The nat (Muslim)
The Nats are also of Islamic faith.
Many of them are semi-nomadic and hence, move with their families from place to
place. Some are settled in village and are engaged in cultivation. They are
identified at the regional level. Ethnographic and historical accounts exist.
Which are found true. The nats, who are nomadic, are mainly engaged in tatooing
begging, killings birds, rope-dancing conducting shows of mokey and cattle
business, etc. Hunter writes that "they are jugglers, fortune tellers,
rope dancers, beggars, wanderers and bird killers." (Reprint 1974 vol. IX
46). They have migrated to the present habital. The distribution of the
community is found in the districts of Madhubani, Darbhunga, Samastipur and
Patna. They speak Urdu and Maithili and use Arabic script, within the family
and Kin graps. They speak Maithili, Hindi and Urdu and use Devanagari and
Arabic scripts with others. Most of the females have tatoo makes on the arms
and around the necks. They are classified as OBC.
Their vegetable consumption is
moderate. They are regular non-vegetarians and take beef occasionally rice,
wheat, maize and pulses, namely gram, tur moong, masur and khesari are also
consumed. They eat roots and tubers namely aluah/kands and suthani.
Social division found in the community
is based on lineage. Differentiation is found at social level. Mangta is used
as surname. Self-perception of the community as well as the perception of other
communities is the same, they are placed at a low level.
Generally endogamy is practised at the
community level. Marriages with parallel consins are avoided. Mate is acquired
by negotition. Marriage is solemnised at the bridegroom's place. Presently
adult marriage is in vogue. The age at marriage for boys ranges between 18 and
20 and for girls between 15 and 18 years respectively. Generally, married women
wear nose stud/pin and put vermilion mark on the forehead. Dowry is given in
kind and cash. Mehar is promised but it may or may not be paid at the time of
marriage. Residence after marriage is partrilocal. Divorce is permissible to
both husbands and wives and maintenance is given to the wife up to the period
of iddats as per Islamic custom. Either party can ask for divorce. Children are
the liability of the father in the cases of divorce but infant children stay
with the mother. Remarriage of window, windower male one female divorces is
permitted. Nikah is conducted by the Kazi at the bride's place.
Pre-delivery ritual and restrictions
are observed. Generally delivery takes place at home and a dhai or chamain
(midwife) is called to attend, after childbirth, chhatti is celebrated on the
sixth day. Post delivery restriction and pollution are observed for 40 days by
some women. Presently, mainly in Urban areas, the pregnant women are3
hospitalised for delivery when labour pain starts. Sometimes, a trained nurse
is called in the house for the said purpose. Nuclear type of the family is very
common. Rules of inheritance and succession are guided by the Islamic laws
herein a daughter gets less than her brother from the property of the deceased
father. In the event of father's death, the eldest son acts as the head of the
family.
Aquiqa is celebrated between the ages
of two and four years. Khanta/sunnat (circumcision) on the male child is
performed by a Muslim barber.
The dead body is washed wrapped in a
new cloth and carried to the burial ground. Where it is buried. No pollution
period after death-related Islamic ceremonies namely chaharram on the fourth
day and chalisa on the fortieth day are performed.
The group under study are engaged in
cattle business and bird killing, while their females do tattooing and
sometimes beg. Women from lower income group families are engaged in
economically gainful activities and contributed to family income. Some persons
are cultivators and possess a small area of land most of them are landless
child labourers exists. Some have found employment in private services and some
are self employed sometimes, they get gifts in cash and kind from the mosque.
They have direct link with markets and cash is the medium of exchange.
Traditional caste councils exists for social control along with the statutory
village panchayat. They follow Islam and have affiliation to pirs and offer
prayers in mosques and at mazars. Fakir is summoned for curing of ailment and
removal of evil spirits.
Folk songs are sung by men and women.
They have folk tales and folklores also musical instruments used by them are
dholak (percussion) basuri (flute) and harmonium (valve).
Inter-community linkage is found with
the local artisans and service communities, water and pucca food are accepted
from all the Muslim communities. They exchange sidha from other castes. They
share wells other water-resources, burial ground and religious shrines with
other members of the community. They participate in traditional Islamic
festivals like Id-ul-zuha, shabebarat, Id-ul-fitar, Muharram etc. many also
enjoy festivals of Hindu, such as Holi, the festival of colours.
They are not very keen to given
education to boys and girls. Boys hardly study up to secondary level. They use
indigenous and modern medicare systems and do not adopt family planning
measures. They prefer up to four children. Drinking water is available in the
locality throught tubewell and dug-wells. They listen to radia.
Visit cinema, and receive information
through extension agencies. They use fire wood, cowdung cakes, saw-dust and
kerosene as fuel. Midday meal facility is not utilised by them as very
few-children study. Ration is received through a fair-price shop.
References
The Nat (Muslim) by S.N. Mahato
in people of India, Bihar including Jharkhand, Vol-XVI, Part-2 K.S. Singh
(General Editor), Surendra Gopal, HETUKAR JHA, (editors) anthropological survey
of India, Seagull Books Calcutta 2008 Page No. (726-728).
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