Behna
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
•  | |
| Languages | |
| • Urdu • Hindi | |
| Religion | |
•  | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| • Mansoori •Behna |
The Behna (Mansoori) are the Muslim community found in the state of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar pradesh, Bihar, and north India.[1]
History and origin
The word Behna comes from the Sanskrit behn or seed. They were historically the community consists of local converts and foreigners who migrated from outside subcontinent Persia and Afghanistan, and have been involved in the traditional occupation of cotton ginning/trading[8]. Some of Mansoori is converted Muslims and 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 by the Hindu community and it's also mentioned that dhuna, Behna was stated to the Hindu carder not for Muslims.[4] Until some times ago no name in this community as surname, now some people using Pathan/Khan and some using Mansoori as a surname because the ancestor's of this community was Persian Muslims and from Afghanistan.[1] Tipu Sultan (Sultan Fateh Ali Khan Bahadur Tipu) belongs this community.
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 marriage with the same status caste.[2]
[2]Until some times ago no name in this community as surname, now some people using Pathan/Khan and some using Mansoori as a surname because the ancestor's of this community were Persian Muslims and from Afghanistan.
The Mansoori are Sunni Muslim of the Barelvi & Deoband sect. 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.