Hospitals in India during the Delhi Sultanate Period 217 Migration, Mobility and Memories: Meos in the Processes of Peasantisation and Islamisation in Medieval Period

Image of communities in medieval India as a self-sufficient and autonomous entity has come under scrutiny in the recent past. Studies have successfully challenged these ste-reotypes and have argued that communities have regularly seen changes and transforma-tions have been an integral part. Another dominant corollary has been the argument that these communities were averse to centralised polity as any negotiation with the state would have diluted their autonomy and dominance over various components. Meos of Mewat have also been portrayed as practitioner and believer of ‘Pal polity’ / autonomous community. It is in this respect, the present article makes an attempt to challenge the oft-repeated idiom of ‘autonomy of communities ’ in the medieval India. During Sultanate period Meos were broadly identified as tribes inhabiting the Aravalli hills, valleys and dense forest of the Mewat region and were known for cattle-lifting, loot and plunder. However, one witnesses a major transformation in their identity with the passage of time. Soon Meos were not only peasantised but they were also able to establish their zamind-aris. One also notices gradual and very slow but continuous Islamisation of this commu