Oriya Muslims

Oriya Muslims are an Islamic community in the Indian state of Orissa. Many members of Oriya Muslim community have migrated to Pakistan after independence and have settled in Karachi, Sindh.^[1]

History

Islam first arrived in the Eastern Indian state of Orissa in the 16th century after the invasion of a Brahman named Kala Paharh, and a Hindu convert to Islam, a vassal of Suleiman Kirrani the Sultanate of Bengal, after defeat and death of Raja Mukund Dev of Cuttack in 1568 CE. Suleiman Kirrani was the Governor of Bengal appointed by Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great. Kirrani was invited by Raja Mukund Dev to defeat Raja Ramchandra Bhanja the Gajapati King of Orissa, his arch enemy.^[2]

Kirrani brought with him Muslim soldiers who settled down in Orissa, however their number was very few. Some early Oriya Muslims were converts. However, the number of these Muslims, almost all converts from Hinduism, was statistically insignificant and though they were Muslims by faith, they continued subscribing to the local customs and traditions and retained Oriya as their native tongue, as opposed to Persian or Hindustani, the then-lingua franca of most Indian Muslims. The descendants of these Muslims are still found in the districts of Puri and Khurda.

Later migration continued under Mughal as well as the Nawab of Bengal's rule. The majority of these were traders or clergy, sent to preside over the courts, both secular and Islamic.^[3] There is also a small number of Bengali Muslims who emigrated during the tumult of the Indo-Pak War of 1971. Similarly Telugu speaking Muslims from Andhra Pradesh are also found in the southern districts of Orissa mainly in Berhampur city.

Demographics

Islam has had a very slow rate of growth in Orissa even during the Muslim rule as there had never been any proselytization. The current population of Muslims in Orissa is 761,985 (2001 census),^[4] roughly 2.1% of the total population. The city of Bhadrak has the maximum number of Muslims as a percentage of the total population (about 35%).^[5] The Oriya Muslims have a literacy rate of 71.3%, higher than the national average of 64.9%.

Muslim Population by District

Here is a breakdown of the Muslim population by district.^[6]

District	Headquarter(s)	Population (2001)	Muslim Population (2001)	Percentage
Bhadrak	Bhadrak	1,333,749	83,993	6%
Cuttack	Cuttack	2, 341,094	121,529	5%
Jajapur (Jajpur)	Jajpur	1,624,341	77,825	5%
Baleswar (Balasore)	Baleswar	2.024,508	76,270	4%
Jagatsinghpur	Jagatsinghpur	1,057,629	40,586	4%
Sundargarh (Sundergarh)	Sundargarh	1,830,673	61,873	4%
Khordha	Jatani	1,877,395	67,040	3.5%
Kendrapara	Kendrapara	1,302,005	43,394	3%
Puri	Puri	1,502,682	38,318	3%
Jharsuguda	Jharsuguda	509,716	9,498	2%
Mayurbhanj	Baripada	2,223,456	26,437	2%
Sambalpur	Sambalpur	935,613	19,438	2%
Kendujhar (Keonjhar)	Kendujhar	1,561,990	20,390	1.3%
Nuapada	Nuapada	530,690	4045	.8%
Koraput	Koraput	1,180,637	8401	.7%
Nabarangpur	Nabarangapur	1,025,766	6867	.7%
Angul	Angul	1,140,003	6,610	.6%
Bolangir (Balangir)	Balangir	1,337,194	6138	.5%
Bargarh (Baragarh)	Bargarh	1,346,336	6758	.5%
Nayagarh	Nayagarh	864,516	4233	.5%
Rayagada	Rayagada	831,109	4545	.5%
Debagarh (Deogarh)	Debagarh	274,108	1055	.4%
Dhenkanal	Dhenkanal	1,066,878	4177	.4%
Ganjam	Chhatrapur	3,160,635	10,910	.4%
Kandhamal	Phulbani	648,201	2253	.4%
Malkangiri	Malkangiri	504,198	1807	.4%
Gajapati	Paralakhemundi	518,837	1623	.3%
Kalahandi	Bhawanipatna	1,335,494	3592	.3%
Subarnapur (Sonepur)	Subarnapur	541,835	1633	.3%
Boudh (Bauda)	Boudh	373,372	747	.2%

Sects

The vast majority of Oriya Muslims are Sunni Muslims belonging to the Hanafi school. Majority of the Muslims are concentrated in the townships of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Kendrapara and Bhadrak. The Ahmadiya community, considered heretical by mainstream Muslims also has some presence, mainly in Kerang of Khurda District. The Sunnis are divided between the Deobandi and Barelvi sub-sects, with the latter leading the figures. The prominent Muslim families of Orissa include the Muftis and Qazis of Jajpur District, who have Arab heritage, the Sayyids of Cuttack and the Mullahs of Dharamshala (of Afghan descent).

Islamic sites in Orissa

• Kaipadar Sharif (near Khurda)

A eighteenth century shrine of the Sufi saint, Syed Abdullah Jalal Bukhari Pir Saheb. He originally belonged to Bukhara, Uzbekistan came to Khurda in 1731 CE via Mecca after performing Hajj. The then Oriya king of Khurda, Gajapati Raja Ramchandra Dev II who was mesmerised by his Sufi thoughts and action donated about 223-acre (0.90 km²) land in 1733 CE to establish his mosque and hujra which is now known as Kaipadar. It is now famous for the annual Urs celebration when thousands of devotees both Hindus and Muslims gather with religious fervour from all over India. People come here to get their desires fulfilled throughout the year.

• Qadam Rasul (in Cuttack)

Reputed to contain the footprint of Prophet Muhammad, this shrine dates back to the 15th century.

• Badshahi Mosques

--In Jajpur: Built by a Mughal officer, Nawab Abu Nasir in the 17th century during the reign of Aurangzeb. It was renovated in the 19th century by the Public Works Department under British supervision.

--In Cuttack: Located inside the Barabati Fort Known As Qila Masjid Built by Shah Muhammad Aurangzeb Bahadur Alamgir in the year 1701, Cuttack.

--In Lalitagiri: Also known as the "Takht-e-Sulaiman" (Throne of Solomon), it was built in 1719 CE by Shuja ud Din who was also known as Suleiman, on the orders of the Governor of Bengal, Nawab Murshid Quli Khan. It is located on top of Mount Alamgir in the Assia range of the Eastern Ghats.^[7]

• Capital Mosque, Bhubaneswar

Redesigned by Syed Mumtaz Ali, the then Chief Engineer of Orissa State in 1962. It has a simple look without traditional dome but having two very tall minarets. This mosque also acts as the of headquarters of Tableegh-e-jamat of Orissa unit. Previously, belonged to the Barelvis.

• Dhamnagar Sharif (near Bhadrak)

Mausoleum of the famous Barelvi scholar, Maulana Habib-ur-Rahman a.k.a Mujahid e Millat (1904–1981)

• Jama Masjid, Cuttack

Built by Nawab Ikram Khan in 1689 A.D. on the orders of Aurangzeb Alamgir, the Jami Masjid at Balu Bazar is an imposing mosque. The mosque stretches from east to west to enable the devotees to turn towards Mecca while praying. The present access to it is through the southern gate built much later. There is a 'hauz' (cistern) in the courtyard and a pulpit in the main hall. There are two tall and elegant minarets on both sides of the mosque.

Culture and Education

The Urdu Academy of Orissa, a wing of the Department of Culture, Government of Orissa is engaged in the propagation and popularization of the Urdu language in Orissa. Naveen Patnaik, the Chief Minister of Orissa is the president and patron of this academy. Mujahide Millat, a prominent Barelvi Sufi saint of Bhadrak has opened institutions for the educational upliftment of Muslims in Orissa, apart from the magnificent seminary at Dhamnagar. Darul Uloom, Sungda established in the 1940s by Maulvi Ismail of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind is a prominent centre of Deobandi Islamic learning in Orissa. Jamia Ashraful Uloom, the biggest and largest madrasa of Orissa run by Maulana Md. Farooque is situated at Kendrapara town with a large attractive campus and facilities of modern educations.

References

1. ^ Muslim Peoples: A World Ethnographic Survey editor Richard V Weekes
2. ^ History of Modern Orissa: 1936-2000 page:5 by Kartik Chandra Rout, Published by Anmol Publications PVT. LTD., 2004, ISBN 81-261-2006-1, 9788126120062
3. ^ http://www.sacw.net/DC/CommunalismCollection/ArticlesArchive/Kanungo2003.html
4. ^ Indian Census
5. ^ http://www.censusindiamaps.net/page/Religion_WhizMap1/housemap.htm
6. ^ http://www.censusindia.gov.in/
7. ^ Imperial Gazetteer2 of India, Volume 5, page 204 - Imperial Gazetteer of India - Digital South Asia Library