Panar
Encyclopedia
The Panar are a Muslim
community found in the state of Gujarat in India
.
language means a weaver, the traditional occupation of the community. They claim to have come from Central Asia
and settled in the city of Patan
, the historic capital of Gujarat. During the rule of Sultan
Ahmad Shah, they spread all over north Gujarat, and are now found in Ahmedabad
, Baroda, Mehsana, and Panchmahal. A section of the Panar are also found in the port city of Surat
. They are a Gujarati
speaking community, with many being bilingual in Urdu
as well.
in Ahmadabad District
. In addition, the community were also involved in the manufacturing of cotton threads. They are a landless community, and with the decline in their traditional occupations, have become daily wage labourers. Like other Gujarati Muslims, they have a caste association, the Panar Jamat, which acts as a community welfare association. The Panar are Sunni Muslim
s, and like other Muslim communities in the state, have been influenced by reformist sects, such as the Deobandi
.
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...
.
History and origin
The word panar in the GujaratiGujarati language
Gujarati is an Indo-Aryan language, and part of the greater Indo-European language family. It is derived from a language called Old Gujarati which is the ancestor language of the modern Gujarati and Rajasthani languages...
language means a weaver, the traditional occupation of the community. They claim to have come 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...
and settled in the city of Patan
Patan, Gujarat
Patan was a capital of Gujarat in medieval times. It is the administrative seat of Patan District in the Indian state of Gujarat and administered by municipality. The city contains many Hindu and Jain temples as well as few mosques, dargahs and rojas...
, the historic capital of Gujarat. During the rule of 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...
Ahmad Shah, they spread all over north Gujarat, and are now found in Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
, Baroda, Mehsana, and Panchmahal. A section of the Panar are also found in the port city of Surat
Surat
Surat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
. They are a Gujarati
Gujarati language
Gujarati is an Indo-Aryan language, and part of the greater Indo-European language family. It is derived from a language called Old Gujarati which is the ancestor language of the modern Gujarati and Rajasthani languages...
speaking community, with many being bilingual in 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...
as well.
Present circumstances
The Panar are endogamous community , practicising both parallel cousin and cross cousin marriages. They are still essentially a community of weavers, particularly those of the town of DholkaDholka
Dholka is a city and municipality in the Ahmedabad District of the Indian state of Gujarat. With an average elevation of , Dholka is considered "India's first municipality".-History:...
in Ahmadabad District
Ahmadabad District
Ahmadabad is a district in Paktia Province, Afghanistan. It is located to the east of Gardez, the provincial capital of Paktia.-Security and Politics:...
. In addition, the community were also involved in the manufacturing of cotton threads. They are a landless community, and with the decline in their traditional occupations, have become daily wage labourers. Like other Gujarati Muslims, they have a caste association, the Panar Jamat, which acts as a community welfare association. The Panar are Sunni Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s, and like other Muslim communities in the state, have been influenced by reformist sects, such as 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:...
.