Jhojha
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 307,700 [1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
•  India •  Pakistan | |
| Languages | |
| • Khari Boli • Urdu • | |
| Religion | |
•  Islam 100% • | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| • Garha • Muley Jat • Ranghar • Muslim Tyagi |
The Jhojha (Hindi: झोझा, Urdu: جھوجھہ) are a Muslim community or caste found in the state of Uttar Pradesh, in India. [2] A few were also found in the Mohali District of Punjab, but they have all emigrated to Pakistan. [3]Some members of the Uttar Pradesh Jhojha migrated to Pakistan in 1947 and have settled in Karachi, Sindh[citation needed].
History and origin
There are a number of traditions as to the origin of the Jhojha community. According to some traditions, the Jhojha are descended from the Hindu Rajput community. According to this traditions, there was an individual by the name of Abdullah Bhati, a Bhati Rajput by caste, who lived in a village near the city of Lahore, in what is now Pakistan, during the rule of the Mughals. He is said to have looked at the royal treasure, as it was being carried to the Mughal Emperor's treasury. This annoyed the Emperor, who chased Abdullah and his clan all the way to the town of Roorkee. When Abdullah and his clan reached Roorkee, the bards of the tribe praised Abdullah, for being so brave as to have resisted the Mughals. They used the term jhujh, which in the local Hindi language, means someone who fights with courage. The word jhujh over time, became Jhojha.[2]
According to other traditions, the Jhojha are, in fact, Mughals, having come to India, with the armies of the Mughal emperor Babar. And some the Jhojha of Rohilkhand claim to be of Turk origin.[4]
Internal Division
The Jhojha have many sub-divisions, the main ones being the Bangarwale, the Khaderwale, the Chaudhary, the Turk, the Boobhna and the Khoja. The Jhojha of Muzaffarnagar District are Bangerwale, those of Saharanpur District belong mainly to the Khaderwale division, and the Bulandshahr District belong to the Chaudhary division. In Rohilkhand, their main divisions are the Turk and Khoja.[5]
Jhojha of Punjab
Jhojhas were also found in Kharar Tehsil of Ambala District, which now forms part of Mohali District of Punjab and the adjoining Basi (Dera Basi) Tehsil of Kalsia State, also now in Mohali District. According to the Punjab Jhojhas, they were by origin Rajputs of Jaisalmer, who were excommunicated from the Rajput community, when they took to cultivation. They are said to have left Saharanpur and to have settled in the Kharar and Dera Basi in the 18th century. The Jhojha community was further divided into a number of clans, known as gots from Sanskrit gotra meaning clan. Among the large gots were the Bhatti, Barah, Chauhan and Taoni, all well known Rajput tribes. Like other East Punjab Muslims, the Jhojhas were forced to leave their homeland at the time of the partition of India in 1947, and have now resettled in Pakistani Punjab. The Jhojha community of Punjab is Punjabi speaking, and are entirely Sunni.[6]
Present Circumstances
The Jhojha are a community made of up of small peasants, concentrated in the Doab region of Uttar Pradesh. They have a village-based caste council, which exercises social control. In terms of religion, they are fairly orthodox Sunni Muslims, and have customs similar to other neighbouring Muslim peasant castes, such as the Kamboh, Garha, and Muley Jat.[2]
The Jhojha have two state wide caste associations, the Tanzim Anjuman Jhojha (Organization of Jhojha associations)and Uttar Pradesh Jhojha Kanyan Sabha.
Distribution
They are mainly found in the districts of Hardwar, Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Rampur, Moradabad, Bulandshahr and Aligarh of Uttar Pradesh.
In the Doab
The majority of the Jhojha are still found in Haridwar District, with the tehsil of [[Roorkee][Laksar]] remaining a stronghold of the tribe.[7] In Muzaffarnagar District, they are concentrated in the tehsil of Jansath, and generally found in the east of the district, while in Bulandshahr District, they are found in villages near the town of Bulandshahr and few villages in Aligarh District.
In Rohilhand
In Rohilkhand, they are found in the districts of Rampur, Bijnor and Moradabad. The Jhojha in Rampur District are found in Swar, Bilaspur and Sadar tehsils.[8] In Moradabad, the jhojha are found in Kunderki, Bilari and Sambhal Tehsil.[9] While in Bijnor District, they are found mainly in Bijnor tehsil, and near the Ganges river.[10]
A small number of Jhojha are also found in Sindh, Pakistan, where they assimilated into other Urdu speaking Muslim peasant castes, such as the Rohilla
See also
References
- ↑ http://www.joshuaproject.net/peoples.php?peo3=17574
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part Two editor K S Singh Manohar 2005 page 638
- ↑ Census of India 1911 Vol 14, Punjab Pt 1, Report Page 458 – 459
- ↑ Hindustani Musalmans and Musalmans of the Eastern Punjab Bourne, W. F. G page 41
- ↑ Tribes and Castes of North Western Provinces and Oudh Volume III by William Crook
- ↑ Census of India 1911 Vol 14, Punjab Pt 1, Report Page 458–459
- ↑ A Gazetteer of Saharanpur District page 110
- ↑ Gazetteer of Rampur state 1911 A.D.page 40-48
- ↑ ,District Gazeteer of the united Provinces of Agra and Oudh 1911
- ↑ A Gazetteer of Bijnor District page 104