The Gavandi sirname found in the state of Maharashtra in India.
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Origin
The community gets its name from the word Gandhi, which is the Marathi word for mason. They are found mainly in the district of Kolhapur, where they are said to have migrated to from Gulbarga in Karnataka. According to their traditions, they were invited by the Maratha rulers of Kolhapur to help in the building of their palaces. The community is now found mainly in the city of Kolhapur and neighbouring villages. They speak Marathi, but almost the entire community speaks or understands Urdu.
Present circumstances
The Gavandi are still engaged in masonry, and most of the community is landless. A few are marginal farmers, and a smaller number have taken to business.
The Gavandi live in villages with other Muslim communities such as the Attar, Shilkalgar, Maner and Tamboli, as well as other Hindu castes such as the Maratha. Each of their settlement includes an informal caste council known as a biradari panchayat, that deals with issues of community welfare. They are strictly endogamous, and marry close kin. There customs are similar to other Marathi Muslim groups such as the Attar, and belong to the Sunni sect, and Hanafi sub-sect.