Kachar
Encyclopedia
The Kachar are a Muslim
community found in the state of Maharashtra
in India
. They are also known as Kachera or Shishgar
word kanch, which means glass, and the Kachar were historically involved in the manufacture of glass bangles. Little is known about the origin this community, other than the fact the earliest references to the community date from at least the 18th Century. They are found throughout Maharashtra
, and speak the Dakhani dialect of Urdu
.
community in Maharashtra
, they have little political influence. There settlement usually contains a caste council, which deals with issues of community welfare. The Kachar intermarry with some neighbouring Muslim
communities such as the Attar
, Faqir
and Pinjara
, although most marriages are within the community. They are entirely Sunni Muslim
, although they incorporate a few folk beliefs.
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 Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
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 are also known as Kachera or Shishgar
Origin
The Kachar get their name from the word HindiHindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
word kanch, which means glass, and the Kachar were historically involved in the manufacture of glass bangles. Little is known about the origin this community, other than the fact the earliest references to the community date from at least the 18th Century. They are found throughout Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, and speak the Dakhani dialect of 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...
.
Present circumstances
The Kachar are still involved in the manufacture and selling of glass bangles. Some Kachar are also work as daily wage labourers. Their economic situation is bleak, as there is little profit in bangle making. As one of the smaller MuslimMuslim
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 in Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, they have little political influence. There settlement usually contains a caste council, which deals with issues of community welfare. The Kachar intermarry with some neighbouring 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...
communities such as the Attar
Attar (caste)
The Attar are a Muslim community found in the state of Maharashtra in India. This community has no connection with the Attarwala of Gujarat, except for the fact that both communities were at one time involved in the manufacture of itars.-Origin:...
, Faqir
Faqir (caste)
The Faqir are a Muslim ethnic group found in India. They are also known as Shah Alvi or Sain in North India, which is now their preferred self-designation and in West Bengal, they are known as Sahajia...
and Pinjara
Pinjara
The Pinjara are a Muslim community found in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan in India. They are also known as Shaikh Mansoori, especially in Gujarat, where the name Pinjara is no longer used...
, although most marriages are within the community. They are entirely 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...
, although they incorporate a few folk beliefs.