Muslim Bansphor

Bansphor Musalman
Total population
(300 [1])
Regions with significant populations
•  India
Languages
• Urdu • Awadhi • Khari Boli
Religion
• Islam 100% •
Related ethnic groups
• Bansphor • Dom

The Muslim Bansphor are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are Muslim converts from the Hindu Bansphor caste.[2]

Origin

The Bansphor are a sub-division of the Dom community, who have taken to the manufacture of bamboo furniture. Little is known about the exact circumstances of the conversion of some groups of Bansphor to Islam. The fact they are found mainly in the Doab and Rohilkhand, both regions with large Muslim populations. In Moradabad District, where large scale conversion of the Dom community took place, it is not surprising then to find the largest concentration of Muslim Bansphor. They speak Khari Boli, although many also speak Urdu.[3]

Present circumstances

The Bansphor practice strict community endogamy, and like other neighbouring Muslim groups, have a preference of marrying close kin. They practice both parallel cousin and cross cousin marriages. Although the Bansphor live in multi-caste villages, but occupy their own distinct quarters, and there is little interaction with neighbouring Muslim groups such as the Ranghar, Shaikh and Ansari. Each of their settlement contains an informal caste council, known as a panchayat. The panchayat is headed by a chaudhary, a position which is heredity. In addition, there is an overarching panchayat of between three and four villages, which headed by a chaudhary. The panchayat resolves any intra-community dispute, as well as acting an instrument of social control. They Bansphor are Sunni Muslims, but incorporate many folk beliefs.[4]

The Bansphor are still involved in their traditional occupation, which is the manufacture of Bamboo furniture. These are then sold at the local market. A significant number of Bansphor are agricultural labourers, while other often migrating to Mumbai and Delhi to work as daily wage labourers. The Bansphor are among a group of Muslim communities in Uttar Pradesh, who live an extremely marginal economic existence. Unlike other groups, they have not been granted Other Backward Class status, which would have made them eligible for government affirmative action programmes.

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.joshuaproject.net/countries.php?rog3=IN
  2. ↑ People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part One edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 172 to 176 Manohar Publications
  3. ↑ Tribes and Castes of North Western Provinces and Oudh Volume I by William Crook pages 168 to 173
  4. ↑ People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part One edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 172 to 176 Manohar Publications
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