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July 23, 1997

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Historically, the name ‘Chilliya’ goes back to the British era. These people, who belong to the Shailya sect, used to make their living as tongawallas (driver of horse driven carriages known as Victorias). The English, who could not pronounce Shailya, bastardised the name to Chilliya. Which is how it has remained.

As time progressed, the tonga was replaced by the more modern autorickshaw and taxi. The Chilliyas, too, replaced the whip with the steering wheel.

This sub-sect of the Muslim community comes from somewhere near the Palanpur district in north Gujarat. A 200,000-strong community, they are spread across 15 north Gujarat villages and major cities including Bombay, Surat and Ahmedabad. Though they are Muslims, their mother tongue is Gujarati.

They generally do not marry out of their community. Most Chilliyas are either taxi drivers, tabelawalas (cattle shed owners) or hotel owners. In fact, most Muslim restaurants in Bombay are owned by Chilliyas. Famous among them are the Balwas restaurants in south Bombay.

Says Mohammad Rafique, a taxi driver who lives in Gulshan Nagar, "The reason we do look out for alternative jobs is that very few people in our community are educated. Of the 11,000 people who stay at Gulshan and Momin Nagar, not more than 20 are lawyers, doctors or engineers."

English is an optional subject in the Urdu schools run by these colonies. Yet, hardly any Chilliya speaks English. "This is because no one in our community wants to do a salaried job or go in for higher education. Even the poorest of poor will set up a small business instead of going to school and looking our for a job," says Ilyas Chamal Bohrania, chairman, GCHS.

Despite the fact that 80 per cent of the student in the colony-run schools are female, not more than 20 girls in the entire locality go to college. Those who do have to don the burkha. Now, however, more and more boys are opting for higher studies. But not many of them are able to choose a career; they end up in their family business.

“Though I am doing well in my studies,” says Yahya Kadiwahl, a second year commerce student, "I am not interested in hunting for a job. Once I finish graduation, I have to look after my family business."

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