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| {{Short description|Muslim community in India}}{{Multiple issues| | | {{Short description|Muslim community in India}}{{Unreferenced|date=February 2026}} |
| {{Notability|date=June 2020}}
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| {{More citations needed|date=June 2020}}
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| {{Unreliable sources|date=June 2020}}
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| {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}} | | {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}} |
| {{Use Indian English|date=April 2019}} | | {{Use Indian English|date=April 2019}} |
| The '''Sai''' or sometimes pronounced Sayee are a [[Muslim]] community found in the states of [[Bihar]] and [[Uttar Pradesh]] in [[India]]. They are also known as the Sain.<ref>People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part Three edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 1237 to 1239 Manohar Publications</ref> | | The '''Sai''', sometimes pronounced Sayee, are a Muslim community found in the states of [[Bihar]] and [[Uttar Pradesh]] in India. They are also known as the Sain.{{cn|date=October 2023}} |
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| ==Origin==
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| The Sai are one of a number of Muslim mendicant communities traditionally connected with begging at [[Sufi]] shrines in [[North India]]. They are also involved in the manufacture of tazias for the [[Muharram]] festival, as well as grave digging. Very little is known about their origin, and they could have evolved from a number of different communities who took up the profession of begging and grave digging. The Sai are found mainly in eastern [[Uttar Pradesh]] and [[Bihar]]. They speak the [[Awadhi]] dialect, and much in common with the [[Jogi Faqir]], another [[Muslim]] mendicant community. Most Sai claim to be of [[Shaikhs in South Asia|Shaikh]] status.<ref>People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part Three edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 1237 to 1239 Manohar Publications</ref>
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| The Sayee of [[Bihar]] claim to belong to the [[Shaikh Siddiqui]] community, and claim descent from [[Abu Bakar]], the first [[caliph]] of [[Islam]]. Like other [[Muslim]] communities of [[Bihar]], they date their origin to the time of [[Bakhtiyar Khilji]], the [[Muslim]] conqueror of Bihar. They have several sub-divisions, the main ones being the Madari, Rafai, Jalali, Mewati and Sada-Sohgal. They are found mainly in [[Patna]], [[Gaya, India|Gaya]], [[Nalanda]] and [[Muzaffarpur]] districts. The Sayee speak [[Urdu]], with most understanding [[Hindi]].<ref>People of India Bihar Volume XVI Part Two edited by S Gopal & Hetukar Jha pages 867 to 869 Seagull Books</ref>
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| ==Present circumstances==
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| The Sai shah fakir are endogamous, marrying within close kin. Their traditional occupation was [[takyadar]], but over time a small number have acquired land, much of gifted by the other communities because of their supposed sanctity. A good many are now marginal farmers or sharecroppers. The urban Sai have remained involved in their traditional occupation of begging and grave digging. A small number of Sai are now village [[mullah]]s as well. The community are [[Sunni]] [[Muslim]]s, and fairly orthodox.<ref>People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part Three edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 1237 to 1239 Manohar Publications</ref>
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| The Sayee in [[Bihar]] are landless, with many still engaged in their traditional occupation of begging. In some parts of Rajasthan, Sayee are called Banwa or Jhunjhunwati Sayee and they are involved in singing and the band owner profession. A good many are landless agricultural labourers, while some have acquired some land. Like their [[Uttar Pradesh]] counterparts, some Sai are now employed as village [[mullah]]s.<ref>People of India Bihar Volume XVI Part Two edited by S Gopal & Hetukar Jha pages 867 to 869 Seagull Books</ref>
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| ==References== | | ==References== |
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| {{DEFAULTSORT:Sai (Caste)}} | | {{DEFAULTSORT:Sai (Caste)}} |
| [[Category:Dalit Muslim]]
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| [[Category:Social groups of Uttar Pradesh]]
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| [[Category:Muslim communities of Uttar Pradesh]]
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| [[Category:Muslim communities of India]] | | [[Category:Muslim communities of India]] |
| [[Category:Shaikh clans]]
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| [[Category:Social groups of Bihar]]
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| [[Category:Muslim communities of Bihar]]
| | {{India-ethno-stub}} |
