Sanghar (tribe)
Encyclopedia
The Sanghar are a partly Hindu
and partly Muslim
community found in the state of Gujarat in India
.
community. According to there tradition, the community was nomadic, until the came to an agreement with the rulers of Kutch to settle down. The local word in the Kutchi
language for agreement is sangh, and their initial settlement was at Gandhavi, near Porbandar
. They are now found mainly in Mandvi
taluka of Kutch, where they are found in twelve villages, namely Vandh, Bidada, Pipri, Ratodia, Bhojay, Undot, Khojachora, Asani and Serdi, all along the coast. In addition to these settlements, they are also found in the village of Mota Jakh in Nakhatrana taluka as well as in taluka Abdasa
, and a minority are Sunni Muslim
. They are a community of farmers, with a minority involved in cattle rearing. Many also serve in the Border Security Force
, as their settlements are close to the Pakistan
border.
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...
and partly 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 found in the state of Gujarat 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...
.
History and origin
According their traditions, the community are a branch of the MankaManka (caste)
The Manka are a partly Muslim and partly Hindu community found in the state of Gujarat in India.-History and origin:The Manka are said to get their name from their profession of making manka, which in the Gujrati language, means the making of prayer beads. They claim to be Chavda Rajputs...
community. According to there tradition, the community was nomadic, until the came to an agreement with the rulers of Kutch to settle down. The local word in the Kutchi
Kutchi language
Kachhi Kachhi Kachhi (also spelt Cutchi, Kutchhi or Kachchhi, is an Indo-Aryan Language spoken in the Kutch region of the Indian state of Gujarat as well as in Sindh.- Closely related languages :...
language for agreement is sangh, and their initial settlement was at Gandhavi, near Porbandar
Porbandar
Porbandar is a coastal city in the Indian state of Gujarat, perhaps best known for being the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi and Sudama...
. They are now found mainly in Mandvi
Mandvi
Mandvi is a city and a Municipality in Kachchh district in the Indian state of Gujarat. It was once a major port of the region and summer retreat for Maharao of the Kachchh. The old city had a surrounding fort, and remains of the fort wall can still be seen to this day...
taluka of Kutch, where they are found in twelve villages, namely Vandh, Bidada, Pipri, Ratodia, Bhojay, Undot, Khojachora, Asani and Serdi, all along the coast. In addition to these settlements, they are also found in the village of Mota Jakh in Nakhatrana taluka as well as in taluka Abdasa
Present circumstances
The Sanghar are divided along religious line, with majority being Vishnuvi HinduHindu
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...
, and a minority are Sunni 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...
. They are a community of farmers, with a minority involved in cattle rearing. Many also serve in the Border Security Force
Border Security Force
The Border Security Force is a border patrol agency of the Government of India. Established on December 1, 1965, it is one of the Central Armed Police Forces. Its primary role is to guard India's international borders during peacetime and also prevent transnational crime...
, as their settlements are close to the 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...
border.