Mirasi
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| • India • Pakistan | |
| Languages | |
| • Urdu • Punjabi • Rajasthani | |
| Religion | |
| • Islam • Sikhism• Hinduism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| • Charan • Naqqal • Shaikh |
The Mirasi community of India and Pakistan are the genealogists and traditional singers and dancers of a number of communities. The word "mirasi" is derived from the Arabic word (ميراث) miras, which means inheritance or sometimes heritage.
Some Mirasi groups are from the Hindu caste system of the 'low caste' and accept their religion as Muslim, while others claim to have originally belonged to the Hindu Charan community. They are said to have accepted Islam at the hands of Amir Khusro, the 13th-century Sufi poet. The word mirasi is derived from the Arabic word miras (ميراث), which means inheritance or sometimes heritage. The North Indian Mirasi are divided into five main sub-groups, the Abbal, Posla, Bet, Kattu and Kalet. In customs, they are similar to the Muslim Raibhat, another community of genealogists. Also related to the Mirasi are the Kingharia, another community that once employed as musicians and entertainers.
They are also known Pakhwaji due to the pakhwaj, a timbrel that they play. The Mirasi maintained pedigrees of their patrons, and were often involved in the negotiations of marriages. As genealogists, the Mirasi were also styled Nasab khwan, or the keeps of the family tree. The Mirasi are found throughout Northern India. In Punjab, the community were genealogists of the Jat communities. They were traditionally ballad singers, and would often sing at weddings. The community were also connected with the manufacture of paper flowers. They can be seen performing in fairs in the rural area of Punjab. As an urban community, found at the edges of towns, many are now employed as wage labourers. Some Mirasis have migrated from Punjab to the neighbouring states - Rajasthan, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, and Western Uttar Pradesh.
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