Pathans of Madhya Pradesh


The Pathans of Madhya Pradesh are an Urdu-speaking Pashtun community settled in the present-day Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.

History and origin

The early Pathan settlers in what became the princely state of Bhopal were known as Barru-kat because they initially used reeds for roofing their houses. Bhopal became a hub for Pathan settlement, with others arriving to be soldiers in the Begum's army. Immigration continued until the creation of Pakistan in 1947. The state of Jaora was settled by Rohilla Pathans.