Chhipa
Encyclopedia
The Chhipa are a Muslim
community found in the state of Gujarat in India
. A few Chhipa are also found in the city of Karachi
in Pakistan
.
According to the “Balwa Pothy”, a traditional account of the Chhipa community, they came from Jaisalmer
and initially settled in Nagor
.
Before the Samvat Year 1291, all Chhipas were Hindus. In the Samvat Year 1291, when Firozshah Taghlakh of Taghlakh lineage was on the throne of Delhi, they adopted Islam
in Nagor sharif.
The word chhipa is derived from the Gujarati
word chhapa, which means to print. They are Rajput
s who converted to Islam
, under the influence of a Sufi preacher, Sultan Saify Sahib. The community was originally found in Nagaur
in Rajasthan
, but had to leave after their conversion. After their settlement in Gujarat, the community took up the occupation of dyeing and printing clothes. The community speak Marwari
, and are found mainly in north Gujarat, in the districts of Ahmedabad, Nadiad, Baroda and Bharuch
. Most Chhipa also speak Gujarati
.
The community is still mainly involved in its traditional occupation of dyeing and printing clothes. Many is the community have taken up trade, or are employed in the local textile mills. Like other Gujarati Muslims, they have a caste association, the Chhipa Samast Jamat Committee,Ahmedabad, which is active in the social welfare of the community.
One may contact http://chhipajamat.org/
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 of Gujarat 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...
. A few Chhipa 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...
.
History and origin
Chhipa is also hindu community which belives in Sant Namdev. Chhipa means a person who Prints ( Textile Printer)According to the “Balwa Pothy”, a traditional account of the Chhipa community, they came from Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer
Jaysalmer , nicknamed "The Golden City", is a town in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located west from the state capital Jaipur. It was once known as Jaisalmer state. The town stands on a ridge of yellowish sandstone, crowned by a fort, which contains the palace and several ornate Jain...
and initially settled in Nagor
Nagor
Nagor or Nagher is a village in Bhuj Taluka of Kutch at a distance of about 8 km from Bhuj town, the capital of Kachchh District of Gujarat in India.-History:...
.
Before the Samvat Year 1291, all Chhipas were Hindus. In the Samvat Year 1291, when Firozshah Taghlakh of Taghlakh lineage was on the throne of Delhi, they adopted Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
in Nagor sharif.
The word chhipa is derived from the Gujarati
Gujarati language
Gujarati is an Indo-Aryan language, and part of the greater Indo-European language family. It is derived from a language called Old Gujarati which is the ancestor language of the modern Gujarati and Rajasthani languages...
word chhapa, which means to print. They are Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
s who converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, under the influence of a Sufi preacher, Sultan Saify Sahib. The community was originally found in Nagaur
Nagaur
Nagaur is a city in the state of Rajasthan in India. It is the administrative headquarters of Nagaur District. The Nagaur city lies about midway between Jodhpur and Bikaner. It was founded by the Naga Kshatriyas.- History :...
in Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
, but had to leave after their conversion. After their settlement in Gujarat, the community took up the occupation of dyeing and printing clothes. The community speak Marwari
Marwari language
The Marwari language , also variously Marvari, Marwadi, Marvadi), is spoken in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Marwari is also found in the neighboring state of Gujarat and Haryana and in Eastern Pakistan...
, and are found mainly in north Gujarat, in the districts of Ahmedabad, Nadiad, Baroda and Bharuch
Bharuch district
Bharuch in India, is a district in the southern part of the Gujarat peninsula on the west coast of state of Gujarat with a size and population comparable to that of Greater Boston...
. Most Chhipa also speak Gujarati
Gujarati language
Gujarati is an Indo-Aryan language, and part of the greater Indo-European language family. It is derived from a language called Old Gujarati which is the ancestor language of the modern Gujarati and Rajasthani languages...
.
Present circumstances
The Chhipa community is divided into a number of clans, known as ataks, the main ones being the Rao, Tak, Bhati, Doera, Chauhan and Molvi. Each of these clans are of equal status, and intermarry. But the community has a marked preference for cross cousin and parallel cousin marriages.The community is still mainly involved in its traditional occupation of dyeing and printing clothes. Many is the community have taken up trade, or are employed in the local textile mills. Like other Gujarati Muslims, they have a caste association, the Chhipa Samast Jamat Committee,Ahmedabad, which is active in the social welfare of the community.
One may contact http://chhipajamat.org/