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The Patua are an artisan community found in the state of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha in India and parts of Bangladesh. Some Patuas are Hindus, while others are Muslims. Hindu Patuas are active in the Kalighat and Kumartuli regions of Calcutta, along with some other parts of West Bengal, where they are reduced in number. It is believed that most Patuas are actually converts from Hinduism to Islam. Today, they practice customs that are both Hindu and Islamic in nature. They may have also been Buddhist at various points in time. Today, however, the majority of them are impoverished Muslims who rely on patronage from mainly Hindus, but also increasingly from tourists who buy their painted scrolls, as Frank J. Korom has described and analysed in his book Village of Painters: Narrative Scrolls from West Bengal.
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The Tadvi Bhil is a tribal community found in the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan in India. They are from the larger Bhil ethnic group, and are a clan of it. They use the surname Tadvi or sometimes the name of their Kul or Gan; the Dhankas of Gujarat and Maharashtra use Tadvi or Tetariya.
The Thakurai are a Muslim Rajput community found in the state of Bihar in India. They are mostly concentrated around [East and West Champaran District ] the surrounding region. A small number are also found in the Terai region of Nepal.
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The Faqir are a Muslim ethnic group in India. They are also known as Syed, Alwi, Shah, Sain Pir, Dewan Saheb, Miya Shah, Shah Saheb, Dewan Baba in India, Shah is now their preferred self-designation and in West Bengal they are called as Faqirbaba. Faqirs cast of Syed community is evident in the Deccan Region of Telangana State. Since the people of this community are the descendants of Sufi Saints belonging to Syeds lineage, is traced to Ali, so they are called as Syed, Shah, Mir, Shah-Diwan and by other surnames. They are also venerated as pir or peer saheb. Some Muslims also visit the holy shrines of Sufi Saint or peer fakir. They are respected in Muslims like Brahmins in Hindus. Some live in the Terai region of Nepal.
The Chhaparband are a Muslim community found in the states of Karnataka and Maharashtra in India. They are Muslim converts from the Chhaparband community.
The Nashya Shaikh or Nashya Sekh is a Muslim community found in northern parts of the state of West Bengal in India. They are culturally and linguistically similar to both people of northern Bangladesh and Goalpara of Assam. A small number of the community are also found in the neighboring state of Bihar, where they are known as the Bengali Shaikh. The group is descended from a set of tribals which were collectively referred to as Koches, who converted to Islam as they were unable to find a favourable position in Hindu society and came to known as the Rajbanshi Muslims. They are homogeneous with the Koch people and are bi-linguistic speaking both Bengali language and Surjapuri language.
The Tuntia, or sometimes pronounced Tutia, is a Muslim community found in the state of West Bengal in India. They are also known as Tute and are a community of Bengali-speaking peasant farmers.
The Kahar is community found in north east India and Bangladesh. They are a community of palanquin bearers and agriculturists, from the Hindu Kahar caste. The Kahar are also known as Sardars, especially in Murshidabad District.
The Kan, also known as Khalifa, are a Muslim community native to Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal.
The Mal Muslims are a Muslim community found in north east India and Bangladesh. They are a Muslim converts from the Hindu Mal caste. The community is also known as Besati Mal or Churiwala. Mal Muslim are listed as Other Backward Classes by the Government of India and Government of West Bengal.
The Nekari are a Muslim community found in north east India.
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Nirdhi Bhil or sometimes pronounced as Nilde Bhil are a Muslimcommunity found mainly at the base of the Satmalas hills in the Jamner and Pachora subdivisions of Jalgaon District in Maharashtra, India. They are Adivasi, being one of the main sub-groups within the larger Bhil tribe. Their customs are similar to other Muslim Bhil sub-groups, and there are cases of intermarriage between the two groups. However, the two groups are geographically divided. Little is known as to the exact circumstances as to their conversion to Islam, but like the some bhil, it is said to have occurred during the rule of the Faruki kings. Satmalas hills formed part of the territory the Faruqi kingdom, a medieval state in central India. A close association had developed between the Bhil of this region, and the Faruqi state led to the conversion of many of them to Islam.
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