Royma
Encyclopedia
The Royma are a Muslim
community found in the state of Gujarat in India
and a province of Sindh
in Pakistan
. They are one of a number of communities of pastoral nomads found in the Banni
region of Kutch. The community is also known as Raheema, especially in Sindh
.
, and claim to be Rajput
s who converted to Islam
. They initially migrated to Sukhpar village in Bhuj
taluka, and then spread to other parts of Bhuj
, Mandvi
, Anjan and Lakhpat
talukas of Kutch District
. They are now mainly in the Kanthi region of Kutch. They speak Kutchi
, with large number of Sindhi
loanwords.
. They do not practice clan exogamy as rule, but each clan is of equal status, and do intermarry. The community in fact prefer parallel cousin marriages.
The Royma are a community of Maldhari cattle breeders. In addition to cattle breeding, the Royma are also cultivators, and landless agricultural labourers. Like other Kutchi communities, many of them have migrated to other parts of India
in search of employment. Like many Gujarati Muslim
s, they have a caste association, the Royma Jamat, which is responsible for the welfare of the community. They are Sunni Muslim
s and most follow the Barelvi
tradition.
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...
and a province of Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
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...
. They are one of a number of communities of pastoral nomads found in the Banni
Banni Grasslands Reserve
Banni Grasslands Reserve or Banni grasslands form a belt of arid grassland ecosystem on the outer southern edge of the desert of the marshy salt flats of Rann of Kutch in Kutch District, Gujarat State, India. They are known for rich wildlife and biodiversity and are spread across an area of...
region of Kutch. The community is also known as Raheema, especially in Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
.
History and origin
The Royma claim to have originated in SindhSindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
, and claim to be 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 ~~~...
. They initially migrated to Sukhpar village in Bhuj
Bhuj
Bhuj is a city and a municipality in Kachchh district in the state of Gujarat, India.-History:It was established by Rao Hamirji in 1510 and was made the state capital by Rao Khengarji I in 1549. Its foundation stone as state capital laid formally on Vikram Samvat 1604 Maagha 5th...
taluka, and then spread to other parts of Bhuj
Bhuj
Bhuj is a city and a municipality in Kachchh district in the state of Gujarat, India.-History:It was established by Rao Hamirji in 1510 and was made the state capital by Rao Khengarji I in 1549. Its foundation stone as state capital laid formally on Vikram Samvat 1604 Maagha 5th...
, Mandvi
Mandvi
Mandvi is a city and a Municipality in Kachchh district in the Indian state of Gujarat. It was once a major port of the region and summer retreat for Maharao of the Kachchh. The old city had a surrounding fort, and remains of the fort wall can still be seen to this day...
, Anjan and Lakhpat
Lakhpat
Lakhpat fort town is a small town in Kachchh district of Gujarat, India within the fort walls of the 18th-century Lakhpat fort. The literal meaning of Lakhpat is the city of millionaire, however today it is sparsely populated Ghost town, a city of ruins of buildings and a magnificent fort...
talukas of Kutch District
Kutch District
Kutch district is a district of Gujarat state in western India. Covering an area of 45,652 km², it is the largest district of India....
. They are now mainly in the Kanthi region of Kutch. They speak Kutchi
Kutchi language
Kachhi Kachhi Kachhi (also spelt Cutchi, Kutchhi or Kachchhi, is an Indo-Aryan Language spoken in the Kutch region of the Indian state of Gujarat as well as in Sindh.- Closely related languages :...
, with large number of Sindhi
Sindhi language
Sindhi is the language of the Sindh region of Pakistan that is spoken by the Sindhi people. In India, it is among 22 constitutionally recognized languages, where Sindhis are a sizeable minority. It is spoken by 53,410,910 people in Pakistan, according to the national government's Statistics Division...
loanwords.
Present circumstances
The community is divided into a number of clans, called ataks, the chief ones being Mammia, Saad and Bidkia. They use the atak name as their surname.The community is endogamous, but does marry with other Samma communities, such as the SamejaSamejo
The Samejo or Sameja is the Samma and it is settled in Sindh and Balochistan province of Pakistan.- Origin :*According to some traditions, They are descendants of Sam , the eldest of the three surviving sons of the prophet Nuh . descendants of Sam, the son of Umar, son of Hashim, son of Abu Lahab,...
. They do not practice clan exogamy as rule, but each clan is of equal status, and do intermarry. The community in fact prefer parallel cousin marriages.
The Royma are a community of Maldhari cattle breeders. In addition to cattle breeding, the Royma are also cultivators, and landless agricultural labourers. Like other Kutchi communities, many of them have migrated to other parts of 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...
in search of employment. 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...
s, they have a caste association, the Royma Jamat, which is responsible for the welfare of the community. They 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 most follow the Barelvi
Barelvi
Barelvi is a term used for the movement of Sufi , Sunni Islam originating in the Indian subcontinent.The Movement is known as Ahle Sunnat movement to its followers....
tradition.