Kamangars

The Kamangars are a Muslim community found in Northern India and Pakistan.[1]

Kamangar, a bowmaker – Tashrih al-aqvam (1825)

History and origin

Some Kamangars trace their ancestry to a tribe by the name of Bani Saad, while some claim descent from Chughtai Mughals. They migrated into Sindh, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh from Rewari in Haryana, accompanying the Mughal armies. Some sections claim to belong to the Quraishi community.[2]

In North India

The traditional occupation of the Kamangar was the making of bows and arrows. They now manufacture toys made of bamboo, as well as Ta'ziya for Ashura. The community is urban and semi-urban, and many are now wage labourers. Many have also been involved in drawing pictures of Hindu gods and goddesses. They have other Backward caste status. The community in Uttar Pradesh are found in Fatehpur, Ferozabad, Budaun, Agra, Varanasi, Sultanpur and Eta, while in Gujarat they are found in Kutch, Mandvi, Bhuj, and Mundra. In Uttar Pradesh, the community speak Urdu and various local dialects like Braj Bhasha and Khari Boli. They have a caste council that deals with disputes within their community. The community belong to the Sunni sects of Islam.[3]

See also

References
  1. People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part Two edited by A Hasan & J C Das pages 688 to 690
  2. People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 690
  3. People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 507
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