Muslim Raj Gond

The Rajgonds are the ruling class of the Gonds. The region of Gondwana consisted of neighbouring kingdoms. To the south was the Kingdom of Chanda and to the north was the powerful Garha-Mandla kingdom. In the 16th century, the Kingdom of Deogarh rose as a powerful state with the Kherla Kingdom in its western past.

History and origin

The Dao Jamat are drawn from the largest tribal grouping in India, the Gond ethnic group. They are descended from the family and close kinsmen of Rajgond who converted to Islam about three hundred years ago. The community is descended from Raja Bhagtu Shah, the ruler of the Kingdom of Deogarh, who converted to Islam. He took the Muslim name Shaikh Bakht Buland Goindi. The principality was taken over by the Bhonsle Marathas in the 18th century.

Present circumstances

The Muslim Raj Gond are found mainly in the city of Nagpur, living mainly in the Dao Mandi area. They are also found in the village Matkajheri in Nagpur District and in the districts of Narmadapuram, Betul, Balaghat, Seoni, and Raisen. The community is endogamous, although there are cases of marriage with the Mughal, Shaikh and Momin Ansari communities. They are now called Mughal Goindis or Shaikh Goindis. They have also given up the historic practice of clan exogamy. Like other Muslim communities in Maharashtra, they have come under the influence of the Tableeghi Jamat. There has also been a movement towards adoption of Urdu, and the use of the Gondi language has almost disappeared.