The Chunara are an ethnic group found in the state of Gujarat in India. A small number are also found in the port city of Karachi in Pakistan. There are now two communities of Chunara, one Hindu and the other Muslim.
Origin
The word chunara in Gujarati literally means someone who manufactures chuna (lime). According to their traditions, they were originally Rajputs who migrated from Rajasthan to Gujarat and joined the army of the Gaekwars of Baroda. After having a fall out with their employer, the Maratha ruler of Baroda, they took to manufacturing lime. A section of the Chunara then converted to Islam, and there are now distinct communities, one Hindu and the other Muslim.
References
- Chunara India's communities, Volume 1 by Kumar Suresh Singh, Anthropological Survey of India.