Nagar Muslims
Encyclopedia
The Nagar are Muslim
community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh
in India
. They are Muslim
converts from the larger Nagar Brahmin community. The Nagar are also known as Nagar Shaikh.
of Bulandshahr District
was held by the Gujarati or Nagar
prior to the Muslim
conquest of the region in the 11th Century. These Nagar are widespread Brahmin
sub-caste, who have always been connected with the Doab
, the region in which Bulandshahr District
is situated. During the rule of the Mughal
Emperor Aurangzeb
, several families converted to Islam
, and were granted estates. As the Nagar played a key role in the 1857 War of Independce, most of their estates were confiscated. They were led by Sohrab Khan, who set himself up as the independent ruler, taking advantage of the collapse of British
authority.
The Nagar Muslims reside in the ancient town of Ahar, and four neighbouring villages. Ahar is perhaps the most ancient settlement in Bulandshahr District
, and is at the centre of a region where the Nagar Brahmins have been the dominant community for time immemorial. As a landowning community, they suffered from the seizure of their estates in 1857, however many remained small to medium sized landowners. Like other Muslim
communities of similar status, they suffered as a result of the land reforms carried out by the Indian government after independence. The Nagar have never been cultivators, and many in the town of Ahar have sunk into poverty.
Shaikh of Bulandshahr city, a community of similar status. There remains a marked prefrerence to marry close kin, and they practice both cross cousin and parallel cousin marriages. The Nagar are Sunni Muslims, and largely Barelvi
. Their customs are similar to other Shaikh
communities in the Doab
region. The Nagar generally speak standard Urdu
.
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 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...
converts from the larger Nagar Brahmin community. The Nagar are also known as Nagar Shaikh.
Origin
The Ahar parganaPargana
A pargana is a former administrative unit of the Indian subcontinent, used primarily, but not exclusively, by the Muslim kingdoms.Parganas were introduced by the Delhi Sultanate, and the word is of Persian origin. As a revenue unit, a pargana consists of several mouzas, which are the smallest...
of Bulandshahr District
Bulandshahr District
Bulandshahar District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. Bulandshahr city is the district headquarters.-Geography:...
was held by the Gujarati or Nagar
Nagar Brahmins
Nagar Gujarati Brahmins are believed to be one of the oldest of the Brahmin groups.-Overview:Historians suggest that the origin of the Nagars to be Aryan, having immigrated to the Indian plains from Balkh in Central Asia...
prior to the 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...
conquest of the region in the 11th Century. These Nagar are widespread Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
sub-caste, who have always been connected with 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...
, the region in which Bulandshahr District
Bulandshahr District
Bulandshahar District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. Bulandshahr city is the district headquarters.-Geography:...
is situated. 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...
Emperor Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
, several families converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, and were granted estates. As the Nagar played a key role in the 1857 War of Independce, most of their estates were confiscated. They were led by Sohrab Khan, who set himself up as the independent ruler, taking advantage of the collapse of British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
authority.
The Nagar Muslims reside in the ancient town of Ahar, and four neighbouring villages. Ahar is perhaps the most ancient settlement in Bulandshahr District
Bulandshahr District
Bulandshahar District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. Bulandshahr city is the district headquarters.-Geography:...
, and is at the centre of a region where the Nagar Brahmins have been the dominant community for time immemorial. As a landowning community, they suffered from the seizure of their estates in 1857, however many remained small to medium sized landowners. 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...
communities of similar status, they suffered as a result of the land reforms carried out by the Indian government after independence. The Nagar have never been cultivators, and many in the town of Ahar have sunk into poverty.
Present Circumstances
The Nagar are largely endogamous, although there have been a few cases of intermarriage with the BehlimBehlim
The Behlim are a Muslim community found mainly in North India.A small number are also found in the city of Karachi in Pakistan.- Origin :The Behlim trace their descent the Sufi Masud Ghazi, and the word is said to be a corruption of the word ba-ilm, meaning those who are knowledgeable in Arabic...
Shaikh of Bulandshahr city, a community of similar status. There remains a marked prefrerence to marry close kin, and they practice both cross cousin and parallel cousin marriages. The Nagar are Sunni Muslims, and largely Barelvi
Barelvi
Barelvi is a term used for the movement of Sufi , Sunni Islam originating in the Indian subcontinent.The Movement is known as Ahle Sunnat movement to its followers....
. Their customs are similar to other Shaikh
Shaikh 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...
communities in 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. The Nagar generally speak standard 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...
.