The Sindhi Meghwars (Sindhi: سنڌي ميگهواڙ) are a Sindhinised sub-group of the Meghwal people who live in the Sindh, Punjab, and Balochistan provinces of Pakistan. They are one of major Hindu community in the region, and are one of the Hindu groups in Pakistan who are known to not leave Sindh during the Partition of India.[1]

Culture

The Meghwars are considered by some to be a subcaste of the Bhil.[2] The Meghwar of Punjab are rather poor, and are peasants. Most of them work labour jobs around the country to sustain themselves. The Human Rights Commission of the United Nations found out that many Meghwars were actually slaves, even after Pakistan had abolished slavery of the Bhil people in 1992.[3] In Sindh and Balochistan, the Meghwars are far worse off than the ones in Punjab, with many being forced to convert to Islam. Nearly 95% of the Sindhi Meghwar live in rural areas in Badin, Thatta, and Mohrano as well as in cities like Mirpur Khas, Hyderabad, and Karachi. Many Meghwars, Bhils and Kolhis have converted to Ismaili Shia Islam in Khebar, Sindh. Many Meghwars have committed suicides in Tharparkar for unknown reasons.[4] Many Meghwars of interior Sindh frequently sacrifice animals to their goddesses, a tradition which has died off in recent years.[5] Sunita Parmar, a member of the Meghwar community, ran for the Assembly Constituency Elections in 2018[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Ali, Imtiaz (2023-03-31). "Dalits hold rally over 'forced conversion', other woes". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  2. ↑ Wagner, C. Peter; Dayton, Edward R. (July 1996). Unreached Peoples '79. David C. Cook Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-89191-146-3.
  3. ↑ "The Meghwar Bhil of Pakistan". www.prayway.com. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  4. ↑ "Momal 58th woman to commit suicide in Thar". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  5. ↑ Schaflechner, Jürgen (2018). Hinglaj Devi: Identity, Change, and Solidification at a Hindu Temple in Pakistan. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-085052-4.
  6. ↑ "UNPO: Sindh: Meghwar Woman First of Community to Run in Assembly Constituency Elections". unpo.org. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
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