Kutchi Memon

Kutchi Memons (Urdu: کچھی میمن‎) are a part of larger Memons, a Muslim community of Pakistan and India, who speak the Memon language and are original residents of Kutch region.

Transliteration of name of this Memon community has not been standardized. Hence popular usage is Cutchi and Kutchi.
Nevertheless, Kutchi Memons are Sunni Muslims who migrated from Sindh to Kutch in Gujarat, a state of India, after their conversion to Islam in 1422 CE . Historically, Kutch was a princely state and this kingdom included Bhuj, Anjar, Lakhpath, Mandvi, etc. The Kutchi Memons are now spread all over the globe. Though Kutchi Memons historically spoke Kutchi, use of this language has sharply declined, and many Kutchi Memons (particularly those who reside in urban areas) have adopted Urdu and other more dominant tongues. Scholars have conducted detailed studies about the origin and development of this community. Scholarly contributors include, Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer: Dr. Mohamed Taher, etc.

Memon people

The term Memon refers to a Muslim commercial community from the western part of South Asia, including Memons historically associated with Kathiawar. It also can refer to Kutchi Memons and Sindhi Memons. Their descendants-speakers of the Memon language. Many Memons migrated to Karachi after the partition of India into India & Pakistan in 1947.

History

Sindhi, Gujarati origins

Memon lineage traces back to Lohanas of Multan and Sindh. The origin of the name comes from Maumin, which means “believer” and later evolved to present name Memon. The memon community was founded in the 15th century by 700 families comprising 6,178 persons total. According to Anthovan, those Lohanas of Thatta who converted to Islam became Memons and were invited by Rao Khengarji Jadeja, ruler of Bhuj in the 16th century to settle in Bhuj. It is from there that Kutchi Memons migrated to Kathiawar and Gujarat. Surat in Gujarat was an important trading center from 1580 to 1680 and Memons made their bounty there. Memons became significantly affluent as a result of trading in Surat.

Memons (Kathiawar)

The ancestors of present-day Memons who settled a few centuries ago in various parts of the districts of India, particularly Kathiawar (now Saurashtra), commonly identified as simply Memons i.e. Kodinar, Bantva, Dhoraji, Halari, Jamnagar, Jetpur, Gondal, Kutyyana, Manavadar sardagadh, Okhai, Upleta, Vanthali, Verawal Patan. Kathiawadi Memons are further divided into sub-group which is generally refer to their ancestral village or town such as Jetpur Memons, Kodinar Memons, Bantva Memons, Dhoraji Memons etc.

The language of Kathiawadi Memons is Memon, sometimes called Memoni.

The South African Memon community is largely descended from Memons who emigrated from Kathiawar in the early twentieth century.

Notable Memons