Khatri
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Castes of India | |
| Khatris | |
| Classification | Kshatriya |
| Subdivisions | Aathghar, Barahghar,Bawanghar, Charghar, Dhaighar, Kukhran, Sareen and others |
| Significant populations in | Punjab (India), Haryana, Delhi, Punjab (Pakistan) and Sindh |
| Languages | Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu |
| Religions | Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Islam |
Khatri is the Punjabi adaptation of Sanskrit word Kshatriya (Hindi: क्षत्रिय, kṣatriya). The Kshatriya are the traditionally members of the Hindu military order. As administrators and rulers, Kshatriya were assigned with protecting the Hindu Dharma, and serving humanity. In course of time, however, as a result of economic and political exigencies, the Khatri also expanded into mercantile occupations. The Khatris, along with the Aroras, Lohanas, Soods and Bhatias, are the Kshatriya communities of Punjab.
The Khatris are a north Indian community that originated in the Potohar Plateau of Punjab. This region is historically connected with the composition of the Vedas and classics like the Mahabharata and Ashtadhyayi.
When Pakistan and India gained independence, most of the Khatris in what became Pakistan migrated to India. Today Khatris live in all regions of India, but are concentrated in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. While most Khatris are Hindu, a great many are also Sikh and a smaller minority are Jain. Khatris of all these faiths collectively form one community.
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[edit] Khatri Family Names
Main article: List of Khatri surnames on Wiktionary
The Arora (see List of Arora surnames), Sood, Kukhran, Bhatia and Lohana castes are distinct communities of the Punjab and Sindh. Although they are not Khatri, they share a similar cultural background, all five communities being Kshatriya in origin. Examples of Arora names include Bajaj, Dang/Dung, and Chhabra.
Aroras and Khatris in particular share a close heritage. One interesting difference between Aroras and Khatris is the colour of the bangle (Churah), which brides wear during the marriage ceremony. Arora women wear white bangles (Chitta Churah) and Khatri women wear red ones (Laal Churah), along with their bridal wear.[citation needed] But in many areas of Punjab, Arora women women red bangles as well and vice versa.[citation needed]
[edit] History of the Khatri Community
[edit] Historical Background
- See also: Hinduism in Punjab and Indian caste system
The Khatris are a prominent Indian community that originated in the Potohar region of north-western Indian subcontinent. This region is of considerable historical significance in the development of the Indian culture since the composition of the Vedas and classics like the Mahabharata [1] and Panini's Ashtadhyayi took place here[2].
[edit] The Potohar Plateau: the Khatris' place of origin
Many parts of Potohar (Rawalpindi, Jhelum etc.) before the Partition of 1947, were dominated by Sikh Khatri landowners. These families included clans such as Bindra, Bedi and Gujral (inter alia). According to historical records, many Khatri clans of Rawalpindi received jagirs from the British and/or Sher E Punjab, Ranjit Singh, for contributions to civil-service i.e. Treasury, Administration and Military.
For the most part, Khatris have been in the civil, government, and military administrators roles for centuries.[3] Khatris have sometimes expanded into trade and mercantile businesses, including architecture. The Hindu temples of Kabul built by the Khatris still exist.
[edit] Prominent historical Khatris
Many prominent historical figures have emerged from the Khatri. All ten Sikh Gurus were Khatri, belonging to the Bedi, Trehan, Bhalla and Sodhi subcastes. Raja Todar Mal was a Tandon Khatri who codified the revenue collection system as Revenue Minister for Akbar. Haqiqat Rai was a Puri Khatri whose martyrdom was celebrated on Basant Panchami in Lahore until independence. Hari Singh Nalwa, an Uppal Khatri [4], was a prominent general under Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The father and son pair of the Diwans Sawan Mal and Mul Raj Chopra were successive governors of Multan under Ranjit Singh. The former instituted vast improvement in agriculture, while the latter was instrumental in leading the revolt against the British to prevent the annexation of the Sikh Empire into the East India Company territory. Sadhu Singh Gulla fought against the British Empire in 19th century. Later on he died in prison or battle.
One of the most important character of famous Punjabi legend Raja Rasalu is minister Mahita Chopra. [5] Most scholars agree that Raja Rasalu ruled from Sialkot and lived sometime between 400 to 500 AD.[citation needed] If it is true then Chopra family name, a Baraghar Khatri, developed by that time.
[edit] Historical Mentions
Khatri gots are divided into three major groups; Baraghar, Bawanji, and Sarin. These divisions were reported by Emperor Akbar's close adviser Abu'l Fazal in his book Ain-i-Akbari(compiled in 1590 AD). These grouping is said to be happened at the time of Ala-uddin Khilji (1296-1316 AD).
Bhai Gurdas (b. AD 1551) in his "Varan Bhai Gurdas Ji", Vaar 8 - Pauri 10 (Khatri jatan) mentions: barahi, bavanjahi, Pavadhe, pachadhia, phalian, khokharainu, chaurotari and serin sections.
The family name mentioned above existed for long time. The four gots of Sikh gurus existed at least since 15th century AD.:
[edit] Khatris and Sun Worship
Raja Vanvihari Kapoor has written that major Khatri clans are named after Lord Sun. The Sarasvat Brahmin clan of which some of these these were yajamanas are also mentioned below.
- Mitra Mehra Priests: Jetali
- Kripakar Kapoor Priests: Pambu
- Shankan Khanna Priests: Jhingana
- Martanada Tandan Priests: Jhingana
- Shreshtha Seth
- Dhavan Dhavan
- Mahendra Mahindru
- Bahukar Bahora (Vohra)
- Chakravali Chaupada (Chopra)
- Karalagni Kakkar Priests: Kumadiye
- Surya Suri
- Sahasrakar Sahgal Priests: Mohile
- Raja Fateh Chand Maini: Is chieftien of bihar during childhood of Guru Gobind Singh Ji and being a childless he adopted Bal Gobind Rai as his son.
According to Bhavishya Purana, Punjab indeed was an ancient center of Sun worship.
[edit] Religion
[edit] Hindu Khatris
A majority of Khatris are Hindus [6]. As noted in the introduction, the Khatri community have been positioned in roles of administration, rule and warfare within Punjab. The Khatris were the patrons ('yajamansas' or in Punjabi 'jajmani') of the Saraswat Brahmins. Together the two communities represent the heritage of the Indo-Aryan center of NW India. The Khatris have been among the most staunch supporters and defenders of Hinduism in North-Western India. Many of them were prominent supporters of Arya Samaj movement, which uses the Vedas as the basis of their faith.
[edit] Sikh Khatris
A minority of the Khatris are Sikh. The Sikh panth is not caste based, still the Khatris played a major role in development of Sikhism as a gentle and inclusive faith. All the Ten Sikh Gurus were Khatri. During the lifetime of the Gurus, most of their major supporters and Sikhs were Khatris. Khatris were the main leaders in Sikhism until the early 20th century when the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee objected to abuses by the Masand Khatris. After the formation of the Khalsa (1699), and especially during the reign of Ranjit Singh, Hindu Khatri families raised at least one son (usually the oldest) as an Amritdhari Sikh, this trend somewhat lessened after the Khalistan movement.
Among the Khatri-like castes include the Khukrains or Kukhrans. They were one of the foremost followers of the Sikh Gurus and traditionally brought up one son as a Keshdhari Sikh. This is evident from the large number of Kukhran surnames among Khatri-like Sikhs.
- See also: Hinduism and Sikh Panth
[edit] Jain Khatris
The number of khatris who are Jain is very small. However One of the best known Jain munis in recent times, Acharya Atmaram (also known as Shri Vijayanandsuri) (1841-1900) was a Kapoor Khatri, born at Lahra, Firozepur. He was the first person to be raised to the rank of a Jain Acharya in the past 400 years in 1890. He was invited to visit the Congress of World Religions held in Chicago in 1893 A.D. The rules for Jain monks prevented him from going overseas, but he sent his lay disciple Virchand Gandhi, who is now considered to be the father of American Jainism.
[edit] Muslim Khatris
With the advent of Islam into Sindh and the southern Punjab region with the invasion of the Arab general, Muhammad bin Qasim in 711 CE and subsequent invasions by Turkic tribes from Afghanistan and the North West Frontier Province from the 11th century onwards, there were conversions of Hindus to the faith from among various Punjabi communities, including Khatris . While the conversions took place at different times, often when entire communities converted they retained their tribal, clan or caste affiliations as has been the norm in the Indian Subcontinent. Some reasons for this were the fact that many of the conversions were forced conversions of entire villages and towns in order to maintain survival.[7] Similarly, the Khatris who converted to Islam, continue to retain a strong social identity and are known as Punjabi Shaikhs. They came to become incorporated within the Muslim caste system, they are therefore not strictly Khatris in modern caste differentiation, but are Khatri in heritage.
[edit] Khatris and Indian Culture
The Khatris were adversely affected by the partition of India, as it resulted in the loss of their traditional home regions. Some Khatris are now modernizing along with the rest of India.
[edit] Khatris Organizations
The sessions of Akhil Bhartiya Khatri Mahasabha were held in Lucknow in 1916, 1936, 1952 and 1980. Lucknow Khatri Sabha was established in 1927 and publication Khatri Hitashi was started in 1936.
[edit] Divisions among the Khatris
There are several subdivisions within the Khatri clans. There are the Dhai Ghar (i.e. 2 1/2 houses -the number 3 being considered unlucky) grouping comprising of Khanna, Kapur/Kapoor and Mehra/Malhotra. Along with the Seth clan these four subdivisions form the Char Ghar (4 houses) grouping.[8].
With the Chopra, Dhavan, Mahendra, Sahgal, Talwar, Tandon, Vohra and Wadhawan sub castes, all 12 form the barah-jati grouping [9]. Another group is called Bavanjai (52)[10] . Other regional clan groupings include the Sarin and the Kukhrain.
Regionally Churamani, Nanda, Khullar, Jerath, Chopra and Vig were particularly connected with Ludhiana; Bahl, Kapoor, Mehra, Seth, Beri, Sencher and Dhir with Jagraon; Batte, Sondhi and Karir with Machhiwara and Bahlolpur; Sehgal and Thapar with Raikot; and Had and Cham with Khanna [11]
The origin of many clans and surnames is not exactly clear.[citation needed] Most Kshatriya draw their relations together at some point after the Indo-Aryan settlement of Northern India.
[edit] Kukhran
Kukhran (also spelt Kukhrain) are a Khatri-like regional grouping of ten subcastes of Punjab, originally from the town of Bhera in the Jech doab (Jhelum - Chenab interfluve) region of Sargodha district of Pakistani Punjab. In keeping with Khatri-like traditions, Bhera was an important trading outpost on the road to Kabul, and a 'taksal' (mint) during the reign of Ranjit Singh. Kukhrans are Aryan and Vedic peoples and have originally followed Hinduism, however a significant number adapted Sikhism during the 18th and 19th centuries.
This, and also because many Hindu Kukhran families, as well as other Khatri and Khatri-like clans (Aroras), raised at least one Sikh son after the formation of the Khalsa in 1699, resulted in Kukhran family names, as well as other Khatri-like clan names, being present in both Hindu and Sikh communities worldwide. Common Kukhran names are Anand, Bhasin, Chadha, Chandok,Gadhok, Gadok, Kohli, Sabharwal, Sahni/Sawhney, and Sethi; many of whom had migrated from present Pakistan to India during partition. The Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh is a Kukhran of the Kohli subcaste.
- See also: Kukhran
[edit] See Also
- Forward Castes
- Khawaja Shaikh
- Qanungoh Shaikh
- Punjabi Shaikh
- Hindu and Buddhist archetectural heritage of Pakistan
- Places in Pakistan with Hindu and Sikh Populations before 1947
- Punjabi Muslim tribes from Hindu Lineage
[edit] Distinguished Khatris and Kukhrans
- Manmohan Singh (Kohli), Prime minister of India
- Dev Anand - Bollywood actor
- Om Prakash Malhotra Former Chief of Army Staff, Governor of the Punjab
- Mulk Raj Anand, pioneering Indian novelist in English
- Vijay Kumar Malhotra MP, Deputy leader BJP
- Sangam Rai Kapoor - Founder of the house of Maharajas of Burdwan
- Gurinder Chadha - Kenyan- Brit movie director ('Bend it like Beckham', 'Bhaji on the Beach')
- Yash Chopra - Bollywood movie director and producer
- Lieutenant-General Dewan Prem Chand United Nations Peace Keeping Force Commander
- Satish Gujral, artist and muralist who trained under Diego Rivera
- Inder Kumar Gujral former Prime Minister of India
- Anish Kapoor - Indo-British sculptor
- The father-son duo of Prithviraj Kapoor and Raj Kapoor legendary actors, directors, and producers of Indian movies
- Shekhar Kapur - movie director ('Bandit Queen', 'Elizabeth')
- Devaki Nandan Khatri, pioneer Hindi author
- Raj Khosla-Renowned Movie Director
- Narendra Kohli, Hindi author
- Master Tara Singh (Malhotra) - freedom fighter and leader of the movement for creation of Punjabi subah
- Deepa Mehta - award winning Indo-Canadian director of the trilogy 'Earth','Wind','Fire'
- Meera Nair, the director and producer of the award winning movies as 'Salaam Bombay'
- Kuldip Nayyar - crusading Indian journalist
- Mohan Singh Oberoi- hotelier, founder of the Oberoi chain of hotels
- Y.K. Sabharwal, Chief Justice of India
- The brothers Balraj and Bhisham Sahni, the former a well known actor and the latter the Hindi author ('Tamas')
- Birbal Sahni - renowned botanist
- Kundan Lal Saigal (Sahgal/Sehgal), the legendary singer and actor in early North Indian (Hindi and Bengali) talkies, known as the Enrico Caruso of North India for his vocal range.
- Roshan Seth - Indo-British actor ('My Beautiful Laundrette' etc.)
- Vikram Seth, the novelist, who so sensitively portrayed urban Khatri life after the partition of India in 'A Suitable Boy'
- Najam Sethi - crusading Pakistani editor of the Friday Times
- Prakash Lal Tandon - Indian professional manager, author of 'Punjabi Century' and 'Beyond Punjab'
- Purushottam Das Tandon freedom fighter
- Sukhdev Thapar - freedom fighter, revolutionary comrade of Bhagat Singh
- Khushwant Singh - Author and commentator
- Hari Singh Nalwa - The most powerful general of the Sikh military under Maharaja Ranjit Singh
[edit] References
- ^ http://punjabgovt.nic.in/Culture/Historical.htm Punjab Historical Background
- ^ http://www.ece.lsu.edu/kak/wonder.pdf Wonder that was Kashmir, Subhash Kak
- ^ As Kshatriyas
- ^ http://www.punjabheritage.org/cultural-heritage/legend---stories-from-the-life-of-hari-singh-nalwa.html Stories from the Life of Hari Singh Nalwa by Dr. Vanit Nalwa
- ^ Four Legends of King Rasalu of Sialkot, The Folk-Lore Journal, 1883 Folklore Enterprises, Ltd, p. 129-151
- ^ M.A. Sherring, Hindu Castes and Tribes as represented in Banares, 1872.
- ^ See Muslim conquest in the Indian subcontinent
- ^ M.A. Sherring, Hindu Castes and Tribes as represented in Banares, 1872.
- ^ M.A. Sherring, Hindu Castes and Tribes as represented in Banares, 1872.
- ^ M.A. Sherring, Hindu Castes and Tribes as represented in Banares, 1872.
- ^ http://punjabrevenue.nic.in/fdigs.htm Punjab District Gazeeters
- This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
- Jwalaprasad Mishra, Jati Bhaskar, 1914.
- M.A. Sherring, Hindu Castes and Tribes as represented in Banares, 1872.
- Raja Vanvihari Kapur, The History of Khatris
- The Khatris, a socio-historical study, Baij Nath Puri, M.N. Publishers, 1988.
- Bhai Gurdas Ji, Varan Bhai Gurdas Ji, Vaar 8 - Pauri 10.
- The Indian Diaspora in Central Asia and Its Trade, 1550-1900 by Scott Cameron Levi.
- Denzil Ibbetson, Edward MacLagan, H.A. Rose "A Glossary of The Tribes & Casts of The Punjab & North-West Frontier Province", 1911 AD, Page 501-526, Vol II,
- Ibid, Page 537-538, Vol II.
- Temple, R.C. "The Legends of The Panjab", 1884, Reprinted by Institute of Folk Heritage, Islamabd, 1981.
- Khatris are Kshatri http://punjabrevenue.nic.in/gaz_ldh8.htm
- Mahan Kosh by Bhai Kahan Singh Nabha
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