Concept of identity among migrant Muslims of Manimajra, Chandigarh in India

Pages: 378-383
Mohammadmehdi Heydari (Department of Anthropology, Panjab University, Chandigarh)

Migrant Muslims settled in Manimajra area tend to maintain their identity through a number of identity-maintaining-mechanisms like language, clothing, eating habits, forms of recreation as well as behaviour during festivals. Another aspect of their identity would be reflected in the position of their women folk and their interrelationships with members of the other religions communities like Hindus, Sikhs and Christians. The mechanisms of identity as ascribed and adopted over periods of time in any given space. In the case of Chandigarh [as also seen globally] the advent of the Muslims was for the purpose of economic and religious propagation in this region. Once the city had begun coming up, the rural population was either displaced or it had migrated en masse to other areas. Some of them opted to continue staying in the vicinity of their earlier homes. The newer settlements were planned but some of the older rural parts continued to thrive in their earlier neighbourhoods. The identity of the migrants and the initial inhabitants had certain promotive and propagative elements. The significance of their collective desire for sustainably maintaining their identity is reflective of their fear of getting lost in the crowd.