Kot (District Fatehpur, U.P. India)
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Kot is an historical village situated in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. The village was founded by Malik Bahbal in about the 13th century. It has about 12 small satellite villages around the area belonging to the Khokkar community. The people from this area refer to themselves as Kokkhars. Though the nation of Kokkhars is hardly recognised as an ethnic minority under Indian constitution, but they do not feel shy to relate themselves with Mongols, Taimur, Babar and other warriors of central Asia. Kokkhar's culture is one of the most ancient and refined in Central Asia.[citation needed]
Kokkhar tribe of almost 100, 000 people had been living originally in Kasbah Kot of district Fatehpur (U.P.) for almost 500 years. In present times, the population of Kokkhar tribe still living in Kasbah Kot is estimated to be strong 25, 000 while remaining population is scattered to many parts of India. Most of the original population immigrated to Pakistan while many Indian Kokkhars immigrated to Middle East, North America and other parts of the world for better economic gains. If not underestimated, the Kokkhars population worldwide could be 300, 000 strong scattered all over.
To state Kokkhars are Jatt /Pashtuns/Tajiks/Hazaras is a folly because they are essentially the descendants of the original Uzbek Persians who took India with storm when Moghul Emperor Babar invaded India.
Other reference indicates that Kokkhars are the descendent of Uzbek Persians who being defeated by the Arabs in Persia took refuge in Punjab where passing army of King Babar recruited them because of their ferocity in warfare.
Another reference indicates that Kokkhars are a generally referred tribe who are a Rajput clan owing to their ruling status on the Kuh-i-Jud regions of Punjab and have allied many times with various other clans such as Janjua in defeating and pushing back the Ghorid armies from their regions.
Ghakkar, Kakar and Khokkar are other variations for Kokkhar. Although they are not essentially Chandra, Surya or Agnikula Vansh, they were referred to and given status of Rajput Pathan by the priests of their time, this was not a self proclaimed title. This therefore proves the fact that Kokkhars are not Jatts, Thakurs or any other military race of India and aren't necessarily an ethnic group of India. Many fallen royals from Uzbek, Persian and Pashtun origins became Lashkari tending to ally with warlords of the passing times which again proves that Kokkhars is a class name for warriors and not an ethnic group of separating branches as may be implied by others. So to say that the Kokkhars were in constant battle with Indian Jatts, Thakurs and Rajputs is wrong because they are the people who sided with Jatts, Rajputs and Moghuls against Ghorides.
Khokhar is a term or tribe as equal to barbarian in Europe. Khokhars origin is from Central Asia. They were central Asian Huns who repeatedly attacked and influenced north India. They are same as for north India's empires as barbarians or huns were for the Roman empire. They have very deep and mysterious history and need to be researched.
Many Kokkhar elders still living in Kot (Fatehpur) India often call themselves Ajbuk. This word Ajbuk comes from Uzbek which refers to wild warriors reflecting their ferocity in warfare. Rivalry and even armed hostilities have traditionally been common between and within different Kokkhar's groups. Historic and geographic factors have led to the creation and preservation of diversity with Kokkhars. The relationship between tribe and ethnicity is complex, and all Kokkhars, even all rural Kokkhars, consider themselves Pathan of some sort linking themselves to the armies of Moguls and Aladdin Qhiljee.
In addition to social uniformity, many different phenotypes may be found in Kokkhar’s population, including blond-haired, blue eyed Kokkhars; those with darker features and epicanthic folds are said to be the descendents of Kokkhars and Thakurs / Rajput race; tall, olive-skinned, moustachioed tribesmen; and those who combine these features are said to be the descendents of Jatt and Kokkhars dynasty. Although it may be tempting to associate certain physical features with certain ethnic groups, scholars recognize that because all human populations are capable of interbreeding and do so with great regularity, there are more physical differences found within ethnic groups than between them. In general, Kokkhars living in Kot (Fatehpur) are semi white skin, which is short of Caucasian pigment and feature as tall, handsome and very true to their original race from Uzbekistan.
Afghanistan and North Western Frontier’s rugged physical environment served to isolate residential communities and to create microenvironments of tough survival tactics. Kot (Fatehpur) is also of similar topography which is situated near Jamuna River but at high altitude giving spectacular scenery of fortified fortress of old times. Members of different Kokkhar’s groups and Qhandans who reside in different locations must adapt to their own microenvironment, which may result in different kin? Most Kokkhars use Khan as their sir names while many zealously adopt Kokkhar as their sir names.