Mahifarash

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The Mahifarash (Bengali: মাহিফরাস, romanized: mahifôrash, Dhakaiya: মাইফরাস maifôrash) are a Bengali Muslim community of fishmongers primarily from Old Dhaka. They are distinct from the Mahifarash of Tangail, who are descendants of Mappila Muslims,[1][2] and the Mahifarash fishermen of Mymensingh.[3]

Etymology

The word Mahifarash comes from the Persian words māhi (ماهی) meaning fish and furosh (فروش) meaning sale. They are known as মাইফরাস maifôrash among Dhakaiyas.[4]

History and customs

Since the start of Mughal rule in Jahangir Nagar (Dhaka), the Mahifarash community of Dalti Bazar have exclusively monopolised the fish industry, and they continue to have authority in this sector in present times. Their customs were traditionally headed by a sardar who would also settle disputes. During the Mughal period, the Mahifarash were known to organise feasts and banquets in their Azimpur grounds at the start of cultivation harvest season.[5] They cooked 20 to 25 mounds of rice and entertained thousands of people in addition to people from their own community. This feast would continue throughout the day, and was the precursor to what would later become known as Pohela Boishakh celebration.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ টাঙ্গাইলের নামকরণের ইতিহাস [History of the naming of Tangail]. Amar Tangail (in Bengali).
  2. ^ সুবেদার শায়েস্তা খাঁর বাহিনীর ধর্মগুরুর নামে টাঙ্গাইল [Tangail in the name of Subahdar Shaista Khan's army's spiritual leader]. Bangla Tribune (in Bengali). 21 February 2019.
  3. ^ Sachse, F. A. (1912). Bengal District Gazetteers: Mymensingh.
  4. ^ Hossain, Nazir (1981). কিংবদন্তির ঢাকা: Historical anecdotes about Dacca City, Bangladesh, ancient to the present, with a list of luminaries of the city (in Bengali). Azad Muslim Club (distributor National Book Centre). p. 441.
  5. ^ Sahebul Haq, Sheikh. মাহিফরাসের দাওয়াত টু পয়লার ইলিশ-পান্তা [From the banquets of the Mahifarash to the Ilish-Panta of Poyla Boishakh]. Ei Samay Gold (in Bengali).
  6. ^ Akram, Ridwan (14 April 2017). বৈশাখী খাবারের সুলুক সন্ধানে [In search of Boishakhi banquets]. Bdnews24.com (in Bengali).

Further reading

  • Taylor, James (February 2001). কোম্পানি আমলে ঢাকা (in Bengali). Translated by Asaduzzaman, Mohammad.


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