Muslim Gaddi
Encyclopedia
The Muslim Gaddi are a Muslim
community found mainly in North India
. After the partition of India
in 1947, the Gaddi of the states of Haryana
and Delhi
migrated to Pakistan
and are now found in the provinces of Punjab
and Sindh
. In Pakistan
, the community is often referred to as Gadi Rajput, and sometimes Gaddi Pathan. A few Gaddi are also found in the Terai
region of Nepal
.
, there are two distinct groups who go by the name Gaddi. In the foothills of the Himalaya, in what are now the states of Himachal Pradesh
and Jammu and Kashmir
resides a Hindu
nomadic community known as the Gaddi. The Muslim Gaddi of North India
is not an alpine
community, but are found in the plains of North India
, distributed in the states of Bihar
, Uttar Pradesh
and Rajasthan
, and have never been nomadic. Prior to the partition of India
in 1947, Muslim Gaddi communities were also found in Haryana
. In fact, it is unclear whether there is any connection between the two groups other than the sharing of a common name.
With regards to the Muslim Gaddi, there are different theories as to their origin. According to some sources, the Gaddi are said to be Gurelbansi Ahir, who were converted to Islam
, during the rule of the Mughal
s, although the exact circumstances of their conversion are unclear. While in Haryana
and Rajasthan
, the Gaddi themselves claim to of Rajput
origin, and those of Bihar
claim Arab
ancestry. The Gaddi in Bihar
and Jharkhand
claim descent from a Sufi saint Gaddi Salahuddin Elahi, and said to arrived in the region in the 19th Century. This is shown by the fact that most Gaddi in Bihar and Jharkhand still speak Bhojpuri
, the language of eastern Uttar Pradesh
, and not the local Sadri
language. According to some other sources, they were the earliest inhabitants of Awadh
, and this region they are often also referred to as Muslim Ahir.
The Gaddi have five sub-divisions, which are the Sadhre, Nyodha, Othi, Badgaia, and Swaetye. Like many other Muslim
s groups in North India
, the Gaddi community is further divided into clans, known as biradaris, which are said to be descended from a common ancestor. Their main biradaris are the Aheer, Ahawar, Bachhar, Bais, Pathan and teli Malik. Marriages are preferred within the biradari. Their hereditary occupation was that of the production and sale of milk, but the Muslim Gaddi of Karnal
and Ambala
in Haryana
, and the Doab
region of western Uttar Pradesh
were and still are mainly peasant
cultivators. The Gaddi speak Urdu
and well as various dialects of Hindi, such as Khari boli in western Uttar Pradesh
, Haryanvi in Pakistan
and Bhojpuri
in Bihar
.
, Madhya Pradesh
, Bihar
, Jharkhand
and Rajasthan
in India and have OBC
status, and the provinces of Punjab
and Sindh
. As consequence of the grant of OBC status, the community is eligible to obtain the benefit of a number of affirmitative action programmes of the Government of India
.
, the Gaddi are a community that has been associated with cattle farming. They are involved in the selling of milk, especially those settled in towns. They have much in common with other pastoral
communities, such the Gujjar
, Ghosi
and Ahir. In addition, the western Uttar Pradesh
, Rajasthan
and Haryana
the Gaddi have always possessed agricultural land, and are a small and medium scale cultivator
s. However, in eastern Uttar Pradesh
, the word Gaddi is almost become synonymous with milk selling.
In Uttar Pradesh, Gaddis are found mainly in the eastern and western regions of the state, in the districts of Allahabad
(on the bank of river Ganges), Aligarh
, Meerut
, Badayun, Badohi, Sitapur, Lakhimpur, Bareilly, and Bahraich
. However, the community is concentrated mainly in western Uttar Pradesh
, in particular the districts of Meerut
, Bulandshahr
and Aligarh
and historically in the neighbouring areas of Haryana
such as Karnal
and Ambala
. The western Uttar Pradesh
Gaddi, like other neighbouring peasant
caste
s have benefited from the effects of the green revolution
, and many have successfully begun mechanizing their farming, such as buying tractors.
The Gaddi are Muslims of the Sunni sect. They are an endogamous
community, practising clan
and village exogamy
in Rajasthan
and Uttar Pradesh
(i.e. not marrying with in 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 caste and multi religious villages, often occupying their own quarters. In western Uttar Pradesh
, the Gaddi are what is often are referred to as the dominant caste, usually making between half and two thirds of the population of the village, and their villages are referred to as Gaddi villages. In Awadh
, Bihar
and Jharkhand
the Gaddi are often one of the occupational castes, and are never numerically dominant. Each of their settlement contains an informal caste association, known as a biradari panchayat. The panchayat is headed by a chaudhary
, a position that is often hereditary within a particular family. Among the duties of the panchayat is the resolving of intra community disputes and punishing those who breach community norms.
Gaddi caste leader is Mr.Allauddin Azad(M.L.A) distic Sawai madhopur rajasthan and -
The Gaddi in Rajasthan
are found mainly in Bundi
, Bharatpur
, and Sawai Madhopur
districts.all most gaddi caste live in sawai Madhopur and gangapur city and coloney 1-(rajeev coloney,gaddi mirzapur, namner and village Mahanandpur(Doyda),pawta. They speak a mixed dialect of Hindi and Urdu, as well as the Marwari
dialect. According to their traditions, they acquired the name Gaddi from their ancestral occupation of cleaning the thrones (Gaddi in Urdu) of the Mughal
Emperors. The community claims to be of Rajput
ancestry that converted to Islam. In Rajasthan, the community consists of small and medium sized farmers. A small number of Gaddi are employed as labourers in the construction industry. The Gaddi of Rajasthan have their own caste
council, the Gaddi Navayung Mandal, which act as institution for social control as well as welfare for the community. Like other Muslim communities in Rajasthan, they are strictly endogamous.
The Gaddi in Bihar
and Jharkhand
claim descent from a Sufi saint Gaddi Salahuddin Elahi. They are said to have emigrated from Uttar Pradesh in the 19th century, and their earliest settlement was Bihar Sharif
. The Gaddi are found in Ranchi
, Dhanbad
, Lohardaga, Chakradharpur, Rohtas
and Jameshedpur. 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 landless, relying on the selling of milk, and are a semi-urban community. A small number of the community have become businessmen and petty traders. The Gaddi have their own caste association, the Bihar Gaddi Anjuman.
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.
and Delhi
Gaddi emigrated to Pakistan, after the independence in 1947. In the Ambala
and Karnal
, the Gaddi were already a community of small cultivators, and they remain so in Pakistan. According to the traditions of the Haryana
Gaddi, they are a Rajput
clan, that is believed to have accepted Islam
during reign of Sultan Mahmood Ghazanwi, and as such the community refers to itself as Gadi Rajputs.The Gaddi are now found mainly in central and south Punjab
, in the districts of Muzaffargarh
, Okara
, Shaikhupura
, Gujranwala
and Nankana Sahib
. They are particularly concentrated in the districts of Gujranwala
and Shaikhupura, and towns of Kot Addu and Kundhya.
The Punjab Gaddi live in multi ethnic villages, but occupy their own distinct quarters. Most Gaddi remain small and medium scale farmers, although a good number also seek in employment in the armed forces and police. Like in India
, most Gaddi settlements contain biradari panchayats, which act as instruments of social control, and they remain strictly endogamous
, preferring to marry close kin, such as parallel cousins. The community speak Haryanvi among themselves, and Punjabi
with the wider community. Most Gaddi also now speak Urdu
, and are Sunni.
The Gaddis of Delhi
and Rajasthan
have settled in Sindh
and are still involved with dairy farming, and are found mainly in the cities of Karachi
, Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas. They speak Haryanvi among themselves and Urdu
with outsiders. Many of those settled in Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas also speak Sindhi
. The Gaddi have set up their own caste
association, the All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Biradri Gaddi Pathan, which has set up community centres and acts a community welfare association.
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 mainly 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...
. After the 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...
in 1947, the Gaddi of 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...
and Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
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...
and are now found in the provinces of Punjab
Punjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
and 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...
. In 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...
, the community is often referred to as Gadi Rajput, and sometimes Gaddi Pathan. A few Gaddi are also found in the Terai
Terai
The Terai is a belt of marshy grasslands, savannas, and forests located south of the outer foothills of the Himalaya, the Siwalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and their tributaries. The Terai belongs to the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion...
region of Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
.
History and origin
There a number of theories as to the origin of the Gaddi community. In South AsiaSouth Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
, there are two distinct groups who go by the name Gaddi. In the foothills of the Himalaya, in what are now the states of Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
and Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...
resides a Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
nomadic community known as the Gaddi. The Muslim Gaddi of 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...
is not an alpine
Alpine
The term alpine refers to the Alps, a European mountain range.Alpine may also refer to:- Geography and geology :* Alpine tundra, the biological community that occurs above the tree line at high altitude...
community, but are found in the plains of 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...
, distributed in the states of Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
, 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...
and Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
, and have never been nomadic. Prior to the 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...
in 1947, Muslim Gaddi communities were also found in 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...
. In fact, it is unclear whether there is any connection between the two groups other than the sharing of a common name.
With regards to the Muslim Gaddi, there are different theories as to their origin. According to some sources, the Gaddi are said to be Gurelbansi Ahir, who were 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 rule of the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
s, although the exact circumstances of their conversion are unclear. While in 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...
and Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
, the Gaddi themselves claim to of 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...
origin, and those of Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
claim Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
ancestry. The Gaddi in Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
and Jharkhand
Jharkhand
Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
claim descent from a Sufi saint Gaddi Salahuddin Elahi, and said to arrived in the region in the 19th Century. This is shown by the fact that most Gaddi in Bihar and Jharkhand still speak Bhojpuri
Bhojpuri language
Bhojpuri is a language spoken in parts of north-central and eastern India. It is spoken in the western part of state of Bihar, the northwestern part of Jharkhand, and the Purvanchal region of Uttar Pradesh , as well as adjoining parts of the Nepal Terai. Bhojpuri is also spoken in Guyana,...
, the language of 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...
, and not the local Sadri
Sadri language
Sadri is a branch of Prakrit language and is regarded as a sister language of Oriya, Bengali and Angika. It is spoken in the Indian states of Jharkhand, Orissa and the north of West Bengal, and in Bangladesh....
language. According to some other sources, they were the earliest inhabitants of Awadh
Awadh
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...
, and this region they are often also referred to as Muslim Ahir.
The Gaddi have five sub-divisions, which are the Sadhre, Nyodha, Othi, Badgaia, and Swaetye. Like many 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...
s groups 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...
, the Gaddi community is further divided into clans, known as biradaris, which are said to be descended from a common ancestor. Their main biradaris are the Aheer, Ahawar, Bachhar, Bais, Pathan and teli Malik. Marriages are preferred within the biradari. Their hereditary occupation was that of the production and sale of milk, but the Muslim Gaddi of Karnal
Karnal District
Karnal district is one of the 21 districts of Haryana state in northern India. Karnal town is the administrative headquarters of the district. Other major towns in this district are Assandh, Gharaunda, Nilokheri, Indri and Uncha Siwana. This district is part of Rohtak Division.-History:Karnal...
and Ambala
Ambala District
Ambala district is one of the 21 districts of Haryana state in India. Ambala town is the administrative headquarters of the district. The district has an area of 1568.85 km².-History:...
in 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...
, and the Doab
Doab
A Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
region 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...
were and still are mainly peasant
Peasant
A peasant is an agricultural worker who generally tend to be poor and homeless-Etymology:The word is derived from 15th century French païsant meaning one from the pays, or countryside, ultimately from the Latin pagus, or outlying administrative district.- Position in society :Peasants typically...
cultivators. The Gaddi speak 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...
and well as various dialects of Hindi, such as Khari boli 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...
, Haryanvi in 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...
and Bhojpuri
Bhojpuri language
Bhojpuri is a language spoken in parts of north-central and eastern India. It is spoken in the western part of state of Bihar, the northwestern part of Jharkhand, and the Purvanchal region of Uttar Pradesh , as well as adjoining parts of the Nepal Terai. Bhojpuri is also spoken in Guyana,...
in Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
.
Present circumstances
The Gaddi are found throughout the states of Uttar PradeshUttar 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...
, Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
, Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
, Jharkhand
Jharkhand
Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
and Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
in India and have OBC
Other Backward Class
The Central Government of India classifies some of its citizens based on their social and economic condition as Scheduled Caste , Scheduled Tribe , and Other Backward Class . The OBC list presented by the commission is dynamic and will change from time to time depending on social, educational and...
status, and the provinces of 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 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...
. As consequence of the grant of OBC status, the community is eligible to obtain the benefit of a number of affirmitative action programmes of the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
.
In India
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 Gaddi are a community that has been associated with cattle farming. They are involved in the selling of milk, especially those settled in towns. They have much in common with other pastoral
Pastoral
The adjective pastoral refers to the lifestyle of pastoralists, such as shepherds herding livestock around open areas of land according to seasons and the changing availability of water and pasturage. It also refers to a genre in literature, art or music that depicts such shepherd life in an...
communities, such the Gujjar
Gujjar
The Gurjar are an ethnic group in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Alternative spellings include Gurjara, Gujar, Gurjjara and Gūrjara. The spelling Gurjara or Gurjar is preferable to the rest....
, Ghosi
Ghosi (tribe)
The Ghosi are a Muslim community found mainly in North India. The meaning of Ghosi is "to shout" as he herds his cattle. They are associated with the occupation cattle rearing and the selling of milk.According to famous British historians H.A. Rose, Ibbetson, Maclagan Ghosi 's are none other than...
and Ahir. In addition, the 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...
, Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
and 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...
the Gaddi have always possessed agricultural land, and are a small and medium scale cultivator
Cultivator
A cultivator is any of several types of farm implement used for secondary tillage. One sense of the name refers to frames with teeth that pierce the soil as they are dragged through it linearly. Another sense refers to machines that use rotary motion of disks or teeth to accomplish a similar result...
s. However, 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...
, the word Gaddi is almost become synonymous with milk selling.
In Uttar Pradesh, Gaddis are found mainly in the eastern and western regions of the state, in the districts of Allahabad
Allahabad District
Allahabad district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Allahabad town is the district headquarters. Allahabad district is a part of Allahabad Division.As of 2011 it is the most populous district of Uttar Pradesh ....
(on the bank of river Ganges), Aligarh
Aligarh District
Aligarh District is a district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Its district seat is located in the city of Aligarh .The Aligarh District belongs to Aligarh Division...
, Meerut
Meerut District
Meerut district , is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Meerut is the district headquarters. Meerut district is a part of Meerut division.-Demographics:...
, Badayun, Badohi, Sitapur, Lakhimpur, Bareilly, and Bahraich
Bahraich District
Bahraich District is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Bahraich town is the district headquarters. Bahraich District is a part of Devipatan Division.-History:...
. However, the community is concentrated 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...
, in particular the districts of Meerut
Meerut District
Meerut district , is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Meerut is the district headquarters. Meerut district is a part of Meerut division.-Demographics:...
, Bulandshahr
Bulandshahr District
Bulandshahar District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. Bulandshahr city is the district headquarters.-Geography:...
and Aligarh
Aligarh District
Aligarh District is a district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Its district seat is located in the city of Aligarh .The Aligarh District belongs to Aligarh Division...
and historically in the neighbouring areas 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...
such as Karnal
Karnal District
Karnal district is one of the 21 districts of Haryana state in northern India. Karnal town is the administrative headquarters of the district. Other major towns in this district are Assandh, Gharaunda, Nilokheri, Indri and Uncha Siwana. This district is part of Rohtak Division.-History:Karnal...
and Ambala
Ambala District
Ambala district is one of the 21 districts of Haryana state in India. Ambala town is the administrative headquarters of the district. The district has an area of 1568.85 km².-History:...
. The 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...
Gaddi, like other neighbouring peasant
Peasant
A peasant is an agricultural worker who generally tend to be poor and homeless-Etymology:The word is derived from 15th century French païsant meaning one from the pays, or countryside, ultimately from the Latin pagus, or outlying administrative district.- Position in society :Peasants typically...
caste
Caste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
s have benefited from the effects of the green revolution
Green Revolution
Green Revolution refers to a series of research, development, and technology transfer initiatives, occurring between the 1940s and the late 1970s, that increased agriculture production around the world, beginning most markedly in the late 1960s....
, and many have successfully begun mechanizing their farming, such as buying tractors.
The Gaddi are Muslims of the Sunni sect. They are an endogamous
Endogamy
Endogamy is the practice of marrying within a specific ethnic group, class, or social group, rejecting others on such basis as being unsuitable for marriage or other close personal relationships. A Greek Orthodox Christian endogamist, for example, would require that a marriage be only with another...
community, practising clan
Clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clan members may be organized around a founding member or apical ancestor. The kinship-based bonds may be symbolical, whereby the clan shares a "stipulated" common ancestor that is a...
and village exogamy
Exogamy
Exogamy is a social arrangement where marriage is allowed only outside of a social group. The social groups define the scope and extent of exogamy, and the rules and enforcement mechanisms that ensure its continuity. In social studies, exogamy is viewed as a combination of two related aspects:...
in Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
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...
(i.e. not marrying with in 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 caste and multi religious villages, often occupying their own quarters. 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...
, the Gaddi are what is often are referred to as the dominant caste, usually making between half and two thirds of the population of the village, and their villages are referred to as Gaddi villages. In Awadh
Awadh
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...
, Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
and Jharkhand
Jharkhand
Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
the Gaddi are often one of the occupational castes, and are never numerically dominant. Each of their settlement contains an informal caste association, known as a biradari panchayat. The panchayat is headed by a chaudhary
Chaudhary
Choudhury is a term in Indo-Aryan languages, literally meaning "holder of four". Traditionally, the term is used as a title indicating the ownership of ancestral land, but in contemporary usage it is often taken as a surname or title....
, a position that is often hereditary within a particular family. Among the duties of the panchayat is the resolving of intra community disputes and punishing those who breach community norms.
Gaddi caste leader is Mr.Allauddin Azad(M.L.A) distic Sawai madhopur rajasthan and -
The Gaddi in Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
are found mainly in Bundi
Bundi district
Bundi District is a district of the state of Rajasthan in western India. The town of Bundi is the district headquarters. It has an area of 5,550 km² and a population of 88,273...
, Bharatpur
Bharatpur district
Bharatpur District is a district of Rajasthan state in western India. The town of Bharatpur is the district headquarters.-History:When Bharatpur was a princely state, it was the only political entity ever to have a Chartreuse colored flag.-Demographics:...
, and Sawai Madhopur
Sawai Madhopur district
Sawai Madhopur District is a district of Rajasthan state in western India. Sawai Madhopur is the chief town and district headquarters. The district has an area of 4500 km², and a population of 1,116,031 with a population density of 248 persons per km²...
districts.all most gaddi caste live in sawai Madhopur and gangapur city and coloney 1-(rajeev coloney,gaddi mirzapur, namner and village Mahanandpur(Doyda),pawta. They speak a mixed dialect of Hindi and Urdu, as well as the Marwari
Marwari language
The Marwari language , also variously Marvari, Marwadi, Marvadi), is spoken in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Marwari is also found in the neighboring state of Gujarat and Haryana and in Eastern Pakistan...
dialect. According to their traditions, they acquired the name Gaddi from their ancestral occupation of cleaning the thrones (Gaddi in Urdu) of the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
Emperors. The community claims to be of 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...
ancestry that converted to Islam. In Rajasthan, the community consists of small and medium sized farmers. A small number of Gaddi are employed as labourers in the construction industry. The Gaddi of Rajasthan have their own caste
Caste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
council, the Gaddi Navayung Mandal, which act as institution for social control as well as welfare for the community. Like other Muslim communities in Rajasthan, they are strictly endogamous.
The Gaddi in Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
and Jharkhand
Jharkhand
Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
claim descent from a Sufi saint Gaddi Salahuddin Elahi. They are said to have emigrated from Uttar Pradesh in the 19th century, and their earliest settlement was Bihar Sharif
Bihar Sharif
Bihar Sri is the district headquarters of Nalanda district in the state of Bihar in eastern India.-History:The ancient Odantpuri University was located here, an important centre for the learning of Buddhism. Odatpuri is center of Buddhist culture...
. The Gaddi are found in Ranchi
Ranchi District
Ranchi district is one of the twenty-four districts of Jharkhand state in eastern India. Ranchi city, the capital of Jharkhand state is the district headquarters.As of 2011 it is the most populous district of Jharkhand .-Origin of name:...
, Dhanbad
Dhanbad District
Dhanbad district is one of the twenty-four districts of Jharkhand state, India, and Dhanbad is the administrative headquarters of this district...
, Lohardaga, Chakradharpur, Rohtas
Rohtas
Rohtas can refer to:*Rohtas, Pakistan, a village located in Rohtas Fort, Pakistan*Rohtas Fort, Pakistan*Rohtas District, a district in Bihar, India*Rohtas Plateau in north-western Bihar...
and Jameshedpur. 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 landless, relying on the selling of milk, and are a semi-urban community. A small number of the community have become businessmen and petty traders. The Gaddi have their own caste association, the Bihar Gaddi Anjuman.
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.
In Pakistan
The HaryanaHaryana
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...
and Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
Gaddi emigrated to Pakistan, after the independence in 1947. In the Ambala
Ambala District
Ambala district is one of the 21 districts of Haryana state in India. Ambala town is the administrative headquarters of the district. The district has an area of 1568.85 km².-History:...
and Karnal
Karnal District
Karnal district is one of the 21 districts of Haryana state in northern India. Karnal town is the administrative headquarters of the district. Other major towns in this district are Assandh, Gharaunda, Nilokheri, Indri and Uncha Siwana. This district is part of Rohtak Division.-History:Karnal...
, the Gaddi were already a community of small cultivators, and they remain so in Pakistan. According to the traditions of the 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...
Gaddi, they are a 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...
clan, that is believed to have accepted Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
during reign of Sultan Mahmood Ghazanwi, and as such the community refers to itself as Gadi Rajputs.The Gaddi are now found mainly in central and south Punjab
Punjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
, in the districts of Muzaffargarh
Muzaffargarh District
Muzaffargarh is a district in the south of the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is part of Saraiki Waseb. It is spread over an area of 8,249 km². Muzaffargarh District lies in the strip between the rivers Chenab and Indus, which pass along the Eastern and Western boundaries respectively of...
, Okara
Okara District
Okara District is a district of Punjab, Pakistan. The Multan Road connects the district capital, Okara with tLahore 110 km away. Okara began as a small town about 40 km from the city of Sahiwal. It later become a city in its own right. According to the 1998 census, the district had a...
, Shaikhupura
Sheikhupura District
Sheikhupura District is a district of Punjab province, Pakistan. Sheikhupura is the headquarters of Sheikhupura District. According to the 1998 census of Pakistan, the district had a population of 3,321,029 of which 25.45% were urban....
, Gujranwala
Gujranwala District
Gujranwala District is a district in Punjab, Pakistan.- History :The village of Asarur which has been identified as the location of Taki, an ancient town, visited by the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsiang contains immense ruins of Buddhist origin...
and Nankana Sahib
Nankana Sahib District
Nankana Sahib is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Nankana Sahib is the principal town of the district. The district of Nankana Sahib is located about 75 kilometres west of Lahore and about 55 kilometres east of Faisalabad.-Administration:The area around Nankana Sahib was formerly a...
. They are particularly concentrated in the districts of Gujranwala
Gujranwala District
Gujranwala District is a district in Punjab, Pakistan.- History :The village of Asarur which has been identified as the location of Taki, an ancient town, visited by the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsiang contains immense ruins of Buddhist origin...
and Shaikhupura, and towns of Kot Addu and Kundhya.
The Punjab Gaddi live in multi ethnic villages, but occupy their own distinct quarters. Most Gaddi remain small and medium scale farmers, although a good number also seek in employment in the armed forces and police. Like 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...
, most Gaddi settlements contain biradari panchayats, which act as instruments of social control, and they remain strictly endogamous
Endogamy
Endogamy is the practice of marrying within a specific ethnic group, class, or social group, rejecting others on such basis as being unsuitable for marriage or other close personal relationships. A Greek Orthodox Christian endogamist, for example, would require that a marriage be only with another...
, preferring to marry close kin, such as parallel cousins. The community speak Haryanvi among themselves, and Punjabi
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
with the wider community. Most Gaddi also now speak 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...
, and are Sunni.
The Gaddis of Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
and Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
have settled in 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...
and are still involved with dairy farming, and are found mainly in the cities of 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...
, Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas. They speak Haryanvi among themselves and 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. Many of those settled in Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas also speak Sindhi
Sindhi language
Sindhi is the language of the Sindh region of Pakistan that is spoken by the Sindhi people. In India, it is among 22 constitutionally recognized languages, where Sindhis are a sizeable minority. It is spoken by 53,410,910 people in Pakistan, according to the national government's Statistics Division...
. The Gaddi have set up their own caste
Caste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
association, the All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Biradri Gaddi Pathan, which has set up community centres and acts a community welfare association.