Mallaah

2023-03-31T07:52:46Z

2401:4900:45EA:F053:EE7E:286F:E19F:E2CC:

{{EngvarB|date=April 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{redirect|Mallah|the village in Iran|Mallah, Iran}}
{{Infobox ethnic group|
|group= Mallah
|image=
|caption=
|popplace = • India • Pakistan
|langs = [[Hindi language|Hindi]] • [[Sindhi language|Sindhi]] • [[Seraiki language|Seraiki]]
|rels= • [[Hinduism]] • [[Islam]]
|related= • [[Kewat]] • [[Bind (tribe)|Bind]] • [[Nishad]]
}}
The '''Mallaah''' are the traditional boatmen and fishermen tribes or communities of [[North India]], [[East India]], [[Northeastern India]] and Pakistan. A significant number of Mallah are also found in [[Nepal]] and [[Bangladesh]].<ref>[http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADM638.pdf usaid.gov.in]</ref> In the Indian state of [[Bihar]], the term '''[[Nishad]]''' includes the Mallah and refers to communities whose traditional occupation centred on rivers.

==History==
The Mallah who are also referred to as "Nishad" were a community of boatman and fisherman mentioned at the earliest in the Hindu scriptures like ''[[Ramayana]]'' and the ''[[Mahabharata]]'' . Nishad claim to have descended from [[Ved Vyas]] who composed ''Mahabharata'' , and was a son of [[Satyawati]] . They also claim many other mythological characters like [[Eklavya]] and Nishadraja, a leader of the forest tribe who helped lord [[Rama]] . Mallah however is a term used to describe someone who rode a boat and is derived from an [[Arabic]] word Mallah([[ملاح]]) which means "to move its wing like a bird". However the word is purely an occupational term according to Crooke which was used for the large community associated with the water centric occupation primarily boating and fishing.<ref name="Narayan">{{cite book|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9bmGAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA117|title=Fascinating Hindutva: Saffron Politics and Dalit Mobilisation|author=Badri Narayan|publisher=SAGE Publications India|year=2009|isbn=978-8132101055|pages=116–119,122|chapter=5.Legend war|accessdate=2020-10-05}}</ref>

There are many subcastes of the Mallah community in which Kewat , Bind , Nishad , Dhimak , Karabak , Sahani are notable. The Mallah community was recognised as backward caste initially though socially and economically . This made some of the state governments to include them in SC category which was preceded by movement and unrest led by the various caste organisation of the community for the purpose of seeking benefits accruing due to Reservation provided to the [[Scheduled Caste]] groups.<ref name="Narayan"/>

In the first half of 20th century the rising educated middle class among the community urged for the unification of various subcastes of the larger Mallah community for the purpose of their socio-economic empowerment . Consequently, in 1918 Nishad Mahasabha came into existence, as the largest organisation of the Mallahs and their subcastes. The Nishad Mahasabha was spearheaded by Ram Chandr Vakil and Pyarelal Chaudhary, amongst whom the former was selected to legislative council of [[United Province]] in 1936 and voiced support for the political representation of Nishad and its subcastes.<ref name="Narayan"/>

The various caste based organisation and the umbrella organisation Nishad Mahasabha sought to mobilise the people belonging to subcastes of Mallah under a common term called 'Nishad' , which symbolised the attempt of the community to discover their past in the mythological heroes whom they considered their progenitor . The attempts of Nishad Sabhas to do so with their ''Ekta Sammelans'' and other ways of sensitization and mobilisation of a common member of the community was later spearheaded by political parties based on the ideology of ''[[Hindutva]]''.

In 1990s when [[Lal Krishna Advani]] was organising his [[Ram Rath Yatra]] to garner the support of [[Hindu]]s all over India for the establishment of Ram Temple at a disputed site in [[Ayodhya]] .[[Mulayam Singh Yadav]]'s government took serious steps to prevent the ''Karsewaks'' (volunteers of the Temple movement) in a bid to stop the communal clashes in the state . The proponents of the Ram Temple movement then sought the help of Nishad community to transport the ''Karsewaks'' through water route invoking the tale from ''[[Ramayana]]'', when Nishadraja Guhya , a mythological character from the holy epic helped lord [[Rama]] to cross the river.<ref>{{cite book|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9bmGAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA129|title=Fascinating Hindutva: Saffron Politics and Dalit Mobilisation|author=Badri Narayan|publisher=SAGE Publications India|year=2009|isbn=978-8132101055|pages=129|chapter=5.Legend war|accessdate=2020-10-05}}</ref> According to social historian Badri Narayan Tiwari:
{{quote|Apart from transporting Karsewaks to Ayodhya, nearly 20,000 Nishad living on the bank of river Saryu and Ghagra also went to Ayodhya to work as volunteers in the construction of Ram Mandir .}}

The wooing of Mallah community in 1990s by the Hindutva ideologue was resented by other political parties who mobilised the community through the tale of [[Eklavya]] who in his devotion to his Guru [[Dronacharya]] sacrificed his finger though earlier he was ill treated by him and his request for learning archery from him was denied by the Guru because of his low ritual status.<ref>{{cite book|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9bmGAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA131|title=Fascinating Hindutva: Saffron Politics and Dalit Mobilisation|author=Badri Narayan|publisher=SAGE Publications India|year=2009|isbn=978-8132101055|pages=131–133|chapter=5.Legend war|accessdate=2020-10-05}}</ref>

However according to Badri Narayan, the ideology of Ram Rajya, an idyllic time of the past when lower and upper caste lived together in harmony was just invoked to counter the politics of [[Dalit]] mobilisation based on the report of [[Mandal Commission]] which sought reservation in the government jobs and educational institutions for socially and economically backward communities.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S46rbUL6GrMC&pg=PA141|title=Political Process in Uttar Pradesh: Identity, Economic Reforms, and Governance|author=Sudha Pai|publisher=Pearson Education|place=India|year=2007|isbn=978-8131707975|page=141,149,150|accessdate=2020-10-05}}</ref>

<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Kd28Ay09adgC&pg=PA60|title=Broken People: Caste Violence Against India's "untouchables".|author1=Human Rights Watch Asia|author2=Smita Narula|publisher=Human Rights Watch|year=1999|isbn=1564322289|pages=60–61|accessdate=2020-10-05}}</ref>

In states like [[Uttar Pradesh]] too, the brutal force of repression upon was inflicted by the members of upper castes, which were many a times challenged by the iconic people from the as for example [[Phoolan Devi]], who being born in a Mallah family faced all sort of discrimination from the upper caste dominated administration after being raped by bandits belonging to Thakur [[Rajput]] castes and finally ended up perpetrating the infamous "Behmai massacre", in which male members of a Thakur caste dominated village were assassinated by a gang of Mallah under the leadership of Phoolan Devi . Devi was later inducted as [[Member of Parliament]] from Uttar Pradesh by [[Mulayam Singh Yadav]], who acknowledged her popularity among her castemen .<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F4-dAwAAQBAJ&q=mallah+killed+Rajputs&pg=PA112|title=Famous Assassinations in World History: An Encyclopedia [2 volumes]|author=Michael Newton|publisher=ABC-CLIO|year=2014|isbn=978-1610692861|pages=111,112|accessdate=2020-10-06}}</ref>

The Mallah and their subcastes called Bind were also active in high value organised crime in the Bihar during 1990s. These organised crimes were kidnapping, [[Timber]] logging, forcibly taking contract for public works, automobile theft and smuggling which were the prerogative of the criminals belonging to upper castes earlier as they required linkage with the politicians and backup from the ruling regime as high capital inflow is involved. In the regime of [[Rashtriya Janata Dal]] led government these criminals from backward castes specially Mallah and [[Yadav]] turned several areas of Bihar into their base and organised high value crimes .<ref>{{cite book|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zA2rCwAAQBAJ&pg=PT175|title=Government of Peace: Social Governance, Security and the Problematic of Peace|chapter=Bihar 1990-2011|author=Ranabir Samaddar|date=3 March 2016|publisher=Routledge, 2016|isbn=978-1317125372|accessdate=2020-10-05|quote=Yadav and Bind (a fishing community) criminals and in certain area Muslim criminals now built their own numerous small crime capitals even though they couldn't fully replace upper caste criminals.}}</ref> The criminal nature of Mallah were earlier used by British colonialists too to list them in Criminal Tribes Act 1871 . Scholars like Buchanan and Crooke also consider this behaviour to be inherent in their nature which halted their attempts to sanskritize and seek high status.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hEmoDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT57|title=Caste, Occupation and Politics on the Ganges|author=Assa Doron|publisher=Routledge|year=2016|isbn=978-1351953269|pages=53–57|accessdate=2020-10-07}}</ref>

===Post 2000===
The period before 2000 saw consolidation of backward castes under [[Lalu Prasad Yadav]] , who according to the backward communities gave voice to them to stand up in front of upper castes. Lalu as a [[Chief Minister]] frequently visited the SC hamlets of the state and sensitise the feeling against repression . This period saw representation of many lower caste including Mallah in local level politics who now acquired the post of "Mukhia" (village headman) at many places .<ref>{{cite book|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zA2rCwAAQBAJ&pg=PT182|title=Government of Peace: Social Governance, Security and the Problematic of Peace|chapter=Bihar 1990-2011|author=Ranabir Samaddar|date=3 March 2016|publisher=Routledge, 2016|isbn=978-1317125372|accessdate=2020-10-05}}</ref>

The early part of Lalu Yadav's rule saw the rise to prominence of the leaders of the among which [[Jai Narain Prasad Nishad]] was a notable leader from Mallah community. However, the prominence of [[Yadav]]s made many aspirational backward caste dissatisfied who were forced to seek place in electoral politics elsewhere. The Dalit caste after being marginalised in the [[Rashtriya Janata Dal]] thus moved towards the socialist leader [[Ram Vilas Paswan]] who championed the cause of the numerically weak backward communities and the dominant Dalit caste, [[Dusadh]].<ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=num2I4NFGqIC&pg=PA37|title=Community Warriors: State, Peasants and Caste Armies in Bihar|publisher=Anthem Press India|author=Ashwani Kumar|year=2008|isbn=978-1843317098|page=37,38|accessdate=2020-10-06}}</ref>
[[File:Mukesh Sahani.jpg|thumb|Mukesh Sahani in Nishad Maharally at [[Gandhi Maidan]], [[Patna]].]]
The Mallah community later supported [[Nitish Kumar]] until 2015 when [[Mukesh Sahani]] entered the political arena of Bihar. Sahani called himself "Son of Mallah" and cultivated support amongst the Nishad community who were electorally influential in some pockets of [[Bihar]]. Initially his campaign for the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] as the leader of Mallah caste made the community vote in favour of BJP in 2014 elections but later on he joined the [[Mahagathbandhan (Bihar)]], a grand alliance of opposition parties in Bihar which includes [[Rashtriya Janata Dal]] and [[Rashtriya Lok Samata Party]] among others. The walking out of Sahani led [[Vikassheel Insaan Party]] out of [[National Democratic Alliance]] was due to alleged betrayal of Bihar government under Nitish Kumar to grant [[Scheduled Tribe]] status to Mallah caste.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://scroll.in/article/906884/son-of-mallah-once-bjps-star-campaigner-now-the-grand-alliances-big-hope-in-bihar|title='Son of Mallah': Once the BJP's star campaigner, now the Grand Alliance's big hope in Bihar|first=Akash|last=Bisht|website=Scroll.in|accessdate=2020-10-06|quote=In the 2015 Assembly election, Sahni, who calls himself the “son of Mallah”, or boatman, was among the BJP’s star campaigners. He accompanied party chief Amit Shah to 41 of his 47 campaign rallies. The BJP had banked on him to woo the Nishad community, widely considered supporters of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who had broken his ties with the National Democratic Alliance ahead of the election. }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/vip-chief-mukesh-sahni-joins-bihar-grand-alliance-118122300448_1.html|title=VIP chief Mukesh Sahni joins Bihar grand alliance|website=[[Business Standard]]|accessdate=2020-10-06}}</ref>

===Distribution in Bihar===
[[File:The entrance of a village inhabited by Nishad (Mallah) caste in vaishali.jpg|thumb|The gateway at the entrance of a Nishad (Mallah) caste dominated village in Bihar, commemorating [[Eklavya]], the mythological character from ''[[Mahabharata]]''.]]
The Mallah community is present all over Bihar though sparingly. They are dominant in districts like [[Muzaffarpur]] and [[Vaishali district|Vaishali]]. In Muzaffarpur region politically they have emerged as most influential caste leaving behind [[Bhumihar]], [[Rajput]], [[Koeri]], [[Kurmi]] and [[Yadav]]. Since decades the Member of Parliament from this constituency has remained from the Mallah caste only.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/news/column/the-mallah-factor-in-bihar/20190422.htm|title=The Mallah Factor in Bihar|website=reddif.com|first=Mohammad|last=Sajjad|accessdate=2020-10-06}}</ref>

== In Pakistan ==

=== In Sindh ===

In [[Sindh]], the Mallaah are traditionally boatmen and fisherfolk, living along the inlets of the [[Indus]] delta. They speak [[Sindhi language|Sindhi]], and are close associated with [[Mohana (Sindhi tribe)|Mohana]] tribe. The Mallaah are found mainly in the coastal districts of [[Thatta District|Thatta]] and [[Badin District|Badin]], and most are largely still fishermen. Many have seen their traditional areas of habitation washed away by the sea. The Indus Delta is also silting, which makes cultivation difficult. An important subsidiary occupation is animal husbandry, with the Mallaah raising cattle. Although living in close proximity to the [[Jats of Sindh|Jath]] community, who customs are similar to the Mallaah, there is almost no intermarriage. The Mallaah community consists of a number of clans, referred to as ''nukh'', the largest Mallaah nukh being the Dablo.<ref name=Horace>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LPsvytmN3mUC&pg=PA382|title=A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North-West Frontier Province: A.-K, Volume 2|author1=Horace Arthur Rose|publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Dist|year=1997|isbn=818529769X|accessdate=2020-10-07}}</ref>

=== In Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ===

In [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]], the boatmen belong either to the Mallaah or [[Jhabel]] tribe. In south west Punjab, they often claim themselves to be a clan of [[Rajputs]], and found mainly along the banks of the [[Indus]]. They extend as far north as [[Dera Ismail Khan District]] of [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]], where there settlements are found mainly along the banks of the Indus. In this region, many Mallaah are cultivators, and have given up their occupation as boatmen. They generally combine their specialized occupation of boat management with other occupations such as fishing and the growing of waternuts.<ref name=Horace/>

In neighbouring Punjab, the Mallaah are found mainly in the districts of Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur , Uch Sharief and Layyah, and said to be by origin [[Jhinwar]]. While [[Bahawalpur State|Bahawalpur]], the Mallaah, [[Mohana (tribe)|Mohana]] and Jhabel are said to have a common origin, with Mohana being fishermen, the Mallaah being boatmen and Jhabel being cultivators. The Mallah speak [[Seraiki language|Seraiki]], and are entirely [[Sunni]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.sindhidunya.com/mohana-tribe/|title=Mohana Tribe: The Honorable Sindhi Tribe|date=2016-05-16|work=Sindhi Dunya|access-date=2018-07-08|language=en-US}}</ref>There are also Mallaah communities in the [[Hazara Division]] of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. They live along the banks of the Indus in the Haripur and Mansehra districts and speak Hindko, a dialect of Punjabi.<ref>{{citation |title=A History of Pakistan and Its Origins |first=Christophe |last=Jaffrelot |authorlink=Christophe Jaffrelot |edition=Reprinted |publisher=Anthem Press |year=2004 |isbn=9781843311492 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q9sI_Y2CKAcC&pg=PA211 |page=211 }}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Ethnic groups in Nepal]]
[[Category:Social groups of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Social groups of Bihar]]
[[Category:Sindhi tribes]]
[[Category:Other Backward Classes]]
[[Category:Shudra castes]]

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Mallaah