Pinjara

The Pinjara (Rajasthani: पिंज़ारा (Devanagari) پِنجارہ (Perso-Arabic), Kannada: ಪಿಂಜಾರ ) are a community found in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Rajasthan in India. The terms Pinjara, Mansoori, Behna and Dhunia are used interchangebly in some regions of India whereas in other regions they are separate communities. They are also known as Mansoori, especially in Gujarat, where the name Pinjara is no longer used. The Pinjara is the traditional cotton carder of Central India, just like the Behna are the traditional cotton carders of North India.This community came from Persia and Afghanistan for business purpose of cotton farming and industries. [1][2]

Pinjara
Total population
85,46,428
Regions with significant populations
 India, Pakistan
Languages
• Hindi • Marwari • Marathi • Kannada
Related ethnic groups
• Behna • Mansoori

History and origin

The community originated from local converts to Islam and foreigners who immigrated from Persia Afghanistan and other regions outside Indian subcontinent , and were involved in the traditional occupation of cotton ginning/trading. Some Pinjaras who originated from converts to Islam claim their descent from Rajput . 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. Most of the people of this community used no surname until recent times however most of them have adopted surnames like Khan, Pathan while others use Mansoori as a surname because the ancestor's of this community was Persian Muslims and from Afghanistan.

References
  1. People of India Rajasthan Volume XXXVIII Part Two edited by B.K Lavania, D. K Samanta, S K Mandal & N.N Vyas pages 750 to 755 Popular Prakashan
  2. People of India Maharshtra Volume XXX Part Three edited by B.V Bhanu, B.R Bhatnagar, D.K Bose, V.S Kulkarni and J Sreenath pages 1733- 1737
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