Banaskantha (Guj), February 22: These Khans take pride in their surname but are worshippers of goddess ‘Chamunda’, get married according to Hindu tradition and rituals, but bury their dead as Muslims do.
In a rather strange juxtaposition of Hindu-Muslim culture, members of nearly 94 families of the Maulesalam community living in four villages of Banaskantha district have men with Muslim names like Sarfaraz, Karim, Yusuf, Nasir, Rasheed, Sherkhan or Yakubkhan, while the women have Hindu names like Vaktuben, Savitaben or Ramilaben.
“Originally we are from Mulli in Surendranagar district and it is said that our ancestors ruled over the Mulli state. Mohammad Begda the ruler of Gujarat (in 15th and early 16th century) married a Rajput woman and we are his descendants,” said Jafar Khan member of Maulesalam community.
“We do not follow Islam. Yet I am a Khan and we are proud of it,” he said.
–Agencies