Arora

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Aroras (Hindi: अरोड़ा, Punjabi: ਅਰੋੜਾ) (or Aror-vanshis, Aror Bans) are an urban mercantile community of the Punjab and Sindh. In India, they reside in Punjab (India), Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Jammu, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Gujarat and other parts of the country. In Pakistan, they are mainly found in Punjab (Pakistan) and Sindh. They have also spread to all parts of the world.

The Arora people are of similar origin to Khatri.^[1][2][3] They are a group of Indo-Aryans who remained in the Indus Valley throughout most of their history. The Arora people were originally Hindu, but over their history some of them have accepted Sikhism or Islam. The Arora community has suffered many divides in its past.

[edit] Name

The name Arora itself derives from Sanskrit Aroda, which in turn may be derived from Proto-Indo-Aryan Aratta.^[3] The Greeks used the word "Eoritae" to describe Arattas living in Arachosia (modern Kandahar).The city of Aror (Arorkot, Alor) was named after the Aroras, who founded and controlled the city since ancient times. They can also be called 'Aryans', the common racial name, understood by one and all. 'Arya' is also one of the subcastes of 'Aroras'.

[edit] History

[edit] Origins

There are many traditions regarding the origin of this community. These different versions are reported below. All traditions support the origin of the Aroras from Aror, modern Rohri and Sukkur in Sindh.^[3] A look at the Map showing the concentration of Aroras before partitions though shows that they were concentrated all along the River 'Sindhu' giving rise to the thought that this is the community which populated the banks of River 'Sindhu' before the arrival of firstly of 'Aryans' from Central Asia and subsequently other attackers/settlers from western Asia. Thus it can also be presumed that they can be the missing link in understanding the now extinct 'Indus valley Civilization. The fact that Aroras appear to have diverged from Aror according to family traditions, also support their origin from Aror.^[3] However, the Aroras seem to have settled in Amritsar during the time of Maharaja Ranjit Singh or even earlier. There is a street in Amritsar named as ‘Arorianwali Gali’. ^[3]

The Aroras are of Aryan descent, in fact, the surname Arya belongs to the Arora caste. It is believed that while other Indo-Aryan people migrated to the east and south after the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization, some groups remained in the Punjab region, the Aroras are one of these groups, making them one of the most untouched descendants of the Proto-Indo-Europeans (as per the Out of India theory). Some historians believe that Aroras are descendants of an Indo-Aryan group known in the ancient times as Arattas (Arachosians) mentioned in the epic Mahabharata as western neighbours of Bahilkas (present Punjab in Pakistan); from Arachosia (southern Afghanistan and Helmand River basin ) they migrated to Sindh and populated the Indus valley. Aror and Arora may be a derivative of Aratta.

Rohri - Sukkur, seven sisters' samadhi

Another evidence of Aroras and Khatris being of same ethnic stock can also be traced to many Khatris having identical physical and cultural traits as Aroras. Also many surnames are common to both Arora and Khatri sub-groups. E.g. Sethis are found among Khukhrain Khatris and Aroras both. Malhotra suname is found both among both Arora and Khatri sub-castes. Maliks and Mukhijas also belong to both the communities. There are plenty of another examples as well. Later, Aroras got unsettled from Aror by either a muslim invader or a curse of a angered saint (as per folklores). But from there, they did get dispersed (for whatever reasons) to various parts of Punjab (especially southern and western parts), Rajasthan (mainly Nagaur and Jodhpur) Sindh and Gujarat. Many Sindhis, Gujaratis (of Lohana community) and Rajasthani Khatris (Nagauri and Jodhpuri Khatris) have surnames of Punjabi Aroras. ^[4].

According to another account, the name of the community was derived from a place named Aror which was situated near the modern towns of Rohri and Sukkur in Sindh, Pakistan. It is also claimed that the legendary Parasurama drove them towards Multan, near which they founded Arorkot (or Aror). Cursed by a faqir, the town became desolate and Aroras fled by its three gates to the north, south and west, whence the three main groups (Uttradhi, Dakhna and Gujarati or Dahra) in which they are divided arose ^[5][3].

Aror (or Alor) is located 8 km east of Rohri. It was the ancient capital of Sindh, predating Sukkur, and was once located on the banks of the Indus. Due to its location, where the Indus takes a sharp turn towards the west, it was a center of commerce and was a prosperous city. It was the capital of Sindh when it was ruled by [[Dahir (Raja)|King Dahir. In 711 this city was conquered by the Arab general, Muhammad bin Qasim, who moved the capital some 300 km south to Mansura near Hala. In the 10th century it received another blow when the river Indus changed its course, which was probably caused by a massive earthquake in 962 ^[6]. The present course of Indus is west of Aror. The modern towns of Sukkur and Rohri are situated on both sides of the river. Aror is now a small dusty village.

The above three traditions are reported here as claimed by different sections of Aroras and recorded by Ibbetson et al. in the late 19th century. Supporting this historical perspective, Aroras are divided into three main groups: Uttradhi, Gujarati (Dahra) and Dakhna. Prior to India-Pakistan partition of 1947, they intermarried within each of three groups only; however after partition they started intermarriages among other groups of Aroras, Khatris, Bhatias and Soods. ^[3]

[edit] Independence

Aroras joined hands with the rest of India to fight for Indian independence.^[7] Many were imprisoned for satyagraha. Some were involved in the Hindu Mahasabha in fighting for independence, including Madanlal Pahwa. As the Aroras are mainly from the Western Punjab region, most Aroras had to migrate to India during the Partition of India in 1947.

[edit] Demographics

[edit] Before the partition

Prior to India-Pakistan partition in 1947, Aroras generally lived in the southwestern parts of the Punjab including Dera Ghazi Khan District (and recently created districts of Rajanpur), Multan, Bahawalpur, northern Sindh and Dera Ismail Khan Division of the North-West Frontier Province. The main language of this area is Lahnda, now known as Seraiki in Pakistan. Beside the Derajat, Aroras dwelled in varying numbers further north in the districts of Jhang, Mianwali, Lahore, Amritsar and Lyallpur (now known as Faisalabad), and south of Derajat in Sukkur, Shikarpur and as far as Karachi. In Kohat, the Aroras were split into autochthonous and immigrant Aroras, in which most of the immigrants were Sikh while the autochthonous were Hindu.^[8]

Half of the Aroras of the Punjab were living in southwest in the areas of Dera Ghazi Khan, Jhang, Mianwali, Muzaffargarh, Multan and Bahawalpur ^[9]. According to Imperial Gazetteer of India (1901), the three major mercantile communities (of the Punjab province), Aroras, Banias and Khatris were dominant in southwest (Multan division), southeast (Delhi division including present Haryana), and northeast (Jalandhar division) parts respectively; in central (Lahore division) and northwest (Rawalpindi division) parts, Aroras and Khatris were almost equal in numbers.^[10]

The numerical strength of three communities in the 1901 census of the province (which included Delhi) was as follows: Aroras 653,000; Banias 452,000; Khatris 436,000. In the former princely state of Bahawalpur practically the entire commerce was in the hands of Aroras, while Khatris dominated in the state of Patiala. A majority of the government employees were also Aroras. In the same census of 1901, the numbers of Aroras and Khatris in North Western Frontier Province were 69,000 and 34,000 respectively; in the province of Sind and the princely state of Khairpur, both Aroras and Khatris were probably counted as Lohanas, the mercantile community of Sind. Many Aroras distinguished themselves in all departments of the Indian government as Extra Assistant commissioners, accountants, professors, doctors, civil surgeons, engineers, military officers and court officers etc. [14] After the partition of India in 1947, the majority of Sikh and Hindu Aroras from all over the newly created nation of Pakistan migrated to India.^[11]

Previously, Aroras only used to intermarry between their subgroups (Uttradhi, Gujarati and Dakhan), but after continued migrations, Aroras have become more lenient towards marriage choices.^[3]

Sadhu Bela ashram on Sindhu river

[edit] After the partition

As mentioned earlier, the Aroras settled in Amritsar during the time of Maharaja Ranjit Singh or even earlier.^[3] It is presumed that they migrated to Amritsar from Lahore to which place they might have originally migrated from Sind or Multan. This is inferred from the fact that, after a very long stay in the central Punjab, they ceased to speak their Lahnda dialect^[3]. The Arora Sikhs are mostly found in big towns, especially in Amritsar. They were living there even before the partition. Their Hindu counterparts, majority of who migrated from Pakistan, arrived in India in 1947 after a terrifying journey, lasting up to a month or more to cross only 100 to 400 miles, starved, dehydrated, ill and often with only the clothes they were wearing. The government of newly independent India was inexperienced and dysfunctional, and the local established groups in India including Hindu, Sikhs-Jats, Banias and others were being opportunistic and exploitive of their helpless, homeless and penniless status. However, Aroras not only have survived their third holocaust (Parasurama, Arab invasion of Aror/Alor, and Indo-Pakistan partition of 1947) but, have also prospered because of strong work ethic, education, enterprise, and survivor instincts sharpened by the centuries of a minority status among violent, monotheistic and colonial groups of various Mediterranean and Central Asian invaders, Muslims and the British.^[3] The Amritsar Gazetteer claims that the hard work of the Aroras made them prominent among all of the migrants from Pakistan, as they quickly began to rival local communities in influence. ^[3] Ludhiana Gazette of Revenue department of Govt. of Punjab describes Aroras to be of tougher disposition and more shrewd and intelligent than Khatris; and having superior business acumen than their local Khatri shopkeepers counterparts. Similarly, Hoshiarpur gazetteer says "Before independence, the Aroras did not constitute a sizeable population in the district. With the migration of the non-Muslim population from Pakistan to India in 1947, they settled here, though in small numbers. The Aroras were generally settled in West Punjab (Pakistan) and in the Firozepur District. Their representation in the eastern districts of the Punjab was not notable. According to Ibbetson, the Aroras are the Khatris of Ror (Rori Sukkur, Sindh, in Pakistan). Whatever be their origin, the fact is that they resemble Khatirs in certain traits. In certain respects, they are even superior to them. They are also divided into many groups and castes, Uchanda, Nichanda, etc., but in social life, these groups are of no importance. They intermarry in their groups like others. They also intermarry among Khatirs. In the All-India meeting in 1936, held by the Khatris at Lahore (Pakistan), it was decided that the Aroras, Soods and Bhatias were Khatri for all intents and purposes. And, as such, they should be admitted to the Khatri stock. This interpretation did not find much favour then, but with the lapse of time, it has almost been accepted." (Reference- http://punjabrevenue.nic.in/fdigs.htm)

Before partition Aroras used to marry only among their sub-group i.e. Uttradhi, Dakkhna or Dahra and memebrs of same geographical region. But after partition, sphere of permissible arranged matrimonial alliances got widened to other's of Punjabi origin especially Khatris and Bhatias, Soods and Ahluwalias. All these sub-castes got mixed up so much so that all of these together are now referred to as Punjabi Khatri or simply 'Punjabi' community. Aroras have been increasingly shunning the caste system and thinking of Aroras (and all Punjabis in general) has become liberal especially of the populace in bigger towns and cities. Inter-caste marrriages with other communities of Punjab (with Brahmins and Baniyas especially) and other parts of India and world have also become quite common and becoming commoner with each passing day. Among Punjabis socio-economic status has replaced caste as the prime concern in matrimonial alliances of the present era.

[edit] Role in Indian society

The Amritsar Gazzeteer described Aroras as generally energetic, intelligent and well built.^[3] Aroras are a well-established mercantile community of India and Pakistan. At the turn of the 20th century, Aroras and Khatris lived and controlled trade and finance to varying extents across a wide geographic area from Chittagong to Baku in present-day Bangladesh and Azerbaijan respectively; however, their main concentration was in Derajat. A significant number of Arora merchants and moneylenders were based at Astrakhan, Russia on the northern shore of Caspian Sea. According to economic historian L.C.Jain, the Aroras were known to 'control the finance of much of the commerce of India with central Asia, Afghanistan and Tibet'. Aroras will usually be in the same proximity of the subcastes of Khatris (referred to as warrior class), who are also in the mercantile profession. Guru Sanwal Shah Singh, an Arora, provided funds for the building of the Golden Temple.^[8]

Arora families in India place great emphasis and attention to the education of their children including their daughters; because of this, they have become prosperous and are successful in many diverse professions such as trade, education, medicine, finance, technology, engineering, manufacturing, entertainment, arts, armed forces and bureaucracy. They have achieved remarkable success despite being a very small minority, lack of a political power-base, vigorous attempts to disparage and/or to suppress them by Muslims in pre-partition Punjab and Sind, and loss of their homes, businesses, properties and bank deposits (at Punjab & Sind Bank owned and controlled by three Sikh Khatri families) at the time of partition in 1947.Another prominent bank of the masses at that time in Punjab ( Punjab National Bank) is reported to have played a very positive role by encashing bank deposits of migrants based on pass book entries even though the bank had lost its records in Pakistan ( Ref: Banking Century by Parkash Tandon Panguin.

Aroras, have taken roles in the Indian Armed Forces. Late Lt. Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora and Gen. J.J. Singh are two prominent contributions of Arora community to Indian Armed Forces. Aroras were particularly prominent in the recent Kargil War also. Vikram Batra was declared a war hero in India, as was Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja, both of whom died during the conflicts.

[edit] Religion

Most of the Aroras are Hindus or Sikhs. Hindu Aroras are very tolerant in their religious faith. Most are followers of Sanatana Dharma; however, they respect the sanctity of and frequently visit Arya Samaj temples, Jain temples, Sikh Gurdwaras, and Dargahs (tombs) of Muslim Sufi saints. For several centuries in the past, the eldest son of a Arora Hindu family voluntarily changed his religion to Sikhism as a family devotion to the Sikh Gurus.^[3] Most Punjabi Hindu Aroras belong to Kashyap gotra.

During the Islamic Invasion of India, large masses of Aroras accepted Islam during this time while many others who resisted, embraced Sikhism. Aroras of Derajat kept the spirit and traditions of Sanatana Dharma alive despite centuries of rule being ruled by Zoroastrian, Buddhist, and Afghan, Mughal and Baloch Muslim rulers. The Muslim Aroras now live in Lahore and other large cities of Pakistan's Punjab; the Muslim Arora traders are known as Khoja Sheikhs. Sikh Aroras usually use Arora as family names. Since Sikhism does not believe in a caste system most Sikh Aroras prefer not to use the last name.

[edit] Divisions

Many of the Sindhi Hindus in India are also Aroras (although they are classified as Lohanas) and live in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra. Many Gujaratis and Sindhis with family names ending in -ani or -ja are probably Aroras. Like their Punjabi Arora brethren, they have also prospered and migrated further to various parts of India and various other countries. There are still some Sindhi Hindu Aroras living in Northern Sindh and are mostly involved in trade.

There are three main divisions among the Aroras: Uttradhi, Dakhna and Gujarati. The Uttradhi Aroras used to live in the northern regions. The Dakhna Aroras used to live in southern regions nearer to the coast and the Gujarati Aroras used to live in the west, nearer to Gujarat.^[12][3].

[edit] Famous Aroras

Main article: List of Aroras

See List of Aroras for a detailed list of famous people from the Arora caste. Aroras have had an impact on many areas of India and it's development. This includes the fact that Gulzarilal Nanda, former Prime Minister of India, was Arora. Lt. Gen. late Jagjit Singh Aurora (who led the Mitro Bahini),Vikram Batra (who died in Kargil) and Ajay Ahuja (who also died in Kargil), have made a very large impact on the Indian army. Munjal family of Hero Honda Group are also Aroras. Bajaj family of Bajaj group are among Aroras who got dispersed to Rajasthan from ancient city of Aror. A large number of Aroras are also involved in business or showbusiness, including the likes of Karan Johar, Kulbhushan Kharbanda Ritu Kumar, Neeta Lulla (fashion designers) group. Lord Swaraj Paul is also an Arora (Paul is used by certain Aroras with suffix -pal in their surnames, like Nagpal, Kathpal etc.). Hero Honda group, Dr. Batra's Homeopathy, Batra Hospital New Delhi, Nirula's chain of fast food joints are a few of many enterprises run by Aroras. Aroras have also expanded into other areas which are not directly related to their history or caste, including sport, literature, music and other areas.

Some of the family names of the Aroras include - Ahuja, Alreja, Aneja, Bajaj, Balana, Batra, Baweja, Bhathheja, Baseeja, Baggha, Bhutani, Buddhiraja, Chawla, Chhabra, Chhabaria, Chugh, Chuggha, Dhamija, Dhawan, Dhwara, Dhingra, Gambhir, Gaba, Gagneja, Gera,Girdhar, Gogia, Gulati, Guliani, Grover, Hangal, Jhandai, Johar, Juneja, Kalra, Kataria, Kathpal, Kharbanda, Khurana, Khorana, Kumar, Khera, Kukreja, Lal, Lekhi, Loona, Lulla, Makhija, Malhotra, Mehndiratta, Middha, Monga, Munjal, Nagpal, Narula, Nijhawan, Pahwa, Pahuja, Rajpal, Rekhi, Sidana, Sachdev, Sachdeva, Saluja, Sethi, Setia, Sikri, Suneja, Taneja, Thakkar, Thukral, Wadhwa,, Vasan etc. A total of 1500 plus gotras exist among Aroras. The detailed list of Arora Surnames is available at http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Arora_surnames

[edit] See also

• Hinduism in Punjab
• Forward Caste
• Khatri
• Bhatia
• Sood
• Lohana
• Mair Rajputs of Punjab

[edit] References

1. ^ Punjab Revenue Religion and Castes
2. ^ Ancestry.com Origin of Arora
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o} Punjab Revenue See section on Aroras
4. ^ ibid, pp 17 Vol II, footnote
5. ^ Denzil Ibbetson, Edward Maclagan, H. A. Rose, " A Glossary of The Tribes & Casts of The Punjab & North West Frontier Province", 1911, pp 17 Vol II
6. ^ Isobel Shaw,"Pakistan Handbook", (The Guidebook Co., Hong Kong, 1989), pp 117
7. ^ Example of Gulzarilal Nanda
8. ^ ^{a b} Sikh Heritage Various Sects
9. ^ D. Ibbetson, E.MacLagan, H.A. Rose, " A Glossary of The Tribes & Casts of The Punjab & North West Frontier Province", 1911, pp 17 Vol II
10. ^ D. Ibbetson, E.MacLagan, H.A. Rose, " A Glossary of The Tribes & Casts of The Punjab & North West Frontier Province", 1911, pp 17 Vol II
11. ^ D. Ibbetson, E.MacLagan, H.A. Rose, " A Glossary of The Tribes & Casts of The Punjab & North West Frontier Province", 1911, pp 17 Vol II
12. ^ D. Ibbetson, E.MacLagan, H.A. Rose, " A Glossary of The Tribes & Casts of The Punjab & North West Frontier Province", 1911, pp 17 Vol II

14. ^ Short Ethnographical history of the Aror Bans, "Proceedings of the General Meeting of the Aror Bans Punchayat", Lahore, held on July 20, 1888.

[edit] External links

Look up Arora surnames in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

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