Author : Muneer Ahmad
The word “ Ganaie” refers to the one who possesses the knowledge and has a talent for writing anything script so neatly. In Kashmir, Ganaie was used to mean secretary as well.
گنائی بہ کشمیر دانا بود
خدا وند تدبیر و خامہ بود
But in Kashmir over a period so many castes had been demeaned due to other reasons and in the present day people have many misconceptions about these castes and many castes are still looked down upon. But as a responsible citizen, we must go through the historical texts to get some background before taking any final call while commenting about any aspect of our society.
Anyways you are here to know about the much demeaned caste “ The Ganaie”. Ganaie was a title or surname earlier and it had its traces back to the Hazrat Shiekh Yaqoob E Sarfi (ra). implying that Ganaie was prevalent even before the Badshah Zainul Abdeen’s reign.
According to Tareekh E Hassan
“ گنائی بزبان فارسی منشی راگو یند ”
meaning that in Persian Ganaie is called “Munshi” that is the secretary. Given this fact, it has been said that:
گنائی بہ کشمیر دانا بود
خدا وند تدبیر و خامہ بود
Meaning: In Kashmir, Gananies were the wise people who used to be writers penning down the resourcefulness of the Almighty. It has been written that the word “ Ganaie” was a title or surname that could be given to any person belonging to any caste or community. Probably this title was given by the King, writes Tareekh-e-Hasan. For this purpose, the name of Sufi Saint Hazrat Shiekh Yaqoob E Sarfi ( ra) has been mentioned as an example who was himself titled Ganaie. As in Kashmir even Muftis & Pathwaris were called Ganaie.
" گنائی عرف آں وقت نو یسندہ رامے گفتگند از مفتی گرفتہ تابہ پٹواری ہمیں لقب بود "
The Example of Shiekh Yaqoob E Sarfi has been mentioned in Waqat E Kashmir, Tareekh E Kabeer E Kashmir. He was from the Bayazeed Hazrat Asim Bin Hazrat Umar Farooq (RA) ‘s clan. He had seven brothers and all were titled “ Ganaie”.
" قبیلہ گنائی ہا از قوم برہمن نیکو کار و ذ والا اقتدار بود است "
Meaning: The Progeny of “Ganaie ” came from the Brahmins who were pious and praiseworthy.
A Page from Tareekh E Aqwam E Kashmir by Mohammad Ud Din Fauq
Meaning: Shiekh Hassan ( Shiekh Yaqoob E Sarfi’s Father) is fortunate enough to be from the clan as the respected ones in Kashmir had got this title. Ganaie was the title of Bayazeed Asimi whose title was well justified by his creator among the people. Ganaie were the wise people among the people as the same-titled “ Hazrat Usman(ra) was a companion in the Cave.
Besides, Ganaies were the people who had migrated from outside and were categorized under “ Shiekhs” who had reverted to Islam from Brahmins and other sects & religions.
In Kashmir Ganaies have four categories:
1. Those who belong to the Hazrat Asim Bin Hazrat Umer Farooq (ra) ‘s progeny.
2. Those who were Syeds, Mughals, Pathans, or the Quresh.
3. Those reverted Muslims from other religions.
4. Those who do the Butcher work.
Since the first three categories are self-explanatory we should know about the fourth category. As per Tareekh E Aqwam E Kashmir page 270, “ The Butcher work Ganies used to be known as the ” Hilmat Caste”
" ہلمت گنائی نام شخص نیکو کار مشہور روزگار است ۔ وے کار گو سفنداں قصابی بر خود مقبول نمود ۔ اکنوں ذریت او تمام کار گو سفنداں قصابی مے ساز ند
Meaning: Hilmat Ganaie is a pious person who took to the butcher work and his sons are also associated with the same profession and do all the work associated with this profession.
But with the time many other people belonging to castes like Koul, Dar, Bhat, Mir, and Chek joined this profession, and all were known as Ganaies.
As time passed some of the Ganaies took to the Choukidari work but how this caste was demeaned over time there are no concrete reasons but this used to be the prestigious caste or the title among Kashmiris and one would aspire to be called so.
According to Khawaja Azam Dedmiri, “ Majority of ruch people or the saints belong to this title. Baba Usman Auchap Gananie, Shiekh Yaqoob E Sarfi Ganaie, Shikeh Baba Dawood E Khaki Ganaie, haji MalaFeroz Ganaie, Mula Abdul Wahab Ganaie are the few people whose knowledge, wiseness and the vision we Kashmiris feel so proudful.
With Special Thanks to Mr. Tehseen Ali for translating the Persian Couplets