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{{Short description|Muslim descendants of Dhobi}} | |||
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}} | {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}} | ||
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2018}} | {{Use Indian English|date=January 2018}} | ||
{{infobox ethnic group| | {{infobox ethnic group| | ||
| group = | | group = Qassar | ||
| poptime = | | poptime = | ||
| popplace = • Pakistan • India • Nepal | | popplace = • Pakistan • India • Nepal | ||
| langs = • [[Urdu language|Urdu]] • [[Hindi language|Hindi]] • [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] • [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]] • [[Saraiki language|Seraiki]] | | langs = • [[Urdu language|Urdu]] • [[Hindi language|Hindi]] • [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] • [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]] • [[Saraiki language|Seraiki]] | ||
| rels = • [[File:Allah-green.svg|18px]] [[Islam]] 100% • | | rels = • [[File:Allah-green.svg|18px]] [[Islam]] 100% • | ||
| related = | | related = [[Malik]] • [[Shaikhs in South Asia|Shaikh]] | ||
| native_name = | | native_name = | ||
| native_name_lang = | | native_name_lang = | ||
}} | }} | ||
The ''' | The '''Qassar''' are a [[Caste system among South Asian Muslims|South Asian Muslim caste]] whose traditional occupation is [[laundry|washing clothes]]. They are considered to be [[Religious conversion#Islam|Muslim converts]] from [[Hinduism]], where the ''[[Dhobi]]'' castes are launderers. They are found in North India,East India as well as middle East India and Pakistan. The community is also known as '''Charhoa''' and '''Gazar''' in [[Pakistan]] and '''Qassar''' in India. They also use '''"Hawari"''' [[Indian name#Northern|as a surname]].<ref>People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part Two edited by A Hasan & J C Das pages 1029 to 1032</ref> | ||
==Present circumstances== | ==Present circumstances== | ||
The Qassar caste is known as Muslim Dhobi. In [[India]], they continue to depend on their traditional occupation of washing clothes. The more enterprising elements within the group have set up dry cleaning businesses. At present time Qassar caste does not involve in washing clothes. They started their own business. Many in rural areas are tenant farmers. The community are distributed throughout North India and South India, with concentrations in [[Delhi]], [[Gujarat]], [[Uttar Pradesh]] and [[Bihar]]. Also in south [[Karnataka]], Maharashtra, [[Andhra Pradesh]] they found. Although they live in multi-caste and multi-religious villages, they occupy distinct quarters in towns and villages. A Qassar settlement in often referred to as a ''Dhobighat''. Each of their settlement contains a traditional caste council, which resolves disputes within the community, and deals with issues such as elopement, theft and adultery. Like other [[Muslim]] artisan castes, they have set caste associations old association is '''<nowiki>''All India Jamiatul Qassar''</nowiki>''' since '''1980''' and other one is '''<nowiki>''All India Jamiatul Hawareen''</nowiki>''' which acts as a pressure group for the community.<ref name="Peopleof">People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 1031</ref> They are largely [[Sunni]] [[Muslim]], and are fairly orthodox, although a small minority in [[Haryana]] are [[Shia]]. In [[North India]], the Qassar community are [[Urdu]] speaking, as well as speaking various local dialects such as [[Khari Boli]] and [[Awadhi]].<ref name="Peopleof" /> | |||
In [[Delhi]], they have two sub-divisions, the Shehri and Agharia. The Sheri trace their origin to [[Old Delhi]], while the Agharia are originally from villages near [[Meerut]] and [[Hapur]]. They live in the localities of Farash Khana, Jama Masjid, Chitli Qabar, Lal Darwaza and Sheesh Mahal, all in [[Old Delhi]]. A large number of Delhi Qassar's emigrated to [[Pakistan]], at the time of [[partition of india|partition]]. After the independence of [[India]], their traditional occupation has suffered. Traditionally, all clothes were delivered to the Qassar. This is no longer the case, and those Qassar still involved in their traditional are those who have started to pick work from hotels and hospitals.<ref>People of India Volume XX Delhi edited by T K Ghosh and S Nath pages 176 to 182</ref> | |||
In [[ | In [[Haryana]], the community is found throughout the state. They speak [[Haryanvi]], with educated members of the community speaking [[Urdu]]. The community is split along sectarian lines, with there being both [[Sunni]] and [[Shia]] among the Qassar They are also further divided into clans, known as [[gotra]]s, such as the Bhatti, Taga . The Qassar are strictly endogamous, and practice [[gotra]] exogamy. This practice is fairly common among the [[Haryana]] Muslims. Their main occupation remains the washing of clothes, although increasingly many Qassar are now agricultural Labourers. The community has informal caste councils at village level Like other [[Haryana]] Muslims, the community has been greatly reduced in numbers by migration to [[Pakistan]] at the time of the [[partition of India]].<ref>People of India Haryana Volume XXIII edited by M.L Sharma and A.K Bhatia pages 154 to 158</ref> | ||
In [[ | In [[Gujarat]], the Qassar claim to have immigrated from [[Maharashtra]], and settled throughout [[Gujarat]]. They speak [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] and [[Kutchi language|Kutchi]], and are [[Sunni]] [[Muslim]]. The Qassar are strictly endogamous and marry close kins. Like other [[Gujarati Muslim]]s communities, they have their own caste association, the [[Dhobi]] Muslim Jamat. The Qassar are a landless community, with their traditional occupation remains washing and cleaning of clothes. A few successful Qassar have started their own businesses. The community are found mainly in [[Baroda]], [[Ahmedabad]], [[Banaskantha]] and [[Kaira district|Kaira]] districts.<ref>People of India Gujarat Volume XXI Part One edited by R.B Lal, P.B.S.V Padmanabham, G Krishnan & M Azeez Mohideen pages 334-337</ref> | ||
=== Dilliwal Shaikh === | |||
The Dilliwal Shaikh are a community of Qassar's, who are found in the cities of [[Lucknow]], [[Kanpur]] and [[Varanasi]] in [[Uttar Pradesh]]. They are said to have migrated from [[Delhi]] some three centuries ago, and their name literally means someone from [[Delhi]]. In [[Lucknow]], they are found mainly in the neighbourhoods of Nalbandi Tola, Aghameel Deon, Billojpura, Gopalganj and Wazirganj. The Dilliwal are strictly endogamous, and do not intermarry with other Dhobi clans. They specialize in washing [[Chikan (embroidery)|chikan]] cloth, a special type of fabric found in the [[Awadh]] region. Each of their settlement contains a caste council, that maintains social control, and resolves any intra community dispute. The Dilliwal speak [[Awadhi]], and follow the [[Sunni]] sect of [[Islam]].<ref>People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part Two edited by A Hasan & J C Das pages 452 to 454 Manohar Publications</ref> | |||
The Dilliwal Shaikh are a community of | |||
===In Pakistan=== | ===In Pakistan=== | ||
In Pakistan, the [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]] | In Pakistan, the [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]] Qassar are mainly a rural community. The Qassar are an artisan caste, receiving a fixed share of the agricultural produce for their services. The Gazar sub-division, found in southern Punjab, have taken to agriculture. The Gazar and Charhoa are [[Saraiki language|Seraiki]] speaking, while the Qassar in [[central Punjab]] speak [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Justice in Practice: Legal Ethnography of a Pakistani Punjabi Village |first=Muhammad Azam |last=Chaudhary |pages=7–9 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |date=1999}}</ref> | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||