Pangal people

2021-10-23T14:47:21Z

2409:4066:197:941D:0:0:2504:F0AD: /* History */Fixed typo

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2018}}{{More citations needed|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox ethnic group|
| group = Pangal
| population = approx. 323,000
| region1 = {{flagcountry|India}}
| pop1 = 300,000
| region2 = {{flagcountry|Bangladesh}}
| pop2 = 23,000
| langs = [[Meitei language|Manipuri]], [[English language|English]]
| rels = [[Sunni Islam]]
| related = [[Meitei people|Meitei]]
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
}}{{Islam in Bangladesh}}

[[Muslim]]s of Manipur, known as Pangal, have existed (formerly Poirei or Meitrabak or Mekhli/Mughlai or Kathe) since the seventh century. "Pangal" simply means "Manipuri Muslims", as they follow [[Islam]]. Various historical sources have different dates for when Islam first entered Manipur. However, the date all sources seem to confirm as definitive is 1606 AD. The origin of the Pangal community is equally varied. In the early-seventeenth century, [[Mubariz Khan (Bengal)|Mubariz Khan]] was on an expedition and came across a tribe which lived in between the lands of the [[Khasi people|Khasi]]s and the [[Kachari Kingdom|Kachari]]s, who referred to themselves as ''[[Mughal tribe|Mughal]]s''. The Mughal books claim that this tribe was indeed a descendant of the [[Turco-Mongol]] [[Timurid dynasty|Timurids]]. They have said that during the reign of [[Timur]] in the late 12th century, the emperor had reached this extreme point and left a group of Mongols to protect the land before returning to his capital in [[Baghdad]]. Members of this tribe were white-skinned, spoke a [[Sino-Tibetan language]], ate all sorts of animals and vegetables, and wore large turbans and big brass earrings (''tunkal''). Mubariz managed to defeat this tribe with a lot of difficulty, and annexed some of their land to the [[Bengal Subah]].<ref name=borah>{{cite book|title=Baharistan-I-Ghaybi – Volume 1|author=M. I. Borah|year=1936|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.84864/page/n361|chapter=Conquest of a hill tribe}}</ref>{{rp|324–325}} It is considered that this tribe were [[Meitei people|Meitei]] as they speak [[Meitei language|Meitei]], which is a Sino-Tibetan language. In [[Assam]] and [[Greater Sylhet]], Meiteis used to be referred to as "Mei-Moglai".<ref>{{cite book|first=Rajmohan|last=Nath|title=The back-ground of Assamese culture|page=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.126984/page/n169 122]|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.126984|year=1948|publisher=A. K. Nath}}</ref>

==History==
[[Muslim]]s of Manipur, known as Meitei Pangal, have existed (formerly Poirei or Meitrabak or Mekhli/Mughlai or Kathe) since the seventh century.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}} "Pangal" simply means "Manipuri Muslims", as they follow [[Islam]]. Various historical sources have different dates for when Islam first entered Manipur. However, the date all sources seem to confirm as definitive is 1606 AD.

In the sources that place their entry prior to 1606, they entered as gun makers or to extract salt from the brine springs.{{cn|date=December 2020}} However, the events of 1606 state that they settled after Prince Sanongba requested aid from Cachari King Dimasha Prataphil to defeat his brother [[King Khagemba]]. Dimasha Prataphil was aware of Khagemba's military strength and knew that his forces alone could not win. Hence, he requested the [[Nawab]] of [[Taraf Kingdom|Taraf]], Muhammad Nazir to send forces to his aid, who were then dispatched under his brother [[Muhammad Sani]]. In the war. Muhammad Sani was defeated and King Khagemba took him and his 1000 troops as POWs, Later King Khagemba allowed the Muslim soldiers to settle in the valleys of Manipur.<ref>{{Citation|last=Khan|first=Md. Chingiz|title=Socio-Cultural And Religious Facets Of Manipuri Muslims During The 17th And 18th Centuries |url=https://www.academia.edu/9378077|journal=International Journal of Research (IJR)|volume=1|issue=8|year=2014|publisher=IJR|location=New Delhi|issn=2348-6848|page=121}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=Nazir|first=Ahamad|title=The Muslims in Manipur: A study in their History and Culture|year=2013|url=https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/39985/6/06_chapter%202.pdf|publisher=Manipur University|location=Imphal|page=27}}</ref> In the meanwhile [[Myanmar Army|Burmese army]] broke a war against [[Kangleipak]] in [[Kabaw Valley|Kabaw valley]]. King Khagemba asked the brave soldiers to help Meetei army to fight with [[Burma]] (Myanmar), agreed and fought the battle alongside [[Meetei]] army. Fortunately, Meetei army won the battle. King Khagemba was very happy with that and his highness gave the name Pangal (Pangal= Strength in Meetei lenguage ) Through marriage, adopting the [[Meitei language]] and various local practices, which did not violate [[Islam]], the Muslim soldiers were eventually naturalised as the Pangals. The etymology of the name is also interesting as some say it account from a [[Persian language|Persian]] source states that the name Pangal was given due to their fortitude in battle, and the Pangal means ‘strength’ in [[Meiteilon]].

The Muslims of Manipur were result of two Muslim migrations in 1606 and 1724. Manipur provided shelter to [[Shah Shuja (Mughal prince)|Shah Shuja]], the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] prince who fled (and was pursued) to save himself from the wrath of his brother [[Mughal Empire|Mughal Emperor]] [[Aurangzeb]]. According to Henry Rule Kathe, Muslims are the result of intermixing (melting pot) of Muslims coming in different eras from different directions – [[Bengal]], [[Kingdom of Arakan|Arakan]], [[Cachar]] and [[Manipur]] itself. Silk-spinning was a trade widely practised by them.<ref>[http://www.milligazette.com/news/1879-pangal-musalman-manipuri-muslims Pangali Musalman: Manipuri Muslims]</ref>

The [[Muslim]] Meitei Pangals of [[Manipur]] devastated and were taken as slaves by the invading Burmese armies.<ref>[https://books.google.ca/books?id=RHmkHBTT_T0C&pg=PA199&lpg=PA199&dq=Pangals+Burmese+invasion&source=bl&ots=liRPcvwjpz&sig=Ba7SggK8oLaONxfgib1GF22XEsE&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiiqNz9qc3KAhXEnYMKHR2PAz0Q6AEIOTAF#v=onepage&q=Pangals%20Burmese%20invasion&f=false The Muslims of Manipur]</ref>

While some Muslims were already living in Manipur, there was a significant influx of Muslims from 1660 onwards, as refugees followed the deposing of the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] [[Shah Shuja (Mughal)|Shah Shuja]] (Shangkusum) of [[Hindustan]], who lost a war of succession to [[Aurangzeb]]. Shuja's flight is significant in the Islamic folklore of both north east India and [[Bangladesh]].

On 6 June 1660, Shuja fled from [[Dacca]] (Dhaka), initially intent on travelling, via [[Chittagong]] to [[Kingdom of Arakan|Arakan]] (Rakhine).<ref name="Manucci">Niccolai Manucci, ''Storia do Mogor or History of Mughal India'', translator [[William Irvine (historian)|William Irvine]]</ref><ref>Suhas Chatterjee, 2008, ''The Socio-Economic History of South Assam''.</ref> Arakan, capital of the [[Mrauk U Kingdom]], was the destination, because [[Sanda Thudamma|Sanda Sudamma]] (Thudamma) had reportedly promised to provide ships to take Shuja and his entourage to [[Mecca]] for [[haj]] (pilgrimage). Shaju travelled with his wife [[Piari Banu Begum]] (a.k.a. Praveen Banu, Piara Banu, or Pai Ribanu) and her sister [[Sabe Banu]], his sons [[Zainul Abidin]] (Zainibuddin, Bon Sultan or Sultan Bang), [[Buland Akhtar]] and [[Zain-ul-Din Muhammad]] (Zainul Abedi), and daughters [[Gulrukh Banu]], [[Roshanara Begum]] and [[Amina Begum]],<ref>Stanley Lane-Pool, 1971, ''Aurangzeb'', vol.1.</ref> as well as two vessels of gold and silver, jewels, treasures and other royal trappings, on the backs of half a dozen camels, while about 1,000 [[palanquin]]s (carriers) transported Shuja's [[harem]]. After staying for some time at Chittagong, Shuja took a land route (still called Shuja Road) southward. Shuja prayed the [[Eid prayer]] at a place called Edgoung (meaning [[eidgah]]) in [[Dulahazra]]. The part crossed the [[Naf River]], half a mile north of [[Maungdaw]], which is sometimes still known as "Shuja Village". The final leg was a sea voyage to Arakan where Shuja was received by an envoy of king Sanda Sudamma and escorted to quarters provided for him. However, after Shuja arrived in Arakan, Sudama reportedly reneged on this promise and confiscated some of Shuja's treasure. In retaliation, Zainul Abidin and another brother led a Mughal attack on Sudama and almost succeeded in setting fire to the royal palace. Two or three of Shuja's sons died in subsequent fighting and/or the Mughals' flight into the jungle. Many other Mughals were massacred. Shuja's daughter Gulrukh reportedly committed suicide after being captured and raped by Sudama. The surviving members of Shaju's party, helped reportedly by Mughals and [[Pathan]]s resident at Arakan,<ref name="ReferenceA">Niccolai Manucci, ''Storia do Mogor''.</ref> travelled north with [[Portuguese people|Portuguese]] mariners, at a high cost in gold and jewels.

The [[Hindu]] kings of [[Tripura]] and [[Manipur]] were more agreeable hosts – probably because they did not like the expansionist policy of [[Aurangzeb]] – and played a crucial role in concealing Shuja's whereabouts. He and his party arrived at Tripura on 16 May 1661,<ref name="Manucci"/> and in Manipur in December 1661.<ref>''[[Cheitharol Kumbaba]]'', 1989.</ref> Conscious that Aurangzeb’s scouts and spies were searching for them,<ref>Janab Khan, 1972, ''Manipuri Muslim'' also locally called "Moughlai Muslim".</ref> misinformation was spread that Shuja had died at Arakan, or was travelling to Mecca, among other stories.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> Among other precautionary measures, Shuja was sent by elephant to the hill country of [[Ukhrul]].<ref>see also ''How Shuja, Brother of Aurangzeb died (sic) at Ukhrul''; he actually died and was buried at Kairang Shujalok.</ref> [[Mir Jumla II]] came to know of the situation and sent three men to Manipur in late December 1661, to detain and retrieve Shuja's family.<ref>A. Hakim Shah, 2008, ''The Manipur Governance''</ref> However, the [[Qazi]] of Manipur, [[Muhammad Sani]], detained the chief emissary of the Mughals, [[Nur Beg]] to ensure that the others, [[Dur Beg]] and [[Rustam Beg]], did not provide information regarding Shuja’s presence in Manipur.<ref>Names of Mughal ambassadors can be known from P. Gogoi, 1961, ''The Tai and Tai Kingdoms'' who gave Dur Beg and Rustam; Kheiruddin Khullakpam, 1997, ''Turko-Afghangi Chada Naoda'', Lilong: Circles, gives the Boggy clan ancestor as Noor Bakhsh that must be Noor Beg.</ref> At that time, Shuja was in hiding at a cave known later as [[Shuja-lok]] ("Shuja Cave"),<ref>Janab Khan, 1972, ''Manipuri Muslim''.</ref> [[Haignang]], [[Kairang]] (east of [[Imphal]]). According to some accounts he later died at the cave.

The Manipuri Muslims are the descendants of the invaded soldiers from the Sylhet and the local women. The king of Manipur gave their surname based on their profession. For example, fundreimayum was the surname given to those who worked on lathe. Likewise, Chesam was given as surname to those who worked in paper industry. Among the Manipuri Muslims, Fundreimayum and Yumkhaibam Clan are [[Turko-Afghan]] descendants. Their ancestors were [[Pathans]] and they are the descendants of Kundan Khan and Zamman Khan who were Pathans. The First Chief Minister of Manipur, Alimmudin was from the Fundreimayum clan of Manipuri Muslims.

===Population===
Their present population is 239,886, making up 8.40% of the state of [[Manipur]] population as per 2011 census. Pangal mostly settled in the periphery of Manipur near River bank, near lake and foothills. The Pangals are mainly concentrated in and around [[Imphal]], the capital of Manipur and [[Thoubal]]. There is large number of pangals live in [[Cachar district|Cachar]] in [[Assam]], [[Hojai]] in [[Assam]], Komolpur in [[Tripura]] and [[Bangladesh]]. It is believed that the ancestors of the Meitei Pangals settled in this region are migrated from Manipur during the seven years devastation also known as [[Chahi-Taret Khuntakpa]], the black period in the history of Manipur when [[Burmese invasions of Assam]] and their conquest of Manipur around 1815 AD.

==Culture==
Today there are more than 50 Muslim family title names. They are an indigenous and peace-loving community. Traditional dress for men is [[Lungi]]s and [[pajama]]s, and for women is [[Kurti top|Kurti]]s, [[Shalwar]] and [[phanek]]. Both also wear western attire. They maintained their own identity though they assimilated and intermixed with the other local communities.

===Stratification===
Pangals are divided into 77 clans or family titles.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=manipur.Ethnic_Races_Manipur.Evolution_of_clan_system_Manipuri_Muslim_3|last=Makhjummayum|first=Imam Khan|title=Evolution of kinship and clan system among Manipuri Muslim|publisher=The Sangai Express|date=16 Dec 2009}}</ref>
{{dynamic list}}
*The Ayekpam descend from an early seventh-century artist. Ayekpam translates to "the one who paints".
*The Baseimayum descend from an eighth-century kingdom in [[Sylhet]] known as Basa (or Pasha). However, R.B. Pemberton suggests this kingdom was in [[Cachar]].
*The Makak trace their heritage as the founders of the 12th-century [[Hajo|Barmaqam Powa Makkah]], renovated by the 15th-century [[Sultan of Bengal]] [[Alauddin Husain Shah]]. They are divided into three clans:
#The Makakyum Ariba clan are descended from a member of the [[Banu Makhzum]] tribe in [[Makkah]]. Their ancestors reached [[Chittagong]] in 636 CE.
#The Makak Amuba clan are descended from Lukhiyarful, who is a descendant of Nurullah Herati, the [[Subahdar]] of [[Kamrup region|Kamrup/Shujabad]] in 1677 - who comes from [[Herat]], Afghanistan.
#The Makak Angouba clan are descended from Sunarful, who is a descendant of [[Lutfullah Shirazi]] - a [[Mughal Empire|Mughal officer]].
*The Malsam are descended from an early seventeenth-century man called Malsa who migrated to [[Manipur]] from the [[Brahmaputra Valley]].
*The Mansam are descended from a seventeenth-century man who migrated to [[Manipur]] from the [[Sylhet District|Surma Valley]].

== Discrimination ==

=== Violence and racism ===
Despite the Pangals having a long history in the area, sharing many cultural traits with their non-Muslim neighbors, and generally living in peace as a minority; they have faced discrimination, marginalization, and [[Violence against Muslims in India|Islamophobia]] from the Manipuri government, other political actors and fellow Manipuris. Common stereotypes held by Meiteis and other non-Pangals is that the Pangals are anti-social and prone to thievery.<ref name=":1" /> The [[1993 Pangal massacre]] saw the death of around 130 Pangals and the burning of their homes. False rumors spread by Meiteis alleged that Pangals molested Meitei college students. This led mobs to kill and assault Pangal men and women and destroying Pangal-owned stores. The police were criticized for doing little to curtail the violence or stop the misinformation.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Mander|first=Harsh|date=21 July 2019|title=A Manipur Muslim family struggles to understand why a lynch mob thought their MBA-son was a thief|url=https://scroll.in/article/928470/a-manipur-muslim-family-struggles-to-understand-why-a-lynch-mob-thought-their-mba-son-was-a-thief|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-06-30|website=[[Scroll.in]]|language=en-US}}</ref>

The rise of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]] in Manipur since 2016 has led to a rise of hate crimes against Pangals. Attacks and lynchings on Pangals were reported.<ref name=":0" /> Since the BJP got in power in Manipur in 2017, many Pangals have experienced discrimination and Islamophobia. Yumnam Devjit, the son of politician[[Yumnam Joykumar Singh]], wrote in a facebook post that the [[Qurbani]] ritual done during [[Eid al-Adha|Eid al- Adha]] "was nothing but training for Muslims to kill."<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Sarkar|first=Sonia|date=22 September 2018|title=What it means to be a Muslim in lynch-era Manipur|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/at-home-nettled-frontiers/cid/1669850|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-06-30|website=[[The Telegraph India]]}}</ref>

In September 2018, a Pangal man named Mohamed Farooq Khan was lynched by a mob and the video of his lynching was soon spread throughout social media. He allegedly stole a scooter which was the mob's motivation for the lynching but there was also a more likely possibility that Khan was wrongfully framed for the theft. This incident had led many Pangals to fear for their safety.<ref name=":0" />

=== Political marginalization ===
Pangals have little political representation in the Manipuri government and institutions with very few Pangals holding political office. The Manpuri government refused to include a Muslim representative during the drafting of the Protection of Manipuri People proposed by the State Government on May 23, 2018. The bill was meant to prevent [[Rohingya people|Rohingyas]] (and certain other migrants) from settling in Manipur. A common view held by non-muslim Manipuris is that the Pangals give asylum to the Rohingyas and place blame on them for the imagined offense.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=Khan|first=Chingiz|date=7 April 2019|title=Pangals victim of manufactured insecurity|url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/2019/sunday-edition/pangals-victim-of-manufactured-insecurity.html|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-06-30|website=[[The Pioneer (India)|The Pioneer]]}}</ref>

The [[Inner Line Permit]] bill saw many Manipuris protest for its implementation. Some Pangals believed that the wording of the bill was vague on its definition of being a "original settler" of Manipur and that it excluded Pangals by not explicitly acknowledging them. According to advocates, this ambiguity may mean that Pangals can be targeted along with other Muslims from Assam, Bengal and Bihar.<ref name=":1" />

The Pangals have received a disproportionate amount of aid from the government compared to the Meiteis and other native groups in the area. The implementation of the [[Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya|KGBV]] program saw itself established among the [[Naga people|Naga]] and [[Kuki people|Kukis]] but not in areas with sizable Pangal populations. The four percent reservation for government jobs is also poorly implemented for the Pangals.<ref name=":1" /> Access to higher education, healthcare, and employment are also considered dismal.<ref name=":2" />

=== Displacement ===
According to a researcher at Mizoram University, the Pangals have experienced the loss of some of their land in a more frequent rate after the 1993 Pangal massacre.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Malik|first=Amir|date=2020-04-14|title=JNU research scholar accuses Manipur of harassing Pangal Muslims in newspaper article, state government responds with author's arrest - India News , Firstpost|url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/jnu-research-scholar-accuses-manipur-of-harassing-pangal-muslims-in-newspaper-article-state-government-responds-with-authors-arrest-8257101.html|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-06-30|website=[[Firstpost]]}}</ref> There were some instances in where the Manpuri government forced Pangals to leave their residences in a alleged forest reserve and paddy rice area and deployed the police and environmental laws to execute the evictions. The Pangals have not yet been given compensation for these evictions. Advocates have pointed out that comparable areas inhabited by Meiteis face much less scrutiny and evictions.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> Chingiz Khan, writing for Manipur Daily, also stated that these actions by the state has encouraged other native groups in the area to threaten Pangals and their businesses to vacate the place.<ref name=":2" />

== See also ==
*[[1993 Pangal massacre]]
*[[Meitei people]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== Bibliography ==

* Irene, Salman (2010). ''[https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Muslims_of_Manipur.html?id=RHmkHBTT_T0C The Muslims of Manipur]''. Delhi: Kalpaz Publications. {{ISBN|9788178358284|817835828X}}

== Further reading ==

*Hui Legends of The Companions of The Prophet, China Heritage,20 Sep 2010, www.chinaheritagenewsletter.org/article.
* For Muslim settlement since 7th century see ''History Of Migration In the Valley Of Manipur'' by Dr. Oinam Ranjit Singh.
* Manipuri Muslims: Socially Speaking

== External links ==
* [http://twocircles.net/2010jan11/muslims_manipur_look_their_socio_economic_condition.html Muslims in Manipur: A look at their socio-economic condition] - TCN News
* [http://www.kanglaonline.com/index.php?template=kshow&kid=54 How Muslims came to be in Manipur]

{{Indian Muslim}}
{{Ethnic groups in Bangladesh}}
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[[Category:Pangal people| ]]
[[Category:Muslim communities of India]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Manipur]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in India]]
[[Category:Social groups of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Persecution of Muslims]]

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Pangal people