Khojas

Khoja is a honorific term for Hindus from the areas of Western Indian Subcontinent around Multan, Sind, who, in the 13th century, were proselytized by their 'pirs' (travelling preachers) into a syncretic faith called "Sat Pant" and given a new jati communal identity called 'Khojas'. Pir Sadr al-Din laid the basis for the 'mahajan' communal structure for this new identity by building the first of three jamaat khanas (communal halls). The heads of these jamatkhanas were a Mukhi (as in the North Indian term for leader, Muhkia) and a Kamadia, as his assistant. Women sat separately in the jamatkhana (but in the same room) and were lead by the Mukhis wife, Mukhiani and her assistant was a Kamadiani (being the Kamadia's wife.) Mukhis and Kamadias were chosen by popular vote by the male members of the jamaat.

Ethnically, most but not all Khojas originate from the Lohana merchant community of Sindh, others having joined the new jati to excape the confines of the Hindu caste system. Lohanas claim decendency from the mythic Indian king, Rama’s son, Lav and part of the warrior caste of Kshastriyas, thus, they were also known as Thakkars, which is also a phonetic corruption of the Indian title Thakor (lord, master). By the 13th century, the Lohana were either farmers or petty traders.

Later, in the mid 19th century, after they many had moved to Kutch, Kathiawar and other parts of India and the British Empire, the majority of Khojas chose to acknowledge the Agakhans as their Imams and by the order of a British colonial judge (in the Agakhan Case), all Khoja communal property and control of the jamatkhana administeration was given to the then Agakhan.

There are approximately 200,000 Khojas in India today. Elsewhere, they are spread out largely in Pakistan, Bangladesh, East and Central Africa, the UK, Canada and the USA.

There is no verifiable record of their exact number.