Khanzada - British Period

British Period

Percy Powlett notes in 1878 that what ever local importance the Khanzadas may have once had, it disappeared during the nineteenth century. He says that they were by this time

... numerically insignificant and cannot now be reckoned among the aristocracy. In social rank they are far above the Meos, and though probably of more recent Hindu extraction, they are better Musalmans. ... Though generally poor and ignorant as the Meos, they, unlike the latter, say their prayers, and do not let their women work in the fields".

Despite their Muslim faith, they did at that time use the services of Brahmins during their marriage ceremonies, and also followed some other Hindu customs for that purpose. There were 26 Khanzada villages and the population was economically weak, in part because their productivity in agriculture was hampered by the non-involvement of women. Some had migrated from the Mewat region and others were employed by both the British and the state armies, but agriculture was the primary occupation.

There were 9317 Khanzadas recorded in Alwar in 1901.