Bhangu
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (December 2007) |
Bhangu (Bhangoo) (pronounced P'ngoo) is a Jat gotra or clan mainly found in the northern Indian state of Punjab.
Contents |
[edit] History
History of Bhangu tribe of Jatts is still to be explored. In ancient times, the Bhangus were one of the royal families they came to India.
[edit] Bhangus today
Currently the majority of Bhangoo Jats are located near Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala, and Nabha with some strong concentrations around Ayali Kalan (LUDHIANA), Khamanon, Batta(Jilla-Sanaur),Matorda, Pedan, Khansuha, Bajidiri(Fatehgarh Sahib), Chandigarh and Rupnagar in India and Rawalpindi, Lahore, Kasur, Jhang, Sheikhupura and Gujrat in Pakistan.
There are also Jatt Bhangoos that have settled in the Sri Ganganagar District of Rajasthan. In the Village of 6NN, this village is made up of completely Bhangoo families. It is known as the Bhangoo village. Karam Singh Bhangoo and his ancestors moved to this part of Rajasthan in the early 1920's when the land was a barren desert (Thar Desert). With a lot of hard work and the introduction of water canals by the British they managed to cultivate the land. Karam Singh Bhangoo had 5 sons, Sadhu Singh Bhangoo, Tara Singh Bhangoo, Gurdev Singh Bhangoo, Mohinder Singh Bhangoo and Sukhdarshan Singh Bhangoo and 2 daughters. There are still many Bhangoo families living in this village, Mohinder Singh Bhangoo, Jaswant Singh Bhangoo, Gurdev Singh Bhangoo (lives there every winter in his newly built mansion)to name a few. Many of the Bhangoo family members have moved abroad and are now residing in Maidenhead; England, Kettering; England, San Jose, California; USA, Everett; Seattle, USA,Australia and even in Fiji. The Bhangoo's in this part of India have built up large sections of land and have become well known in the district of Ganganagar.
[edit] Religion
Bhangu Jats are mostly Sikhs, but a small number in Pakistan are Muslims.
- Mehtab Singh Bhangu related to the religion
Matab Singh Bhangu or Mehtab singh Bhangu was eighteenth-century Sikh warrior and martyr. He was born the son of Hara Singh, a Jatt Sikh of Bhangu clan of the village of Mirankot, 8 km north of Amritsar. He grew up amidst the most ruthless persecution Sikhs suffered under the later Mughals, and like many another spirited youth joined one of the small guerilla bands into which they had organized themselves after the capture and execution, in 1716, of Banda Singh Bahadur. Nadir shah's invasion, while it violently shook the already crumbling ediface of the Mughal empire, so emboldened the Sikhs that they attacked and robbed even the invader's rear on his way back. Zakriya Khan, the governor of Lahore district from 1726 to 1745, further intensified his campaign against Sikhs, forcing them to seek safety in hills and deserts beyond the central Punjab. Mahtab Singh, entrusting his family to the care of a village elder, Nattha, a Khaira Jatt, went, according to his grandson, Ratan Singh Bhangu, the author of Prachin Panth Prakash, to jaipur in Rajasthan, where he took up employment under the local ruler. It was at Jaipur that Mehtab singh Bhangu learnt how Masse Khan Ranghar, the new kotwal of Amritsar, had occupied the holy Harimandir.
In October, 1738 A.D., Qazi Abdul Razak was killed in an encounter with Singhs. Zakaria Khan, Governor of Lahore Suba of Mughals, knew that Sikhs would always try to visit their fountain of Truth— the Golden Temple. The choudhry of Mandiala was one Mir Musalul Khan, commonly known as Massa Ranghar (Ranghars are those muslims who are born out of parentage of Hindu and Muslim parents). In 1740, Zakaria Khan assigned this man the task of watching around Amritsar for Sikh devotees. His guard was augmented by governmcnt soldiers. Massa needed no further prompting from the authorities. He placed his cot in the centre of the temple, and set about desecrating it to his heart's fill. Street girls danced before him while he dined and wined in the holiest of the Sikh shrines. Massa Ranghar turned Harminder Sahib into a dance hall and started holding parties there. By his orders all the Sikhs of Amritsar were hounded and killed. There would always be one or two Sikhs in hiding near the temple, waiting for nightfall, when they could steal in for a dip in the tank. Sardar Bulakha Singh happened to be around when Massa was in occupation. After this he began looting and harassing Hindus, accusing them to be sympathetic with Sikhs. The house of Tej Ram was looted on his orders. Tej ram and Bulakah Singh hurried away with this painful secret and headed straight for Bikaner, where they unburdened themselves before the band of Sardar Sham Singh. The leader of that squad Sham Singh said in the congregation, "Is there a Singh who will cut and bring Massa Ranghar's head here?" From the assembly of Sikhs stood up one Mehtab Singh of Meerankot, who declared his resolve to go and kill Massa or be killed himself. Another very brave man Sukha Singh of Mari Kamboki also stood up and asked permission of Sardar Sham Singh to accompany Mehtab Singh Bhangu. The whole gathering said their ardaas for the success of the mission, and the two rode away in the hot month of August to be disguised as two landlords bringing the revenue into Amritsar. They reached Damdama Sahib by evening.
On the next morning, 11 August, 1740, before starting from Damdama sahib, they disguised themselves as Muslims of Patti and filled two sacks with the pieces of broken eartherwares and loaded them on the backs of their horses. They had hung their hair loose behind their necks (as the Pathans do). Entering Harminder Sahib they tethered their horses to the berry tree and went inside with the sacks on their shoulders. They saw that Massa Ranghar was sitting on a bed smoking hubble bubble (hookah), prostitutes were dancing and wine was flowing freely. They placed the sacks under the bed and said, "We have come to pay the revenue." When Massa Ranghar bent to feel the sacks, Mehtab Singh Bhangu cut his head in a flash and put it in a sack after empting it of the potsherds. Sukha Singh made short work of the company of Massa Ranghar. Having finished their work with the speed of lightening, the Singhs mounted their horses and were out of sight in no time. By evening both the Singhs reached Damdama Sahib. The next day they presented Massa Ranghar's head on a spear to their leader at Budha Johar. The gathering congratulated them and ordered that the head be consigned to the flames.
(Gurcharan preet singh bhangu)
[edit] Prominent Bhangu Jats
[Note : Please don't add your names to this great list of bhangu's unless you are prominent in any field]
- Bhai Mehtab Singh Bhangu, slayer of the notorious Massa Rangar
- Kinu Kaur Bhangu - Best friend and inspiration for life, Thank You Kinu,Always and Forever yours. Jackji
- Major General Shabeg Bhangu shaheed
- S. Gurdial Singh Bhangu, sportsman
- Bhai Rattan Singh Bhangu, prominent sikh historian
- S. Baljit Singh Bhangu, V.P.O. Ayali Kalan, Ludhiana
- Chaudhary Iftikhar Bhangoo, MPA Punjab Assembly, Pakistan.
- Brigadier Chaudhary Zakaulla Bhangoo, Eminent pilot, Pakistan.
- Group Captain Tejwant Singh (Bhangu), Shaurya Chakra, Eminent Fighter Pilot - Indian Air Force, POW Indo-Pak War 1971
- Air Vice Marshal Paramjit Singh Bhangu of Uklana(Haryana), Vayu Sena Medal, Ati Vishist Seva Medal, Assistant Chief of the Indian Air Force 2007
- Satpal Singh Bhangu Dy.SP in Punjab Police India, President Police Medal, An International Sports Person(Equestrian), Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award (Punjab Government)
- S.Sandeep Singh Bhangu from Patiala now living in Australia.born in Uklana(Haryana)
- Jang Singh Bhangu s/o Ajit Singh V.P.O Hawara Kalan.Coming from a big family of Chaudhary Nihal Singh.Who was the chaudhary of Seven Bhangu Village.Business man in Greece.
[edit] External links
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
