Behna
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
•  India | |
| Languages | |
| • Urdu • Hindi | |
| Religion | |
•  Islam 100% • | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| • Mansoori • Behna |
The Mansoori (Mansuri) are an Indian community found in the state of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar pradesh, Bihar, and north India. This community came from Afghanistan for the business purpose of cotton farming and cotton industries and they established industries in many regions.This community belongs from pathans.[1]
History and origin
The community consists of local converts and foreigners who migrated from outside subcontinent, and have been involved in the traditional occupation of cotton ginning/trading.The Mansoori name has given by the Hindu community[8].Some of Mansoori is converted muslim.Those people believes in their original Rajput caste. According to history, they came from Rajasthan to Gujarat at the time of the form of Ran Singh and resided here. Even today, their main caste - Rao, Deora, Chauhan, Bhati, which is also a Rajput clan[2]. The main origin of this community from Afghanistan and some of whose converted Muslim from Rajput's.But they were called Behna, Dhuna, Mansoori, by the Hindu community and it also mentioned that dhuna, Behna, Mansoori was stated to a Hindu carder not for Muslim. After the partition of India and Pakistan Most of them changed their names like Pathan some of them converted into teli[2]. Tipu Sultan belongs from this community, [4]Until some time ago no name in this community as surname now some people using Pathan and some of using Mansoori as a surname but they can use pathan as their ancestor's was pathans.[1]
The community is concentrated in the Awadh and Rohilkhand regions, with those in Awadh speaking both Urdu and Awadhi, and those in Rohilkhand speaking Khari boli. In Rohilkhand, the community is found mainly in the districts of Bareilly, Bijnor, Moradabad, and Rampur. While in Awadh, they are found in the districts of Sitapur, Hardoi, Kheri, Lucknow, Barabanki, Bahraich, Faizabad and Gonda. .[1]
Present circumstances
Their historical traditional occupation of cotton carding was affected by industrialisation, therefore many adopted manufacturing. They are successful businessmen.
This community are no longer as cotton carder and cotton industrialists.They entered in different different sectors and getting well educations.They allow marriages in their own caste some times they can allow with the same status caste.[2]
[2] Until some time ago no name in this community as surname now some people using Pathan and some of using mansoori as a surname but they can use pathan also as their ancestor's was pathan.
The Mansoori are Sunni Muslim of the Barelvi Deobandsect. They speak Urdu, and various dialects of Hindi. Their customs are similar to other Uttar Pradesh Muslims.[3]
Many members of this community migrated to Pakistan in 1947 and have settled in Karachi and Sindh.