Madari
Encyclopedia
The Madari are a Muslim
community found in North India
. They are a community of Muslim
Faqirs.
. His real name was Bazi ul din Shah and was born in Aleppo
in Syria
. The saint is said to still alive, hence his nickname of Zinda Shah or the living king. According to their traditions, Zinda Shah left Syria
some thousand years ago, and settled in the village of Makanpur, after expelling a demon. The Madari were originally an order of faqirs, and were considered beshara, or those who did not follow the shariah law. Over time the followers of the pir
have evolved into a distinct community. The community is found mainly in the states of Haryana
, Punjab
and Uttar Pradesh
. Many people moved to Pakistan
at the time of partition of India
.
However, other sources including the sajjad-nasheen, physical and spiritual descendants of Zinda Shah, claim that Zinda Shah of Makanpur was a Syed, descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Imtiaz Ahmed mentions reasons in his book Lived Islam in South Asia: adaptation, accommodation, and conflict the reason why some orientalists have claimed Zinda Shah to be a Jewish convert and why his Sufi Order has been considered non-Islamic by the orientalists.
The Zinda Shah sajjad-nasheen have Badiuddin Zinda Shah Madar's family tree shows his lineage from Muhammad.
. The community is often associated with the use of monkeys as entertainment, and come for criticism from animal rights activities. They are one of the most marginalized groups in India
, and face much social stigma from other Indian Muslim communities.
The Madari of Uttar Pradesh
are involved in showing monkey and bear dancing. They are found mainly in western Uttar Pradesh
, although the village of Makanpur in eastern Uttar Pradesh
remains the spiritual centre of the community. The community are one of the most marginalized Muslim
community in Uttar Pradesh
.
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 North India
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
. They are a community of 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...
Faqirs.
Origin
The Madari are followers of a celebrated Sufi saint Zinda Shah of Makanpur in AwadhAwadh
Awadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
. His real name was Bazi ul din Shah and was born in Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. The saint is said to still alive, hence his nickname of Zinda Shah or the living king. According to their traditions, Zinda Shah left Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
some thousand years ago, and settled in the village of Makanpur, after expelling a demon. The Madari were originally an order of faqirs, and were considered beshara, or those who did not follow the shariah law. Over time the followers of the pir
Pir
-Finance:Pir may refer to:* Pier 1 Imports Stock symbol NYSE:PIR, a Texas-based retailer specializing in imported home furnishings and decor-Economics:PIR may refer to:* poverty index ratio, a measure of income relative to U.S...
have evolved into a distinct community. The community is found mainly in the states of Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
, Punjab
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
and 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 people moved 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...
at the time of partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
.
However, other sources including the sajjad-nasheen, physical and spiritual descendants of Zinda Shah, claim that Zinda Shah of Makanpur was a Syed, descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Imtiaz Ahmed mentions reasons in his book Lived Islam in South Asia: adaptation, accommodation, and conflict the reason why some orientalists have claimed Zinda Shah to be a Jewish convert and why his Sufi Order has been considered non-Islamic by the orientalists.
The Zinda Shah sajjad-nasheen have Badiuddin Zinda Shah Madar's family tree shows his lineage from Muhammad.
Present circumstances
The Madari community has four sub-divisions, the Sayyid, Shaikh, Mughal and Pathan, each of which is said to represent all the communities the Madari are said to have belonged to before joining the order. They are strictly endogamous, and marry close kin. They are a landless community, leading a nomadic lifestyle. There camps are found at the edges of many and villages in North IndiaNorth India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
. The community is often associated with the use of monkeys as entertainment, and come for criticism from animal rights activities. They are one of the most marginalized groups 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 face much social stigma from other Indian Muslim communities.
The Madari 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...
are involved in showing monkey and bear dancing. They are found mainly in 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...
, although the village of Makanpur in 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...
remains the spiritual centre of the community. The community are one of the most marginalized 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...
community in 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...
.