Muslim Ghosi
The Ghosi are a Muslim community found mainly in North India.[1] The meaning of Ghosi (Sanskrit ghosa, root ghush) is "to shout" as he herds his cattle.[2] They are associated with the occupation cattle rearing and the selling of milk. According to ethnographies written by British civil servants such as H.A. Rose and Denzil Ibbetson, the Ghosi are Hindu Ahirs converted to Islam.[3][4] Also Crook remarks that most of the Ghosi's are Ahirs who were converted to Islam and are said to rank below ordinary Ahirs.[5] Edward Albert Gait stats that Ghosi and Gaddi are branches of Mohammadan Ahirs are chiefly occupied in pasturing cattle.[6][7] A small number of Ghosi are also found in the Punjab province of Pakistan.
History and origin[change | change source]
The Ghosis claim descent from the Ahir community, and indeed are known as Muslim Ahirs.[8]
References[change | change source]
- ↑ Singh, Kumar Suresh (1992). People of India: Uttar Pradesh (3 pts.). Anthropological Survey of India. ISBN 978-81-85579-09-2.
- ↑ William Crooke (1896). The tribes and castes of the North-western Provinces and Oudh. Office of the superintendent of government printing. pp. 419–. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ↑ H.A. Rose; IBBETSON; Maclagan (1 December 1996). Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North West Frontier Province. Asian Educational Services. pp. 7–. ISBN 978-81-206-0505-3. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ↑ H.A. Rose (1 January 1997). A glossary of the tribes and castes of the Punjab and North-West frontier province: A.-K. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. pp. 7–. ISBN 978-81-85297-69-9. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ↑ Francis Bradley Bradley-Birt (1903). Chota Nagpore, a little-known province of the empire. Smith, Elder, & co. pp. 1–. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ↑ India. Census Commissioner; Edward Albert Gait (1902). Census of India, 1901. Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing, India. pp. 245–. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ↑ Anthropological Society of Bombay (1886). Journal. Anthropological Society of Bombay. pp. 41–. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ↑ Singh, Kumar Suresh (1992). People of India: Uttar Pradesh (3 pts.). Anthropological Survey of India. pp. 542–545. ISBN 978-81-85579-09-2.