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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2020}}
The '''Nashya Shaikh''' or Nashya Sekh(Bengali: নইস্য শেখ) is a [[Muslim]] community found in northern parts of the state of [[West Bengal]] in [[India]]. They are culturally and linguistically similar to both people of northern Bangladesh and Goalpara of Assam. A small number of the community are also found in the neighboring state of [[Bihar]], where they are known as the Bengali Shaikh. These people are more commonly known as '''Rajbongshi Muslims'''. The Nashya are considered to be an important indigenous group found in northern West Bengal.<ref>Marginal Muslim Communities in India edited by M.K.A Siddiqui pages 74-89</ref> They are homogeneous with the [[Koch Rajbongshi people]] and are bi-linguistic speaking both [[Bengali language]] and Kamatapuri language.
{{Infobox ethnic group
| group = Nashya Shaikh
| image =
| image_caption = Nashya Shaikh Unnayan Parishad demonstrate outside Jalpaiguri's DM office
| regions = [[India]] ([[West Bengal]], [[Assam]])
[[Bangladesh]]
[[Bhutan]]
| langs = [[Rajbongshi language|Rajbongshi]]
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| religions = [[Islam]]
| related_groups = [[Indo-Aryan peoples]], [[Rajbongshi people|Rajbanshi]], [[Koch people|Koch]], [[Rabha]], [[Boro people|Boro]]}}

== Etymology ==
There are descendants from Koch-Rajbonshi, Mech, Rabha, Bodo and Indo-Aryan people who converted to Islam. They mainly speak the Goalpariya dialect . They are mainly settled in the districts of Dhuburi, Goalpara, South Salmara and Kokrajhar.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}} These people were loose followers of Hinduism. But when a small section of these people converted to [[Islam]], the act was frowned upon. The local Hindus started calling them "nosto seikh" meaning "spoiled Shaikh". But as more number of people got converted to Islam with time these people came in contact with mainstream Muslims, and the term "nosto seikh" slowly got islamicised into "Nashya seikh".

== Origin ==

The Nashyas trace their origin to the indigenous communities of [[Koch Rajbongshi people|Koch Rajbongshi]] of northern [[West Bengal]], though some of them are also from [[Mech tribe|Mech]] community. There conversion to [[Islam]] is said to have taken over two to three centuries, and the Nashya still retain many cultural traits of their pre-Islamic past. Most people of the community are non-practicing Muslims though the newer generations are becoming increasing Islamic due to globalization. From historic evidence, it seems a segment of the indigenous population of north [[Bengal]] converted started to convert to Islam when the region fell under the control of [[Bakhtiyar Khilji]]. Some of the earliest converts were the chiefs Ali Mach and [[Kalapahad|Kala Pahar]]. Tradition also ascribes the conversion of several lineages to [[Sufi]] saints such as Torsa Pir, Pagla Pir, Shah Fakir Sahib and Shah Gari Sahib.<ref>Marginal Muslim Communities in India edited by M.K.A Siddiqui pages 74-89</ref>

==Present circumstances==

The Nashya were at one time substantial landowners, generally known as [[jotedar]]s. Below this class was a substantial strata of medium-sized peasants. With the independence of [[India]] in 1947, the larger estates were broken up. The community's contribution to the agriculture of northern West Bengal is substantial, with the Nashya growing jute, tobacco, and rice.<ref>Marginal Muslim Communities in India edited by M.K.A Siddiqui pages 74-89</ref>

The Nashya as a community were once strictly endogamous but their marriage with mainstream Bengali Muslims brought them more close to Bengali culture. Their physical appearance seems to be more similar to Bengalis rather than Rajbongshi people. They are divided into lineages such as Bepari, Pramanik, Sarcar and Sekh. Each of these lineage groups intermarry. The community is mainly follows hanafi school of [[Sunni]] Islam. They concentrated in the districts of [[Cooch Behar]], [[Jalpaiguri]], [[Darjeeling District|Darjeeling]], [[Dinajpur District, Bangladesh|Dinajpur]] (north and south). They are also found in the neighbouring [[Purnia Division]] of [[Behar]], where they are known as [[Shaikh of Bihar|Bengali Shaikh]].

The community have set up their own political and cultural organization, the Uttar Bango Angrassar Muslim Sangram Samiti, which acts as pressure group for this community.

==See also==

* [[Rajbongshi people|Rajbanshi people]]
* [[Bengali Muslims]]
* [[Shaikh of Bihar]]
* [[Punjabi Shaikh]]
* [[Shaikhs in South Asia]]

==References==

{{reflist}}
{{Indian Muslim}}

[[Category:Social groups of West Bengal]]
[[Category:Muslim communities of India]]
[[Category:Shaikh clans]]

Nashya Shaikh - Revision history

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