https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=KanmailiaKanmailia - Revision history2026-07-31T10:21:10ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Kanmailia&diff=220985&oldid=prev->Dl2000 at 03:04, 9 April 20192019-04-09T03:04:28Z<p></p>
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The '''Kanmailia''' are a [[Muslim]] community found in the state of [[Uttar Pradesh]] in [[India]]. Their preferred self-designation is Shaikh.<ref>People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part Two edited by A Hasan & J C Das pages 714 to 717 Manohar Publications</ref><br />
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== Origin ==<br />
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The Kanmailia are a Muslim occupational [[caste]], that traditionally specialized in cleaning ear wax. They get their name from two [[Hindi language|Hindi]] words, ''kan'' meaning ears and ''mailia'' meaning dirt. During the period of [[United Kingdom|British]] colonial rule, the Kanmailia were declared to be a criminal tribe under the [[Criminal Tribes Act]]. After independence, they were [[Denotified tribes of India|denotified]] in 1952, when the [[Criminal Tribes Act]] was replaced with the [[Habitual_Offender_Laws#India|Habitual Offenders Act]], but the community continues to carry considerable social stigma. Little is known about the origin of this community. Their own traditions speak of the community descending from early [[Arab]] settlers to [[India]], and the community prefer the self designation Shaikh, a name traditionally associated with those groups who claim an Arab ancestry in [[India]]. They are found mainly in [[Lucknow]], and the districts of [[Ghazipur District|Ghazipur]] and [[Etawah District|Etawah]].<ref>People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part Two edited by A Hasan & J C Das pages 714 to 717 Manohar Publications</ref><br />
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== Present circumstances ==<br />
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The Kanmailia are strictly endogamous, and marry close kin. Each Kanmailia settlement contains an informal caste council, known as a ''biradari panchayat'', which acts as an instrument of social control. The Kanmailia are [[Sunni]] [[Muslim]]s, but still incorporate many folk beliefs and traditions. Most Kanmailia are still engaged in cleaning ear wax. They are often found at bus stations and train stations practising their occupation. A small number are now employed as day labourers. They are an extremely marginalized community, suffering from severe poverty.<ref>People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part Two edited by A Hasan & J C Das pages 714 to 717 Manohar Publications</ref><br />
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== See also ==<br />
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*[[Kanjar]]<br />
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== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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[[Category:Social groups of Uttar Pradesh]]<br />
[[Category:Muslim communities of Uttar Pradesh]]<br />
[[Category:Muslim communities of India]]</div>->Dl2000