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Muslim Gujjars

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(Redirected from Sangu dynasty) Ethno-religious group in South Asia

Muslim Gujjars or Musalmān Gujjars (Punjabi: مُسَلمَان گُجَّر) are an ethno-religious group predominantly found in the north-western regions of South Asia. They embraced Islam from the medieval period onwards.

Ethnic group
Muslim Gujjars
Kagan Gujars
Regions with significant populations
Pakistan Pakistan, India India, Afghanistan Afghanistan
Languages
Urdu, Panjabi, Hindi, Gujjari
Religion
Islam
Related ethnic groups
Muslim Rajputs, Jat Muslim

History

Origins

Gujjars are an Indo-Aryan agro-pastoral people or tribe, believed to be of either Hunnic or Scythian origins. They settled in the north-western regions of South Asia around the fourth century where they adopted Indic religions.

Medieval period

Conversions of Gujjars to Islam began in the 11th century with the arrival of Sufi missionaries in the subcontinent. Numerous clans of Gujjars embraced Islam during the time of Shaykh Farid al-Din Masud and his successors. By the 16th century, Islam had become the predominant religion among the Gujjars of Punjab, Kashmir, Khyber Paktunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Sindh, Balochistan and present-day Afghanistan.

Mughal period

The memoirs of Mughal emperors Babur and Jahangir describe the Gujjars as pastoral people engaged in frequent raids and plundering. Sujan Rai writes in the 17th century that the Gujjar tribe of Sarkar Dipalpur was notorious for its refractory and rebellious character.

Following Nadir Shah's invasion of the Mughal Empire, several Gujjar chiefs rose to power in Punjab, Hazara, and Kashmir. Notable among them were the Nawabs of Dera Ghazi Khan, the Rajas of Poonch, and the Muqaddams of Kot Najibullah.

British period

Muslim Gujjars were actively involved in the 1857 uprising against the Company rule, particularly in the Punjab region, and were said to have given "a great deal of trouble" during the Mutiny.

Later, during the British Raj era, they were classified as a martial race and enlisted in class company regiments.

Social organisation

Muslim Gujjars are divided into over 100 clans or gots, which include Khatana, Chechi, Chauhan, Kasana, Paswal, Gorsi, Katariya, Bajar and Kalas.

Demographics

In 1988, it was estimated that Muslim Gujjars constitute 53 percent of the total Gujjar population.

Pakistan

Punjab

Gujjars are mostly found in Punjab province, where they gave their name to cities and towns such as Gujranwala, Gujar Khan and Gujrat, but for economics reasons recently they have emigrated to cities such as Karachi.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Gujjars are also present in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where they're the third largest ethnic groups after the Pashtuns and the Awan, found in the Hazara region as well places like Dir, Swat, and Bajaur, often being conversant in Pashto, the provincial language.

In Swat, Pir Samiullah was a Gujjar community leader who was the first to raise a private tribal army against the Pakistani Taliban, with around 10,000 men, but was eventually defeated and executed by the Taliban in 2008, who then desecrated his dead body by hanging it publicly.

Azad Kashmir

In Azad Kashmir, they are one of the region's largest communities, by some estimates even being considered the single largest group with 800,000 individuals.

Gilgit-Baltistan

In Gilgit-Baltistan, they are primarily settled in Naltar, Ghizer, and Astore. They migrated over a century ago from Swat, Kohistan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Traditionally pastoralists, they rely on farming and livestock rearing, and are known for their unique tradition of carving wooden coffins.

Sindh

Muslim Gujjars are also present in Sindh, with some having migrated from Punjab to cities like Karachi in search of better economic opportunities. Traditionally pastoralists and farmers, many have moved to urban areas in recent years for work.

India

Jammu and Kashmir

The Gujjars of Jammu and Kashmir are a predominantly Muslim community. In Jammu and Kashmir, Gujjars are mostly nomadic, semi-nomadic, and agro-pastoralists.

Gujjars constitute approximately 88% of the total tribal population in Jammu and Kashmir, with an estimated population of around one million, or 8% of the state's total population. They are the third-largest ethnic group in the region, after Kashmiri Muslims and Dogra Hindus. The community is scattered across the state, with the largest concentration in Poonch (40%) and Rajouri (33.1%), while they are absent in the Leh district.

Himachal Pradesh

Muslim Gujjars are found in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh, which borders Jammu and Kashmir and Tibet. The majority of them are nomadic, with a smaller number of settled Muslim Gujjars. Traditionally, they are pastoralists, moving with their livestock across the region's mountainous terrain.

Ladakh

The Muslim Gujjars and Bakarwal communities in Ladakh are traditionally pastoralists, grazing livestock in areas like Rangdum. Recently, disputes over land encroachment and unauthorized construction have arisen. In 2024, the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh intervened to address these issues, including the illegal occupation of grazing land and the ongoing legal dispute over land rights in the region.

Notable people

See also

References

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  17. ""With Friends Like These…" Human Rights Violations in Azad Kashmir". Human Rights Watch. Archived from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
  18. ^ Kalhoro, Zulfiqar Ali (June 21, 2019). "Where the Gujjars Rest". The Friday Time. p. 1. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
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  21. ^ Vishav, Jyothi (2020). "Pastoral Life of Muslim Gujjars: A Study of Life of Gujjar in Mandi District, Himachal Pradesh, India" (PDF). Department of Sociology, G.D.C Darlaghat, District Solan Himachal Pradesh, India. 1 (1): 10.
  22. Rahi, Dr Javaid (2012). "The GUJJARS -Vol : 01 A Book on History and Culture of Gujjar Tribe : Ed Javaid Rahi". Academia. 1 (1): 729.
  23. "Hon'ble Lt Governor Brig (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd) holds meeting to discuss infiltration of Gujjar-Bakarwal in Rangdum. | The Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh | India". Retrieved 2025-01-22.
  24. Excelsior, Daily (2024-06-17). "LG Ladakh addresses grazing dispute in Rangdum areas". Daily Excelsior. Retrieved 2025-01-22.
  25. Staff, The Dispatch (2024-06-16). "LG Mishra discusses infiltration of Gujjar-Bakarwal in Rangdum as Kishtwar violates agreement". Indus Dispatch. Retrieved 2025-01-22.
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  30. Dogra, Anshu (2011-09-16). Controversially Yours. Harper Collins. ISBN 978-93-5029-295-2.
  31. Yasmeen, Samina (2017-10-01). Jihad and Dawah: Evolving Narratives of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamat ud Dawah. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-1-84904-974-0.
  32. ^ Rahi, Javaid (2012-01-01). The Gujjars Vol: 01 and 02 Edited by Dr. Javaid Rahi. Jammu and Kashmir Acacademy of Art, Culture , Languages , Jammu.
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