Vora Patel

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Vohra Patel or Vora Patel (Gujerati વોહ્રા પટેલ) is a community of Sunni Muslim belonging to the Patel family, originally from Gujarat, India, particularly from the Surat and Bharuch Districts.

The towns and villages in Bharuch and Surat where Vohras reside are not as heavily populated as they once were, as many have migrated abroad, to various countries including the Middle East, Europe, Australia and America.

The United Kingdom is home to the largest population of Vohras outside of Bharuch. Vohras from Bharuch ('Bharuchies') initially settled in the mill towns of Lancashire where many still reside in large numbers. Although primarily situated in the mill towns of Blackburn, Bolton and Preston, there are also large communities in Dewsbury, Leicester and parts of East London. Many Vohras moved to East London during the early eighties as mills began to shut down during the Thatcher period.

Vohras also began to migrate to North America in the early eighties and large communities are now found in Chicago, USA and in Toronto in Canada.

Common dishes of Vohras include kichry kury and dal-gosht (lentils with meat) and boiled rice (chaval). The younger generations living in England are, however, beginning to acquire a taste for English cuisine.

The expatriate community in England is coming under scrutiny as they, like many new arrivals in England appear not have integrated with the indigenous community or with other Muslim communities. They are known to marry only within their own community, have their own cemeteries, community centres and mosques. However this too is changing as many of the initial settlers are returning to Bharuch on retirement or have died, leaving second and third generations who are more religious, but less inward looking.

There are many positive contributions made by the Vohras in England and back home.Vohras have set up their own associations in their host countries which continue to fund physical and mental well being of those that they had left behind.In particular the villages and towns of Bharuch have been transformed by the money sent back. However, they are also criticised as they have not used their new-found wealth to set up businesses, factories or educational institutions in Gujarat.These would have benefited the Vohras, Muslims and wider Gujarati communities by providing long term, self-sustaining employment and advancement opportunities.

It is widely thought that neglecting business and educational needs has led to a dependency culture and over dependence on going abroad. The able and enterprising do not stay but move abroad as soon as they can. Vohras have become exporters of people from Bharuch.

[edit] External links

• Vohra Patel Homepage