Freeman14H: update section also and corrected details

2026-03-17T17:55:51Z

update section also and corrected details

2401:4900:38F9:A91:6337:205B:D87E:B929 at 11:04, 6 July 2021

2021-07-06T11:04:51Z

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{{short description|Indian community of people}}
{{about||an analysis about the general people of Odisha|Odia people|}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}

{{More citations needed|date=April 2021}}
{{One source|date=April 2021}}

'''Odia Muslims''' are a community of people hailing from the [[India]]n state of [[Odisha]] who follow [[Islam]] and primarily speak [[Odia language]]. They mostly descend from [[Indigenous peoples|indigenous]] converts to Islam along with a small proportion that migrated from [[North india|northern India]]. They are marked by their distinctive religious practices, food habits and language.

==History==
It is impossible to state with any certainty when Islam first arrived in Odisha. It is believed that the first significant Islamic presence dates from the invasion of the Bengal general, [[Kalapahad]]. Commanding the army of Sultan [[Sulaiman Khan Karrani]], the [[Sultan of Bengal]], Kalapahad defeated Raja Mukund Deva of [[Cuttack]] in 1568 CE.<ref>History of Modern Orissa: 1936-2000 page:5 by Kartik Chandra Rout, Published by Anmol Publications PVT. LTD., 2004, {{ISBN|81-261-2006-1}}, {{ISBN|978-81-261-2006-2}}</ref>

Karrani brought with him [[Muslim]] soldiers who settled down in Odisha, however their number was very few. Some early Odia Muslims were converts. However, the number of these Muslims, almost all converts from [[Hinduism]], was statistically insignificant and though they were Muslims by faith, they continued subscribing to the local customs and traditions and retained [[Odia language|Odia]] as their native tongue, as opposed to [[Persian language|Persian]] or [[Urdu language|Urdu]], the then lingua franca of most [[Indian Muslims]]. The descendants of these Muslims are still found in the districts of [[Puri district|Puri]], [[Khurda district|Khurda]] and [[Cuttack]], [[Bhadrak]] ,[[Jajpur]]

Later migration continued under [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] as well as the [[Nawab of Bengal]]'s rule. The majority of these were traders or clergy, sent to preside over the courts, both secular and Islamic.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.sacw.net/DC/CommunalismCollection/ArticlesArchive/Kanungo2003.html | title=Hindutva's Entry into a 'Hindu Province': Early Years of RSS in Orissa | via=sacw.net | date=2 August 2003 | work=The Economic and Political Weekly | first=Pralay | last=Kanungo | access-date=29 November 2018 }}</ref> Post independence, a number of Muslims from other parts of India have made their way to the cities of [[Rourkela]] and [[Bhubaneswar]].

==Demographics==
[[Islam]] has had a very slow rate of growth in Odisha even during the [[Muslim conquest in the Indian subcontinent|Muslim rule]] as there had never been any major Muslim [[Dawah|missionary]] work. The current population of Muslims in Odisha is 911,670 (2011 census), roughly 2.2% of the total population. The city of [[Bhadrak]] has the maximum number of Muslims as a percentage of the total population (about 35%).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindiamaps.net/page/Religion_WhizMap1/housemap.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=15 June 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100706213221/http://www.censusindiamaps.net/page/Religion_WhizMap1/housemap.htm |archive-date=6 July 2010 }}</ref> There is a large population in the cities of [[Cuttack]], [[Bhubaneswar]], [[Kendrapada]] and [[Jajpur]]. [[Cuttack district|Cuttack]], [[Jajpur district|Jajpur]] and [[Bhadrak district|Bhadrak]] districts also have a substantial rural Muslim population. Isolated Muslim populations exist all along the Odisha coast, primarily in old towns and villages that lie along the main trade routes. Prominent among them are the villages of Brahmabarda, Binjharpur, Alkund, Baruan and Adang in the district of [[Jajpur]]. In the interiors, the city of [[Rourkela]] has a large number of Urdu speaking Muslims, mostly employed with the [[Rourkela Steel Plant]]. They have migrated from the adjoining states of Jharkhand and Bihar. [[Sambalpur]] has another important Muslim population. The community has a literacy rate of 71.3%, higher than the national average of 64.9%.

Outside Odisha, Odia Muslims may be found as a part of the Odia diaspora in [[Delhi]], [[Bangalore]] and [[Calcutta]]. A small proportion of Odia Muslims, largely from the prosperous upper classes of old Cuttack district, migrated to [[Karachi]], [[Sindh]], [[Pakistan]] in 1947. Familial ties with relatives in Odisha remained strong till increasing restrictions in the 1980s led to their decline. Outside the [[South Asia]], Odia Muslims are settled in [[United Arab Emirates]], especially in [[Dubai]], and the [[United States of America|United States]].

==Sects==
The vast majority of Odia Muslims are [[Sunni Muslims]] belonging to the [[Hanafi]] [[Fiqh|school]]. The Sunnis are divided between the [[Deobandi]] and [[Barelvi]] sub-sects. There are some sectarian differences and there are often the cause of minor conflict. A small population of [[Shia Muslims]] belonging to [[Ithna 'ashariyah]] [[Fiqh]], mainly of [[Iranian peoples|Persia]]n descent may be found in [[Cuttack]] city. The [[Ahmadiyya]] community, considered [[heretical]] by [[Muslim]]s is also has present in Kerang of [[Khurda District]].

==Language==
A large proportion of Odia Muslims are bilingual and speak both [[Odia language|Odia]] and [[Urdu language|Urdu]]. The use of Urdu, the traditional prestige dialect of North Indian Muslims, marks them out from Hindu Odias. Odisha Urdu displays significant variation from the standard dialect. It is marked by many loan words from [[Odia language|Odia]] and has no fixed grammar. For this reason it remains a spoken dialect and is not used in print. Odia or Standard Urdu is preferred on formal occasions. [[Odia language|Odia]] and [[Urdu language|Urdu]] is often used by Muslims of [[Brahmapur, Odisha|Brahmapur]] in South Odisha and [[Odia language |Odia ]] with [[Bengali people|Bengali]] by those in [[Balasore district]]. [[Odia language|Odia]] and Urdu are spoken by the Muslims of Western Odisha.

==Food==
The food habits of Odia Muslims are no different from that of their Hindu neighbours with some minor differences. [[Seafood]] features heavily in spite of the Hanafi school's disapproval of [[shellfish]]. Meat, both red and white, is widely consumed.

==Dress==
The traditional [[sari]] is preferred by most women. [[Hijab]] rules are generally relaxed though the [[burkha]] is becoming increasingly common. Men use the [[lungi]], a type of sarong, to cover their lower body unlike the [[dhoti]] that is worn by the Hindus.

==Culture==
Religious observance is generally high among Odia Muslims, though many practices have clearly Hindu roots.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}} [[Islamic missionary activity|Muslim missionary]] organisations like the [[Tableeghi Jamaat]] have sought to counter this admixture.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}The traditional faith in [[Dargah]]s, shrines and other local holy places remains pervasive.

The medieval shrine of [[Qadam Rasul]] in [[Cuttack]] is one of the most important Muslim dargah in Odisha. It is believed to contain the footprints of the [[Prophet Muhammad]]. Important dargahs are at Kaipadar, near [[Khurda]] and at Dhamnagar, near [[Bhadrak]]. [[Mughal tribe|Mughal]] mosques exist at Cuttack, [[Jajpur]]. Niali at Cuttack [[ Cuttack]]<ref>https://archive.org/stream/rukaatialamgirio00aurarich#page/7/mode/2up</ref> and near the ancient Buddhist site of [[Lalitgiri]]. [[Jama Masjid|Capital Mosque]] at Bhubaneswar is the largest mosque in Odisha.

==Education==
The Urdu Academy of Odisha, a wing of the Department of Culture, Government of Odisha is engaged in the propagation and popularization of the Urdu language in Odisha. Sayeed Seminary at Cuttack is the oldest and largest Islamic educational institution that provides both secular as well as religious education. At the University Level, Urdu is taught as per certain prescribed syllabus at [http://www.fmuniversity.nic.in/ Fakir Mohan University](FMU), [[Balasore]], [[Odisha]]. The [http://www.fmuniversity.nic.in/introduction_language_literature.html Department of Language and Literature] at FMU has Urdu as a key branch of study along with English and Odia. Jamia Ashraful Uloom at [[Kendrapara]] town & Jamia Abu Hurairah at Rourkela are the largest [[madarsa]] in the state. Markazul Uloom, Sungda established in the 1940s by Maulana Syed Ismail Qasmi of [[Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind]] is a prominent centre of Deobandi Islamic learning in Odisha. Important Barelvi [[Madrasa]] are located at Bhadrak.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Indian Muslim}}
{{Muhajir communities}}

[[Category:Islam in India by location]]
[[Category:Muslim communities of India]]
[[Category:Social groups of Odisha]]
[[Category:Social groups of Pakistan]]

Odia Muslims - Revision history

Freeman14H: update section also and corrected details

2401:4900:38F9:A91:6337:205B:D87E:B929 at 11:04, 6 July 2021