Banjara (Muslim)
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
•  India •  Pakistan
|
|
| Languages | |
| • Urdu • Hindi • Marwari | |
| Religion | |
•  Islam • |
|
| Related ethnic groups | |
| • Banjara • Muker • Shaikh |
The Muslim Banjara or Muslim Lambadi are a Muslim community found in the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh in India. Many members of this community migrated to Pakistan in 1947, and have settled in Karachi and Sindh. They are also known as the Rahmani, especially in Uttar Pradesh, and they use Rahmani as their surname. The Muslim Banjara speak Banjari also called Lambadi language.
The Muslim Banjara are Muslim converts of the larger Banjara community of India. In Uttar Pradesh, the community consists of twelve gotras, the Banel, Omraha, Tikhand, Charuna, Nauni, Kalishingh, and Kakri being the main ones. While in Madhya Pradesh, they have two sub-divisions, the Landhe and the Hundhe. They are said to have immigrated from Rajasthan about 300 to 350 years, and still speak a dialect of Rajasthani.
Another sub-group of the Muslim Banjara are the Baidguar community, who are found mainly in Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradesh, and the neighbouring areas of Nepal. The community is also known as Naik, and are strictly endogamous, not marrying other Banjara groups. Their name is an amalgamation of two communities, the Baid, who were historically involved in carrying grain on pack animals, and the Guars, who were cattle traders. Both the Baid and Guar are clans within the Hindu Banjara community. These two groups merged on their conversion to Islam, but by maintaining community endogamy, have remained distinct from other Banjara groups.
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