Kunjra
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| (31,000) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
•  Pakistan •  India
|
|
| Languages | |
| • Urdu • Khari Boli • Awadhi • Bhojpuri | |
| Religion | |
•  Islam 100% • |
|
| Related ethnic groups | |
| • Kabaria • Baghban |
The Kunjra (pronounced as Kunjrda or Kunjda ) are a Muslim community found in North India, and Central India.
The Kunjra are a community associated with green grocing, who sell mainly vegetable and fruits. The name of the community is derived from Arabic word kunj, which means a group of warrior . The now prefer to call themselves kunjas, and claim their migration from the Kunja mountains in Arabia. According to Gazetteet Punjab, they are known to be the descendants of Raja Kunjpal, the Raja of Kunjah town lies in the Gujrat district of Punjab province, that is now in Pakistan.
There are social divisions within the community, such as Jaunpuria, Mirzapuria and Purbia. In Awadh, the Rayeen Kunjra now form a distinct endogamous group. Unlike other Kunjra groups, the Rayeen are largely a community of peasant cultivators. The Kunjra are strictly endogamous.The Rayeen is a Sunni Muslim community who were originally petty landowners or gardeners[1][2][3] and are present mainly in Western part of the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. Many have associated with the Arain community of Punjab.[4][5]They are said to get their name from Rayeen mountains, which are said to exist somewhere in Arabia. They speak Urdu, Hindi, In fact the Rayeen community of UP West like Bareilly and Pilibhit are the most educated, and Rayeen traces their origin from Syria Arab, claiming relationship with Pakistani landlord Rayeen Community. Many members of Rayeen community have migrated to Pakistan after independence have settled in Karachi, Sindh. History and origin According to the traditions of the tribe, they were originally settled along the banks of the Ghaggar river, in what is now Haryana. Their ancestors were landlords, living in Uch, near the city of Multan, in Pakistan, but were overthrown by a powerful enemy. They fled and settled in on the Ghaggar about Sirsa, and held the whole of the Ghaggar valley from Bhatner upwards to near Tohana, being in possession of 116 villages. .The region was afflicted by a major famine in 1584, and as a result of this famine and attacks by the Bhattis and Ranghars, they left the region and settled in Bareilly and Pillibhit districts. These Ghaggar Rayeen may be connected with the much larger Arain tribe, which was historically settled along the banks of the Sutlej river, not far from the settlement of the Rayeen.[6] many Rayeen died and got separated from their familieswhen India got independence from the British Raj. The movement involved many political and social organizations and armed and unarmed struggle. also contributed to the movement with the most famous person Mohandas Gandhi.
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