Pasmanda Muslims of Jharkhand

Abstract

Jharkhand is relatively a newly formed state in Eastern India; however, it has had a long history of struggle against imperialist and Brahmanic forces. This article explores what it means for the author to engage with and be a part of the Pasmanda movement in his home state of Jharkhand. It poses and answers significant questions central to understanding the development of the Pasmanda movement, such as: what is it like to be a Pasmanda activist? How do changing governments impact the status and representation of communities in Jharkhand? What is the nature of relationships of different communities that constitute societies in Jharkhand? It goes ahead to explore the way Pasmanda movement informs itself and other communities impacted by the social hierarchy in Jharkhandi societies and challenges dominant notions of religion-based identification of oppression.