The Malik (Urdu: ملك,Gujarati: માલિક) are a Muslim teli malik community found in the state of Gujarat in India [1] Many members of Malik clan have migrated to Pakistan after independence have settled in Karachi, Sindh.
Contents |
The community claims descent from teli malik Kali Bachan, a warrior in the army of Alauddin Khilji. This Kali Bachan converted to Islam, and was given the title Malikayo Azorn, with the rights to collect taxes. These rights were confirmed by the British colonial authorities on his descendents. They were a community of petty feudal lords in the Kheda District.The word malik in Arabic means lord or master.[2]
The teli Malik are now distributed in twenty seven villages, the main ones being Sandheli, Saloon, Sanadra, Vangroli, Nanadra and Vanoda in the Thasra taluka of Kheda District. They remain a land owning community, with very few being landless. Many have now also migrated to the towns and cities of Gujarat from their traditional home land. The community have a caste association known as the Baragaon Malik Samaj, with deals with the welfare of the community. They are Gujarati speaking community, with customs similar to other converted Muslim Rajput groups such as the Miyana, Nayak and Molesalam Rajput.[3]