The Sapuria (sometimes pronounced Sanpuria) are a Muslim community found in the state of West Bengal in India, as well as in Bangladesh. They are also known as Bedia Mal and Sanpui. [1]
The Sapuria are a community whose traditional occupation was snake charming. According to some traditions, they are converts from the Hindu Bedia caste. The Sapuria are said to have gotten their name from the Bengali word for snake which is sanp, and Sapuria literally means snake charmer. They speak a dialect of their own, but most also speak Bengali and are found mainly in the districts of Midnapore, Birbhum, Murshidabad, Howrah, Nadia and 24 Parganas. The Sapuria are also found in Bangladesh. [1]
There are now two distinct sub-groups among the Sapuria, those who still practice their traditional occupation of snake charming, and a small minority who are now cultivators. Both these groups intermarry, but the community as a whole is endogamous. Many Sapuria are still nomadic, and are often employed by local peasants as snake catchers. There encampments are usually found at the end of villages. The community has a fairly strong caste panchayat, that enforces communal rules and resolves intra-community disputes. [1]
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.
The Bangali may refer to a Scheduled Caste found in northern India. They are distinct from the Bengali ethnic group of West Bengal and Bangladesh. The Bangali are one of the many nomadic groupings found in India, and have customs similar to other nomadic communities such as the Kanjar.
The Dom, also known as Domra, Domba, Domaka, Dombara and Dombari, are castes, or groups, scattered across India. Dom were a caste of drummer. According to Tantra scriptures, the Dom were engaged in the occupations of singing and playing music. Historically, they were considered an untouchable caste called the Dalits and their traditional occupation was the disposal and cremation of dead bodies. They are in the list of Scheduled caste for Reservation in India in the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
The Ghosi are a Muslim community found mainly in North India. It is said that originally they were Hindu who got converted to Islam.
The Sapera are a Hindu caste found in North India. They are also known as Barwa Sampheriya in West Bengal, Sapela in Punjab and Sparera in Madhya Pradesh.
Bengali Hindus are an ethnoreligious population who make up the majority in the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jharkhand, and Assam's Barak Valley region. In Bangladesh, they form the largest minority. They are adherents of Hinduism and are native to the Bengal region in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent. Comprising about one-third of the global Bengali population, they are the largest ethnic group among Hindus. Bengali Hindus speak Bengali, which belongs to the Indo-Aryan language family and adhere to Shaktism or Vaishnavism of their native religion Hinduism with some regional deities. There are significant numbers of Bengali-speaking Hindus in different Indian states.
Bede or Bedey, also known as Mon-tong, is an Indo-Aryan nomadic ethnic group of Bangladesh. The Bede traditionally live, travel, and earn their living on the river, which has given them the name of "Water Gypsy" or "River Gypsy". Bedes are similar to European gypsies. They travel in groups and never stay in one place for more than a couple of months. The Bedes are a marginalized group. Historically the Bedes were unable to vote as they did not own land, nor could they apply for banks loan or microcredit for the same reason. This situation persisted until 2008, when they were finally granted the right to vote.
The Nat are a caste found in northern India. Their traditional occupation has been that of entertainers and dancers.
The Bharbhunja are an occupational caste found in North India and Maharashtra. They are also known as Kalenra in Maharashtra. A small number are also found in the Terai region of Nepal.
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 be known as the Rajbanshi Muslims. They are homogeneous with the Koch people and are bilingual, speaking both Bengali and Surjapuri.
The Lodha Muslim are a tribal or Adivasi community found in the state of West Bengal in India. They are a Muslim tribe.
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 Kela are a Hindu community found in the states of Gujarat and Rajasthan in India. They are also known as Dhat Maheshwari.
The Dabgar are a Hindu caste found in the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as Dhalgar and have scheduled caste status in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, while they have Other Backward Class status in Gujarat. In Rajasthan, the community prefer the self-designation is Dhalgar.
The Bedia are a community in India. They believe that they originally lived on Mohdipahar of Hazaribagh district and have descended from the union of Vedbansi prince with a Munda girl. A legend has heard that they had their own 'Vedas' and hence it is called Bediya. Their Veda was different from the Vedas of Aryans, which were destroyed by the Aryans.
Mochi are a community, found in North India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.They are the traditional shoemakers of South Asia.
The Hurkiya are a caste found in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand in India. They have been granted Scheduled Caste status in both these states. In fact, there are two distinct communities that go by the name Hurkiya, those of Uttarakhand, who are Hindu by religion, and those found in western Uttar Pradesh, who are Muslim. Both Hurkiya are of common origin, being a sub-group within the Dom ethnic group, and are one of the many gypsy like grouping found in North India.