The Silawat, also known as Sangtarash (both ), are a Muslim community from the

Marwar Marwar (also called Jodhpur region) is a region of western Rajasthan state in North Western India. It lies partly in the Thar Desert. The word 'maru' is Sanskrit for desert. In Rajasthani languages, "wad" means a particular area. English tran ...

region of the state of

Rajasthan Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern si ...

in India.People of India Rajasthan Volume XXXVIII Part Three edited by B.K Lavania, D. K Samanta, S K Mandal & N.N Vyas Popular Prakashan pages 914 to 916 They are also present in the province of

Sindh Sindh (; ; ur, , ; historically romanized as Sind) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the southeastern region of the country, Sindh is the third-largest province of Pakistan by land area and the second-largest province ...

in Pakistan, where they are known as Gazdar. The related Hindu Silawats are found in

Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the seco ...

where they migrated to from Marwar.

History and origin

The Silawat were a community historically associated with the occupation of stonemasons and builders. The word ''Silawat'' is a corruption of the

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...

, literally signifying a follower of the Hindu god Shilp-shastra, who is traditionally associated with the art of architecture. They were also known by the name Sootardhar from the Sanskrit meaning a thread, which they kept for measurements. The Silawat have two major divisions – the Mertia and the Nagauri – so called after the towns of Merta and

Nagaur Nagaur is a city and municipal council in Nagaur district of the state of Rajasthan in India. It is the administrative headquarters of Nagaur District. The Nagaur city lies about midway between Jodhpur and Bikaner. Nagaur is famous for spices ...

. But there are also groups such as the

Khalji The Khalji or Khilji (Pashto: ; Persian: ) dynasty was a Turco-Afghan dynasty which ruled the Delhi sultanate, covering large parts of the Indian subcontinent for nearly three decades between 1290 and 1320.Behlim The Behlim are Muslim people mainly found in North India and Pakistan. They are a sub-caste of the Rajputs. The Behlims trace their origin back to the great saint Sufi Masood Ghazi. Behlim is derived from Urdu word "Baa-Ilm", meaning Knowled ...

, claim Turkic ancestry while

Sayyid ''Sayyid'' (, ; ar, سيد ; ; meaning 'sir', 'Lord', 'Master'; Arabic plural: ; feminine: ; ) is a surname of people descending from the Prophets in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husayn ibn Ali ...

claim Arabian ancestry. This possibly reflects the fact that the Silawat are of a heterogeneous origin, incorporating a number of groups who took to the profession of stonemasons. The community is now bound by the rules of

endogamy Endogamy is the practice of marrying within a specific social group, religious denomination, caste, or ethnic group, rejecting those from others as unsuitable for marriage or other close personal relationships. Endogamy is common in many cultu ...

, and there is also no intermarriage with non-Silawats.

Clan structure

Mertia Godwad Silawat

The Mertia Godwad Silawat have the following clans: * Agwan *

Behlim The Behlim are Muslim people mainly found in North India and Pakistan. They are a sub-caste of the Rajputs. The Behlims trace their origin back to the great saint Sufi Masood Ghazi. Behlim is derived from Urdu word "Baa-Ilm", meaning Knowled ...

Tajik Tajik, Tadjik, Tadzhik or Tajikistani may refer to: * Someone or something related to Tajikistan * Tajiks, an ethnic group in Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan * Tajik language, the official language of Tajikistan * Tajik (surname) * Tajik cu ...

Khalji The Khalji or Khilji (Pashto: ; Persian: ) dynasty was a Turco-Afghan dynasty which ruled the Delhi sultanate, covering large parts of the Indian subcontinent for nearly three decades between 1290 and 1320.Sayyid ''Sayyid'' (, ; ar, سيد ; ; meaning 'sir', 'Lord', 'Master'; Arabic plural: ; feminine: ; ) is a surname of people descending from the Prophets in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husayn ibn Ali ...

* Balkhi *

Chauhan Chauhan, historically ''Chahamana'', is a clan name historically associated with the various ruling Rajput families during the Medieval India in Rajasthan. Subclans Khichi, Hada, Songara, Bhadauria, Devda etc. are the branches or subclan ...

Sisodia The Sisodia is an Indian Rajput dynasty belonging to the clan that ruled over the kingdom of Mewar in Rajasthan. The name of the clan is also transliterated as ''Sesodia'', ''Shishodia'', ''Sishodia'', ''Shishodya'', ''Sisodya'', ''Sisodiya'', ...

Solanki Solanki may refer to: * Solanki (name), surname and given name *Solanki (clan), Indian clan associated with the Rajputs *Solanki dynasty, alternate name for the Chaulukya dynasty The Chaulukya dynasty (), also Solanki dynasty, was a dynasty th ...

Bargujar The Badgujar / Bargujar / Badgurjar is a clan of Rajputs. History The Bargujars ruled over Rajorgarh, Dausa, Deoti and Ghasira, Macheri. They were expelled from Dausa, Rajorgarh and Deoti by Kachhwaha Rajputs when they migrated to Dhundhar, ...

Kotwal The Kotwal also spelled as Cotwal, or Kotval was a title used in medieval India for the leader of a Kot or fort. Kotwals often controlled the fort of a major town or an area of smaller towns on behalf of another ruler. It was similar in function ...

* Hansoria The Agwan, Behlim, Tajik, Khalji, Sayyid, Balkhi

gotra In Hindu culture, the term gotra (Sanskrit: गोत्र) is considered to be equivalent to lineage. It broadly refers to people who are descendants in an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor or patriline. Generally, the gotra fo ...

s claim descent from Muslim immigrants; the Chauhan, Sisodia, Solanki, Bargujar, and Kotwal claim descent from well-known

Rajput Rajput (from Sanskrit ''raja-putra'' 'son of a king') is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term Ra ...

tribes; Hansor is a village near Merta.

Nagauri Silawat

The

i Silawat have the following subdivisions: *

Gesawat The Silawat, also known as Sangtarash (both ), are a Muslim community from the Marwar region of the state of Rajasthan in India.People of India Rajasthan Volume XXXVIII Part Three edited by B.K Lavania, D. K Samanta, S K Mandal & N.N Vyas Popu ...

Khatri Khatri is a caste of the Indian subcontinent that is predominantly found in India, but also in Pakistan and Afghanistan. In the subcontinent, they were mostly engaged in mercantilistic professions such as banking and trade, they were the d ...

Bhatta Bhat (also spelled as Bhatt or Butt) is a surname in the Indian subcontinent. Bhat and Bhatt are shortened rendition of Bhatta. Etymology The word "Bhat" ( sa, भट, ) means "teacher" in Sanskrit. While the original shortened rendition of "Bh ...

Gaur The gaur (''Bos gaurus''; ), also known as the Indian bison, is a bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia, and has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986. The global population was estimated at a maximum of 21,000 m ...

* Tonwar *

Rander Rander (also known as Rahe Neer or city of mosques) is a town in Surat district in the state of Gujarat, India. Located on the bank of the Tapti River, it is from the city of Surat. History There are some historic indications that Rander ...

* Sisodhia *

Sisodiya Kingdom of Mewar, sometimes known as Udaipur State, was ruled by the Sisodia dynasty. It was an independent kingdom in Rajputana region of India. It was established around the 7th century as minor rulers of the Nagada-Ahar region of Udaipur a ...

* Gour *

Khichi Chauhan, a name derived from the historical Chahamanas, a clan name associated with the various ruling Rajput families in Rajasthan during the Medieval Indian eras . Subclans Khichi, Hada, Songara, Bhadauria, Devda etc. are the branche ...

Bhati Bhati is a clan of Rajputs History The Bhatis reportedly originated in Mathura through a common ancestor named Bhati, who was a descendant of Pradyumn. According to the seventeenth-century Nainsi ri Khyat, the Bhatis after losing Mathura ...

Tanwar Tomar (also called/spelt Tomara, Tanwar) is a clan, some members of which ruled parts of North India at different times. People belonging to the Tomara clan are found among the Rajputs of Northern India. Most of their population is primarily co ...

Gahlot Gahlot is a clan of Rajputs Guhilot Rajputs ruled number of Kingdom's including Mewar, Banswara, Dungarpur, Pratapgarh, Shahpura, Bhavnagar, Palitana, Lathi and Vala, The variations of the name include Gehlot, Guhila, Gohil or Guhilot. Hist ...

Rathod The Rathore is a Rajputs, Rajput clan found in Northern India. Subclans Jodhana, Vadhel, Jaitawat, Kumpawat, Champawat, Meratiya, Udawat, Karamsot etc. are the branches or subclans of Rathore Rajputs. Coverage This article discusses the ...

Sheikh Sheikh (pronounced or ; ar, شيخ ' , mostly pronounced , plural ' )—also transliterated sheekh, sheyikh, shaykh, shayk, shekh, shaik and Shaikh, shak—is an honorific title in the Arabic language. It commonly designates a chief of a ...

Religion and customs

The Silawat are a

Sunni Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagr ...

Hanafi The Hanafi school ( ar, حَنَفِية, translit=Ḥanafiyah; also called Hanafite in English), Hanafism, or the Hanafi fiqh, is the oldest and one of the four traditional major Sunni schools ( maddhab) of Islamic Law (Fiqh). It is named aft ...

Sufism Muslim community, with many particular customs, like the making of joyful public announcement by a common man or woman through beating a dish with a spoon or something loudly for making huge sound that can be heard publicly. In Rajasthan, they speak the Marwari dialect of

Rajasthani Rajasthani may refer to: * something of, from, or related to Rajasthan, a state of India * Rajasthani languages, a group of languages spoken there * Rajasthani people, the native inhabitants of the region * Rajasthani architecture * Rajasthani art ...

. Most educated members of the community are also conversant in

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
''

Sindhi, Urdu and

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

. The Silawat in India are a strictly endogamous community, practising mainly parallel cousin marriage. They also tend to occupy distinct neighbourhoods in the towns and cities they live in. Each of their settlement also contains an informal

caste Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultura ...

council, known as a ''biradari panchayat'', which acted as instrument of social control. The Silawat have now set up an India-wide caste association known as the ''Silawat Anjuman''. This acts mainly as a community welfare association.

Distribution

In Rajasthan, the Silawat are an urban-based community, found mainly in the cities of Jaipur, Jodhpur, Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Nagaur and Churu in Rajasthan and

Ahmednagar Ahmednagar (), is a city located in the Ahmednagar district in the state of Maharashtra, India, about 120 km northeast of Pune and 114 km from Aurangabad. Ahmednagar takes its name from Ahmad Nizam Shah I, who founded the town in 1494 ...

in Maharashtra. In Sindh, the Silawat are concentrated in the cities of

Karachi Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...

and

Hyderabad Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part ...

. The city of Hyderabad is a particular stronghold of this community.Politics in Sindh, 1907-1940 : Muslim identity and the demand for Pakistan / Allen Keith Jones Oxford University Press

Muhammad Hashim Gazdar Muhammad Hashim Gazdar ( ur, محمد ہاشم گذدر; 1 February 1893 – 19 February 1968) was one of the three representatives from Sindh to the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan, and the second Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly ...

, a former

Mayor of Karachi Mayor of Karachi (Urdu: ) is the executive of the Karachi metropolitan corporation and the Karachi local government system of the city of Karachi which is the third tier of governance in Pakistan after Federal and provincial governments. Pre ...

belonged to the Silawat community.Muhammad Hashim Gazdar - Dawn
/ref> The neighbourhood of

Gazdarabad Ranchore Line ( ur, رنچھور لائن), officially named as Gazdarabad ( ur, گزدر آباد ), is a neighbourhood in the Karachi South district of Karachi, Pakistan. The neighborhood is one of the oldest in Karachi, and has a predominantly ...

(formerly Ranchore Lines) is named after the community.

References

{{Indian Muslim Social groups of Rajasthan Muslim communities of India Muslim communities of Rajasthan Social groups of Pakistan Social groups of Sindh