What is the name of the literary genre developed by the Khojas who are a branch of the Ismaili sect?

The Khojas, a branch of the Ismaili sect (specifically the Nizari Ismaili branch), developed a unique literary genre known as Ginan [1]. The term 'Ginan' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'jnana', which translates to 'knowledge' [1]. These are devotional poems or hymns composed in various Indian languages, including Punjabi, Sindhi, Gujarati, and Kachchi [1]. They were traditionally used to disseminate Quranic ideas through indigenous literary forms and were sung in specific ragas during daily prayer meetings [1]. While 'Ziyarat' refers to the practice of pilgrimage to Sufi shrines [2] and 'Raag' refers to the musical framework used to sing these hymns [1], 'Ginan' specifically identifies the literary and devotional corpus unique to the Khoja community's religious expression. This syncretic tradition reflects the blend of universal Islamic faith with local South Asian cultural and linguistic traditions [1].

Sources

1. [1] THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART II, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 6: Bhakti-Sufi Traditions > 5.2 The popular practice of Islam > p. 151
2. [2] THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART II, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 6: Bhakti-Sufi Traditions > 7.2 Chishti devotionalism: ziyarat and qawwali > p. 155