served at the court of Wajid Ali Shah
Wajid Ali Shah
Wajid Ali Shah was the fifth King of Oudh, holding the position from 13 February 1847 to 7 February 1856....
. His descendents kept the tradition of mimicry, entertaining the 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 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...
.
Present circumstances
The Naqqal are distributed in the old parts of LucknowLucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
city. They now 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...
and Awadhi, and dislike the use of the word Naqqal, claiming to be 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...
. They are strictly endogamous, marrying close kin, and practice both cross cousin and parallel cousin marriages. The community have no system of exogamous clans.
The traditional occupation of the Naqqal was mimicry (as bahrupiyas), but like other guild based castes, they have seen a decline in their traditional occupation. Most Naqqal have now taking up shop keeping and peddling, while some are now wage labourers. They are in the process of acquiring a new identity as Kashmiri Shaikh
Kashmiri Shaikh
Kashmiri Shaikh mainly live in Kashmir regions of Pakistan and India. The Kahmiri Shaikhs are considered to be a clan of Punjabi Muslims of Kashmiri origin found predominantly in Pakistan Punjab and also in India....
, and this has meant the progressive abandonment of their traditionally occupation. It is quite possible that if they succeed, the Naqqal name will be consigned to history. The Naqqal are Shia, and their customs are similar to other Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
communities in the 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....
.