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TheLodha Muslim are a tribal orAdivasi community found in the state ofWest Bengal inIndia. They are aMuslim tribe.[1]
The exact circumstances of the conversion of the Lodha Muslims toIslam remains shrouded in mystery, but the conversion process was gradual, and the community still preserves many of their pre-Islamic customs. They are found mainly in theMidnapore District, in particular in the villages of Madhya Hingli, Uttar Rani Chak, Gamatub, Maniktala, Laldighi, Chapbasan, Sodhpur and Piyada.[1]
The traditional occupation of the Lodha was hunting and gathering, in particular catching of snakes and toads, and then selling their skins. They are no longer hunters and gatherers, and the community has now taken up the occupation as locksmiths. A small number are also marginal farmers, but their holdings are incredibly small. The bulk of the community are now wage labourers, with a steady migration to the city ofKolkata.
The Lodha are strictly endogamous community, and prefer to marry close kin. They are residentially segregated, live in their own quarters within the villages they reside. Each settlement contains a jati panchayat or caste council, which maintains social control, and resolves any intra-community dispute. The community areSunniMuslims and have customs similar to those of theBengali Muslims.[1]
