Chowrangi

Cheeta-Meharats: Indians that are Hindus as well as Muslims!

Here’s something very interesting from across the border (and I’m not referring to their semi-naked, near-nude actresses): there’s a community in India whose members are Muslims as well as Hindus. They’re known as the Cheeta-Meharats, and are mostly settled in Ajmer, Pali, Raj Samand, Bhilwara and Udaipur (I believe this area was known as C.P. once). Their population is a million and a half, and about 70 percent live below the poverty line (an improvement over the rest of India, where about eighty percent are perpetually hungry).

So what’s so interesting about them? Well, it seems they follow both the Islamic and Hindu ways of praying. They pray in mosques (like Muslims do) and t hey also pray in Hindu temples. They celebrate Eid and Diwaali, and they probably drink cow piss as well. There are just three rituals of Islam that the Cheeta-Meharats have to compulsorily follow – sunnat (circumcision), dafan (burial) and eating halal meat. They have traditional Hindu weddings (making seven rounds around the sacred fire), as well as marrying in the Islamic manner (“nikah”).

Both Muslims and Hindus have tried to convert the community to their religions, but without success. No one knows why, how or when they started following both religions, but their population indicates that they’ve been like this for at least two hundred years or so.

Source: Times Of India

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Shakir Lakhani

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39 responses to “Cheeta-Meharats: Indians that are Hindus as well as Muslims!”

  1. Hend Avatar
    Hend

    Shakir

    Thanks for raising this. Throughout in History, the Muslim invaders took a particular pleasure in destroying Hindu temples. The Somnath temple in Gujarat was looted and destroyed 17 times. There is not a town in India where some temple was not destroyed. Any thoughts on this?

    While I don’t necessarily support destruction of Babri mosque, the issue here is not whether Ram existed because in that case we will have to exchange proofs about the existence of Ram vis a vis Allah, would you like to get into that? Obviously you have not heeded my advise about not questioning matters of faith.

    The issue is about the existence of a Temple called Ram Janam Bhoomi (Birth place of Rama) at that spot prior to the mosque. The argument is about destruction of a temple to build a mosque.

    The matter is in the court and all parties have agreed to abide by the decision of the court when it is given.

    Lastly, Barbi mosque is an internal matter of India. You a Indian born Pakistani have nothing to do with it.

    Reply
  2. Shakir Lakhani Avatar
    Shakir Lakhani

    Hend: “Illiterate Hindus? Please explain.” Illiterate Hindus are people like those who tore down the Babri mosque believing that it was constructed over the birthplace of Ram (who, according to many Hindu scholars, never existed) in Ayodhya, which is not the original Ayodhya, where Ram (if he ever existed) was said to be born.

    Reply
  3. Mohammad Yusha Avatar
    Mohammad Yusha

    @Shakir: There is nothing wrong with your last name. There are saints and muftis with last names Desai and Patel. Instead of wasting your time replying to Abheek you should have told him to get his head examined.

    @Abheek: Which “lot” are you talking about? Hend is the only one who called SRK a Muslim. No one else did. So why don’t you get a pair of glasses to enable you to read other people’s comments properly. Also, learn the meaning of “narrow minded” before using it.

    @Hend: I wasn’t offended but you are not making much sense. When you call something superstition you say that it does not have any basis in reality. People who believe in black magic are not superstitious. Also, I’d like to go over your comment as follows.

    >>>I can also say that scriptures are manmade and all religions have arisen out of superstition.

    If all scriptures are man-made, are you saying that there is no religion in the world? Would it mean that you are not a Hindu but an athiest? Also, how can a religion (which is vast) arise from a few superstitious things?

    Let’s take a look at what most people would agree to being superstitious. We all know that according to some people the belief in the number 13, walking under a ladder, breaking a mirror or milk over-boiling (something retarded I watched in a bollywood movie) brings bad luck. Now all these things have nothing to do with religion and are mostly believed in by Hindus and some by westerners, which is why Hindus are labelled very superstitious. Superstition and religion are two different things. Superstition may arise from cultural practices but it does not have anything to do with religion.

    >>>There is no proof that God or Allah exists.

    Everything in nature is a witness to the oneness of Allah. The world didn’t just start, set up and started running on it’s own.

    Reply
  4. Hend Avatar
    Hend

    SL

    “This is recognized even by the present Indian government, which wants to demolish that natural bridge formation between India and Sri Lanka (believed by illiterate Hindus to be built millions of years ago by Ram and his companions).”

    There is no proof that God or Allah exists. Many psychologists actually would argue that the so called prophets or messengers of God were people with mental disorders which made them claim to be talking to God.

    These are matters of faith and should be allowed to be as such otherwise there is danger of going into arguments which cause insult to one religion of other. I hope you will respect that line. We don’t ask proof when it comes to faith.

    To set the record straight, Government of Tamil Nadu does not dispute whether Rama existed, it disputes the argument that the so called bridge was built by Rama.

    The date of Ramayana is placed by scholars a few thousand years ago, not millions.

    Illiterate Hindus? Please explain.

    Reply
  5. Shakir Lakhani Avatar
    Shakir Lakhani

    Abheek: I know that “Lakhani” is a Hindu name. My ancestors were Lohana Hindus who converted to Islam about 250 years ago. And I do not feel the need to change my name, as you suggest. By the way, there’s no proof that Ram or any of those gods in Ramayana ever lived. This is recognized even by the present Indian government, which wants to demolish that natural bridge formation between India and Sri Lanka (believed by illiterate Hindus to be built millions of years ago by Ram and his companions).

    Reply
  6. Abheek Avatar
    Abheek

    FYI .. SRK performs Aarti during Ganesh Festival…you guys seems to be too narrow minded when it comes it to Hindus and Hinduism
    Hend .. hats off to your patience in dealing with the lot

    Mr. Lakhani -You are right about converts carrying over the Hindu traditions .. infact your surname is name of younger brother of Lord Ram, i.e Lord Laxman. So now that I have reveleaed this .. next you would apply for a change in your surname to something which is arabic sounding, rt?

    Reply
  7. Hend Avatar
    Hend

    Yusha

    Don’t be offended, it was not my intention.

    I did not start ‘who is more superstitious’ but I only tried to set the facts straight to Shakir who takes pleasure in making such derogatory references to Hindus (I guess frustrations at being a refugee).

    Coming back to your reply, once again I stress, that we are not in a position to judge others as superstitious. What appears superstitious to you might be a matter of faith or belief to the other people. My examples were intended to bring out this very aspect.

    From your reply, I can make a comment that Muslims, Hindus and westerners alike are superstitious. I can also say that scriptures are manmade and all religions have arisen out of superstition. So where does it stop? Where do you draw a line between faith, belief and superstition? Are any of us so great as to be able to judge that?

    No, what we can do is show respect to others and their beliefs without being judgemental.

    This exactly is my point. I object to such references to Hindus when they are based purely out of hatred of a religion, as in Shakir’s case. I am sure you can understand and appreciate this.

    Reply
  8. Mohammad Yusha Avatar
    Mohammad Yusha

    >>>Do you or Shakir have scientific proofs about a certain person being the prophet of God or certain practice being more dear to God than others?

    Prophet Mohammad was a prophet of God and that is also mentioned in Hindu Scriptures.

    Reply
  9. Mohammad Yusha Avatar
    Mohammad Yusha

    @Hend: Black magic is as real as you and me. Not only Muslims but Hindus and even Westerners believe in magic. Calling it superstition is saying that it does not exist. That would be as ridiculous as saying that this blog does not exist. Even if the fact that Hindus are very superstitious was to be labelled derogatory, you’ve replied to the comment in exactly the same manner. I am not trying to discuss who is more superstitious. I don’t even know why you started the whole “who is more superstitious” argument.

    Reply
  10. Hend Avatar
    Hend

    Yusha: exactly. What else is it?

    But I don’t object to what people believe in, my argument is against derogatory, mischievous and loose reference to only Hindus when talking about superstition.

    How can you tell superstition from belief in magic, religion and other traditional beliefs. Do you or Shakir have scientific proofs about a certain person being the prophet of God or certain practice being more dear to God than others? These are all matters of faith and we should respect those as such.

    The people of this whole subcontinent are superstitious and also religious. I disagree with your argument that one perticular group is more superstitious than other. What is happening here is people are dismssing beliefs of other groups as superstitions.

    Reply
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