Multani (caste)
Encyclopedia
The Multani are Muslim
, Sikh
and Hindu
community found in the states of Gujarat and Punjab in India
.
, situated in Pakistan
. Multani literally means an inhabitant of the city of Multan
. They are said to have immigrated from Multan
during the reign of Sultan
Mahmud Begada
. The Multani are said to have originally belonged to the cotton traders community. They are further divided into four territorial groupings, the Zhalmed (those from Ahmadabad
, the Gohilvad (from Surat
), the Chorasi (from Rajkot) and the Kathiawari (from Kathiawar
). Each division consists of ten to twelwe clans. For example, the Zhalmed Multanis have the following clans, the Hamod, Makhyola, Chauhan, Phor, Ghori, Vakani, Phanota and Solanki. Like many Gujarati Muslim
communitues, they maintain the principles of gotra
exogamy.
The ruling family of the former princely state of Zainabad were members of the Multani lineage.
, another community associated with this occupation. Many Multanis are also employed in the diamond industry that has sprung up in the city of Surat
. Like other Gujarati Muslim
s, they have their own caste association, which maintains social control over the community. In fact, each of the four divisions have their own caste associations.
Many of them are progressing in businesses and a new generation of educated multanis is evolving
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...
, Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
and Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
community found in the states of Gujarat and Punjab 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...
.
History and origin
The community derives its name from the city of MultanMultan
Multan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi...
, situated 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...
. Multani literally means an inhabitant of the city of Multan
Multan
Multan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi...
. They are said to have immigrated from Multan
Multan
Multan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi...
during the reign of Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
Mahmud Begada
Mahmud Begada
Sultan Abu'l Fath Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah I, popularly known as Mahmud Begada was the most prominent sultan of Gujarat. He was the great-grandson of Ahmad Shah I, the founder of the Muzaffarid dynasty, and of the city of Ahmedabad in the present-day state of Gujarat, India. He was known to be...
. The Multani are said to have originally belonged to the cotton traders community. They are further divided into four territorial groupings, the Zhalmed (those from Ahmadabad
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
, the Gohilvad (from Surat
Surat
Surat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
), the Chorasi (from Rajkot) and the Kathiawari (from Kathiawar
Kathiawar
Kathiawar or Kathiawad is a peninsula in western India, which is part of the Saurashtra region on the Arabian Sea coast of Gujarat state. It is bounded on the north by the great wetland of the Rann of Kutch, on the northwest by the Gulf of Kutch, on the west and south by the Arabian Sea, and on...
). Each division consists of ten to twelwe clans. For example, the Zhalmed Multanis have the following clans, the Hamod, Makhyola, Chauhan, Phor, Ghori, Vakani, Phanota and Solanki. Like many Gujarati Muslim
Gujarati Muslim
The term Gujarati Muslims is usually used to signify an Indian Muslim from the State of Gujarat in west India, who speaks the Gujarati Language as a mother-tongue and follows certain customs different from the rest of Indian Muslims...
communitues, they maintain the principles of gotra
Gotra
In the Hindu society, the term Gotra broadly refers to people who are descendants in an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor. Panini defines gotra for grammatical purposes as apatyam pautraprabhrti gotram , which means "the word gotra denotes the progeny beginning with the son's son"...
exogamy.
The ruling family of the former princely state of Zainabad were members of the Multani lineage.
Present circumstances
The community's traditional occupation remains cotton carding or ginning, but they are distinct from the MansooriMansoori
The Mansoori are Muslim community found in the state of Gujarat in India. They are part of the larger Pinjara community which is found throughout North India.-History and origin:...
, another community associated with this occupation. Many Multanis are also employed in the diamond industry that has sprung up in the city of Surat
Surat
Surat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
. Like other Gujarati Muslim
Gujarati Muslim
The term Gujarati Muslims is usually used to signify an Indian Muslim from the State of Gujarat in west India, who speaks the Gujarati Language as a mother-tongue and follows certain customs different from the rest of Indian Muslims...
s, they have their own caste association, which maintains social control over the community. In fact, each of the four divisions have their own caste associations.
Many of them are progressing in businesses and a new generation of educated multanis is evolving