Bhishti

A bhishti in India, 1870
Regions with significant populations
India • Pakistan
Languages
Urdu • Hindi • Awadhi
Religion
Islam

Bhesties, an 1838 illustration showing Bhishtis

A Bhishti in 1880

The Bhishti or Bahishti are a Muslim tribe or biradari found in North India,Pakistan and Nepal. They are also known as Abbasi, Bahishti Abbasi, Sheikh Abbasi and Saqqa. They often use the surnames Abbasi or Sheikh Abbasi. The Sheikh Abbasi belong to Arab tribe Banu Abbas.

Origin

The bahishti has become tribe which involved different castes, such like as Abbasi, Qureshi, Turk, Farooqi, Samri Chohan, Bahlim, and etc. In which, Abbasi are much well-known as this word Bahishti. The reason is that a lot of Abbasids families were came to India after the fall down of Baghdad, in which some families hid their identity and did different works while some families adopted water-carrier profession into Mughal Army and some family's people adopted this profession during British Army. They provided water into the homes and garden. And with that a lot of families who accepted Islam and then adopted this profession. Any water-carrier who drank water to any person so the person who drink water to say them Bahishti. The Bahishti is a Persian word which means Paradise. This word is a term used for any water-carrier, no matter which caste he belongs to. In addition, some Abbasids families came in India before the 1258. They were traders and Preachers and Soldiers with the attackers. Those Abbasid who adopted this profession, they were Abbasids from the Arab region.

References

Muslim communities of India Tribes of Pakistan The British Raj keyword Karnataka - Part 1 - Page 319 The Central Provinces Gazette - Parts 7-8; Part 10 - Page 435 Maharashtra - Part 1 - Page 336 The British Raj: Keywords - Page 29 خدمت سقایہ اور حضرت عباسؓ آٸینہ حقیقت و خدمت سقایہ Gunga Din and Other Favorite Poems - Page 69 Census of India, 1901 - Volume 18, Part 1 - Page 494 Census of India, 1901 - Volume 18, Part 1 - Page 494