Raman Nanda | TNN
( "We are Musalmaan, we are Hindu too". That’s the spirit the semi-literate villagers of ‘Cheetah Mehrat’ community embody. While the modern world struggles to define secularism, these villagers pray at mosques and temples, inter religious marriages are the norm. Religionists who try to foist singular Hindu or Muslim identity on the community are shown the door. Their politics too is instructive: they are muslim and have been voting for the saffron BJP during the last three elections. BJP’s candidate Ramzan Khan has their support. For them,the issue is neither BJP, nor the candidate’s religion. Khan, they say, is a helpful man. The Cheeta-Mehrat community lives in and around Kharkheri village, mid-way between Ajmer, home to the famous Dargah Sharief and Pushkar, a holy Hindu city. This story was published in the Times of India, Jaipur, Nov. 8, 2008; it being posted here for it has an abiding relevance.)
Om, the seed mantra for Hindus, and Ameena, Prophet Mohammad’s mother’s name, have obvious religious connotations. A man who answers to the name, Om, and a woman named Ameena are real brother and sister. Likewise, Seeta and Sakina could be sisters. Men answering to names Ram and Rizwan could be brothers.
“We have been living a secular way of life for over four centuries,” says Chand, headman of Kharkheri village, 10 km from Pushkar. His community — Cheeta Mehrat — converted to Islam four centuries ago. They are as much at ease in a mosque as they are worshipping Hindu gods and goddesses. They celebrate Eid and Diwali with equal enthusiasm.
The Cheetas, generally, are a poor lot. In Kharkheri, where about 400 of the 500 odd families are Cheetas, the land holdings are small. There aren’t any irrigation facilities and with rainfall being nonexistent or erratic, their small farms have not been giving much of an yield to them. Besides tilling, they work as labourers in stone quarries to earn Rs 80-90 per day. In Ajmer, the community also inhabits Masauda, Nausar and Nasirabad towns. With a sizeable presence in Pali, Rajsamand and Bhilwara regions, the population of Cheetas across the state is estimated to be about 4.5 lakh.
The unique blend of Islam and Hinduism as embodied by this community is under attack from extremist elements of both the religions. Islamic and Hindu organizations come knocking at their doors to persuade them to fully embrace one religion.
Says Chand: “When Muslim organizations try to persuade us to be more regular with rozas and namaz, we tell them that while we are Muslims, we are neither interested nor do we have the time to do namaz five times a day. Likewise, the Hindu organizations tell us that we should revert to our old religion, to which we tell them: Since we aren’t causing problems to others, just leave us alone.” However, in neighbouring Nausar, the Cheetas — under the influence of conservative Muslim groups — have, reportedly, been giving up on their Hindu practices.
During election time, villagers say, candidates of different communities try to emphasise one or the other aspect of the life style of Cheetas. “However, we go only by the merit of the candidate,” say the villagers. Though, this particular village, has generally supported the BJP. One of the reasons was that in the past three elections, the BJP candidate, Ramzan Khan, was a very helpful man.
The Cheetas are often looked down upon by Muslims as also the dominant Hindu castes even though they regard themselves as ‘Thakurs’ and trace their lineage to Chauhan dynasty. For, their lineage also includes a woman from the Meena community. As the oral history goes, hundreds of years ago, Jodh Lakha, a scion of the ruling family in Ajmer, had an extra-marital affair with a girl from the Meena community. Jodh, who refused to give up his relationship with the Meena girl, was thrown out of the palace and excommunicated. “We are descendants of Jodh of the Chauhan dynasty and Meena girl,” says Chand.
Many generations later, one Karni Singh of this community carved his own little kingdom near Pali. Defeat at the hand of Rajput rulers drove the family to seek military support from rival Muslims, and, as a precondition for such support, Karni Singh converted to Islam. However, at the time of conversion, he accepted only some aspects of Islam and made it clear that his community will continue with its Hindu practices as well. “Since our forefathers favoured Hindu religious practices along with acceptance of Islam, we too are doing the same,” village elders say in a very matter of fact way.
Among the Cheetas, the decision about marriage — whether it shall be the Hindu ‘pheras’ (circling round the fire seven times) or ‘nikah’— rests with the family of the bride. “If a girl from our village is married, it will be a nikah but when we take a girl from Rawat community, it will be ‘pheras’ and doli”, say the villagers.
They don’t find their traditions all that unusual. “Don’t you see a lot of Muslims at Pushkar, and, a lot of Hindus at Ajmer Sharief ?”, they ask.
The name — be it Sakina or Sita — does not matter. Form of marriage — be it ‘nikah’ or ‘phera’ — does not matter. Namaz is fine, as is praying to Lord Ganesha or Rama. Pushkar is a holy place, as is any mosque or the Dargah at Ajmer.
For Chand of Cheeta Mehrat community, at prayer time, Mecca’s Khan-e-kabaa and Hindu Gods and Goddesses are equally important. (R) Amjad Cheeta, looking distinctively Muslim, with his brother Mahendra Cheeta
