https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=BhadalaBhadala - Revision history2026-07-30T18:32:28ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Bhadala&diff=463026&oldid=prevIgnacioGrishin at 14:36, 18 September 20252025-09-18T14:36:52Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2018}}<br />
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{{Infobox ethnic group|<br />
| group = Bhadala<br />
| population = <br />
| popplace = • India • Pakistan<br />
| langs = • [[Kutchi language|Kutchi]] • [[Sindhi language|Sindhi]] • [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]]<br />
| rels = Islam<br />
| related = [[Mohana (community)|Mohana]], [[Med people|Med]]<br />
}}<br />
<br />
The '''Bhadala''' or '''Bhodala''' ({{Langx|sd|ڀڊالا}}, {{langx|gu|ભડાલા}}) is a community of seamen and fishermen found in [[Sindh]], Pakistan and [[Kutch district|Kutch]] and [[Saurashtra (region)|Saurashtra]] regions of [[Gujarat]] in India. In Pakistan, they are found mainly in southern Sindh.<ref name=rbl>People of India Gujarat Volume XXI, Part One, edited by R.B. Lal, P.B.S.V. Padmanabham, G. Krishnan & M. Azeez Mohideen, pages 234 to 238.</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Lal |first=R. B. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4Cy_-FXW9BQC |title=Gujarat |date=2003 |publisher=Popular Prakashan |isbn=978-81-7991-104-4 |pages=234 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Samiuddin |first1=Abida |title=Global Encyclopaedic Ethnography of Indian Muslim |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qEXFxCK-ulUC |last2=Khanam |first2=R. |publisher=Global Vision Publishing House|date=2008 |isbn=9788182202979 |language=en}}</ref><br />
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==Present circumstances==<br />
The Bhadala are divided into 32 clans, the main ones being the Aspun, Bhatti, Babar, Bhopal, Bholim/Belhim, Bhojani, Chahan, Chanaa, Dekla, Dosani, Fatwani, Ghohil, Grana, Gunda, Jadeja, Juspani, Jethwa, Juneja, Koreja, Kandeja, Kana, Karani, Mokha, Madwani, Madyar, Nathrani, Panjri, Palija, Patha, Ruknani, Roomi, Saghani, Sodha, Sameja, Sayani, Sap, Siru, Thaim, Turk, Vidhani, Zufrabadi. Many are names of well-known [[Sindhis|Sindhi]] tribes, and could point to a diverse origin of the community. But community boundaries are clear, and there is no intermarriage with neighbouring [[Muslim]] [[Maldhari]] communities like the [[Juneja]], [[Royma]] and [[Ker (tribe)|Ker]]. Each of their clans are of equal status and inter marry. The community have a well established caste association, the Muslim Bhadala Jamat, which is one of the oldest Muslim castes association in [[Gujarat]]. It has offices in [[Mombasa]], [[Muscat, Oman|Muscat]], [[Dubai]], [[Karachi]] ([[Keamari (locality)|Keamari]] & [[Baba and Bhit Islands|Baba Island]]) and [[Keti Bandar]], reflecting the widespread distribution of the community.<ref name=rbl/><br />
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The Bhadala is still a seafaring community, and almost all the [[Dhow]] captains on the [[Dubai]] to [[India]] route are Bhadala. Many are also employed by the merchant navies of [[India]] and [[Pakistan]]. Generally each [[dhow]] crew is made up of close kinsmen. In [[Pakistan]], the Bhadala owns a significant part of that countries fishing fleet. In [[India]], the Bhadala often employ Muslim [[Machiyar]] or Hindu [[Kharwa (caste)|Kharwa]] on their fishing boats, while in [[Pakistan]] most of the crew is made up of ethnic [[Bengali Muslims]].<ref name=rbl/><br />
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The Bhadala are entirely [[Sunni]], and follow the traditions of the other neighbouring [[Muslim]] communities.<br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
<br />
{{Indian Muslim}}<br />
[[Category:Sindhi tribes]]<br />
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Pakistan]]<br />
[[Category:Muslim communities of India]]<br />
[[Category:Sindhi tribes in India]]</div>IgnacioGrishin