 Junagadh Nawabs and state officials, 19th century | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| Unknown | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| India (Gujarat:Ahmedabad,Kheda,Bharuch) | |
| Languages | |
| Gujarati •Pashto •Hindustani •English | |
| Religion | |
| Islam | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Pathans •Rohilla •Pathans of Uttar Pradesh • Pathans of Rajasthan •Pathan of Bihar •Pathans of Punjab |
Pathans of Gujarat are a group ofPashtuns, who are settled across the region ofGujarat in western India. They now form a distinct community of Hindi speakingMuslims. They mainly speakHindi with manyPashto loanwords, while a few elders in the community may still speak Pashto. Common tribes includeGhilzai,Babi orBabai (Pashtun tribe),Niazi,Bangash,Durrani,Yousafzai among others.[1][full citation needed]
The Pathans arrived inGujarat in the Middle Ages , as merchants and soldiers in the armies of various rulers of the region. It has been suggested that the earliest settlement ofPashtuns was during the 14th century, when military colonies were established.[2]
TheState of Junagadh or Junagarh was a princely state located in Gujarat. It had been ruled by the Muslim Babi dynasty since 1654, first by Nawab of Junagadh within the Maratha Confederacy and later by British India. This princely family was of theBabai Pashtun tribe.
The term Kabuli literally means any inhabitant of the city ofKabul inAfghanistan. In Gujarat, the term was applied to any Pashtun who arrived in Gujarat during the 19th Century, the majority of whom wereGhilzais. Historically, the community were traders, buying horses from Kathiawar and selling them in Rajputana and Deccan. Though found across the region but mainly in Ahmedabad, they speak Hindi first as well as Gujarati. Some older members of the community can still speak Pashto. They form quite a distinct community.[3]