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Gujarati people

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www.Gujaratinews.co.uk
ગુજરાતી લોકો
Total population
c. 40 to 60 million
Regions with significant populations
 Indien: States of Gujarat, Maharashtra45.5 million[1]
 Vereinigte StaatenMore than 40% of Asian Indians[2]
Languages
Gujarati
Religion
Hinduism, Islam, Zoroastrianism (see Parsis), Jainism, Christianity

Gujarati people (Gujarati: ગુજરાતી લોકો Gujǎrātī loko?), or Gujaratis, is an umbrella term used to describe traditionally Gujarati-speaking people who can trace their ancestry to the state of Gujarat in India.

Demographics

Gujaratis in India

Main article: Demographics of India

The Gujarati people live in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, in the state of Gujarat. Many Gujaratis inhabit the states Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh of India as well as the former Portuguese-ruled territories of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Additionally, the Gujarati language has been adopted by communities such as the Kacchis, who use it as their literary language,[3] and the Parsis, who had made the Gujarat region of the Indian subcontinent their home. Ahmedabad and Vadodara are the cultural capitals of Gujarat.

In terms of ancestry, the majority of Gujaratis share many similar genes with other northern Indian populations, but also show a significant relationship with west Eurasian groups. A 2004 Stanford study conducted with a wide sampling from India, found that over 33% of genetic markers in Gujarat were of West Asian origin, the second highest amongst the sampled group of South Asians with only the Punjabis peaking at 42%.

Furthermore In India, haplogroup U7, not found in Eurasia, frequency peaks at over 12% in Gujarat, in the westernmost state of India, while for the whole of India its frequency stays around 2%. Outside of Gujarat, Haplogroup U7 is only found at over 10% in Iran. Expansion times and haplotype diversities for the Indian and Near and Middle Eastern U7 mtDNAs are strikingly similar (Table 4). The possible homeland of this haplogroup spans likely in Gujarat and Iran because from there its frequency declines steeply both to the east and to the west. If the origin were in Iran rather than in India, then its equally high frequency as well as diversity in Gujarat favors a scenario whereby U7 has been introduced to the coastal Gujarat either very early, or by multiple founders. [4]

Some preliminary conclusions from these varying tests support a largely north Indian genetic base for most Gujaratis accompanied by some of the highest degrees of west Asian admixture found in India & Pakistan, with a particular close relationship between Iran and Gujarat, supporting a theory of likely trade contact and migrations out of Iran into Gujarat. [5]

Gujaratis in Pakistan

Main article: Demographics of Pakistan

There is also significant community of Gujaratis in neighbouring Pakistan, many have been settled in Sindh for generations. A sizable number migrated after the Partition of India and subsequent creation of independent Pakistan in 1947. These Pakistani Gujaratis belong mainly to the Khoja Bohra, Charotar Sunni Vohra and Memon groups; however, many Gujaratis are also a part of Pakistan's small but vibrant Hindu community. Many Gujaratis in Pakistan retain ties to their relatives in Gujarat, and maintain Gujarati as their native language. However, a growing number are adopting Urdu as their native tongue.

Gujarati diaspora

Significant migrant Gujarati communities exist around the world. The largest expatriate Gujarati population is the former "British East African Asian" community in the United Kingdom. Other major Gujarati communities exist in South and East Africa (most notably Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Mozambique - a substantial number of Gujaratis from this former Portuguese colony settled in Portugal after its independence) and South-East Asia (Myanmar, Malaysia). Many Gujaratis live in the United States also.

Food

Main article: Gujarati cuisine

The majority of Hindu and Jain Gujaratis are vegetarian. Gujarati cuisine follows the traditional Indian full meal structure of rice, cooked vegetables (curry-like in texture), lentil curry or daal and roti. The different types of rotli (breads) that a Gujarati cooks are rotli or chapati, bhakhri, thepla or dhebara, puri, maal purah and puran-pohli. Ghari and Khakhra are also eaten as rotli, but they are usually eaten as a snack. Khaman, Dhokla, dhokli, dal-dhokli, undhiyu, fafda, chevdoh, papdi, muthia, bhajia, patra, bhusu and Sev mamra are traditional Gujarati dishes savoured by many communities across the world.

Khichdi - a mix of rice and toor daal, a type of lentil, cooked with little spices in a pressure cooker - is a popular Gujarati meal. It is found very satisfying by most Gujaratis, and cooked very regularly in most homes, typically on a busy day due to its ease of cooking. It can also become an elaborate meal when served with several side dishes such as a vegetable curry, yogurt, papad, mango pickle, and onions. It is found to be served in Gujarati immigrant families settled abroad even after decades of being outside India.

Use of Ghee in meals is very common. For example, rice or khichdi on rotli. The meal is usually accompanied with a sweet and a salty snack (farsaan) like Vada. Gujarati cookbook writers like Tarla Dalal are famous internationally.

Gujaratis are more comfortable cooking with peanut oil (shing tel). However, while living abroad they adjust their cooking method with available canola or sunflower oil. The making of masala is traditionally done on grinding stones. Nowadays, people use a blender or grinder to make masala. Each person makes masala differently, hence cooking tastes differ depending on the household. People from north Gujarat use dry red chili powder, whereas people from south Gujarat prefer using green chili and coriander in their cooking. Gujarati Jains (and many Hindus) avoid using garlic and onions in their cooking. Traditionally Gujaratis eat Mukhwas or paan at the end of a meal. In many parts of Gujarat, having Chhass butter milk or soda after lunch or dinner is quite common. Gujarati families celebrate Sharad Purnima by having dinner with doodh-pauva under moonlight.

Dress

Indian jewelry like mangalsutras, necklaces, nose rings, earrings, bangles and rings, toe rings, bracelets are all part of the Gujarati attire. Most of this jewelry is made in 22 carat gold but cheaper costume jewelry is becoming more common. During weddings, Gujarati brides wear a lot of jewelry. It is common to see a Gujarati (Hindu) male wearing a gold chain and a ring.

Years ago, only married Gujarati (Hindu) women wore a red bindi (red powder worn in a round shape on the forehead also found in the form of stickers). These days, most women, married or not, wear 'bindi' as a fashion accessory when they wear traditional Indian outfits. Modern Bindis are like stickers, and are available in various shapes, sizes, colors and designs. Only married women however , wear red powder, called 'sindoor', in a short straight line on the scalp, starting near the hairline and covers the area where the hair is generally parted(middle). During a traditional Hindu wedding, the groom applies 'sindoor' on the bride for the very first time. This act can be compared to a ring ceremony in western weddings.

There are several different outfits that are worn by both men and women depending on the occasion. Generally, men wear pants and shirts or t-shirts and younger women wear normal western outfits like skirts, dresses, jeans, etc. Older women usually wear saris or salwar kamiz.

Arts, literature, and entertainment

File:Garba-dandia02.jpg
Gujarati performing raas, a traditional Gujarati dance

Fabric designs involve use of Batik. The embedding of mirrors (called abhla) in fabric is a favourite among art lovers. Wall hangings demonstrate use of knitting and embedding of mirrors. Gujarati pottery includes different kinds of deeva (lamps) and pots. During the festival of Navratri, youngsters wear traditional dress and go out to play dandia and sing garbas.Typically men wear Kedia and women wear Ghaghra Cholee to dance in Navratri

Gujarati theatre owes a lot to bhavai. Bhavai is a musical performance of stage plays. Ketan Mehta and Sanjay Leela Bhansali explored artistic use of bhavai in films such as Bhavni Bhavai, Oh Darling! Yeh Hai India and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Dayro (gathering) involves singing and conversation reflecting on human nature.

Gujarati literature has come a long way since being pioneered by Narmad. Saraswatichandra is a landmark novel by Govardhanram Tripathi. Writers like K. M. Munshi, Suresh Dalal, Jyotindra Dave, Tarak Mehta, Harkisan Mehta, Chandrakant Bakshi, Pannalal Patel, Prahlad Brahmabhatt, Vinod Bhatt, Kanti Bhatt, Makarand Dave, Kalapi, and Varsha Adalja have influenced Gujarati thinkers.

A huge contribution to Gujarati language literature came from the Swaminarayan paramhanso, like Bramhanand, Premanand, with prose like Vachanamrut and poetry in the form of bhajans.

Gujarati films have made artists like Upendra Trivedi, Snehlata, Raajeev, Mahesh Kumar Kanodia, Naresh Kanodia, Aruna Irani and Asrani popular in the entertainment industry. In the U.S., Bali Brahmbhatt came up with the hit song "Patel Rap", referring to changing values of Gujarati culture.

There are dedicated television channels airing Gujarati programs.

To view the event and festival of Gujarati, How they celebrate it visit 14gaam.com

Prominent Gujarati people

  • Ahmed Deedat, Famous Muslim researcher and preacher of Islam
  • Hari Punja, Fijian business tycon founder of Four Mills of Fiji (FMF) and family owned Punja & Sons Lautoka Fiji
  • Prahalad Brahmbhatt, Journalist and Novelist
  • J.M.Patel, who disposed 20 bombs, taking personal risk, in Surat during 2008 and saved Surat city, expert in bomb disposal
  • Raj Bhavsar, 2008 Olympics Bronze Medalist for the US Gymnastics Team.
  • Kal Penn, also known as Kalpen Modi, US-based actor and leading Obama supporter.

Justice Ismail Mahomed - Former Chief Justice of South Africa Enver Surty - Current Minister of Justice of South Africa

See also

Aniket Raval, Pulmonary Drug Delivery Scientist PARTHIBHAI BHATOL GCMMF CHAIRMAN AND BANAS DAIRY CHAIRMAN

References

  1. ^ Languages of India, Ethnologue.com (retrieved 30 October 2007)
  2. ^ Raymond Brady Williams (2004). "Williams on South Asian Religions and Immigration By Raymond Brady Williams". Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. p. 207. Retrieved 25 February 2009.
  3. ^ A. Dalby "Gujarati" in Dictionary of languages: the definitive reference to more than 400 languages. New York: Columbia University Press, 1998. p. 237. ISBN 0231115687
  4. ^ Most of the extant mtDNA boundaries in South and Southwest Asia were likely shaped during the initial settlement of Eurasia by anatomically modern humans
  5. ^ Most of the extant mtDNA boundaries in South and Southwest Asia were likely shaped during the initial settlement of Eurasia by anatomically modern humans

Further reading

- Online information about the gujarati author - worldwide gujarati community Template:Ethnic Groups of India

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