Alsea

The Kadia are a Muslim community found in the state of Gujarat & Maharashtra in India. They are Muslim converts from the Hindu Kadia caste.^[1][2]

History and origin

The Kadia are a community of masons and bricklayers. They are said to have converted to Islam during the rule of the Gujarat Sultan Mahmud Begada, and claim to have originally been Rajputs from the Sikar region.^[3]

Present circumstances

They are found mainly in Dhaboji town and the nearby city of Vadodara. The community is split into a number of clans, the main ones being the Vaniannola, Tollanolla, Ajeetnola and Bodiwala. Other clans include the Chauhan, Solanki, Tawaar, Sisodia and Langha. These clans are exogamous.^[4]

The community are essentially still masons, with the trade passed from father to son. A few are also involved in selling vegetables or petty trade. They have their own caste association, the Kadia Muslim Jamaat, which has state wide memberships. The community are Sunni Muslims, and share customs with other Gujarati Muslim communities.

See also

• Kadia

References