Dafali

Last updated

The Dafali (called with different names like Sheikh Masoodi / Hashmi/ Mujawir) Masoodi and Dafali are a Muslim community found all over India with the majority being in the state of Uttar Pradesh surname Masoodi. The Government of India reservations programme for poor category they have been categorized in Other Backward Class (OBC) category in Uttar Pradesh. Dafali / Masoodi can be also found in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal.

Contents

Origin

The community have acquired their name from the Hindi and Urdu word Daf, meaning tambourine, which they used to play during wars and marriages in earlier times. They are one of the very few Muslim communities which have been Muslim since the origin, i.e. they are not converts. They played the daf instrument at various Sufi shrines in North India. The community traces its descent to the Sufi saint of Bahraich Syed Salar Masood Ghazi popularly known as Ghazi Mian.

The Dafali are found throughout the country, primarily in Uttar Pradesh, with special concentrations in Pilibhit, Rampur, Moradabad, Sambhal, Badauon, Saharanpur, Kanpur and Bareilly districts in the west, where the community speak Khari boli, while in Awadh, they are found mainly in the districts of Lucknow, Bahraich, Balrampur, Gonda, Shravasti and Sitapur, Basti District, Balrampur, Gonda, Shravasti and Sitapur, Sidharth Nagar District/Sidharthnagar, Allahabad, Pratapgarh, Jaunpur where they known as Hashmi, where the community speak Awadhi and their tribal language 'Madaah'. [1]

Current circumstances

There traditional occupation was playing the daf during wars as well as at various Sufi shrines. Like other Muslim artisan groups, they have seen a decline in their traditional occupation. Many are now engaged in the different occupations including business and farming activities and a good population of the people are engaged in government sector as well in services like Provincial Civil Service and Judiciary.

The community live religious settlements, but occupy their own distinct quarters. Each settlement has a which acts as an instrument of social control, and is headed by "Chaudhary" Who is elected by the community elders, for a term with intra community disputes, as well as punishing those who breach communal norms.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bahraich</span> City in Uttar Pradesh, India

Bahraich is a city and a municipal board in Bahraich district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Located on the Saryu River, a tributary of the Ghaghara river, Bahraich is 125 kilometres north-east of Lucknow, the state capital. The districts of Barabanki, Gonda, Balrampur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Shravasti and Sitapur share boundaries with Bahraich. A factor which makes this town important is the international border shared with Nepal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bahraich district</span> District of Uttar Pradesh in India

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shravasti district</span> District of Uttar Pradesh in India

Shravasti district is one of the districts of the Uttar Pradesh state of India, with Bhinga town as its district headquarters. Shravasti district is a part of Devipatan Division. According to Government of India, it is among the 121 minority concentrated districts in India. It is the fourth most backward district in India, according to the 2018 Niti Aayog ranking. This district is the most poverty stricken district in the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devipatan division</span> Administrative division of Uttar Pradesh, India

Devipatan division is one of the 18 administrative geographical units of the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Currently, the division consists of 4 districts, of which Gonda city is the divisional headquarters:-

Bhinga is a town, Nagar Palika and district headquarter of Shravasti district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Utraula</span> Town in Uttar Pradesh, India

Utraula is a city and a municipal board in Balrampur district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is approximately 90 kilometres from the border with Nepal and 175 km in north east of Lucknow. Utraula is situated near the West Rapti River.

Nanpara is a town & municipal board in Bahraich district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is a region along the Nepal Border and includes tracts of dense forests. It is a city surrounded by many villages.

Salar Masud or Ghazi Miyan was a semi-legendary Muslim figure from India. By the 12th century, he had become reputed as a warrior, and his tomb (dargah) at Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, India, had become a place of pilgrimage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Balrampur district, Uttar Pradesh</span> District of Uttar Pradesh in India

Balrampur district is one of the district of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and is a part of Devipatan division as well as the historic Awadh regions. It has been cut from the adjacent district Gonda in 1997. Located on the banks of the West Rapti River. Balrampur is known for the temple of Pateshwari Devi, a Shakti Pitha, and for the ruins of the nearby ancient city of Sravasti, now a pilgrimage site for Buddhists and Jains. The nearest airport is Shravasti airport 23.3 kilometres (14.5 mi) from the town but it is not an international and regular airport; the nearest international and regular airport is Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow, 235 kilometres (146 mi) away. Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh and is 220 kilometres (140 mi) from Balrampur district headquarters.

Shrawasti Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 80 Lok Sabha (parliamentary) constituencies in Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. This constituency came into existence in 2008 as a part of the implementation of delimitation of parliamentary constituencies based on the recommendations of the Delimitation Commission of India constituted in 2002.

The Khanzada or Khan Zadeh are a cluster community of Muslim Rajputs found in the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. A notable community is the Khanzadas of Mewat, the descendants of Raja Nahar Khan, who are a sub-clan of Jadaun. They refer to themselves as Muslim Rajputs. After the Partition of India in 1947, many members of this community migrated to Pakistan, forming a part of the Muhajir community.

The Bhatti Khanzada of Awadh are a Muslim Rajput community found mainly in the Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh in India. There is also a distinct community of Bhattis found in the village of Yahiapur in Pratapgarh district. The Awadh region covers most of the eastern areas of Uttar Pradesh, and is home to a distinct culture. A small number of Bhatti Muslims are also found in the districts of Bahraich and Balrampur. They are sub-group within the larger Khanzada community of eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Sehba Hussain is an Indian social activist. She is the co-founder and honorary treasurer of Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA) in Lucknow. and founding board member and executive director of Lucknow-based, BETI Foundation, established in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suhaldev</span> Maharaja of Shravasti

Suhaldev was a legendary king from Shravasti town of India. Persian hagiography Mirat-i-Masudi, written in 17th century, popularly mentions him to have defeated and killed the Ghaznavid general Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Masud at Bahraich in 1034 CE. He was killed by Syed Ibrahim, a commander of Salar Masud.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ansari (nesba)</span> Islamic community

Al-Ansari or Ansari is an Arab community, found predominantly in the Arab and South Asian countries. They are descended from the Ansar of Madinah. The Ansari are an Urdu-speaking community also called Muhajir, although the Ansari clan of Gujarat have Gujarati as their mother tongue.

Peerahi are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India.

Bahraich railway station is a main railway station in Bahraich district, Uttar Pradesh, India. Its code is BRK. It serves the city of Bahraich.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bade Purush Dargah</span>

Dargah Bade Purush Baba Dikauli Sharif or Bade Purush Dargah is a dargah (shrine) located at Dikauli village in Shravasti district of Uttar Pradesh, India near Bahraich. It is the dargah of Hazrat Ameer Nasrullah or Nasrullah Shah or Hazrat Saiyyad Nasrullah Gaazi or Mir Nasrullah, who is famously known as Bade Purush or Bade Purukh and Budhwa Baba. Bade Purush is revered by both the Muslims and Hindus.

References

  1. People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part Two edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 398 to 402 Manohar Publications