Nashya Shaikh

Nashya Shaikh
Regions with significant populations
	India (West Bengal, Assam, Bihar) Bangladesh Bhutan
Languages
	Rajbongshi
Religion
	Islam
Related ethnic groups
	Koch, Rabha, Boro

The Nashya Shaikh or Nashya Sekh is a Muslim community found in northern parts of the state of West Bengal in India. They are culturally and linguistically similar to both people of northern Bangladesh and Goalpara of Assam. A small number of the community are also found in the neighboring state of Bihar, where they are known as the Bengali Shaikh. The group is descended from a set of tribals which were collectively referred to as Koches, who converted to Islam as they were unable to find a favourable position in Hindu society and came to be known as the Rajbanshi Muslims.^[1]^[2] They are homogeneous with the Koch people and are bilingual, speaking both Bengali and Surjapuri.

^ "A large section of the poor Koches who failed to embrace Hinduism and styled them as Rajbanshi had apostatized to the faith of Islam. Das Gupta labeled them as Rajbanshi Muslims and is now confused with the general Mohamedan population of Northeastern part of Bengal. They were also called-'Nasya sekh' in Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, andDinajpur. The Nashya are considered to be an important indigenous group found in northern West Bengal."(Adhikary 2009:205)
^ Marginal Muslim Communities in India edited by M.K.A Siddiqui pages 74-89

[1] "A large section of the poor Koches who failed to embrace Hinduism and styled them as Rajbanshi had apostatized to the faith of Islam. Das Gupta labeled them as Rajbanshi Muslims and is now confused with the general Mohamedan population of Northeastern part of Bengal. They were also called-'Nasya sekh' in Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, andDinajpur. The Nashya are considered to be an important indigenous group found in northern West Bengal."(Adhikary 2009:205)

[2] Marginal Muslim Communities in India edited by M.K.A Siddiqui pages 74-89

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