Mahifarash
| |
|---|---|
 The chiefs of Dhaka's Muslim fish-businessmen Mahifarash community | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Bangladesh(Old Dhaka) | |
| Languages | |
| Old Dhakaiya(native) Standard Bengali(mostlyspoken as anL2) | |
| Religion | |
| Sunni Islam | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Dhakaiyas |
| Islam in Bangladesh |
|---|
 |
TheMahifarash(Bengali:মাহিফরাস,romanized:mahifôrash,Dhakaiya:মাইফরাসmaifôrash) are aBengali Muslimcommunity of fishmongers primarily fromOld Dhaka.They are distinct from the Mahifarash ofTangail,who are descendants ofMappila Muslims,[1][2]and the Mahifarash fishermen ofMymensingh.[3]
Etymology
[edit]The word Mahifarash comes from thePersianwordsmāhi(ماهی) meaningfishandfurosh(فروش) meaningsale.They are known asমাইফরাসmaifôrashamongDhakaiyas.[4]
History and customs
[edit]Since the start ofMughal ruleinJahangir Nagar(Dhaka), the Mahifarash community of Dalti Bazar have exclusively monopolised the fish industry, and they continue to have authority in this sector in present times. Their customs were traditionally headed by asardarwho would also settle disputes. During the Mughal period, the Mahifarash were known to organise feasts and banquets in theirAzimpurgrounds at the start of cultivationharvestseason.[5]They cooked 20 to 25 mounds of rice and entertained thousands of people in addition to people from their own community. This feast would continue throughout the day, and was the precursor to what would later become known asPohela Boishakhcelebration.[6]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^টাঙ্গাইলের নামকরণের ইতিহাস[History of the naming of Tangail].Amar Tangail(in Bengali).
- ^সুবেদার শায়েস্তা খাঁর বাহিনীর ধর্মগুরুর নামে টাঙ্গাইল[Tangail in the name of Subahdar Shaista Khan's army's spiritual leader].Bangla Tribune(in Bengali). 21 February 2019.
- ^Sachse, F. A. (1912).Bengal District Gazetteers: Mymensingh.
- ^Hossain, Nazir (1981).কিংবদন্তির ঢাকা: Historical anecdotes about Dacca City, Bangladesh, ancient to the present, with a list of luminaries of the city(in Bengali). Azad Muslim Club (distributorNational Book Centre). p. 441.
- ^Sahebul Haq, Sheikh.মাহিফরাসের দাওয়াত টু পয়লার ইলিশ-পান্তা[From the banquets of the Mahifarash to the Ilish-Panta of Poyla Boishakh].Ei Samay Gold(in Bengali).
- ^Akram, Ridwan (14 April 2017).বৈশাখী খাবারের সুলুক সন্ধানে[In search of Boishakhi banquets].Bdnews24(in Bengali).
Further reading
[edit]- Taylor, James (February 2001).কোম্পানি আমলে ঢাকা(in Bengali). Translated by Asaduzzaman, Mohammad.
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