Baghban

Bagban

Bagban Educational Conference 2007 at Aurangabad Maharashtra
Languages
Urdu •
Religion
Islam
Related ethnic groups
Kunjra • Kabaria • Rayeens • Arain• Arain (tribe) • Arain of Delhi • Maliar • Rayee

The Bagban are a Muslim community, found in North India and in Pakistan. In the Deccan region they are known as Bagwan.

The Bagban are a community of vegetable growers, and according to some traditions are a branch of the Kunjra community. Baghban literally means gardener in Persian and Urdu languages. The term is exactly the same as the Urdu term Mali, which also means gardener, and is the name of a well known Hindu caste Mali.

The Bagban have three sub-division, the Kachhi, Murao and Mali suggesting that they are Muslim converts from these three communities. According to their own traditions, their ancestors belonged to the Arain (tribe) of Punjab, who emigrated during the period of Mughal rule over India. However, the Rayeen, another community of Arain descent reject this claim of the Baghban.

The Bagban are a community of farmers, growing and selling vegetables. They grow potatoes, onions and other seasonal vegetables. Their landholdings are small, and many are sharecroppers. The Bagban are thus distinct from the Kunjra, who are a landless community.

The Bagban have a formal community association, the Bagban Mohammadi Imdadi Association (Bagban Muslim Welfare Association). This community association campaigns on behalf of the Bagban community, and has replaced the traditional community council. They are an endogamous community, with all three sub-communities marrying each other. The Bagban are concentrated in the Awadh region, found mainly in the districts of Allahabad, Bahraich, Barabanki, Faizabad. Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Lukhnow, Sitapur and Sultanpur. They are also found in Bhusawal in Madhya Pradesh. They speak Awadhi among themselves, and Urdu with other communities. Many members of this community migrated to Pakistan in 1947 and have settled in Karachi and Sindh.