| Tribes of Punjab | |
| Gulfad | |
| Location | Rajanpur |
| Language | Saraiki |
| Religions | Islam |
Labanas are a Punjabi tribe. The Labanas of Punjab region are mostly Sikhs, with a small minority of Muslims and Hindus.
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According to British records 33% of the Labana were baptised Sikhs and were found primarily in the Lahore, Gujranwala, and Sialkot areas. The Labanas (along with many other groups) saw the highest conversions into Sikhism during 1881–1891.[1]
According to George Armand Furse, "The Jut and Lobana castes of Sikhs possess in a high degree the useful knowledge of the lading and care of beasts of burden".[2]
The name Laban may refer to the transport of salt. "The term Labana appears to be derived out from loon (salt) and bana means trade, and the lubana, Lobana or libana was doubtless the great salt-carrying and salt trading caste".[3]
Acc. to Gurmat Parkash, Magazine by SGPC, Lobana also means who wear Iron Dress, i.e dress of Military person. They mentioned Lobana were Military persons who served in Guru's army.[4]
These are also called Bahrupia, on account of their versatility in adopting many professions.
Labanki, the dialect of Labanas, is a mixture of Marwari, Saraiki, Gujarati, and Marathi.
After Guru Harkrishan, the eighth Guru of Sikhism, died in 1664, there was confusion about the identification of his successor. According to Sikh legends, Makhan Shah, a great merchant of the Labana tribe, identified Guru Teg Bahadur as the successor of Guru Harkrishan. Makhan Shah was very helpful to Guru Teg Bahadur during his pontificate. The Labanas participated in battles fought by the tenth Guru.
During the Misl period , the Labanas joined the services of various "Misldars".
During the eighteenth century the Labanas began to follow a settled way of life. The Labanas of Lower Indus, Gujranwala and Jhang, settled as cultivators during Sikh rule.
Wherever the Labanas settled they named their villages as Tandas. Tanda in Labanki dialect means a travelling body encampment. In Kangra district, the Lobanas had four hamlets, each called Tanda. By the mid-nineteenth century, the Lobanas at some places owned not only parts of villages, but also entire villages and even groups of villages. They were chiefly found in the Punjab during the Sikh rule.
Labanas were listed as a martial race by the British.
Labanas are said to have nomadic roots but are not related to the Lambada or Labada tribe of Andhra. There are some who believe that they are of the same stock as the Gypsies or Roma people of Europe. Labanas have been linked with Gypsies from Turkey.
Today Labana is a landholding-rich community of Punjab. A large number of Labanas are settled abroad in western countries. The people are hard-working and uplifted the community again to its pride, which was in crisis during the early years of partition. Most Sikh Labanas are of western Punjab origin (now in Pakistan) and are called Panahi, while a smaller ratio are of East Punjab origin and are called Jaddi.
The Labana Sikh community's main regions of concentration are: Tri State Area (NY City, New Jersey, Connecticut) and Michigan in the United States; the Greater Toronto Area in Canada; Brescia, Mantova, Pralboino in Italy; Hoshiarpur/Jalandhar/Kapurthala/Gurdaspur region in East Punjab and Ambala/Yamunagar/Pehowa (Distt. Kurukshetra) region in Haryana. In addition, there is a sizeable Labana community present in California, Indiana, Illinois (USA); Frankfurt area (Germany); Birmingham, Southall (UK); Jammu region (J&K); Mohali and Panchkula (Chandigarh); Karnal and Panipat region (Haryana); NCR (Delhi etc.); Banswara/Udaipur/DungrpurRajasthan; Dahod Gujrat;Jhabua Madhya Pradesh Spain, Portugal, France, Greece, and Australia.
Muslim Labanas (also called Rahmani) are scattered across Sheikhupura, Sargodha, Pakpattan, Gujrat, Sahiwal Sukkar, Rahimyarkhan, Khanpur, Bahawalpur, Hasilpur, Khanewal, Chichwatni and Lahore districts of Punjab in Pakistan.
Hindu Labanas live mostly in Himachal Pradesh (Kangra, Mandi, Sundernagar).
Most of the Sikh and Muslim Labanas speak Punjabi. Hindu Labanas speak other languages like Pahari-Potwari (Punchhi), Haryanvi (Bagdi), Harauti, and Mewari. The older generation of Sikh and Muslim Labanas used to speak a language called Labanki, which is now extinct.
The major Labana clans/gots include Ghotra or Ajrawat, Bawa, Padwal, Baghyana,Gujjar', Ghotra Lakhman, Multani, Labana, Sujlana, Maniani, Chaniana and [Gahra] (most of Gahra's belong to Nangal Lubana). Other Clans are Badwalie, Belia,bakhelia,Bhagtana,bharpoda, Bhonie, Dahgre, Danie, Dara Shah, Datla, Dhandsi, Dharim, Dotal, Fatra, Fidda, Gojalia, Gujars, Jullon, jTatra, Kankanya, Kharrie, Khera, Khasria, Kulwana, Lahoriae, Lavana, Lulia, Makhan Shahi,Manhani/Maniani, Mathoan, mathaunie, Mochie, Nanaut, Narowal, Padurgi, Palsiya,Parwal, Pelia(most of pelias belong to village MAKSUDPUR),TAdra, tarheem,tagarya ,Vakhil,Wamial, Wamowal, Lalia, Azrot, Purbia, Tharimia, Ghare, Khajja, Kothari, Merawat,Nayak, Khasawat, Dangar, Jhad, Ghoti, Dhanki.
Makhan Shah Labana, Mela Shah, Sant Baba Prem Singh Ji, Bibi Jagir Kaur. Balwinder Singh Fiddu (or Fidda) [5][6] Pema Khajja/ Fota Khajja
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