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{{Short description|Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group}}
{{Short description|Indo-Aryan cultural group}}
{{EngvarB|date=February 2020}}
{{EngvarB|date=February 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
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| region1 = {{flag|Bangladesh}}
| region1 = {{flag|Bangladesh}}
| popplace = [[Old Dhaka]] ([[Bangladesh]])
| popplace = [[Old Dhaka]] ([[Bangladesh]])
| langs = [[Bengali language|Standard Bengali]], [[Dhakaiya Urdu]], [[Dhakaiya Kutti language|Dhakaiya Kutti]]
| langs = [[Bengali language|Bengali]] ([[Dhakaiya Kutti|Dhakaiya Kutti dialect]]), [[Urdu]] ([[Dhakaiya Urdu|Dhakaiya Urdu dialect]])
| religions = [[Sunni Islam]]
| religions = [[Sunni Islam]]
| related_groups = [[Urdu-speaking people]]
| related_groups = [[Urdu-speaking people]]
}}
}}
[[File:Rajoshik.jpg|thumb|The Rajoshik sculpture, in front of the [[InterContinental Dhaka]], displays a horse carriage and its driver.]]
[[File:Rajoshik.jpg|thumb|The Rajoshik sculpture, in front of the [[InterContinental Dhaka]], displays a horse carriage and its driver.]]
The '''Old Dhakaites''' ({{lang-bn|পুরান ঢাকাইয়া|Puran Dhakaiya}}) are an [[Indo-Aryan peoples|Indo-Aryan]] ethnocultural group viewed as the ''original'' inhabitants of [[Old Dhaka|Dhaka]].<ref name=banik/><ref name=vic/> They are sometimes referred to as simply '''Dhakaites''' or '''Dhakaiya'''. Their history dates back to the [[Bengal Subah|Mughal period]] with the migration of [[Bengalis|Bengali]] cultivators and merchants to the city. The cultivators came to be known as Kutti and they speak [[Dhakaiya Kutti language|Dhakaiya Kutti]], a dialect of [[Bengali Language|Bengali]] and the merchants came to be known as Khoshbas and speak [[Dhakaiya Urdu]]. There are sizeable populations in other parts of [[Bangladesh]]. The Dhakaiyas maintain a distinct identity in addition to their [[Bengalis|Bengali]] identity, due to cultural, linguistic, geographical and historical reasons. They have been described as a wealthy but very closed-off community; evidently being a minority in their own hometown.<ref>{{cite thesis|last=Gilbert|first=Paul Robert|publisher=[[University of Sussex]]|date=Sep 2015|title=Money mines: an ethnography of frontiers, capital and extractive industries in London and Bangladesh|chapter=Re-branding Bangladesh: The Other Asian Tiger}}</ref><ref name=huda>{{cite news|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/opinion/perspective/news/between-two-languages-examining-my-identity-bangladeshi-1715617|website=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)]]|title=Between two languages: Examining my identity as a Bangladeshi|last=Huda|first=Sarah Elma|date=16 Mar 2019}}</ref> It is said that some people living in [[Greater Dhaka]] are even unaware of the existence of an [[Urdu]]-speaking non-[[Biharis in Bangladesh|Bihari]] minority community although their presence dates back centuries.<ref name=vic>{{cite book|title=Statelessness and Citizenship: Camps and the Creation of Political Space|first=Victoria|last=Redclift|pages=66–70|chapter=The socio-spatial contours of community}}</ref>
The '''Old Dhakaites''' ({{langx|bn|পুরান ঢাকাইয়া|Puran Dhakaiya}}) are an [[Indo-Aryan peoples|Indo-Aryan]] cultural group viewed as the ''original'' inhabitants of [[Old Dhaka|Dhaka]].<ref name=banik/><ref name=vic/> They are sometimes referred to as simply '''Dhakaites''' or '''Dhakaiya'''. Their history dates back to the [[Bengal Subah|Mughal period]] with the migration of [[Bengalis|Bengali]] cultivators and [[North India|North Indian]] merchants to the city. The Bengali cultivators came to be known as Kutti and they speak [[Dhakaiya Kutti]], a dialect of [[Bengali Language|Bengali]] and the North Indian merchants came to be known as Khoshbas and they speak [[Dhakaiya Urdu]], a dialect of [[Urdu]]. There are sizeable populations in other parts of [[Bangladesh]]. They have been described as a wealthy but very closed-off community; evidently being a minority in their own hometown.<ref>{{cite thesis|last=Gilbert|first=Paul Robert|publisher=[[University of Sussex]]|date=Sep 2015|title=Money mines: an ethnography of frontiers, capital and extractive industries in London and Bangladesh|chapter=Re-branding Bangladesh: The Other Asian Tiger}}</ref><ref name=huda>{{cite news|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/opinion/perspective/news/between-two-languages-examining-my-identity-bangladeshi-1715617|website=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)]]|title=Between two languages: Examining my identity as a Bangladeshi|last=Huda|first=Sarah Elma|date=16 Mar 2019}}</ref> It is said that some people living in [[Greater Dhaka]] are even unaware of the existence of an [[Urdu]]-speaking non-[[Biharis in Bangladesh|Bihari]] minority community although their presence dates back centuries.<ref name=vic>{{cite book|title=Statelessness and Citizenship: Camps and the Creation of Political Space|first=Victoria|last=Redclift|pages=66–70|chapter=The socio-spatial contours of community}}</ref>


==History==
==History==
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Do-char Sharif hai, baaqi Kutti tamam
Do-char Sharif hai, baaqi Kutti tamam
''There are a few [[Sharif|sharif (nobles)]], the rest are all Kutti''</poem>|source={{snds}}Urdu stanza describing population ratio.<ref>{{cite book|language=bn|title=Kingbadantir Dhaka|year=1995|last=Hossain|publisher=Paradise Printers|first=Nazir}}</ref>}}
''There are a few [[Sharif|sharif (nobles)]], the rest are all Kutti''</poem>|source={{snds}}Urdu stanza describing population ratio.<ref>{{cite book|language=bn|title=Kingbadantir Dhaka|year=1995|last=Hossain|publisher=Paradise Printers|first=Nazir}}</ref>}}
During the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal era]], the [[Bengal Subah]] was famous for rice cultivation and the city of [[Jahangirnagar]] (now [[Old Dhaka]]) was the province's capital. Rice was a very important export product in the mid-eighteenth century, centred in Dhaka. The merchants who exported the rice were predominantly [[Marwari people|Marwari]]s and [[Central India]]ns of [[Sharif|noble descent]]. These merchants would go to different areas in [[Bhati (region)|Eastern Bengal]] and collect the rice. The rice was first needed to be cleaned up using {{transl|bn|italic=no|[[dheki]]s}} before packaging, and this process is called {{transl|bn|kuta}} (কুটা) in Bengali. Many local rice cultivators from villages across Bengal were employed to do this. They would travel to the city to complete this job, and as it was lengthy journey, many of them started to permanently start residing in Dhaka. This migration took place circa 1760. However, not all were involved in the rice trade. The presence of the Mughals in Dhaka meant that there was generally a lot more employment opportunities there and so they took other occupations such as {{transl|bn|italic=no|khansamahs}}, footsoldiers, guards, chefs and chauffeurs for the [[Nawabs of Dhaka]] and other aristocratic families.<ref>{{cite book|language=bn|title=Shotoborsher Dhaka|author=Ahmad Mirza Khabir|publisher=Rashid Hasan|year=1995}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Die Sprachenpolitik Der Muslim-League-Regierung und Die Entstehung Der Bengali-Sprachbewegung in Ostbengalen: 1947 - 1956|language=de|last=Bhowmik|first=Satya N|publisher=F Steiner|year=1993|page=60}}</ref> These groups of people lived together and engaged in conversations and [[Adda (South Asian)|adda]]s with their [[Hindustani people|Hindustani]] counterparts and their main occupation led them to be known as {{transl|bn|kuttis}} (other less-common names included {{transl|bn|kutiyal}} and {{transl|bn|hatkutti}}). The interactions with different cultures and languages led to the birth of an Urdu-influenced dialect of Bengali known as Dhakaiya Kutti, and with that - a new identity.<ref>ঢাকাইয়া কুট্টি ভাষার অভিধান-মোশাররফ হোসেন ভূঞা-প্রকাশনা: ঐতিহ্য-রুমী মার্কেট ৬৮-৬৯ প্যারীদাস রোড-বাংলাবাজার ঢাকা ১১০০</ref>
During the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal era]], the [[Bengal Subah]] was famous for rice cultivation and the city of [[Jahangirnagar]] (now [[Old Dhaka]]) was the province's capital. Rice was a very important export product in the mid-eighteenth century, centred in Dhaka. The merchants who exported the rice were predominantly [[Marwari people|Marwari]]s and [[Central India]]ns of [[Sharif|noble descent]]. These northern and central Indian merchants would go to different areas in [[Bhati (region)|Eastern Bengal]] and collect the rice. The rice was first needed to be cleaned up using {{transl|bn|italic=no|[[dheki]]s}} before packaging, and this process is called {{transl|bn|kuta}} (কুটা) in Bengali. Many local Bengali rice cultivators from villages across Bengal were employed to do this. They would travel to the city to complete this job, and as it was lengthy journey, many of them started to permanently start residing in Dhaka. This migration took place circa 1760. However, not all were involved in the rice trade. The presence of the Mughals in Dhaka meant that there was generally a lot more employment opportunities there and so they took other occupations such as {{transl|bn|italic=no|khansamahs}}, footsoldiers, guards, chefs and chauffeurs for the [[Nawabs of Dhaka]] and other aristocratic families.<ref>{{cite book|language=bn|title=Shotoborsher Dhaka|author=Ahmad Mirza Khabir|publisher=Rashid Hasan|year=1995}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Die Sprachenpolitik Der Muslim-League-Regierung und Die Entstehung Der Bengali-Sprachbewegung in Ostbengalen: 1947 - 1956|language=de|last=Bhowmik|first=Satya N|publisher=F Steiner|year=1993|page=60}}</ref> These groups of people lived together and engaged in conversations and [[Adda (South Asian)|adda]]s with their [[Hindustani people|Hindustani]] counterparts and their main occupation led them to be known as {{transl|bn|kuttis}} (other less-common names included {{transl|bn|kutiyal}} and {{transl|bn|hatkutti}}). The interactions of Kutti-Bengalis with different migrated north Indian Urdu-speaking people in Old Dhaka led to the birth of an Urdu-influenced dialect of Bengali known as Dhakaiya Kutti, and with that - a new identity.<ref>ঢাকাইয়া কুট্টি উপভাষার অভিধান-মোশাররফ হোসেন ভূঞা-প্রকাশনা: ঐতিহ্য-রুমী মার্কেট ৬৮-৬৯ প্যারীদাস রোড-বাংলাবাজার ঢাকা ১১০০</ref>


The merchants from [[North India]] also eventually settled in Dhaka and came to be known as {{transl|bn|khoshbas}} meaning happily-settled. Other names for them included {{transl|bn|sukhbas}} and {{transl|bn|subbasi}}. Originally an [[Urdu]]-speaking community, their time in Bengal led to the emergence of a Bengali-influenced dialect known as ''[[Dhakaiya Urdu]]'' as they were a minority in comparison to the Kuttis.<ref name=banik>{{cite thesis|publisher=[[Rajshahi University]]|year=2014|url=https://www.mukpublications.com/resources/14-1-3.pdf|title=Kuttis of Bangladesh: Study of a Declining Culture|last=Banik|first=Bijoy Krishna}}</ref>
The merchants from [[North India]] also eventually settled in Dhaka and came to be known as {{transl|bn|khoshbas}} meaning happily-settled. Other names for them included {{transl|bn|sukhbas}} and {{transl|bn|subbasi}}. Originally an [[Urdu]]-speaking community, their time in Bengal led to the emergence of a Bengali-influenced dialect known as ''[[Dhakaiya Urdu]]'' as they were a minority in comparison to the Kutti-Bengalis.<ref name=banik>{{cite thesis|publisher=[[Rajshahi University]]|year=2014|url=https://www.mukpublications.com/resources/14-1-3.pdf|title=Kuttis of Bangladesh: Study of a Declining Culture|last=Banik|first=Bijoy Krishna}}</ref>


Many of the Kutti community became a lot wealthier over the years due to their occupation and many became landowners. With thousands of Kutti being involved in the rice supplying industry by 1787, they also formed a merchant class by monopolising rice retail in the city.<ref name=banik/> Notable landowners in [[New Paltan]] included Gulenur Khatun and Ayub Ali Sardar. Khatun owned a large portion of the northern part of New Paltan where she also owned a thatched hut residence as well as a tea stall. Named as Lalur Maar Dokan (লালুর মার দোকান, Lalu's mother's shop), it was located just beside the 3rd gate of the erstwhile [[East Pakistan Rifles]]. Sardar, who lived on the other side of Khatun's tea stall, was a horse operator and had a number of horses. These horses would engage in [[horse race]]s in the famous [[Ramna Race Course]], from which not only he made a fortune from, but also won medals from the [[British Raj]]. They can also be found in other localities such as [[Narinda]].<ref>{{cite news|work=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)]]|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/literature/news/seeking-story-1667476|title=Seeking a Story|last=Abir|first=Rahad|date=1 Dec 2018}}</ref>
Many of the Kutti-Bengalis became a lot wealthier over the years due to their occupation and many became landowners. With thousands of Kutti being involved in the rice supplying industry by 1787, they also formed a merchant class by monopolising rice retail in the city.<ref name=banik/> Notable landowners in [[New Paltan]] included Gulenur Khatun and Ayub Ali Sardar. Khatun owned a large portion of the northern part of New Paltan where she also owned a thatched hut residence as well as a tea stall. Named as Lalur Maar Dokan (লালুর মার দোকান, Lalu's mother's shop), it was located just beside the 3rd gate of the erstwhile [[East Pakistan Rifles]]. Sardar, who lived on the other side of Khatun's tea stall, was a horse operator and had a number of horses. These horses would engage in [[horse race]]s in the famous [[Ramna Race Course]], from which not only he made a fortune from, but also won medals from the [[British Raj]]. They can also be found in other localities such as [[Narinda]].<ref>{{cite news|work=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)]]|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/literature/news/seeking-story-1667476|title=Seeking a Story|last=Abir|first=Rahad|date=1 Dec 2018}}</ref>


Presently, the Old Dhakaiyas are a minority in [[Dhaka]] following the mass migration of [[Bengalis]] from districts all over [[Bengal]] during the [[Partition of Bengal (1905)|first]] and [[Partition of Bengal (1947)|second partitions]] during the British colonial period. With the expansion of the city, new residential areas were created to supply housing to the more recent migrants. The traditional trade hub at [[Sadarghat]] was shifted to [[Nilkhet]] and [[Gulistan, Dhaka|Gulistan]], decreasing Old Dhakaiya influence. The new educated migrant
Presently, the Kutti-Bengalis are minority in [[Old Dhaka]] following the mass migration of non-Dhakaiya [[Bengalis]] from districts all over [[Bengal]] during the [[Partition of Bengal (1905)|first]] and [[Partition of Bengal (1947)|second partitions]] during the British colonial period. With the expansion of the city, new residential areas were created to supply housing to the more recent migrants. The traditional trade hub at [[Sadarghat]] was shifted to [[Nilkhet]] and [[Gulistan, Dhaka|Gulistan]], decreasing Old Dhakaiya influence. The new educated migrant community (now also commonly known as Dhakaiyas with the former now being referred to as "Old Dhakaiyas") spoke in [[Standard Bengali]], the standardised register of Bengali. Some of the Old Dhakaiya community began to see the new migrant community as their opponents due to these dialectal and cultural differences. This division was the source of modern troubles in the identities of the Old Dhakaiyas (who view themselves as original inhabitants) and the post-partition migrant community (who currently form the majority in the city).<ref name=banik/>
community (now also commonly known as Dhakaiyas with the former now being referred to as "Old Dhakaiyas") spoke in [[Standard Bengali]], the standardised register of Bengali. Some of the Old Dhakaiya community began to see the new migrant community as their opponents due to these linguistic and cultural differences. This division was the source of modern troubles in the identities of the Old Dhakaiyas (who view themselves as original inhabitants) and the post-partition migrant community (who currently form the majority in the city).<ref name=banik/>


[[File:Shakrain Kite Flyer.JPG|thumb|A young boy flying a kite in the [[Shakrain]] festival.]]
[[File:Shakrain Kite Flyer.JPG|thumb|A young boy flying a kite in the [[Shakrain]] festival.]]
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===Clothing===
===Clothing===
A common tradition of the Kutti group was that they would wear white shirts and white [[lungi]]s.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.prothomalo.com/durporobash/article/1573734/%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AA|website=[[Prothom Alo]]|script-title=bn:মুসলমানির গল্প|language=bn|author=Jamal Syed|date=8 Jan 2019}}</ref> The Khoshbas would dress very formally, sporting black [[sherwani]]s. Covering ones head in both communities is seen as more respectful, and notable headgear include the [[kufi|tupi]], [[Karakul (hat)|karakul]], [[rumi topi]] and [[Taqiyah (cap)|taqi]]. Women are famed for the [[Dhakai]] [[jamdani]]-[[sari]], a clothing originating in Dhaka using a fine muslin textile. Dating back centuries, it is popular amongst [[Bengalis]] in general. The traditional art of weaving jamdani was patronised by the Mughals but under British colonial rule, the jamdani and muslin industries rapidly declined due to colonial import policies favouring industrially manufactured textiles. In more recent years, the production of jamdani has witnessed a revival in Bangladesh and in 2013, [[UNESCO]] classed it as an [[Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity|Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity]].<ref name="Encyclopædia Britannica">{{cite web|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/299805/jamdani|title=jamdani|publisher=britannica.com|access-date=2013-12-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/jamdani-recognised-as-intangible-cultural-heritage-by-unesco/|title=Jamdani recognised as intangible cultural heritage by Unesco|work=The Daily Star|access-date=2013-12-04}}</ref><ref name="Jamdani">{{cite web|url=http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/index.php?lg=en&pg=00011&RL=00879|title=Traditional art of Jamdani weaving|publisher=UNESCO Culture Sector|access-date=2013-12-04}}</ref> In 2016, Bangladesh received [[geographical indication]] (GI) status for the Jamdani Sari.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/country/jamdani-sari-gets-gi-registration-certificate-1316203|title=Jamdani Sari gets GI registration certificate|work=The Daily Star|date=17 November 2016}}</ref>
A common tradition of the Kutti-Bengalis was that they would wear white shirts and white [[lungi]]s.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.prothomalo.com/durporobash/article/1573734/%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AA|website=[[Prothom Alo]]|script-title=bn:মুসলমানির গল্প|language=bn|author=Jamal Syed|date=8 Jan 2019}}</ref> The Khoshbas would dress very formally, sporting black [[sherwani]]s. Covering ones head in both communities is seen as more respectful, and notable headwear include the [[kufi|tupi]], [[Karakul (hat)|karakul]], [[rumi topi]] and [[Taqiyah (cap)|taqi]]. Women are famed for the [[Dhakai]] [[jamdani]]-[[sari]], a clothing originating in Dhaka using a fine muslin textile. Dating back centuries, it is popular amongst [[Bengalis]] in general. The traditional art of weaving jamdani was patronised by the Mughals but under British colonial rule, the jamdani and muslin industries rapidly declined due to colonial import policies favouring industrially manufactured textiles. In more recent years, the production of jamdani has witnessed a revival in Bangladesh and in 2013, [[UNESCO]] classed it as an [[Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity|Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity]].<ref name="Encyclopædia Britannica">{{cite web|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/299805/jamdani|title=jamdani|publisher=britannica.com|access-date=2013-12-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/jamdani-recognised-as-intangible-cultural-heritage-by-unesco/|title=Jamdani recognised as intangible cultural heritage by Unesco|work=The Daily Star|access-date=2013-12-04}}</ref><ref name="Jamdani">{{cite web|url=http://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/traditional-art-of-jamdani-weaving-00879|title=Traditional art of Jamdani weaving|publisher=UNESCO Culture Sector|access-date=2013-12-04}}</ref> In 2016, Bangladesh received [[geographical indication]] (GI) status for the Jamdani Sari.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/country/jamdani-sari-gets-gi-registration-certificate-1316203|title=Jamdani Sari gets GI registration certificate|work=The Daily Star|date=17 November 2016}}</ref>


===Cuisine===
===Cuisine===
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| image1 = Bakarkhani.jpg|caption1=[[Bakarkhani]] being made in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
| image1 = Bakarkhani.jpg|caption1=[[Bakarkhani]] being made in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
| image2 = Jilapi2.JPG|caption2=[[Shahi jilapi]] is a very popular sweetmeat in [[Ramadan]]
| image2 = Jilapi2.JPG|caption2=[[Shahi jilapi]] is a very popular sweetmeat in [[Ramadan]]
| image3 = A Glass of Borhani.jpg|caption3=Cold [[borhani]] is drank with hotmeals
| image3 = A Glass of Borhani.jpg|caption3=Cold [[borhani]] is drunk with hot meals
| image4 = Khichuri, a bangali dish.jpg|caption4=[[Khichdi|Khichuri]] is considered a rich gourmet delicacy.
| image4 = Khichuri, a bangali dish.jpg|caption4=[[Khichdi|Khichuri]] is considered a rich gourmet delicacy.
}}
}}
Dhakaiya food is one of the most notable regional [[Bangladeshi cuisine]]s. The rich culinary customs are influenced by [[Mughal cuisine|Mughlai]], [[Central Asian Cuisine|Central Asian]], [[Armenian cuisine|Armenian]], [[North Indian cuisine|Hindustani]] and [[Bengali cuisine]]s. However, it also has dishes unique to Dhaka.<ref name=das>{{cite book|title=Culinary Culture in Colonial India|first=Utsa|pages=210–215|date=5 Jan 2015|publisher=[[Cambridge University]] Press|last=Ray}}</ref> [[Haji biryani]] is a dish, invented by a restaurateur in 1939, made with highly seasoned rice, [[chevon|goat's meat]] and number of spices and nuts. The restaurant has become an integral part of Dhakaiya culture.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mydans |first1=Seth |title=For a secret stew recipe, time is running out |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/07/08/garden/for-a-secret-stew-recipe-time-is-running-out.html |access-date=30 April 2015 |work=The New York Times |date=8 July 1987}}</ref> Old Dhaka boasts a variation of the famous [[pilaf]] - the Morog Polao - in which the rice is cooked after and the chicken pieces are cut. Other {{transl|bn|italic=no|[[polao]]s}} include {{transl|bn|italic=no|[[ilish|ilish polao]]}} and {{transl|bn|italic=no|[[Rohu|rui polao]]}}. Dhakaiyas are noted for introducing [[paneer]] and boiled eggs to [[khichuri]].<ref name=das/> [[Bakarkhani|Dhakai bakarkhani]] is a thick, biscuit-like [[flat-bread]] which is a traditional street-food snack, famed for its quality and taste. It is mainly dished up with tea.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.withaspin.com/2013/10/19/bakorkhani/|title=Old Dhaka Bakarkhani – A Legendary Bread|date=19 October 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.daily-sun.com/post/131131/Bakarkhani:-delight-in-every-bite |title=Bakarkhani: delight in every bite |work=Daily Sun |date=24 April 2016 |access-date=17 September 2018}}</ref> Dhakaiyas proudly hold a heritage of creating the best ''[[Paan|khili paan]]'' using various herbs and spices. They also offer a khili paan for diabetic patients called the "paan afsana".<ref>{{cite news|website=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)]]|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/gourmet-paan-11610|title=Gourmet Paan|last=Ara|first=Shifat|date=18 Feb 2014}}</ref> Common Dhakaiya beverages include [[borhani]], [[Rooh Afza]], [[Sharbat (beverage)|shorbot]], traditional fruit juices as well as [[Basil#Seeds|basil seed]]-based drinks. [[Falooda]], [[shahi jilapi]] and [[shemai]] are popular sweet foods and desserts.
Old Dhakaiya food is one of the most notable regional [[Bangladeshi cuisine]]s. The rich culinary customs are influenced by [[Mughal cuisine|Mughlai]], [[Central Asian Cuisine|Central Asian]], [[Armenian cuisine|Armenian]], [[North Indian cuisine|Hindustani]] and [[Bengali cuisine]]s. However, it also has dishes unique to Dhaka.<ref name=das>{{cite book|title=Culinary Culture in Colonial India|first=Utsa|pages=210–215|date=5 Jan 2015|publisher=[[Cambridge University]] Press|last=Ray}}</ref> [[Haji biryani]] is a dish, invented by a restaurateur in 1939, made with highly seasoned rice, [[chevon|goat's meat]] and number of spices and nuts. The restaurant has become an integral part of Dhakaiya culture.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mydans |first1=Seth |title=For a secret stew recipe, time is running out |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/07/08/garden/for-a-secret-stew-recipe-time-is-running-out.html |access-date=30 April 2015 |work=The New York Times |date=8 July 1987}}</ref> Old Dhaka boasts a variation of the famous [[pilaf]] - the Morog Polao - in which the rice is cooked after and the chicken pieces are cut. Other {{transl|bn|italic=no|[[polao]]s}} include {{transl|bn|italic=no|[[ilish|ilish polao]]}} and {{transl|bn|italic=no|[[Rohu|rui polao]]}}. Dhakaiyas are noted for introducing [[paneer]] and boiled eggs to [[khichuri]].<ref name=das/> [[Bakarkhani|Dhakai bakarkhani]] is a thick, biscuit-like [[flat-bread]] which is a traditional street-food snack, famed for its quality and taste. It is mainly dished up with tea.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.withaspin.com/2013/10/19/bakorkhani/|title=Old Dhaka Bakarkhani – A Legendary Bread|date=19 October 2013|access-date=17 March 2020|archive-date=18 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220718102051/https://withaspin.com/2013/10/19/bakorkhani/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.daily-sun.com/post/131131/Bakarkhani:-delight-in-every-bite |title=Bakarkhani: delight in every bite |work=Daily Sun |date=24 April 2016 |access-date=17 September 2018}}</ref> Old Dhakaiyas proudly hold a heritage of creating the best ''[[Paan|khili paan]]'' using various herbs and spices. They also offer a khili paan for diabetic patients called the "paan afsana".<ref>{{cite news|website=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)]]|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/gourmet-paan-11610|title=Gourmet Paan|last=Ara|first=Shifat|date=18 Feb 2014}}</ref> Common Dhakaiya beverages include [[borhani]], [[Rooh Afza]], [[Sharbat (beverage)|shorbot]], traditional fruit juices as well as [[Basil#Seeds|basil seed]]-based drinks. [[Falooda]], [[shahi jilapi]] and [[shemai]] are popular sweet foods and desserts.


===Festivals===
===Festivals===
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{{Nastaliq|شوق سے رکھیو تو کل روزہ، میں تیرے واری}}
{{Nastaliq|شوق سے رکھیو تو کل روزہ، میں تیرے واری}}
Shauq se rakhiyo tu kal roza, main tere vaari</poem>|source={{snds}}A common Urdu qasida recited in Ramadan<ref name=faisal/>}}
Shauq se rakhiyo tu kal roza, main tere vaari</poem>|source={{snds}}A common Urdu qasida recited in Ramadan<ref name=faisal/>}}
In the holy [[Islamic month]] of [[Ramadan]], it was a custom for every household to send a food offering to their local [[mosque]]. A [[dastarkhan|dostorkhan]] would be laid in the mosque for the fasting people to eat on.<ref name=maqsud>{{cite news|url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/magazine/2012/08/04/perceptions.htm|website=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)]]|title=Once Upon a Time in Dacca|last=Jamil|first=Syed Maqsud|date=31 Aug 2012}}</ref> [[Chowk Bazaar]] was one of the most famous business and social meeting centres of Old Dhaka in the Mughal period and even today, during Ramadan, it is famous for the availability of hundreds of [[Iftar]] items.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/picture/2011/aug/04/eyewitness-chak-bazar-market-dhaka-bangladesh|title=Eyewitness: Chak Bazar iftar market in old Dhaka|work=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Auzias |first1=Dominique |last2=Labourdette |first2=Jean-Paul |year=2016 |title=BANGLADESH 2017 Petit Futé |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZiLZDAAAQBAJ&pg=PT133 |publisher=Petit Futé |pages=133– |isbn=979-10-331-4296-6}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/Let-s-Meet-Up/Dhaka-Chawk-Bazar-Meetup/td-p/295428|title=Dhaka Chawk Bazar Meetup|date=1 June 2017}}</ref> At the end of the month, Chowk Bazaar would host a two-day [[mela]] for the celebration of [[Eid al-Fitr]]. Popular toys and gifts, known as [[Eidi (gift)|eidi]], emerged in the Dhakaiya culture such as the ''bhotbhoti''; a motor using kerosene that would spin around in water, as well as the drum-carriage.<ref name=maqsud/> [[Hakim Habibur Rahman]] mentions in his book, ''Dhaka Panchas Baras Pahle'' (Dhaka, fifty years ago) that during [[suhur|sehri]] time (pre-dawn), groups of people would sing [[qasida]]s to wake up the neighbourhood.<ref name=bpedia>{{cite web|author=Sirajul Islam|author-link=Sirajul Islam|url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Qasida|title=Qasida|publisher=[[Banglapedia]]: The National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh, [[Asiatic Society]] of Bangladesh, [[Dhaka]]|access-date=5 May 2018}}</ref> This tradition was patronised by the [[Nawabs of Dhaka|nawab]]s and [[sardar]]s of Dhaka and on [[Eid al-Fitr|Eid day]], the Chief Sardar would present awards and [[baksheesh]] to the best qasida singers. Qasidas were generally sung in Urdu but in the 1980s, Bengali qasidas also came into fashion. This tradition is experiencing a revival with the efforts from the likes of Shamsher Rahman of Posta.<ref name=faisal>{{cite news|url=http://www.theindependentbd.com/printversion/details/202071|last=Mahmud|first=Faisal|title=Ramadan 'Qasida' songs all but lost|website=[[The Independent (Bangladesh)]]|date=3 Jun 2019}}</ref> [[Qawwali]]s as well as [[Urdu poetry]] recital was very common amongst the Khoshbas in particular.<ref name=maqsud/>
In the holy [[Islamic month]] of [[Ramadan]], it was a custom for every household to send a food offering to their local [[mosque]]. A {{lang|bn-Latn|[[dastarkhan|dostorkhan]]}} would be laid in the mosque for the fasting people to eat on.<ref name=maqsud>{{cite news|url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/magazine/2012/08/04/perceptions.htm|website=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)]]|title=Once Upon a Time in Dacca|last=Jamil|first=Syed Maqsud|date=31 Aug 2012|access-date=17 March 2020|archive-date=29 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220129210516/http://archive.thedailystar.net/magazine/2012/08/04/perceptions.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Chowk Bazaar]] was one of the most famous business and social meeting centres of Old Dhaka in the Mughal period and even today, during Ramadan, it is famous for the availability of hundreds of [[Iftar]] items.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/picture/2011/aug/04/eyewitness-chak-bazar-market-dhaka-bangladesh|title=Eyewitness: Chak Bazar iftar market in old Dhaka|work=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Auzias |first1=Dominique |last2=Labourdette |first2=Jean-Paul |year=2016 |title=BANGLADESH 2017 Petit Futé |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZiLZDAAAQBAJ&pg=PT133 |publisher=Petit Futé |pages=133– |isbn=979-10-331-4296-6}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/Let-s-Meet-Up/Dhaka-Chawk-Bazar-Meetup/td-p/295428|title=Dhaka Chawk Bazar Meetup|date=1 June 2017}}</ref> At the end of the month, Chowk Bazaar would host a two-day [[mela]] for the celebration of [[Eid al-Fitr]]. Popular toys and gifts, known as [[Eidi (gift)|eidi]], emerged in the Dhakaiya culture such as the ''bhotbhoti''; a motor using kerosene that would spin around in water, as well as the drum-carriage.<ref name=maqsud/> [[Hakim Habibur Rahman]] mentions in his book, ''Dhaka Panchas Baras Pahle'' (Dhaka, fifty years ago) that during [[suhur|sehri]] time (pre-dawn), groups of people would sing [[qasida]]s to wake up the neighbourhood.<ref name=bpedia>{{cite web|author=Sirajul Islam|author-link=Sirajul Islam|url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Qasida|title=Qasida|publisher=[[Banglapedia]]: The National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh, [[Asiatic Society]] of Bangladesh, [[Dhaka]]|access-date=5 May 2018}}</ref> This tradition was patronised by the [[Nawabs of Dhaka|nawab]]s and [[sardar]]s of Dhaka and on [[Eid al-Fitr|Eid day]], the Chief Sardar would present awards and [[baksheesh]] to the best qasida singers. Qasidas were generally sung in Urdu but in the 1980s, Bengali qasidas also came into fashion. This tradition is experiencing a revival with the efforts from the likes of Shamsher Rahman of Posta.<ref name=faisal>{{cite news|url=http://www.theindependentbd.com/printversion/details/202071|last=Mahmud|first=Faisal|title=Ramadan 'Qasida' songs all but lost|website=[[The Independent (Bangladesh)]]|date=3 Jun 2019}}</ref> [[Qawwali]]s as well as [[Urdu poetry]] recital was very common amongst the Khoshbas in particular.<ref name=maqsud/>


The [[Shakrain]] festival is an age-long Dhakaiya kiting tradition celebrating the arrival of winter in the [[Bengali calendar]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://unb.com.bd/category/Special/shakrain-a-jewel-in-the-crown-of-old-dhaka-traditions/10572|title=Shakrain: A jewel in the crown of Old Dhaka traditions|date=14 Jan 2019|website=[[United News of Bangladesh]]}}</ref> [[Kite fighting|Kite fighter]]s would assemble in their rooftops, lighting up the skyline.<ref>{{cite news|website=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)]]|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/entry-1-shakrain-527|title=Old Town Diaries Entry 1: Shakrain|last=Khan|first=Arman R|date=22 Jan 2015}}</ref> Dhakaiya weddings are also typically seen as very "extravagant".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chobimela.org/chobi-mela-blog/2014/12/30/in-the-curators-den|last=Mohsin|first=Maljha|title=In the Curators' den|website=Chobi Mela|date=4 Jan 2015}}</ref> Other sports that were popular amongst Old Dhakaiyas were hockey, horse riding and [[Nouka Baich]] (boat racing). The latter was originally practised in rural areas, but its popularity in urban areas increased in the 18th century as the Nawabs would organise many races.<ref>{{cite Banglapedia|author=S M Mahfuzur Rahman|article=Boat Race}}</ref>
The [[Shakrain]] festival is an age-long Dhakaiya kiting tradition celebrating the arrival of winter in the [[Bengali calendar]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://unb.com.bd/category/Special/shakrain-a-jewel-in-the-crown-of-old-dhaka-traditions/10572|title=Shakrain: A jewel in the crown of Old Dhaka traditions|date=14 Jan 2019|website=[[United News of Bangladesh]]}}</ref> [[Kite fighting|Kite fighter]]s would assemble in their rooftops, lighting up the skyline.<ref>{{cite news|website=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)]]|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/entry-1-shakrain-527|title=Old Town Diaries Entry 1: Shakrain|last=Khan|first=Arman R|date=22 Jan 2015}}</ref> Dhakaiya weddings are also typically seen as very "extravagant".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chobimela.org/chobi-mela-blog/2014/12/30/in-the-curators-den|last=Mohsin|first=Maljha|title=In the Curators' den|website=Chobi Mela|date=4 Jan 2015}}</ref> Other sports that were popular amongst Old Dhakaiyas were hockey, horse riding and [[Nouka Baich]] (boat racing). The latter was originally practised in rural areas, but its popularity in urban areas increased in the 18th century as the Nawabs would organise many races.<ref>{{cite Banglapedia|author=S M Mahfuzur Rahman|article=Boat Race}}</ref>
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{{Main|Dhakaiya Kutti|Dhakaiya Urdu}}
{{Main|Dhakaiya Kutti|Dhakaiya Urdu}}
[[File:HakimHabiburRahman.jpg|thumb|[[Hakim Habibur Rahman]] was the writer of the celebrated Urdu book ''Dhaka, Panchas Baras Pahle'' - a detailed history of Old Dhaka and its people, culture and traditions.]]
[[File:HakimHabiburRahman.jpg|thumb|[[Hakim Habibur Rahman]] was the writer of the celebrated Urdu book ''Dhaka, Panchas Baras Pahle'' - a detailed history of Old Dhaka and its people, culture and traditions.]]
Two languages emerged in Old Dhaka during the Mughal period due to the interactions between the Urdu and Bengali speakers. The Khoshbas and the [[Nawabs of Dhaka]] spoke a Bengali-influenced dialect of [[Urdu]] known as [[Dhakaiya Urdu]] (which is distinct to the [[Hindustani language|Hindustani]] creole spoken by the [[Biharis in Bangladesh|Bihari community]]).<ref name=vic/> The Kuttis spoke [[Dhakaiya Kutti]], a [[Bengali dialect]] with an Urdu influence.<ref>{{cite news|website=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)]]|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/reflections-on-a-contemporary-phenomenon|title=Reflections on a contemporary phenomenon|last=Alam|first=Shahid|date=21 Feb 2013}}</ref> Humour is an important part of Kutti culture and in the past, their jokes - told in the Dhakaiya Kutti language - used to generally consist of short stories in which Dhakaiyas mess around with the [[bhadralok]] gentry.<ref>{{cite book|title=Bhanu Samagra|last=Bandopadhyay|first=Bhanu|chapter=Atmokotha|pages=17–20}}</ref> The Kuttis refer to outsiders or non-Dhakaiya Bengalis by the name "Gaiya" (গাঁইয়া), meaning ''from the village'',<ref>{{cite book|title=Durer Chhaya|author=Akhtar Imam|page=7|year=1988|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z44yAAAAIAAJ}}</ref> and [[Kolkata]]ns in particular as ''Demchi'' (ডেমচি).<ref>{{cite book|title=Turbulence and tranquillity|last=Jalil|first=Azizul|year=2006|page=20}}</ref>
Two dialects of Bengali and Urdu emerged in Old Dhaka during the Mughal period due to the interactions between the Urdu and Bengali speakers. The Khoshbas and the [[Nawabs of Dhaka]] spoke a Bengali-influenced dialect of [[Urdu]] known as [[Dhakaiya Urdu]] (which is distinct to the [[Hindustani language|Hindustani]] creole spoken by the [[Biharis in Bangladesh|Bihari community]]).<ref name=vic/> The Kutti-Bengalis spoke [[Dhakaiya Kutti]], a [[Bengali dialect]] with an Urdu influence.<ref>{{cite news|website=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)]]|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/reflections-on-a-contemporary-phenomenon|title=Reflections on a contemporary phenomenon|last=Alam|first=Shahid|date=21 Feb 2013}}</ref> Humour is an important part of Kutti culture and in the past, their jokes - told in the Dhakaiya Kutti dialect - used to generally consist of short stories in which Dhakaiyas mess around with the [[bhadralok]] gentry.<ref>{{cite book|title=Bhanu Samagra|last=Bandopadhyay|first=Bhanu|chapter=Atmokotha|pages=17–20}}</ref> The Kuttis refer to outsiders or non-Dhakaiya Bengalis by the name "Gaiya" (গাঁইয়া), meaning ''from the village'',<ref>{{cite book|title=Durer Chhaya|author=Akhtar Imam|page=7|year=1988|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z44yAAAAIAAJ}}</ref> and [[Kolkata]]ns in particular as ''Demchi'' (ডেমচি).<ref>{{cite book|title=Turbulence and tranquillity|last=Jalil|first=Azizul|year=2006|page=20}}</ref>


Dhaka was also an esteemed centre for the study of [[Farsi|Persian]],<ref name=parsi>{{cite Banglapedia|article=Persian|author=Abu Musa Mohammad Arif Billah}}</ref> as it was an official language up until the [[British Raj|colonial period]] and due to the high population of merchants and businessman from [[Central Asia]] and [[Greater Persia|Persia]] that settled in Dhaka.<ref>{{cite Banglapedia|article=Iranians, The|author=Abdul Karim}}</ref> The [[Naib Nazim of Dhaka]] Nusrat Jang was known to have written a history book titled ''Tarikh-i-Nusrat Jangi'' around the late 18th century. [[Agha Ahmad Ali]] is considered to be the greatest among Persian scholars of Bengal,<ref name=siraj>{{cite book|pages=446–447|title=History of Bangladesh, 1704-1971|author=Sirajul Islam|year=1992|publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}}</ref> famed for his Persian lexology works like ''Muayyid-i-Burhan'' and ''Shamsher-i-Teztar'', rivalling contemporaries like [[Ghalib]], and are still read today across [[South Asia]].<ref name=parsi/> He had learn the language at a yougn age, with a local Munshi of Dhaka. The [[Nawab family of Dhaka]] were also strong patrons of the Persian language, most notably Haydar Jan Shayeq, Abdur Rahim Saba, Kawkab, [[Khwaja Ahsanullah]], [[Khwaja Atiqullah]], [[Khwaja Abdul Ghani]], [[Khwaja Muhammad Afzal]], [[Khwaja Yusuf Jan]] and [[Khwaja Nazimuddin]].<ref name="Khan2013">{{cite book|first=Muhammad Mojlum|last=Khan|title=The Muslim Heritage of Bengal: The Lives, Thoughts and Achievements of Great Muslim Scholars, Writers and Reformers of Bangladesh and West Bengal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-2s9BAAAQBAJ&pg=PA309|date=21 October 2013|publisher=Kube Publishing Limited|isbn=978-1-84774-062-5|pages=104, 157, 160, 309|author-link=Muhammad Mojlum Khan}}</ref> The Department of Persian at the [[University of Dhaka]] was opened in 1921.<ref name=parsi/>
Dhaka was also an esteemed centre for the study of [[Farsi|Persian]],<ref name=parsi>{{cite Banglapedia|article=Persian|author=Abu Musa Mohammad Arif Billah}}</ref> as it was an official language up until the [[British Raj|colonial period]] and due to the high population of merchants and businessman from [[Central Asia]] and [[Greater Persia|Persia]] that settled in Dhaka.<ref>{{cite Banglapedia|article=Iranians, The|author=Abdul Karim}}</ref> The [[Naib Nazim of Dhaka]] Nusrat Jang was known to have written a history book titled ''Tarikh-i-Nusrat Jangi'' around the late 18th century. [[Agha Ahmad Ali]] is considered to be the greatest among Persian scholars of Bengal,<ref name=siraj>{{cite book|pages=446–447|title=History of Bangladesh, 1704-1971|author=Sirajul Islam|year=1992|publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}}</ref> famed for his Persian lexicology works like ''Muayyid-i-Burhan'' and ''Shamsher-i-Teztar'', rivalling contemporaries like [[Ghalib]], and are still read today across [[South Asia]].<ref name=parsi/> The Department of Persian at the [[University of Dhaka]] was opened in 1921.<ref name=parsi/>


==In media==
==In media==
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*[[Bulbul Ahmed]], actor and film director
*[[Bulbul Ahmed]], actor and film director
*[[Sayeed Ahmed]], playwright
*[[Sayeed Ahmed]], playwright
*[[Muhammad Enamul Huq]],CSP officer and Ex Establishment secretary of Bangladesh Government.
*[[Muhammad Enamul Huq]], CSP officer and Ex Establishment secretary of Bangladesh Government.


==See also==
==See also==
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[[Category:Indo-Aryan peoples]]
[[Category:Indo-Aryan peoples]]
[[Category:Old Dhaka]]
[[Category:Old Dhaka]]
[[Category:Bengali people]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Bangladesh]]
[[Category:People from Dhaka]]
[[Category:People from Dhaka]]

Latest revision as of 08:48, 22 October 2024

Old Dhakaiya
পুরান ঢাকাইয়া
A Dhakaiya Muslim lady in a muslin sari reclining with a hookah.
Regions with significant populations
Old Dhaka (Bangladesh)
Languages
Bengali (Dhakaiya Kutti dialect), Urdu (Dhakaiya Urdu dialect)
Religion
Sunni Islam
Related ethnic groups
Urdu-speaking people
The Rajoshik sculpture, in front of the InterContinental Dhaka, displays a horse carriage and its driver.

The Old Dhakaites (Bengali: পুরান ঢাকাইয়া, romanized: Puran Dhakaiya) are an Indo-Aryan cultural group viewed as the original inhabitants of Dhaka.[1][2] They are sometimes referred to as simply Dhakaites or Dhakaiya. Their history dates back to the Mughal period with the migration of Bengali cultivators and North Indian merchants to the city. The Bengali cultivators came to be known as Kutti and they speak Dhakaiya Kutti, a dialect of Bengali and the North Indian merchants came to be known as Khoshbas and they speak Dhakaiya Urdu, a dialect of Urdu. There are sizeable populations in other parts of Bangladesh. They have been described as a wealthy but very closed-off community; evidently being a minority in their own hometown.[3][4] It is said that some people living in Greater Dhaka are even unaware of the existence of an Urdu-speaking non-Bihari minority community although their presence dates back centuries.[2]

History

[edit]

ڈھاکہ عجیب شہر، نام جہانگیر نگر
Dhaka ajeeb shahar, naam Jahangir Nagar
Dhaka is a strange city, its name is Jahangirnagar
دو چار شریف ہے، باقی کٹّی تمام
Do-char Sharif hai, baaqi Kutti tamam
There are a few sharif (nobles), the rest are all Kutti

 – Urdu stanza describing population ratio.[5]

During the Mughal era, the Bengal Subah was famous for rice cultivation and the city of Jahangirnagar (now Old Dhaka) was the province's capital. Rice was a very important export product in the mid-eighteenth century, centred in Dhaka. The merchants who exported the rice were predominantly Marwaris and Central Indians of noble descent. These northern and central Indian merchants would go to different areas in Eastern Bengal and collect the rice. The rice was first needed to be cleaned up using dhekis before packaging, and this process is called kuta (কুটা) in Bengali. Many local Bengali rice cultivators from villages across Bengal were employed to do this. They would travel to the city to complete this job, and as it was lengthy journey, many of them started to permanently start residing in Dhaka. This migration took place circa 1760. However, not all were involved in the rice trade. The presence of the Mughals in Dhaka meant that there was generally a lot more employment opportunities there and so they took other occupations such as khansamahs, footsoldiers, guards, chefs and chauffeurs for the Nawabs of Dhaka and other aristocratic families.[6][7] These groups of people lived together and engaged in conversations and addas with their Hindustani counterparts and their main occupation led them to be known as kuttis (other less-common names included kutiyal and hatkutti). The interactions of Kutti-Bengalis with different migrated north Indian Urdu-speaking people in Old Dhaka led to the birth of an Urdu-influenced dialect of Bengali known as Dhakaiya Kutti, and with that - a new identity.[8]

The merchants from North India also eventually settled in Dhaka and came to be known as khoshbas meaning happily-settled. Other names for them included sukhbas and subbasi. Originally an Urdu-speaking community, their time in Bengal led to the emergence of a Bengali-influenced dialect known as Dhakaiya Urdu as they were a minority in comparison to the Kutti-Bengalis.[1]

Many of the Kutti-Bengalis became a lot wealthier over the years due to their occupation and many became landowners. With thousands of Kutti being involved in the rice supplying industry by 1787, they also formed a merchant class by monopolising rice retail in the city.[1] Notable landowners in New Paltan included Gulenur Khatun and Ayub Ali Sardar. Khatun owned a large portion of the northern part of New Paltan where she also owned a thatched hut residence as well as a tea stall. Named as Lalur Maar Dokan (লালুর মার দোকান, Lalu's mother's shop), it was located just beside the 3rd gate of the erstwhile East Pakistan Rifles. Sardar, who lived on the other side of Khatun's tea stall, was a horse operator and had a number of horses. These horses would engage in horse races in the famous Ramna Race Course, from which not only he made a fortune from, but also won medals from the British Raj. They can also be found in other localities such as Narinda.[9]

Presently, the Kutti-Bengalis are minority in Old Dhaka following the mass migration of non-Dhakaiya Bengalis from districts all over Bengal during the first and second partitions during the British colonial period. With the expansion of the city, new residential areas were created to supply housing to the more recent migrants. The traditional trade hub at Sadarghat was shifted to Nilkhet and Gulistan, decreasing Old Dhakaiya influence. The new educated migrant community (now also commonly known as Dhakaiyas with the former now being referred to as "Old Dhakaiyas") spoke in Standard Bengali, the standardised register of Bengali. Some of the Old Dhakaiya community began to see the new migrant community as their opponents due to these dialectal and cultural differences. This division was the source of modern troubles in the identities of the Old Dhakaiyas (who view themselves as original inhabitants) and the post-partition migrant community (who currently form the majority in the city).[1]

A young boy flying a kite in the Shakrain festival.

Culture

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Main article: Culture of Dhaka

Clothing

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A common tradition of the Kutti-Bengalis was that they would wear white shirts and white lungis.[10] The Khoshbas would dress very formally, sporting black sherwanis. Covering ones head in both communities is seen as more respectful, and notable headwear include the tupi, karakul, rumi topi and taqi. Women are famed for the Dhakai jamdani-sari, a clothing originating in Dhaka using a fine muslin textile. Dating back centuries, it is popular amongst Bengalis in general. The traditional art of weaving jamdani was patronised by the Mughals but under British colonial rule, the jamdani and muslin industries rapidly declined due to colonial import policies favouring industrially manufactured textiles. In more recent years, the production of jamdani has witnessed a revival in Bangladesh and in 2013, UNESCO classed it as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.[11][12][13] In 2016, Bangladesh received geographical indication (GI) status for the Jamdani Sari.[14]

Cuisine

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Bakarkhani being made in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Shahi jilapi is a very popular sweetmeat in Ramadan
Cold borhani is drunk with hot meals
Khichuri is considered a rich gourmet delicacy.

Old Dhakaiya food is one of the most notable regional Bangladeshi cuisines. The rich culinary customs are influenced by Mughlai, Central Asian, Armenian, Hindustani and Bengali cuisines. However, it also has dishes unique to Dhaka.[15] Haji biryani is a dish, invented by a restaurateur in 1939, made with highly seasoned rice, goat's meat and number of spices and nuts. The restaurant has become an integral part of Dhakaiya culture.[16] Old Dhaka boasts a variation of the famous pilaf - the Morog Polao - in which the rice is cooked after and the chicken pieces are cut. Other polaos include ilish polao and rui polao. Dhakaiyas are noted for introducing paneer and boiled eggs to khichuri.[15] Dhakai bakarkhani is a thick, biscuit-like flat-bread which is a traditional street-food snack, famed for its quality and taste. It is mainly dished up with tea.[17][18] Old Dhakaiyas proudly hold a heritage of creating the best khili paan using various herbs and spices. They also offer a khili paan for diabetic patients called the "paan afsana".[19] Common Dhakaiya beverages include borhani, Rooh Afza, shorbot, traditional fruit juices as well as basil seed-based drinks. Falooda, shahi jilapi and shemai are popular sweet foods and desserts.

Festivals

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اٹھ تے ہیں پچھلے پھر رات کو کھا کر سحری
Uth te hain pichle pahar raat ko kha kar sehri
شوق سے رکھیو تو کل روزہ، میں تیرے واری
Shauq se rakhiyo tu kal roza, main tere vaari

 – A common Urdu qasida recited in Ramadan[20]

In the holy Islamic month of Ramadan, it was a custom for every household to send a food offering to their local mosque. A dostorkhan would be laid in the mosque for the fasting people to eat on.[21] Chowk Bazaar was one of the most famous business and social meeting centres of Old Dhaka in the Mughal period and even today, during Ramadan, it is famous for the availability of hundreds of Iftar items.[22][23][24] At the end of the month, Chowk Bazaar would host a two-day mela for the celebration of Eid al-Fitr. Popular toys and gifts, known as eidi, emerged in the Dhakaiya culture such as the bhotbhoti; a motor using kerosene that would spin around in water, as well as the drum-carriage.[21] Hakim Habibur Rahman mentions in his book, Dhaka Panchas Baras Pahle (Dhaka, fifty years ago) that during sehri time (pre-dawn), groups of people would sing qasidas to wake up the neighbourhood.[25] This tradition was patronised by the nawabs and sardars of Dhaka and on Eid day, the Chief Sardar would present awards and baksheesh to the best qasida singers. Qasidas were generally sung in Urdu but in the 1980s, Bengali qasidas also came into fashion. This tradition is experiencing a revival with the efforts from the likes of Shamsher Rahman of Posta.[20] Qawwalis as well as Urdu poetry recital was very common amongst the Khoshbas in particular.[21]

The Shakrain festival is an age-long Dhakaiya kiting tradition celebrating the arrival of winter in the Bengali calendar.[26] Kite fighters would assemble in their rooftops, lighting up the skyline.[27] Dhakaiya weddings are also typically seen as very "extravagant".[28] Other sports that were popular amongst Old Dhakaiyas were hockey, horse riding and Nouka Baich (boat racing). The latter was originally practised in rural areas, but its popularity in urban areas increased in the 18th century as the Nawabs would organise many races.[29]

Language

[edit]
Main articles: Dhakaiya Kutti and Dhakaiya Urdu
Hakim Habibur Rahman was the writer of the celebrated Urdu book Dhaka, Panchas Baras Pahle - a detailed history of Old Dhaka and its people, culture and traditions.

Two dialects of Bengali and Urdu emerged in Old Dhaka during the Mughal period due to the interactions between the Urdu and Bengali speakers. The Khoshbas and the Nawabs of Dhaka spoke a Bengali-influenced dialect of Urdu known as Dhakaiya Urdu (which is distinct to the Hindustani creole spoken by the Bihari community).[2] The Kutti-Bengalis spoke Dhakaiya Kutti, a Bengali dialect with an Urdu influence.[30] Humour is an important part of Kutti culture and in the past, their jokes - told in the Dhakaiya Kutti dialect - used to generally consist of short stories in which Dhakaiyas mess around with the bhadralok gentry.[31] The Kuttis refer to outsiders or non-Dhakaiya Bengalis by the name "Gaiya" (গাঁইয়া), meaning from the village,[32] and Kolkatans in particular as Demchi (ডেমচি).[33]

Dhaka was also an esteemed centre for the study of Persian,[34] as it was an official language up until the colonial period and due to the high population of merchants and businessman from Central Asia and Persia that settled in Dhaka.[35] The Naib Nazim of Dhaka Nusrat Jang was known to have written a history book titled Tarikh-i-Nusrat Jangi around the late 18th century. Agha Ahmad Ali is considered to be the greatest among Persian scholars of Bengal,[36] famed for his Persian lexicology works like Muayyid-i-Burhan and Shamsher-i-Teztar, rivalling contemporaries like Ghalib, and are still read today across South Asia.[34] The Department of Persian at the University of Dhaka was opened in 1921.[34]

In media

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In 2008, Ekushey Television launched a serial called "Tuntuni Villa" centred on an Old Dhakaite family.[37] Shakib Khan played an Old Dhakaiya character in the 2015 Dhallywood film "Love Marriage".[38][39]

Notables

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See also

[edit]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Banik, Bijoy Krishna (2014). Kuttis of Bangladesh: Study of a Declining Culture (PDF) (Thesis). Rajshahi University.
  2. ^ a b c Redclift, Victoria. "The socio-spatial contours of community". Statelessness and Citizenship: Camps and the Creation of Political Space. pp. 66–70.
  3. ^ Gilbert, Paul Robert (September 2015). "Re-branding Bangladesh: The Other Asian Tiger". Money mines: an ethnography of frontiers, capital and extractive industries in London and Bangladesh (Thesis). University of Sussex.
  4. ^ Huda, Sarah Elma (16 March 2019). "Between two languages: Examining my identity as a Bangladeshi". The Daily Star (Bangladesh).
  5. ^ Hossain, Nazir (1995). Kingbadantir Dhaka (in Bengali). Paradise Printers.
  6. ^ Ahmad Mirza Khabir (1995). Shotoborsher Dhaka (in Bengali). Rashid Hasan.
  7. ^ Bhowmik, Satya N (1993). Die Sprachenpolitik Der Muslim-League-Regierung und Die Entstehung Der Bengali-Sprachbewegung in Ostbengalen: 1947 - 1956 (in German). F Steiner. p. 60.
  8. ^ ঢাকাইয়া কুট্টি উপভাষার অভিধান-মোশাররফ হোসেন ভূঞা-প্রকাশনা: ঐতিহ্য-রুমী মার্কেট ৬৮-৬৯ প্যারীদাস রোড-বাংলাবাজার ঢাকা ১১০০
  9. ^ Abir, Rahad (1 December 2018). "Seeking a Story". The Daily Star (Bangladesh).
  10. ^ Jamal Syed (8 January 2019). মুসলমানির গল্প. Prothom Alo (in Bengali).
  11. ^ "jamdani". britannica.com. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
  12. ^ "Jamdani recognised as intangible cultural heritage by Unesco". The Daily Star. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
  13. ^ "Traditional art of Jamdani weaving". UNESCO Culture Sector. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
  14. ^ "Jamdani Sari gets GI registration certificate". The Daily Star. 17 November 2016.
  15. ^ a b Ray, Utsa (5 January 2015). Culinary Culture in Colonial India. Cambridge University Press. pp. 210–215.
  16. ^ Mydans, Seth (8 July 1987). "For a secret stew recipe, time is running out". The New York Times. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  17. ^ "Old Dhaka Bakarkhani – A Legendary Bread". 19 October 2013. Archived from the original on 18 July 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  18. ^ "Bakarkhani: delight in every bite". Daily Sun. 24 April 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  19. ^ Ara, Shifat (18 February 2014). "Gourmet Paan". The Daily Star (Bangladesh).
  20. ^ a b Mahmud, Faisal (3 June 2019). "Ramadan 'Qasida' songs all but lost". The Independent (Bangladesh).
  21. ^ a b c Jamil, Syed Maqsud (31 August 2012). "Once Upon a Time in Dacca". The Daily Star (Bangladesh). Archived from the original on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  22. ^ "Eyewitness: Chak Bazar iftar market in old Dhaka". The Guardian.
  23. ^ Auzias, Dominique; Labourdette, Jean-Paul (2016). BANGLADESH 2017 Petit Futé. Petit Futé. pp. 133–. ISBN 979-10-331-4296-6.
  24. ^ "Dhaka Chawk Bazar Meetup". 1 June 2017.
  25. ^ Sirajul Islam. "Qasida". Banglapedia: The National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, Dhaka. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  26. ^ "Shakrain: A jewel in the crown of Old Dhaka traditions". United News of Bangladesh. 14 January 2019.
  27. ^ Khan, Arman R (22 January 2015). "Old Town Diaries Entry 1: Shakrain". The Daily Star (Bangladesh).
  28. ^ Mohsin, Maljha (4 January 2015). "In the Curators' den". Chobi Mela.
  29. ^ S M Mahfuzur Rahman (2012). "Boat Race". In Sirajul Islam; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir (eds.). Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. OL 30677644M. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  30. ^ Alam, Shahid (21 February 2013). "Reflections on a contemporary phenomenon". The Daily Star (Bangladesh).
  31. ^ Bandopadhyay, Bhanu. "Atmokotha". Bhanu Samagra. pp. 17–20.
  32. ^ Akhtar Imam (1988). Durer Chhaya. p. 7.
  33. ^ Jalil, Azizul (2006). Turbulence and tranquillity. p. 20.
  34. ^ a b c Abu Musa Mohammad Arif Billah (2012). "Persian". In Sirajul Islam; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir (eds.). Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. OL 30677644M. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  35. ^ Abdul Karim (2012). "Iranians, The". In Sirajul Islam; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir (eds.). Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. OL 30677644M. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  36. ^ Sirajul Islam (1992). History of Bangladesh, 1704-1971. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. pp. 446–447.
  37. ^ "New Drama serial " Tuntuni Villa" on Ekushey TV". The Daily Star (Bangladesh). 26 October 2008.
  38. ^ "Eid films set to hit cinemas across country". The Independent (Bangladesh). 16 July 2015.
  39. ^ Dewan, Shihan (17 July 2015). "Dhallywood Eid 2015". The New Nation.
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