Bajwa

Bajwa (Punjabi: ਬਾਜਵਾ) (Hindi: बाजवा) (Urdu: باجوہ) is a Jat gotra or clan. They originally belonged to the region known as 'Bajwat' near Kashmir. They are now spread across the Punjab region divided between Northern India and Pakistan.

Etymology

Bajwa is a well-known last name amongst Punjabis.

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A Jat clan (Agricultural) found in Sialkot, Amritsar, and Multan and as a Hindu Jat clan in Montgommery.

According to one theory, the word "Bajwa" is derived from the term Baaz Wala, which can be loosely translated to "Owner of Falcon or Person having Falcons". "Baaz or Baaj" (pronounced as Baaz in colloquial Punjabi) is the Arabic word for hawk or falcon, while "wala" is an Indian suffix indicating a person owning (a given thing) or living (in a given area).

Bajwa in Persian also means "those who levied tax". Bajwas living in the Bajwat area (the Sialkot and Narowal districts in Punjab (Pakistan)) were known to fight against the invading armies of Timur, Ahmed Shah Abdali and others, who invaded India from the northwest.

Origin

Bajwa is a prominent Jat clan of the Punjab. They are believed to be the bravest Jatt Clan. They claim Suryavanshi descent. The place of Bajwas' origin is Bajwat in the Sialkot and Narowal districts of Pakistan. This place is located in the Shiwalik foothills and is quite near the Indian border as well as the city of Jammu. At one time, Bajwa Jats had eighty-four villages in the Sialkot area.

The founder of the Bajwa clan, Bajwat (or Wajab) used to live in Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. From there, he migrated to Sialkot and Gujranwala. One of his descendants became the ruler of Multan. The Bajwa ruler Raja Shalip, who owned a large estate in Multan, was ousted from Multan at the time of Sikandar Lodhi by the local Governor with whom he had quarreled. Shalip had a number of sons who were killed fighting with him, but two sons named Kals and Yas managed to escape. Both used to rear hawks (baaz) and are reputed to have left their father's fort disguised as falconers, thereby providing the clan name. Bajwa today can come to mean "the bravest".

Another legend is that one of their ancestors, Rai Jaison, was forced to leave Delhi by Rai Pithora (Prithvi Raj Chauhan).

The Bajwa clan have given their name to the Bajwat area on the Sialkot/Kashmir border but are thought to have migrated from Multan and Uch in central Pakistan. As with all Jat clans, however, they are thought to have Scythian origins. The area of Bajwat is located in the Shiwalik foothills and is close to the Indian border and to the city of Jammu. Bajwa Jats have founded many villages and towns in the Sialkot area and the names of villages and towns of the area still reflect this.

A Bajwa by the name of Kholu settled in Panwana and had six sons; each of which founded a town. The eldest, Naru established the town of Narowal . The other towns founded are Bhagowal, Rurki, Khanowali, Chawinda (famous for the tank battle in the 1965 war with India), and Pasrur. Pasrur was founded by Mankah.

According to one legend, the ancestor of the Bajwas is Baba Manga. Baba Manga had seven sons. The eldest, Naro established a village, which was named as Narowal after him. Another son, Deepa founded Kotli Bajwa and a third one, Chandu founded Chanduwal.

There are reputed to be three main divisions of the Bajwa clan in Sialkot; with the descendants of Mankah settled around Pasrur, the descendants of Mangah clustering around Chawinda and Narowal is the headquarters for the children of Naru.

Customs

Both Bajwa Jatts and Bajju Rajputs are settled in the Bajwat region of Jammu-Sialkot-Narowal. Their customs were very similar to others who live in Punjab area. Some Bajwas (Sikhs) take their newly wed brides to the samādhi of their ancestor, Baba Manga to pay obeisance. Like other Jat clans, Bajwas (Sikhs) give a cut to the tree of Jand.

Religion

Bajwa: In India mostly Sikhs, In Pakistan Muslims.

Muslim 40%, Ahmadi Muslim 10%, Sikh 45% & Hindu 5%

Online Communities

• Bajwa the Lords of Punjab

“We fly high above in the sky!”

Bajwa the Lords of Punjab is the biggest and fastest growing online community of Bajwas residing anywhere in the world. It’s an online ethnic pind to address different issues of communal interest.

See Also

• List of Jat Clans of West Punjab