Zamindara
Encyclopedia
The 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
.
community. Zamindara in Urdu
means a landowner or cultivator, and was a name given to a community of diverse origin in what is now eastern Uttar Pradesh
. The Zamindara are said to descend from Brahmin
and Rajput
groups that converted to Islam
, during the period of Sharqi rule over what is now eastern Uttar Pradesh
. Many Zamindaras were substantial landowners, and reference is made to this community in the Ain-i-Akbari
, as the landowmers of Nizamabad
.
, particularly in and around the town of Nizamabad
, as well as occupying several villages near Deogaon. They are essentially a community of cultivators, and many were large landowners, prior to the abolishment of the Zamindar
i system. Like other Muslim
peasant castes, such as the Shaikhzada
and Jhojha
of western Uttar Pradesh
, they are strictly endogamous. They speak Bhojpuri among themselves, but Urdu
with outsiders.
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 Rautara. Many members of Zamindara community have migrated 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...
after independence have settled in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, 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...
.
History and origin
The Zamindara claim to be sub-group with in 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...
community. Zamindara 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...
means a landowner or cultivator, and was a name given to a community of diverse origin in what is now 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...
. The Zamindara are said to descend from Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
and 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...
groups that converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, during the period of Sharqi rule over what is now 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...
. Many Zamindaras were substantial landowners, and reference is made to this community in the Ain-i-Akbari
Ain-i-Akbari
The Ain-i-Akbari or the "Institutes of Akbar", is a 16th century, detailed document recording the administration of emperor Akbar's empire, written by his vizier, Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak...
, as the landowmers of Nizamabad
Nizamabad, Uttar Pradesh
Nizamabad is a town and a nagar panchayat in Azamgarh district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Geography:Nizamabad is located at . It has an average elevation of 72 metres .-Demographics:...
.
Present circumstances
The Zamindara are concentrated in Azamgarh DistrictAzamgarh 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...
, particularly in and around the town of Nizamabad
Nizamabad, Uttar Pradesh
Nizamabad is a town and a nagar panchayat in Azamgarh district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Geography:Nizamabad is located at . It has an average elevation of 72 metres .-Demographics:...
, as well as occupying several villages near Deogaon. They are essentially a community of cultivators, and many were large landowners, prior to 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. Like 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...
peasant castes, such as the Shaikhzada
Shaikhzada
The 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:...
and 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:...
of 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 strictly endogamous. They speak Bhojpuri among themselves, but 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...
with outsiders.