>Matt7899 at 10:51, 8 November 2017

2017-11-08T10:51:27Z

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The '''Churigar''' are a [[Muslim]] community found in the state of [[Rajasthan]] in India<ref name="People of India">People of India Rajasthan Volume XXXVIII Part Two edited by B.K Lavania, D. K Samanta, S K Mandal & N.N Vyas pages 268 to 270 Popular Prakashan</ref> and the [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]] province of Pakistan.

== Origin ==
Their name means a manufacturer of bangles, from the [[Urdu]] ''churi'' bangle and ''gar'' maker. The Churigar are found mainly in the districts of [[Bhilwara district|Bhilwara]], [[Chittorgarh district|Chittorgarh]], [[Pali district|Pali]], [[Jodhpur district|Jodhpur]] and [[Udaipur district|Udaipur]] in Rajasthan. Historically, the Churigar were also found in [[Hissar District|Hissar]], [[Rohtak district|Rohtak]] and [[Gurgaon District|Gurgaon]] in what is now [[Haryana]], as well as in the districts [[Gujrat District|Gujrat]], [[Sialkot District|Sialkot]], [[Mandi Bahaudin District|Mandi Bahaudin]] and [[Sargodha District|Sargodha]] in Pakistan. The Churigar were nomadic community, one of the many gypsy like groups found in Rajasthan and Haryana. By the middle of the 19th century, groups of Churigar had begun to migrate to villages in the Punjab, selling jewellery and bangles. At the time of the [[partition of India]] in 1947, almost all of those in Haryana immigrated to Pakistan.<ref name="ordinary">Servicing the Ordinary Folk: Peripatetic Peoples and their Niche in South Asia pages 104 to 124 in Nomadism in South Asia edited by Aparna Roa and Michael J Casimir</ref>

In Rajasthan, the Churigar speak [[Mewari language|Mewari]] among themselves and [[Hindi language|Hindi]] with outsiders. Those who have attended Islamic [[madrasa]]s also understand [[Urdu]]. Like most Muslim artisan castes, the Churigar claim a Middle Eastern and in particular an [[Arab people|Arab]] origin. However, it is likely that they also incorporate converts from similar status [[Hindu]] [[castes]] of Rajasthan.<ref name="People of India"/>

== Present circumstances ==

=== In India ===
The community is strictly [[endogamy|endogamous]], and practice both parallel cousin and cross cousin marriages. They are further divided into three clans, the Multani, the Shaikh and the Sayyid. Traditionally, the Sayyid Churigar did not intermarry with the other two clans, but this is no longer the case. {{cn|date=July 2016}}

The Churigar in Rajasthan are now settled in villages, occupying their own distinct quarters. Bangle making is still the traditional occupation of the Churigar, and they are mainly landless. Many are also employed as daily wage labourers.<ref name="People of India"/>

=== In Pakistan ===
As nomads, the Punjab Churigar tend to establish regular relations with client communities in villages, and follow specific routes of migration. The basic social unit of the Churigar is the ''puki'' or tent in the [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]. All membera of the pukki are blood relations, and marriage is within this group. The Churigar still speak a dialect of Punjabi with many [[Rajasthani language|Rajasthani]] [[loanword]]s.<ref name="ordinary"/>

== See also ==
*[[Manihar]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Muslim communities of Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Social groups of Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Muslim communities of India]]
[[Category:Social groups of Punjab, Pakistan]]

Churigar - Revision history

>Matt7899 at 10:51, 8 November 2017