Muslim Gaddi

Muslim Gaddi

Regions with significant populations
Pakistan • India •
Languages
• Urdu • Khari Boli • Awadhi • Haryanvi •
Religion
Islam
Related ethnic groups
Gaddi

The Muslim Gaddi are a Muslim Rajput community found mainly in northern India. After the partition of India in 1947, many of the Gaddi in the states of Haryana and Delhi migrated to Pakistan and are now found in the provinces of Punjab and Sindh. In Pakistan and North India, community members are called Ghazi. The Gaddi of Bihar claim Arab ancestry.[6] The Ghazi|Gaddi in Bihar and Jharkhand claim descent from a Sufi saint Gaddi Salahuddin Elahi, and said to have arrived in the region in the 19th century.

History and origin

With regards to the Muslim Ghazi, there are different theories as to their origin. The Gaddi of Bihar claim Arab ancestry.^{[citation needed]} The Ghazi|Gaddi in Bihar and Jharkhand claim descent from a Sufi saint Gaddi Salahuddin Elahi, and said to have arrived in the region in the 19th century.^{[citation needed]} This is shown by the fact that most Ghazi|Gaddi in Bihar and Jharkhand still speak Bhojpuri, the language of eastern Uttar Pradesh, and not the local Sadri language.^{[citation needed]} According to some other sources, they were the earliest inhabitants of Awadh, and this region they are often also referred.^{[citation needed]}

The Muslim Gaddi of North India are found in the plains of North India, distributed in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar.^{[citation needed]} Prior to the partition of the subcontinent in 1947, Muslim Gaddi communities were also found in Haryana.^{[citation needed]}

According to some other sources, they were the earliest inhabitants of Awadh, and this region they are often also referred.^{[citation needed]} The Gaddi are found in Ranchi, Dhanbad, Lohardaga, Chakradharpur, Rohtas and Jamshedpur. The Gaddi are strictly endogamous, and practice both cross-cousin and parallel cousin marriages. They speak both Urdu and Bhojpuri. The Gaddi of Bihar are largely relying on the selling of milk, and are a semi-urban community. A small number of the community have become businessmen and traders. The Gaddi have their own clan association, the Bihar Gaddi Anjuman. Some sources say Muslim Gaddi were Rajputs in origin that converted to Islam. The latest comprehensive post-colonial study done on Muslim Gaddis by the Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University of Social Sciences for the purpose of handing out accurate data to the government in 1995 concluded that the Muslim Gaddis were Rajputs in origin. ^{[1] [2]}

Progress of Gaddis in Modern India In Delhi, through the efforts of the late Mr Noor Mohammad (advocate), an All India Gaddi Welfare Association(AIGWA) was founded in the year 1988, with the aim of uniting and the social upliftment of Gaddis from various parts of India. Gaddis have contributed to the development of modern India by effectively taking part in the scientific and technical establishments, medical profession, legal fraternity, and politics of India. Many Gaddis in India have migrated for better educational and financial opportunities to metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad. Many Gaddis have emigrated to western countries in pursuit of better prospects. According to Khalid Rehman Ghazi S/o Late Abdur Rehman Ghazi , A Master Degree holder in History from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi , Indian Muslim Gaddi originated from Turky. He says that the Turkish Gaddi cmmunity came in India during the time of Mehmood Gaznavi as soldiers and ultimately settled in India. This community remain loyal with every ruling class in India. Even they remain loyal to the British Government and today this community have four MLAs in Utter Pradesh.^[3]

A Research Book (in Urdu) on Gaddi casts has been written by Abdul Jabbar Khan Ghazi, A Ghazi|Gaddi Lawyer, discussing all casts and sub casts of Ghazi|Gaddi present in India and Pakistan . The Origin and the initial use of Word "Gaddi" is discussed in detail in the book.^{[citation needed]}

There also exists an alpine hindu nomadic community sharing the same name of Gaddi but they are different and not to be confused as related to each other^[4]

Present circumstances

In India

In North India, the Gaddi are a community that has been associated with farming, mostly cattle. They are involved in the selling of milk, especially those settled in towns. Some owns the huge parts of Land that are earned by hard work of their ancestors. They have much in common with other pastoral communities, In addition, the western Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana the Gaddi have always possessed agricultural land, and are a small and medium scale cultivators. However, in eastern Uttar Pradesh, the word Gaddi is almost become synonymous with milk selling.^{[5][page needed]}

Many Gaddi Muslims, especially younger generations, are moving into fields such as teaching, administration, and healthcare, though challenges remain, including a lack of adequate infrastructure in some regions. Many Gaddi Muslims, especially those in urban centers like Ranchi, Dhanbad, Sambhalpur, Jamshedpur have diversified into more lucrative sectors such as real estate, trade, and large-scale business.

Prominent Businesses

The Rajak Dairy Farm (owned by MD Gulam Mohammad) (in (Bistupur) Jamshedpur) was likely established in the early 20th century as part of Tata Steel's initiatives to contribute to local community welfare and development in the Jamshedpur region. Tata Steel, founded in 1907, had a long history of contributing to the welfare of the local population, not only through industrial jobs but also by investing in rural development. The dairy farm, as part of these efforts, aimed at improving the local economy through modern agricultural practices and providing a reliable source of milk and dairy products to both the town and surrounding rural areas. The prominent clients/customers involved the Center point hotel, the Sonnet in Jamshedpur. The establishment was sold in 2007 to late Billu Kapila and Rajeev Singh Dugal, industrialists who replaced it with to hotels such as Ramada Group and Alcor Hotels, respectively. ^[6]

Another prominent business was established by Saheb Ali in Ranchi, who is real-estate owner in Ranchi and near by cities in Jharkhand, is also a Gaddi community. He owns and runs Hill View Constructions Private Limited, which is registered with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA).

While there is no specific record of any major national-level politician or statesperson identifying explicitly as a Gaddi Muslim, there are several local and regional leaders in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh who may have ancestral ties to Gaddi communities. Some of them have played roles in advocating for the rights and development of Muslims in their states. In Bihar, Gaddi Muslims have historically been involved in local politics, particularly in village panchayats and smaller constituencies. They are often seen as community leaders in their rural areas, though many do not achieve national prominence.

The western Uttar Pradesh Gaddi, like other neighbouring peasant castes have benefited from the effects of the green revolution, and many have successfully begun mechanising their farming, such as buying tractors.^{[7][page needed]}

The Gaddi are Muslims of the Sunni sect, following various denominations such as Hanafi, Barelvi, Deobandi, and even local Folk Islam. They are an endogamous community, practising clan and village exogamy in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh (i.e. not marrying within the clan). Among other Gaddi communities, marriages are preferred within the biradari, and with a marked preference for parallel cousin and cross cousin marriages. The Gaddi tend to reside in multi clan and multi religious villages, often occupying their own quarters. In western Uttar Pradesh, the Gaddi are what is often referred to as the dominant clan, usually making between half and two thirds of the population of the village, and their villages are referred to as Gaddi villages.^{[8][page needed]}

Recent Success in Modern Professions

Tata Steel, which has historically been a major employer in the region, has also been involved in corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects aimed at improving educational access in the region. Tata-run schools and initiatives such as Tata Skills Development Program have contributed to local educational empowerment, including for girls.

Like many other rural Muslim communities in Bihar and Jharkhand, Gaddi Muslims have gradually shifted from traditional occupations like animal husbandry to real-estate prominently, or income-generating activities such as trade, and local businesses. However, like many in the region, they continue to face challenges in terms of economic mobility and access to modern job markets. Education has been a key area of progress. Bihar/Jharkhand, in particular, has seen efforts to increase literacy rates among its Muslim population, including programs targeting rural communities.

The state of girl education among Gaddi Muslims in India is a work in progress, shaped by both challenges and opportunities. While significant strides have been made in improving the enrollment of girls in schools, there are still considerable hurdles to overcome, particularly in terms of early marriage, economic barriers, and cultural norms. The educational challenges and gender disparities for Gaddi Muslim girls are indeed more pronounced in rural areas rather than urban centers like Jamshedpur, Patna, Ranchi, or Bihar's other cities, where educational infrastructure and socio-economic conditions tend to be better.

In Delhi, through the efforts of the late Mr Noor Mohammad (advocate), an All India Gaddi Welfare Association(AIGWA) was founded in the year 1988, with the aim of uniting and the social upliftment of Gaddis from various parts of India. Gaddis have contributed to the development of modern India by effectively taking part in the scientific and technical establishments, medical profession, legal fraternity, and politics of India. Many Gaddis in India have migrated for better educational and financial opportunities to metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad. Many Gaddis have emigrated to western countries in pursuit of better prospects. According to Khalid Rehman Ghazi S/o Late Abdur Rehman Ghazi , A Master Degree holder in History from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi , Indian Muslim Gaddi originated from Turky. He says that the Turkish Gaddi cmmunity came in India during the time of Mehmood Gaznavi as soldiers and ultimately settled in India. This community remain loyal with every ruling class in India. Even they remain loyal to the British Government and today this community have four MLAs in Utter Pradesh.

The positive trends observed in urban areas highlight that with the right combination of community support, Tata Group led initiatives, and increased awareness.^[9]

See also

• Gaddi

References

1. "Caste in India". 1946.
2. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University of Social Sciences (1995). The Post-Colonial Study of Muslim Gaddis (Report). Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University of Social Sciences.
3. 8. Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar National Institute of Social Sciences, Mahu, has conducted a research study on 'Gaddi' (Muslims) caste/community and submitted its report to Madhya Pradesh state Backward Classes commission in 1995. Basically Gaddi people were Rajputs
4. Hāṇḍā, Omacanda (2005). Gaddi Land in Chamba: Its History, Art & Culture : New Light on the Early Wooden Temples. Indus Publishing. pp. 28–32. ISBN 978-8-17387-174-0.
5. Social inequality among Indian Muslims Parvez A. Abbasi Published 1999 by A.C. Brothers in Udaipur .
6. https://www.tatasteel.com/media/10773/tsrds-annual-report-fy19-20_email.pdf
7. Social inequality among Indian Muslims Parvez A. Abbasi Published 1999 by A.C. Brothers in Udaipur .
8. Social inequality among Indian Muslims Parvez A. Abbasi Published 1999 by A.C. Brothers in Udaipur .
9. "All INDIA GADDI SAMAJ".