Darji

In the Indian subcontinent the Darzi caste, is found among Hindus and Muslims. They are known as Idrisi in the Muslim community.The people of idrisi originally came as soldiers from the Khorasan, Turkmenistan regions of Central Asia during the Sultanate period. They belonged to different clans or tribes of their respective areas. But later, due to their involvement in different professions, they were socially given professional names and they started being identified by their professions or occupations instead of their origin. The main reason for this is the Indian caste system which is based on professions and occupations, which also affected these Muslims.

Apart from Idrisi, these groups are also identified with many other occupational groups who add their occupation to their surnames instead of their origin, which you can see in the Muslims of North India and Gujarat, who are originally from Central Asia but their occupation is their surname.

These groups of Muslims involved in business or profession adopted different professions due to the deterioration of economic conditions, and over time they started being identified by their profession. In many areas of North India, they are also known as Turk Darzi or Turk Jamaat.

Darji are a Business community, numbering around Darzi are largely a landless community whose main occupation is tailoring. The profession of tailoring is done by both communities. In the Muslim community, the Darzi caste is known as Idrisi. According to the data of National Commission of Backward Classes, Darzi castes are listed as Other Backward Class (OBC)

Tailoring is the English translation of Darzi. In the Indian tradition, it was customary to wrap clothing over the body rather than wear stitched clothes. Used in Hindi and Urdu, the word Darzi comes from the Persian language.

History and origin

The word ''Darzi'' (दर्ज़ी درزی) literally means ''business of tailor''. The Darzi claim descent from Idris (Enoch), one of the Biblical and Koranic prophets. According to their traditions, Idris was the first person to learn the art of sewing. It is said to be derived from the Persian word , which means ''to sew''. This is also the commonly accepted derivation of the name of the non-related religion Druze. The Darzi are said to have settled in South Asia during the early period of the Sultanate of Delhi. They are also divided on a linguistic basis, with those of North India speaking various dialects of Urdu, while those of Punjab speaking Punjabi.

In India

Hindu Darzi

The Hindu Darzi have various synonyms as well as legends about their community origins, the legends vary according to the Indian states in which they reside.

In the desert state of Rajasthan, the Darzi trace their descent from their legendary Hero Shri Peepa Ji Maharaj, who later became saint during Bhakti Movement in India who were the Great Spiritual Scholar of Swami Ramanada. Swami Ramananda was a 14th century Vaishnava devotional Poet, saint who lived in the Gangetic basin of Northern India. As the time passed due to many reasons people from this community shifted from their originating place to their place of work/Job to the other cities and can be found all over India.

Other clans of Hindu Darzi living in the different parts and states in India include Kakusth, Damodar Vanshi, Tank or Tak, Juna Gujrati, (these are living in Gujrat, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Karnataka). In Karnataka, the Darzi community is known as Pisse, Wade, Kakade and Sanyasi. In Odisha: Maharana, Mahapatra, which are also used as a surname.

Muslim Darzi

The Idrisi Darzi is said to have settled in South Asia during the early period of the Sultanate of Delhi. They are also divided on a linguistic basis, with those of North India speaking various dialects of Urdu, while those of Punjab speaking Punjabi.

Delhi During the Mughal period, some units of Mughal soldiers who were Ilbari Turks used to protect the borders of Delhi. In the beginning of the 18th century, the weakening army of the Mughals and the increasing rebellions and internal wars of the Jaats and Sikhs took away the power of the Mughal forces and these soldiers left their areas around Delhi and left for Awadh. There were more in which children and women were also included.

This was the first military exodus from Delhi to Awadh in the early 18th century. These military families were settled in Ismailganj village by the Nawab of Awadh, A few decades later, in the war of 1857, these Ilbari soldiers fought with British power at a place called Chinhat, where there was a caravan saraaen and in the village of Ismailganj, Ilbari and Sayyad were victorious. and caused heavy loss of life and property to the British Cantonment in which the British lived along with their families.

After the end of the revolution, the revolutionaries were searched and action was taken against them, the houses were demolished and the Ilbari and Sayyid revolutionaries were hanged on the trees and their dead bodies were left hanging on the trees.

The jagirs of Sayyad's were confiscated and the Ilbaris had to leave the village and take refuge in other areas like Barabanki, Satrikh, Kanpur, Faizabad, Rudauli and other areas, due to the brutality and barbarism of the British soldiers, they had to change their hideouts again and again, but due to the rebels, the British They could not get any help, permanent shelter from the zamindars. Due to which he had to change his surname from Ilbari to Idrisi to hide his identity.

Therefore, later some regional zamindars were given shelter in their areas to save their rapidly deteriorating economic condition.

The Punjabi Darzi is said to be converted from the Hindu Chhimba caste, and have several territorial divisions. These include the Sirhindi, Deswal and Multani. The Punjabi Darzi (Chhimba Darzi) are almost entirely Sunni.

The Idrisi of Jharkhand have a common origin with those of Bihar, and intermarry. The community speak the Angika dialect of Hindi. Most Idrisis are still engaged in tailoring, but many Idrisis, particularly in Jharkhand are now farmers. Their customs are similar to other Bihari Muslims.

In Pakistan

In Pakistan, the Darzi are two distinct communities, the Delhiwal Idrissis, who are found among the Muhajir ethnic group, and the Punjabi Darzi, who are ethnically Punjabi. The former are immigrants from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh in India. They are concentrated in the port city of Karachi. Like their North Indian kinsmen, many have now opened small shops and businesses, although many other members of the community work for other Idrissis. They remain divided by sectarian divisions, the Sunni Idrisi not marrying into Shia Idrisi families. The community claims itself to be of Shaikh status.

In Punjab, the Punjabi Darzi are immigrants from East Punjab. Many in rural areas of Punjab have taken to cultivation, while those in urban areas have opened up small businesses. The Punjabi Darzi claim to belong to the Muslim Rajput community. They are entirely Sunni, and many belong to the orthodox Deobandi sect.Pnina Werbner, ''The Migration Process: Capital, Gifts and Offerings among British Pakistanis'', Berg publications

See also

* Druze heterodox Muslim community of Syria, also derived their name from the word ''Darzi.''

References

{{Muhajir communities

Muslim communities of Bihar
Muslim communities of India
Muslim communities of Uttar Pradesh
Punjabi tribes
Social groups of Uttar Pradesh
Social groups of Bihar