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{{Short description|Muslim community in North India}}{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2018}}
{{Ethnic group
| group = Nat
| popplace = • India • Nepal
| langs =
| rels = [[Image:Allah-green.svg|18px]] [[Islam]]
| related =
}}
The '''Nat''' are a Muslim community found in [[North India]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mishra |first=N. K. Singh and A. P. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H8HT5OMWVssC&dq=muslim+nat&pg=PA568 |title=Global Encyclopaedic Enthnography Of Indian Muslim(3 Vols. Set) |date=2008 |publisher=Global Vision Publishing House |isbn=978-81-8220-297-9 |pages=568–71 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Hasan |first1=Amir |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZjJnSGTwTRUC&q=muslim+nat |title=People of India: The Communities: Gaddi-Muslim Teli |last2=Das |first2=J. C. |last3=Rizvi |first3=Baqr Raza |date=2004 |publisher=Anthropological Survey of India |isbn=978-81-7304-114-3 |pages=1053–?? |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Davindera |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mgVwv9Kf0DsC&dq=muslim+nats&pg=PA115 |title=Socialization and Education of Nomad Children in Delhi State |date=1997 |publisher=Regency Publications |isbn=978-81-86030-44-8 |language=en}}</ref> A few are also found in the [[Terai]] region of [[Nepal]].<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://www.people-groups.asiaharvest.org/Nepal/NatMuslim.pdf
|title=Nat Muslim
|publisher=Asia Harvest
|access-date=3 August 2025
}}</ref>{{cn|date=October 2023}}
==History and origin==

The Muslim Nat are a semi-nomadic community, traditionally associated with rope dancing, juggling, fortune telling and begging.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wayback Machine|url=https://tiss.ac.in/uploads/files/Working_Paper_5_Khursheed_Akbar.pdf|website=tiss.ac.in|access-date=2026-01-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250809202609/https://tiss.ac.in/uploads/files/Working_Paper_5_Khursheed_Akbar.pdf|archive-date=2025-08-09}}</ref> The Nat of [[Bihar]] are said to have immigrated from the [[Middle East]] and Central Asia. They are found mainly in the Bihar state districts of [[Madhubani district|Madhubani]], [[Darbhanga]], [[Samastipur]] and [[Patna]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=Muslims by religion, Hindu by tradition, nomads in Buxar excite scholars|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/patna/muslims-by-religion-hindu-by-tradition-nomads-in-buxar-excite-scholars/story-JpGL0EPOn55h6d6JF4VRCK.html|work=hindustantimes.com|date=2019-03-01|access-date=2026-01-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190301113925/https://www.hindustantimes.com/patna/muslims-by-religion-hindu-by-tradition-nomads-in-buxar-excite-scholars/story-JpGL0EPOn55h6d6JF4VRCK.html|archive-date=2019-03-01|language=en}}</ref> They speak [[Urdu]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last1=Singh |first1=K. S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xlJSzQEACAAJ |title=Bihar, Including Jharkhand |last2=Gopal |first2=Surendra |last3=Jha |first3=Hetukar |last4=India |first4=Anthropological Survey of |date=2008 |publisher=Anthropological Survey of India |isbn=978-81-7046-303-0 |pages=725–728 |language=en}}</ref>

== Present circumstances ==

The Muslim Nat are now mainly cattle dealers,{{Clarify|reason=Where? in Bihar alone?|date=September 2025}} while a small number are involved in begging. They are one of the most marganalized [[Muslim]] community in [[Bihar]]. Almost all the Nat are landless. A small number of Nat have now settled down and are cultivators.

The Nat are strictly endogamous, and generally live in isolation from other [[Muslim]] communities in their neighbourhood. Although they are [[Sunni]] [[Muslim]]s, they incorporate many folk beliefs.<ref name=":0" />

In [[Uttar Pradesh]], the Nat are said to have come originally from [[Chittaur]] in [[Rajasthan]]. They are found mainly in the districts of [[Varanasi]], [[Allahabad]], [[Barabanki district|Barabanki]] and [[Jaunpur district|Jaunpur]]. The Nat speak [[Urdu]] and [[Hindi]] and converted to [[Islam]] during the rule of the [[Nawabs of Awadh]], about two hundred years ago. The Muslim Nat consist of number of sub-groups, the main ones being the Aman, Goleri, Mahawat, Rari, Siarmaroa and Turkata. Many Nat are still involved with fortune telling and live a semi-nomadic lifestyle. Most Nat are now landless agricultural labourers, and are in depressed economic circumstances. The Nat are [[Sunni]] [[Muslim]]s, but incorporate many folk beliefs.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=K. S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_Z2dwQEACAAJ |title=People of India: Volume XLII: Uttar Pradesh (in 3 Parts) |date=2005 |publisher=Anthropological Survey of India |isbn=978-81-7304-114-3 |pages=1053–6 |language=en}}</ref>

In [[Haryana]], they are found mainly in the districts of [[Faridabad]], [[Gurgaon]] and [[Rohtak]]. They speak [[Haryanvi]], and understand [[Hindi]]. Little is known about the exact circumstances that there conversinon to [[Islam]]. Historically, the community in [[Haryana]] were rope dancers, jugglers and acrobats. The Nat consist of a number of exogamous clans, the main ones being the Dagariya, Sansebar, Baraike, Khoyareke, Paharike, Nangariye, Dhadhasiya, Palike, Jirmichya, Dangiya, Kotiya, Shirkarake, Dilwati, Occhluke, Rashidiya, and Badanke. The Nat are no longer involved in their traditional occupation, and are now largely landless agriculture workers, migrating to different places in search of employment. They are nominally [[Sunni]] [[Muslim]], but practice many folk beliefs.<ref>[http://opac.cug.ac.in:8000/cgi-bin/koha/opac-search.pl?q=au:%22Sharma%2C%20M%20L%2C%22 People of India Haryana Volume XXIII] edited by M.K Sharma and A.K Bhatia pages 380 to 385 Manohar</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Indian Muslim}}
[[Category:Muslim communities of India]]
[[Category:Muslim communities of Bihar]]
[[Category:Muslim communities of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Muslim communities of Haryana]]
[[Category:Sunni Muslim ethnoreligious groups]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in India]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Nepal]]
[[Category:Ethnoreligious groups in India]]
[[Category:Ethnoreligious groups in Asia]]
{{India-ethno-stub}}

Muslim Nats - Revision history

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