Muchis

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Muchi
Regions with significant populations
Languages
Religion
Hinduism, Matua and Islam

Muchi are people of indigenous origin and are also called Rishi or Ruidas. They mainly found in the India and Bangladesh.

Contents

History

Muchi Chamars

Muchi Chamars are one of the untouchable classes and are historically a leather working community. In 1881 census of India, Muchi first came into existence by changing their name from Chamar to Rishi and then Muchi. [1] They are also called 'Semi Hinduized Aboriginal Tribes' in the Chotanagpur and Santhal Paragana. [2]

Muchis started bringing reform movements since the 18th century and a lot of them got involved in social upliftment of their community. From changing their name to adopting the cleanest professions they did a lot to sanskritization of Muchis. They used to practice para (neighbourhood) exogamy and caste endogamy. [3] There are two main divisions : Bara-bhagiya who are mostly cultivator and Chhota-bhagiya who are mainly musician, deals in hide and cobbling. The widows can remarry and married woman can divorce with the consultation of caste panchayat and its head called 'paramanik'. [4]

Muchis are followers of Guru Ravidas and All India Ravidas Mahasabha was formed in 1928 at Calcutta by Jagjivan Ram (former Deputy PM of India and fellow Chamar of Bihar) and its first conference was held there in 1934. [5]

They are also influenced by the teachings of Kartabhaja, a Sufi sect and Panchu Ruidas, who became one of the disciples of Aulchand. [6] In, late 1800s, some Muchis also adopted teachings of Matua Mahasangha founded by Harichand Thakur. [7]

Present condition

They are one of the most suffered community of Bengal due to 1947 which resulted in the division of India and Pakistan, War of 1971 which led to the persecution of many Bengali communities by Pakistani government, and finally after Islamization period of Bangladesh which resulted in sidelining of a lot of Hindu communities. Most of them came and settled in West Bengal, Assam and Tripura states of India. [8] [9]

Due to rapid industrialization and fall of leather business, Muchis started working as labourers, basket makers, drummers and agriculturists. [10] In Kolkata, after the rise of Chinese settlers and their involvement into leather tanning and business completely sidelined the Muchis. [11]

Distribution

Muchis are mainly populated in the state of West Bengal where they numbered 995,756 in the 2001 census and were 5.4 per cent of the Scheduled Caste population and also form a tiny population in Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Manipur, Jharkhand and Odisha. Among, 47.0 percent of the Muchis were literate in 2001 Census of India which increased to 60.04 percent in 2011 Census of India. [12] [13]

Around, 51.39 percent of the total population is still dependent on agriculture in West Bengal. [14]

Notable people

• Dr. Mono Mohan Das, former MP, minister and member of Constituent Assembly of India

• Abhinas Ruidas, Indian footballer

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References

  1. ↑ Zene, Dr Cosimo; Zene, Cosimo (8 April 2014). The Rishi of Bangladesh: A History of Christian Dialogue. Routledge. ISBN   978-1-136-86146-8.
  2. ↑ Wyatt, Andrew; Zavos, John (23 November 2004). Decentring the Indian Nation. Routledge. ISBN   978-1-135-76168-4.
  3. ↑ Ganguly-Scrase, Ruchira (2001). Global Issues, Local Contexts: The Rabi Das of West Bengal. Orient Blackswan. ISBN   978-81-250-1987-9.
  4. ↑ Risley, Sir Herbert Hope (1892). The Tribes and Castes of Bengal. Printed at the Bengal secretariat Press.
  5. ↑ Kshīrasāgara, Rāmacandra (1994). Dalit Movement in India and Its Leaders, 1857-1956. M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. ISBN   978-81-85880-43-3.
  6. ↑ Mukherjee, Sujata (5 January 2017), "Western Medicine, Hospitals, and Female Health in Nineteenth-Century Bengal", Gender, Medicine, and Society in Colonial India, Oxford University Press, pp. 1–37, doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199468225.003.0001, ISBN   978-0-19-946822-5
  7. ↑ Biswas, A. K. (29 November 2016). "Bengal's unsung Namasudra movement". Forward Press. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  8. ↑ "How the Dalits of Bengal Became the 'Worst Victims' of Partition". thewire.in. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  9. ↑ "Oppressed Dalits of Bangladesh fight for their future". The Independent. 20 December 2008. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  10. ↑ Sen, Sukla; Sen, Jyotirmoy (1989). Evolution of Rural Settlements in West Bengal, 1850-1985: A Case Study. Daya Publishing House. ISBN   978-81-7035-056-9.
  11. ↑ Ember, Melvin; Ember, Carol R.; Skoggard, Ian (30 November 2004). Encyclopedia of Diasporas: Immigrant and Refugee Cultures Around the World. Volume I: Overviews and Topics; Volume II: Diaspora Communities. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN   978-0-306-48321-9.
  12. ↑ "West Bengal, Census of India 2001, Data Highlights – The Scheduled Castes" (PDF). Office of the Registrar General, India. Retrieved 28 June 2009.
  13. ↑ "Ministry of Social Justice" (PDF). socialjustice.nic.in.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ↑ "Is There A Second Wave of Dalit Upsurge in West Bengal?". Economic and Political Weekly: 7–8. 5 June 2015.
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