A man named Mohan lives in the Ajaysar village in Ajmer, Rajasthan. His father's name is Ismail. His daughter's name is Amina. He's a Hindu, but his father and daughter are Muslim. In many parts of India, it isn't strange or surprising to find villages with Hindus and Muslims living together, but in Ajaysar, one may find adherents of both faiths in the same family — a strange and unlikely occurrence in India. But such is the story of the multi-faith Cheeta-Mehrat community of Rajasthan, whose members believe in both Hinduism and Islam and practice syncretic traditions drawn from the core tenets of both religions.
Elders of the Cheeta-Mehrat community trace their ancestry to Chauhan Rajputs — a warrior clan that ruled over most of present-day Rajasthan and parts of North India between the 7th and 14th centuries CE. Members of the community believe they descend from Rao Anhal Chauhan and Rao Anoop Chauhan, who established a small kingdom in the Magra-Merwara region, encompassing present-day Ajmer, Rajsamand, Bhilwara, and Pali districts in Rajasthan, after defeating the agrarian Gujjars who previously ruled the region.
The community converted to Islam in the 14th century CE. However, they continued to practice certain rituals and customs associated with Hinduism. Today, the community is known for their syncretic traditions that blend both faiths. They follow Islamic dietary laws and only consume halal food, bury their dead, and circumcise male children while also celebrating Hindu festivities like Holi and Diwali. During celebrations, community members visit both temples and mosques to pay their respects. The community's matrimonial rites, too, draw from both Hindu and Islamic laws, social customs, and traditions.
At a time when Indian society is increasingly divided, segregated, and isolated along religious, caste, and communal faultlines, the secular, syncretic Cheeta-Mehrat community shows us a path forward for prosperous and peaceful co-existence. This, however, does not mean that all is right within the Cheeta-Mehrat community. Child marriage remains a persistent problem, and with the rising tide of religious dogmatism and majoritarianism taking over Indian society, Cheeta-Mehrats often face difficulties in receiving government documents and benefits due to officials' lack of understanding of their unique syncretic identity.
To learn more, watch a 2010 Doordarshan documentary about the Cheeta-Mehrat community by Delhi-based documentary filmmaker Merajur Rahman Baruah here:
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