Atishbaz
Encyclopedia
The Atishbaz are a Muslim
community found in the state Uttar Pradesh
in India
. They also refer to themselves as Atishbaz Shaikh or sometimes just Shaikh, which is also a common surname. Atishbaz also known as darugar. The Uttar Pradesh
Atishbaz have been granted Other Backward Class
status. A small number are also found in the city of Karachi
in Pakistan
.
atish meaning fire, and baz meaning to play, and the community is said to have acquired the name on account of their traditional occupation, which was the manufacture of fireworks. According to the traditions of the community, they were originally brought over by the Mughals from Central Asia
, as their ancestors were specialists in the manufacture of gunpowder. With the decline of the Mughal Empire
, the community took to the manufacturing of fireworks. They are found mainly in eastern Uttar Pradesh
, in the districts of Mirzapur
, Azamgarh
, Jaunpur
, Basti, Gonda
and Varanasi
. In Varanasi
, they are found in the Kashipura, Aurangabad and Ram Nagar localities. The Atishbaz speak Bhojpuri, although most educated Atishbaz also speak Urdu
. A separate grouping of Atishbaz is found in Moradabad
and Aligarh
districts, where in the city of yAligarh, they occupy the neighbourhood of Atishbazan. These Atishbaz speak Khari boli, as well as Urdu
. a small number of atishbaz community is also lives in rajasthan's shekhavati area.
, the majority are still involved in their traditional occupation. While the Moradabad
and Aligarh Atishbaz are mainly petty businessmen, or involved in the manufacture of locks.
The community live in multi caste and multi religious settlements, but occupy their own distinct quarters. Each settlement has a caste
council, known as a panchayat, which acts as an instrument of social control. It deals with intra community disputes, as well as punishing those who breach communal norms. Unlike other Muslim
artisan castes in North India
, the Atishbaz have not set a formal caste association. However, like other Muslim artisan groups, they are strictly endogamous, preferring to marry close kin. The community are Sunni Muslim
s, and have practices similar to other Uttar Pradesh Muslims
.
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
community found in the state Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. They also refer to themselves as Atishbaz Shaikh or sometimes just Shaikh, which is also a common surname. Atishbaz also known as darugar. The Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
Atishbaz have been granted Other Backward Class
Other Backward Class
The Central Government of India classifies some of its citizens based on their social and economic condition as Scheduled Caste , Scheduled Tribe , and Other Backward Class . The OBC list presented by the commission is dynamic and will change from time to time depending on social, educational and...
status. A small number are also found in the city of Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
Origin
The word atishbaz literally means a firework maker, from the PersianPersian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
atish meaning fire, and baz meaning to play, and the community is said to have acquired the name on account of their traditional occupation, which was the manufacture of fireworks. According to the traditions of the community, they were originally brought over by the Mughals from Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
, as their ancestors were specialists in the manufacture of gunpowder. With the decline of the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
, the community took to the manufacturing of fireworks. They are found mainly in eastern Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
, in the districts of Mirzapur
Mirzapur District
Mirzapur district is one of the 70 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The district is bounded on the north by Sant Ravidas Nagar and Varanasi districts, on the east by Chandauli district, on the south by Sonbhadra district and on the norhwest by Allahabad district. The district...
, Azamgarh
Azamgarh district
Azamgarh district is one of the three districts of Azamgarh Division in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Etymology:The district is named after its headquarters town, Azamgarh. Azam, son of Vikramajit, founded the town in 1665. Vikramajit a descendant of Gautam Rajputs of Mehnagar in pargana...
, Jaunpur
Jaunpur District
Jaunpur is a district in the Varanasi Division of Uttar Pradesh state in India. Jaunpur serves as the district headquarters.-Geography:The district of Jaunpur is situated in the North-West part of Varanasi Division. Its land area extends from 24.240N to 26.120N latitude and between 82.70E and...
, Basti, Gonda
Gonda District
Gonda is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh, India. Gonda is the district headquarters, and also the administrative centre for the Devipatan Division....
and Varanasi
Varanasi District
Varanasi district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India, with Varanasi city as the district headquarters. Varanasi district is a part of Varanasi division. The district occupies an area of 1,535 km². The district has a population of 3,138,671 .-Divisions:The...
. In Varanasi
Varanasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
, they are found in the Kashipura, Aurangabad and Ram Nagar localities. The Atishbaz speak Bhojpuri, although most educated Atishbaz also speak Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
. A separate grouping of Atishbaz is found in Moradabad
Moradabad District
Moradabad district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Moradabad town is the district headquarters. Moradabad district is a part of Moradabad division...
and Aligarh
Aligarh District
Aligarh District is a district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Its district seat is located in the city of Aligarh .The Aligarh District belongs to Aligarh Division...
districts, where in the city of yAligarh, they occupy the neighbourhood of Atishbazan. These Atishbaz speak Khari boli, as well as Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
. a small number of atishbaz community is also lives in rajasthan's shekhavati area.
Present circumstances
Although the traditional occupation of the Atishbaz was the selling and manufacture of fireworks, the majority are now small to medium sized farmers, while a larger number are agricultural labourers. In their urban settlements, such as those found in VaranasiVaranasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
, the majority are still involved in their traditional occupation. While the Moradabad
Moradabad
Moradabad is a city and a municipal corporation in Moradabad district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It was established in 1600 by prince Murad, the son of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan; as a result the city came to be known as Moradabad. It is the administrative headquarters of...
and Aligarh Atishbaz are mainly petty businessmen, or involved in the manufacture of locks.
The community live in multi caste and multi religious settlements, but occupy their own distinct quarters. Each settlement has a caste
Caste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
council, known as a panchayat, which acts as an instrument of social control. It deals with intra community disputes, as well as punishing those who breach communal norms. Unlike other Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
artisan castes in North India
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
, the Atishbaz have not set a formal caste association. However, like other Muslim artisan groups, they are strictly endogamous, preferring to marry close kin. The community are Sunni Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s, and have practices similar to other Uttar Pradesh Muslims
Muslims of Uttar Pradesh
Muslims in Uttar Pradesh number about 30,740,158 , and form the largest religious minority in the state. They are also known as Urdu speakers, on account of Urdu being their native language, and have also been referred to as Hindustani Musalman. In the strict sense, the Uttar Pradesh Muslims do not...
.