Gakhars (Hindu)

Gakhars (also Gakkhar or Ghakhar or Ghakkar) are a Punjabi community living in India and Pakistan with an ancient recorded history, originally belonging to the areas of West Punjab which now fall in the territory of Pakistan. Gakhars are found among Hindus and Sikhs in India and also among Muslims, and a large section of Muslim Gakhars are settled in Pakistan.

Conversion to Islam

According to S A A Rizvi

the motives of Muizzuudin's conquests were no different from those of Mahmud of Ghazni. Both were in need of plunder from India to maintain their slave armies and to attract the wandering bands of Islamicized mercenaries known as "ghazis" to their forces. The Islamicization of India was not their main objective, although some tribal leaders such as the Gakkhars were encountered on the way to raids for plunder and forced to convert by muslim armies.^[1]

See also

• Gakhars

References