Muchis

Muchis, are people of indigenous origin and are also called Rishi or Ruidas. They mainly found in the India and Bangladesh. They are also called Chamar in other parts of India.

Muchi
Regions with significant populations
Languages
Religion
Hinduism, Matua and Islam

History

Muchi Chamars are one of the untouchable classes and historically a leather worker community of the region. In 1881 census of India, Muchi first came into existence by changing their name from Chamar to Rishi and then Muchi.[1]

Muchis started bringing reforms since 18th century and a lot of them got involved in social upliftment of their community. From changing name to adopting cleanest professions they did alot to sanskritization of Muchis. They used to practice para (neighbourhood) exogamy and caste endogamy.[2] Muchis are followers of Ravidas they too influenced from teachings of Kartabhaja, a sufi sect and Panchu Ruidas, became one of the disciples of Aulchand.[3] In, late 1800s, Muchis also adopted teachings of Matua Mahasangha founded by Harichand Thakur.[4]

They are one of the most suffered community of Bengal due to 1947 which resulted in division of India and Pakistan, War of 1971 which led to persecution of many Bengali communities by Pakistani govt. and finally after Islamization period of Bangaldesh which resulted in sidelining of alot of Hindu communities. Most of them came and settled in West Bengal, Assam and Tripura states of India.[5][6]

Due to rapid industrialization and fall of trade Muchis started working as labourers, basket makers, drummers and agriculturists.[7]In Kolkata rise of Chinese settlers and their involvement i to leather tanning and business completely sidelined the Muchis.[8]

Distribution

Muchis are mainly populated in state of West Bengal where they numbered 995,756 in the 2001 census and were 5.4 per cent of the Scheduled Caste population and also form a tiny population in Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Manipur, Jharkhand and Odisha. Among, 47.0 percent of the Muchis were literate in 2001 Census of India which increased to 60.04 percent in 2011 Census of India.[9][10]

Around, 51.39 percent of the total population is still dependent on agriculture in West Bengal.[11]

References
  1. Zene, Dr Cosimo; Zene, Cosimo (8 April 2014). The Rishi of Bangladesh: A History of Christian Dialogue. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-136-86146-8.
  2. Ganguly-Scrase, Ruchira (2001). Global Issues, Local Contexts: The Rabi Das of West Bengal. Orient Blackswan. ISBN 978-81-250-1987-9.
  3. Mukherjee, Sujata (5 January 2017), "Western Medicine, Hospitals, and Female Health in Nineteenth-Century Bengal", Gender, Medicine, and Society in Colonial India, Oxford University Press, pp. 1–37, ISBN 978-0-19-946822-5, retrieved 24 May 2020
  4. Biswas, A. K. (29 November 2016). "Bengal's unsung Namasudra movement". Forward Press. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  5. "How the Dalits of Bengal Became the 'Worst Victims' of Partition". thewire.in. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  6. "Oppressed Dalits of Bangladesh fight for their future". The Independent. 20 December 2008. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  7. Sen, Sukla; Sen, Jyotirmoy (1989). Evolution of Rural Settlements in West Bengal, 1850-1985: A Case Study. Daya Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-7035-056-9.
  8. Ember, Melvin; Ember, Carol R.; Skoggard, Ian (30 November 2004). Encyclopedia of Diasporas: Immigrant and Refugee Cultures Around the World. Volume I: Overviews and Topics; Volume II: Diaspora Communities. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-0-306-48321-9.
  9. "West Bengal, Census of India 2001, Data Highlights – The Scheduled Castes" (PDF). Office of the Registrar General, India. Retrieved 28 June 2009.
  10. "Ministry of Social Justice" (PDF). socialjustice.nic.in.
  11. "Is There A Second Wave of Dalit Upsurge in West Bengal?". Economic and Political Weekly: 7–8. 5 June 2015.


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