Different Languages in Pathan Community Pashto-speaking communities There are a large number of Pashto-speaking Pakhtuns in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Although their exact numbers are hard to determine, it is at least in excess of 100,000 for it is known that in 1954 over 100,000 nomadic Pakhtuns living in Kashmir Valley were granted Indian citizenship. Today jirgas are frequently held. Those settled and living in the Kashmir Valley speak Pashto, and are found chiefly in the southwest of the valley, where Pashtun colonies have from time to time been founded. The most interesting are the Kukikhel Afridis of Dramghaihama, who retain all the old customs and speak Pashto. They wear colorful dress and carry swords and shields. The Afridis and the Machipurians, who belong to the Yusufzai tribe, are liable to military service, in return for which they hold certain villages free of revenue. The Pashtuns chiefly came in under the Durranis, but many were brought by Maharajah Gulab Singh for service on the frontier.Pashto is also spoken in two villages, Dhakki and Changnar (Chaknot), located on the Line of Control in Kupwara District. In response to demand by the Pashtun community living in the state, Kashir TV has recently launched a series of Pushto-language programs. A further small, scattered Pashtun population still exists in some major cities of India with large Muslim populations, with the majority of Pashto-speaking individuals residing in the states of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh India; who also have adopted local languages of the respective areas they live in, as their second language. These Pathans, numbering around 14,161, have retained the use of the Pashto language and are still able to speak and understand it. This is partially because until recently, most of these Indian Pashtuns were able to travel to Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Urdu-speaking communities The larger number of people claiming Pashtun ancestry in India is Urdu-speaking. Despite the loss of most of the Raj-era Pashtun population, India still has a large community of Urdu-speaking Muslims who trace their ancestry to ancient Pashtun invaders and settlers. They are often referred by the Hindustani pronunciation of the word Pashtun, "Pathan". Major Indian Pathan tribes lived in the following areas. While many persons belonging to these tribes moved to the Afghan-Pakistan border, others chose to stay and thus, descendants of these tribes still reside in the parts of India listed below: • Tareens or Tarins, properly, in Sarai Tareen, a small town in the city Sambhal of Uttar Pradesh • Kheshgis , Barakzai ,yousafzais and Momandsin Khurja,a small town in District Bulandshahre which lies in close proximity to New Delhi.Here the Pathans are still exercising their supreme control in every aspects of administration and civil life.The Pathans of this area have served in ministries and major institutions of higher learning, not only in India but in West too .They have there separate authentic shajrah and they numbered roughly 30 pure blood families only(Reference to latest Demographic survey conducted by Government of India in 2011 A.D).Pathans in Khurja never marry outside their clan(up to 1974) and this led to the preservence of their blue blood.Their alliance is with the Pathans of Bara-Basti(12 villages of pathans belonging to specific tribe in the district bulandshahre)Pushtuns of this area are largely considered as "Lord Protector" or the "Savior of the Faith".Having advanced education their migration to West continuous regularly.Their importance is characterized by the fact that they are Pakhtuns as well as Farsiban too.Though the Pashto speaking population has become few in no., still u can find people talking in word class farsi.Pathans of this area considered Pashtunwali as their chief asset and abide by it strongly.Kheshgi are the most prominent tribe in this area and are only exclusive to Khurja only after KPK and Afghanistan • Rohillas in the Rohilkhand region of Uttar Pradesh • Bangashes in Farrukhabad District in Uttar Pradesh and the towns of Kasganj and Kaimganj of Etah District • Dilazaks in Village Shahjahanpur in Meerat ghar road Uttar Pradesh, dilazai in Andhra Pradesh, Bari in Rajistan, Jalandhar (punjab, Azeem Khail(Pathan Kot) Jammu and Kashmir and Wesht Bengal. • Marwats in Aurangabad in Maharashtra, Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh and Bhopal • Yousafzais in Baroda in Gujarat, and Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh • Tonkia Pathan, a community mainly of Yousafzai descent found in Tonk, and other districts of Rajasthan • Sorgar community of Rajasthan also claims Pashtun ancestry. • Mianas in Southern India • Lodhis and Suris of North India • Lodhis, Yousafzai and Suris of Bihar • Pathans of Gujarat are a distinct community within the larger community of the Pathans of India. They belonge mainly to the Babi, Lohani, Mandori, Yousafzai and Zadrantribes. It is significant to note that a large part of above Pathan diaspora have naturalized themselves in the local culture over the centuries. The term "Pathan" does not refer exclusively and specifically to these Indian Pashtun descendants. Historically the term was used mainly to refer to Pashtuns in general by mainstream Indians Muslims included. Most Pashtuns, however, find the term to be insensitive and prefer to be called by their native label.
Posted on: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 07:39:19 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015