Puniya

Puniya (or Poonia or Punia) is a clan or gotra of Jats in Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh in India.

History

According to Hukam Singh Pawar (Pauria), in all probability the Puniya belong to the followers of a Pani leader, Bribu. It is possible that a branch of Pani or Puni migrated from Sapta Sindhu to south India where they were known as Pani or Paunika, identified^[1] with the Punaka-Visaya of Talegaon inscription i.e. modern Poona or Pune, which may be their earlier settlement. The Punaiyyas or Panayyas of the South also betray their ancestry from the Panis. While Sivis, Mallavas etc. migrated from the Indus Valley after Alexander’s invasion to Rajasthan where they still survive in the Sivis, Shivranas, Mall or Malli Jats, the Poonia/Punia or Pauniya Jats of Rajasthan, are likely to be the descendants of the Panis, who were deprived of their wealth by their brethren Aryan opponents, and were compelled to settle down in their new home from the valley much earlier. The Punias/Poonias were allowed by Aryans to remain in their Indian home in return for liberal donations by Bribu to the Aryans (the Bharatas) for which he was held in high esteem by them whereas the rest of Panis, who refused to donate likewise, were chased^[2] to the western lands.

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