Node (tribe)
Encyclopedia
The Node are a Muslim
community found in the state of Gujarat in India
and a province of Sindh
in Pakistan
. They are one of a number of communities of pastoral nomads found in the Banni
region of Kutch. The community is also known sd Nodi or Nodhi
to Kutch some five hundred years ago. Prior to their settlement in Kutch, they spent some time in Sindh
, a few members of this community are still found there. Among the Banni
Maldharis, they are unique in not claiming Rajput
ancestry.
, with few also found in the Jamnagar District
of Saurashtra. They speak a dialect of Kutchi
, with substantial Sindhi
loan words. The community is endogamous, but does marry with other Samma communities, such as the Sameja
. They are divided into a number of clans, the main ones being the Palli, Uttal, Moora, Rav, Arbab, Deshar, Saad, Hola, Amar, Bavu, Visa, Dora, Jaras, Borath, Bhooth, Bambia, Numria and Otha. They do not practice clan exogamy as rule, but each clan is of equal status, and do intermarry.
The Node are a community of Maldhari cattle breeders. In addition to cattle breeding, the Node are also cultivators, and landless agricultural labourers. Like other Kutchi communities, many of them have migrated to other parts of India
in search of employment. Like many Gujarati Muslim
s, they have a caste association, the Node Jamat, which is responsible for the welfare of the community.
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 Gujarat 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...
and a province of Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
in 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...
. They are one of a number of communities of pastoral nomads found in the Banni
Banni Grasslands Reserve
Banni Grasslands Reserve or Banni grasslands form a belt of arid grassland ecosystem on the outer southern edge of the desert of the marshy salt flats of Rann of Kutch in Kutch District, Gujarat State, India. They are known for rich wildlife and biodiversity and are spread across an area of...
region of Kutch. The community is also known sd Nodi or Nodhi
History and origin
The Node claim to have from IranIran
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...
to Kutch some five hundred years ago. Prior to their settlement in Kutch, they spent some time in Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
, a few members of this community are still found there. Among the Banni
Banni Grasslands Reserve
Banni Grasslands Reserve or Banni grasslands form a belt of arid grassland ecosystem on the outer southern edge of the desert of the marshy salt flats of Rann of Kutch in Kutch District, Gujarat State, India. They are known for rich wildlife and biodiversity and are spread across an area of...
Maldharis, they are unique in not claiming Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
ancestry.
Present circumstances
The community is found msinly in Kutch DistrictKutch District
Kutch district is a district of Gujarat state in western India. Covering an area of 45,652 km², it is the largest district of India....
, with few also found in the Jamnagar District
Jamnagar district
Jamnagar District is located in state of Gujarat, India on the southern coast of the Gulf of Kutch. The headquarters is in Jamnagar. The famous city of Dwarka is situated in this district. The district had a population of 1,904,278 of which 43.91% were urban as of 2001.Jamnagar is a very beautiful...
of Saurashtra. They speak a dialect of Kutchi
Kutchi language
Kachhi Kachhi Kachhi (also spelt Cutchi, Kutchhi or Kachchhi, is an Indo-Aryan Language spoken in the Kutch region of the Indian state of Gujarat as well as in Sindh.- Closely related languages :...
, with substantial Sindhi
Sindhi language
Sindhi is the language of the Sindh region of Pakistan that is spoken by the Sindhi people. In India, it is among 22 constitutionally recognized languages, where Sindhis are a sizeable minority. It is spoken by 53,410,910 people in Pakistan, according to the national government's Statistics Division...
loan words. The community is endogamous, but does marry with other Samma communities, such as the Sameja
Samejo
The Samejo or Sameja is the Samma and it is settled in Sindh and Balochistan province of Pakistan.- Origin :*According to some traditions, They are descendants of Sam , the eldest of the three surviving sons of the prophet Nuh . descendants of Sam, the son of Umar, son of Hashim, son of Abu Lahab,...
. They are divided into a number of clans, the main ones being the Palli, Uttal, Moora, Rav, Arbab, Deshar, Saad, Hola, Amar, Bavu, Visa, Dora, Jaras, Borath, Bhooth, Bambia, Numria and Otha. They do not practice clan exogamy as rule, but each clan is of equal status, and do intermarry.
The Node are a community of Maldhari cattle breeders. In addition to cattle breeding, the Node are also cultivators, and landless agricultural labourers. Like other Kutchi communities, many of them have migrated to other parts of 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...
in search of employment. Like many Gujarati Muslim
Gujarati Muslim
The term Gujarati Muslims is usually used to signify an Indian Muslim from the State of Gujarat in west India, who speaks the Gujarati Language as a mother-tongue and follows certain customs different from the rest of Indian Muslims...
s, they have a caste association, the Node Jamat, which is responsible for the welfare of the community.