The Mutwa are a
Muslim community found in the state of
Gujarat
Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
in
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
and a province of
Sindh in
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
. They are one of a number of communities of
Maldhari Maldharis are herdsmen community in Gujarat, India. Originally nomads, they came to be known as Maldharis after settling in Junagadh district (mainly Gir Forest).
"Maldhari" is an occupational term which refers to people from a variety of castes ...
pastoral nomads found in the
Banni region of
Kutch.
History and origin
The Mutwa are
Qureshi Arab
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...
s, whose ancestors arrived in
South Asia
South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical
Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth descr ...
with
Muhammad bin Qasim, the
Arab
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...
conqueror of
Sindh. They settled in the neighbourhood of Karachi, Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas in
Sindh. One of the
Talpur
Talpur (, bal, تالپورء اۏبادگ) is a Saraiki-speaking Baloch sub-clan of the Hoth tribe settled in Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan in Pakistan. The tribe established the Talpur dynasty, which ruled between 1783 and 1843, while a bran ...
rulers demanded a bride from the community, and when they refused, had to flee
Sindh and settled in the Banni region of
Kutch.
Present circumstances
The community is concentrated in the districts of Jetpur,
Morvi
Morbi or Morvi is a city in the Morbi district in the state of Gujarat, India. It is situated on the Kathiawar peninsula. , the city's population was determined to be 194,947. The city is on the Machhu River, from the sea and from Rajkot.
H ...
, Dhoraji,
Rajkot,
Porbandar,
Jamnagar,
Junagarh and the
Banni region of
Kutch. They speak
Kutchi with heavy
Sindhi loanwords. The community is split into two clans, the Peerana and Moorana. Both clans are of equal status, and intermarriages are common.
[People of India Gujarat Volume XXI Part Two edited by R.B Lal, P.B.S.V Padmanabham, G Krishnan & M Azeez Mohideen pages 983-986]
The Mutwa are a cattle breeding community, and have much in common cultural with other
Maldhari Maldharis are herdsmen community in Gujarat, India. Originally nomads, they came to be known as Maldharis after settling in Junagadh district (mainly Gir Forest).
"Maldhari" is an occupational term which refers to people from a variety of castes ...
communities such as the
Halaypotra. They sell their livestock in the markets of
Bhuj
Bhuj () is a Municipality and District Headquarters of Kutch District in the state of Gujarat, India.
Etymology
According to legend, Kutch was ruled by the Nāga chieftains in the past. Sagai, a queen of Sheshapattana, who was married to Kin ...
and
Rajkot.
Due to modernisation Mutwa in Karachi have evolved towards trading and a different life style. This new generation has been quite successful in both education and business, spreading even as far as Europe and the U.S.A.
See also
*
Maldhari Maldharis are herdsmen community in Gujarat, India. Originally nomads, they came to be known as Maldharis after settling in Junagadh district (mainly Gir Forest).
"Maldhari" is an occupational term which refers to people from a variety of castes ...
References
{{Indian Muslim
Social groups of Gujarat
Tribes of Kutch
Maldhari communities
Muslim communities of India
Sindhi tribes
Sindhi tribes in India
Muslim communities of Gujarat