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Khatri

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Khatris
ClassificationKshatriya
ReligionsHinduism, Sikhism, Jainism
LanguagesPunjabi, Hindi
Populated statesPunjab (India), Haryana, Delhi, Punjab (Pakistan) and Sindh
SubdivisionsAathghar, Barahghar, Bawanjahi, Charghar, Dhaighar, Kukhran, Sareen and others

Khatri is the Punjabi adaptation of Sanskrit word Kshatriya (Template:Lang-hi, kṣatriya). The Kshatriya are the traditionally members of the Hindu military order. As administrators and rulers, Kshatriya were assigned with protecting the Hindu Dharma, and serving humanity.

The Khatris are a north Indian Kshatriya community that originated in the Potohar Plateau of Punjab. This region is historically connected with the composition of the Vedas and classics like the Mahabharata and Ashtadhyayi.

When Pakistan and India gained independence, most of the Khatris in what became Pakistan migrated to India. Today Khatris live in all regions of India, but are concentrated in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. While most Khatris are Hindu, a great many are also Sikh. Khatris of all these faiths collectively form one community.

Etymology

The name "Khatri" is derived from the Sanskrit word 'ksatriya' ‘member of the warrior class’, derived from sanskrit word ksatra which means ‘dominion’, ‘power’.

Khatri Family Names

Main article: List of Khatri surnames on Wiktionary

The Arora (see List of Arora surnames), Sood, Kukhran, Bhatia and Lohana castes are distinct communities of the Punjab and Sindh. Although they are not Khatri, they share a similar cultural background, all five communities being Kshatriya in origin.

Aroras and Khatris in particular share a close heritage. With Aroras having separated from the Khatri community in ancient times and migrating to Aror in the process.[1]

History of the Khatri Community

Historical Background

See also: Hinduism in Punjab and Indian caste system

The Khatris are a prominent Indian community that originated in the Potohar region of north-western Indian subcontinent. This region is of considerable historical significance in the development of the Indian culture since the composition of the Vedas and classics like the Mahabharata [2] and Panini's Ashtadhyayi took place here[3].

The Potohar Plateau: the Khatris' place of origin

Main article: Potohar

Many parts of Potohar (Rawalpindi, Jhelum etc.) before the Partition of 1947, were dominated by Sikh Khatri landowners. These families included clans such as Bindra, Bedi and Gujral (inter alia).[citation needed] According to historical records, many Khatri clans of Rawalpindi received jagirs from the British and/or Sher-e-Punjab, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, for contributions to civil-service i.e. Treasury, Administration and Military.[citation needed]

For the most part, Khatris have been in the civil, government, and military administrators roles for centuries.[4] Khatris have sometimes expanded into trade and mercantile businesses, including architecture. Many Khatris in ancient times got engaged in the wool industry, which brought them into contact with the Kashmiri people, whom they are related to.[5] The Hindu temples of Kabul built by the Khatris still exist.

Prominent historical Khatris

Many prominent historical figures have emerged from the Khatri. All ten Sikh Gurus were Khatri, belonging to the Bedi, Trehan, Bhalla and Sodhi subcastes. Raja Todar Mal was a Tandon Khatri who codified the revenue collection system as Revenue Minister for Akbar. Haqiqat Rai was a Puri Khatri whose martyrdom was celebrated on Basant Panchami in Lahore until independence. Hari Singh Nalwa, an Uppal Khatri [6], was a prominent general under Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The father and son pair of the Diwans Sawan Mal and Mul Raj Chopra were successive governors of Multan under Ranjit Singh. The former instituted vast improvement in agriculture, while the latter was instrumental in leading the revolt against the British to prevent the annexation of the Sikh Empire into the East India Company territory. Sadhu Singh Gulla fought against the British Empire in 19th century. Later on he died in prison or battle.

One of the most important character of famous Punjabi legend Raja Rasalu is minister Mahita Chopra. [7] Most scholars agree that Raja Rasalu ruled from Sialkot and lived sometime between 400 to 500 AD.[citation needed] If it is true then Chopra family name, a Baraghar Khatri, developed by that time.[citation needed]

Historical Mentions

Khatri gots have often been divided into three major groups; Baraghar, Bawanjahi, and Sarin.[8] These divisions were reported by Emperor Akbar's close adviser Abu'l Fazal in his book Ain-i-Akbari(compiled in 1590 AD). These grouping is said to be happened at the time of Ala-uddin Khilji (1296-1316 AD).[citation needed]

Bhai Gurdas (b. AD 1551) in his "Varan Bhai Gurdas Ji", Vaar 8 - Pauri 10 (Khatri jatan) mentions: barahi, bavanjahi, Pavadhe, pachadhia, phalian, khokharainu, chaurotari and serin sections.

The family name mentioned above existed for long time. The four gots of Sikh gurus existed at least since 15th century AD.:

  • Guru Nanak: Bedi
  • Guru Angad: Trehan
  • Guru Amardas: Bhalla
  • All seven others: Sodhi

Khatris and Sun Worship

Raja Vanvihari Kapoor has written that major Khatri clans are named after Lord Sun.[9]The Sarasvat Brahmin clan of which some of these these were yajamanas are also mentioned below.

  • Mitra Mehra Priests: Jetali
  • Kripakar Kapoor Priests: Pambu
  • Shankan Khanna Priests: Jhingana
  • Martanada Tandan Priests: Jhingana
  • Shreshtha Seth
  • Dhavan Dhavan
  • Mahendra Mahindru
  • Bahukar Bahora (Vohra)
  • Chakravali Chaupada (Chopra)
  • Karalagni Kakkar Priests: Kumadiye
  • Surya Suri
  • Sahasrakar Sahgal Priests: Mohile
  • Raja Fateh Chand Maini: Was chieftien of bihar during childhood of Guru Gobind Singh Ji and being a childless he adopted Bal Gobind Rai as his son.[citation needed]

According to Bhavishya Purana, Punjab indeed was an ancient center of Sun worship.

Religion

Hindu Khatris

A majority of Khatris are Hindus [10]. As noted in the introduction, the Khatri community have been positioned in roles of administration, rule and warfare within Punjab. The Khatris were the patrons ('yajamansas' or in Punjabi 'jajmani') of the Saraswat Brahmins. [11] Together the two communities represented the heritage of the Vedic center of NW India.[citation needed] The Khatris have been among the most staunch supporters and defenders of Hinduism in North-Western India.[citation needed] Many of them were prominent supporters of Arya Samaj movement, which uses the Vedas as the basis of their faith.[citation needed]

Sikh Khatris

A minority of the Khatris are Sikh.[citation needed] The Sikh panth is not caste based, still the Khatris played a major role in development of Sikhism as a gentle and inclusive faith. All the Ten Sikh Gurus were Khatri. During the lifetime of the Gurus, most of their major supporters and Sikhs were Khatris.[citation needed] However it must be noted that the rejection of the caste system by Sikhs meant that the Gurus did not see themselves as Khatris.

Khatris were the main leaders in Sikhism until the early 20th century when the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee and the Tat-Khalsa movements took over ithe institutions from the traditional Masand .[citation needed] After the formation of the Khalsa (1699), and especially during the reign of Ranjit Singh, many Hindu Khatri families raised at least one son (usually the oldest) as an Amritdhari Sikh, this trend somewhat lessened after the Khalistan movement.[citation needed]

See also: Hinduism and Sikh Panth

Jain Khatris

The number of Khatris who are Jain is very small. However One of the best known Jain munis in recent times, Acharya Atmaram (also known as Shri Vijayanandsuri) (1841-1900) was a Kapoor Khatri, born at Lahra, Firozepur. He was the first person to be raised to the rank of a Jain Acharya in the past 400 years in 1890[12]. He was invited to visit the Congress of World Religions held in Chicago in 1893 A.D. The rules for Jain monks prevented him from going overseas, but he sent his lay disciple Virchand Gandhi, who is now considered to be the father of American Jainism.

Muslim Khatris

With the advent of Islam into Sindh and the southern Punjab region with the invasion of the Arab general, Muhammad bin Qasim in 711 CE and subsequent invasions by Turkic tribes from Afghanistan and the North West Frontier Province from the 11th century onwards, there were conversions of Hindus to the faith from among various Punjabi communities, including Khatris . While the conversions took place at different times, often when entire communities converted they retained their tribal, clan or caste affiliations as has been the norm in the Indian Subcontinent. Some reasons for this were the fact that many of the conversions were forced conversions of entire villages and towns in order to maintain survival.[13] Similarly, the Khatris who converted to Islam, continue to retain a strong social identity and are known as Punjabi Shaikhs. They came to become incorporated within the Muslim caste system, they are therefore not strictly Khatris in modern caste differentiation, but are Khatri in heritage.

Pakistan continues to have a prominent community some say related to Khatris known as Punjabi Shaikhs as well as Khawaja Shaikhs, such as the Sahgal family of Pakistan.

Khatris and Indian Culture

The Khatris were adversely affected by the partition of India, as it resulted in the loss of their traditional home regions. These Khatris migrated to India, where they were forced to start anew their life. Some Khatris are now modernizing along with the rest of India.

Khatris Organizations

The sessions of Akhil Bhartiya Khatri Mahasabha were held in Lucknow in 1916, 1936, 1952 and 1980.[citation needed] Lucknow Khatri Sabha was established in 1927 and publication Khatri Hitashi was started in 1936.[citation needed]

Divisions among the Khatris

There are several subdivisions within the Khatri clans. There are the Dhai Ghar (i.e. 2 1/2 houses -the number 3 being considered unlucky) grouping comprising of Khanna, Kapur/Kapoor and Mehra/Malhotra.[citation needed] Along with the Seth clan these four subdivisions form the Char Ghar (4 houses) grouping.[14].

With the Chopra, Dhawan, Mahendra, Sahgal, Talwar, Tandon, Vohra and Wadhawan sub castes, all 12 form the barah-jati grouping [15]. Another group is called Bavanjai (52)[16] . Other regional clan groupings include the Sarin and the Kukhrain.

Regionally Churamani, Nanda, Khullar, Jerath, Chopra and Vig were particularly connected with Ludhiana; Bahl, Kapoor, Mehra, Seth, Beri, Sencher and Dhir with Jagraon; Batte, Sondhi and Karir with Machhiwara and Bahlolpur; Sehgal and Thapar with Raikot; and Had and Cham with Khanna [17]

The origin of many clans and surnames is not exactly clear.[citation needed] Most Kshatriya draw their relations together at some point after the Indo-Aryan settlement of Northern India.

Kukhran

File:Manmohan singh with bush.jpg
Dr. Manmohan Singh with President of the United States George W. Bush

Kukhran (also spelt Kukhrain) are a regional subcaste of Khatris [18] of ten clans of Punjab, originally from the town of Bhera in the Jech doab (Jhelum - Chenab interfluve) region of Sargodha district of Pakistani Punjab. In keeping with Khatri-like traditions, Bhera was an important trading outpost on the road to Kabul, and a 'taksal' (mint) during the reign of Ranjit Singh. Kukhrans are Aryan and Vedic peoples and have originally followed Hinduism, however a significant number adapted Sikhism during the 18th and 19th centuries.

This, and also because many Hindu Kukhran families, as well as other Khatri and Khatri-like clans (Arora), raised at least one Sikh son after the formation of the Khalsa in 1699, resulted in Kukhran family names, as well as other Khatri-like clan names, being present in both Hindu and Sikh communities worldwide. Common Kukhran names are Anand, Bhasin, Chadha, Chandok,Gadhok, Gadok, Kohli, Sabharwal, Sahni/Sawhney, and Sethi; many of whom had migrated from present Pakistan to India during partition. The Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh is a Kukhran of the Kohli subcaste.

See also: Kukhran

See Also

Distinguished Khatris

The following is a list of eminent Khatris of India and Pakistan:

Academics

Art

Business

Cinema

Indian Independence Movement

Journalism

Judiciary

Military

Historical Soldiers

  • Hari Singh Nalwa, famous general of the Sikh military under Maharaja Ranjit Singh

Indian Armed Forces

Chiefs of Armed Forces

War Heroes and Martyrs

Other distinguished Soldiers

Modelling

  • Amrita Thapar, Miss India Universe 2005
  • Celina Jaitley, Miss India Universe 2001
  • Manisha Kohli, Miss India World 1987
  • Natasha Suri, reigning Pond's Femina Miss India-World.
  • Neha Kapur, Miss India-Universe 2006.
  • Nikita Anand, Miss India Universe 2003
  • Priyanka Chopra, Miss World 2000
  • Rekha Handa, Miss India 1983
  • Sonali Sehgal, Miss India International
  • Sweety Grewal, Miss India 1st runner-up 1983

Music

  • Kundan Lal Saigal (Sahgal/Sehgal), singer and actor in early North Indian (Hindi and Bengali) talkies.

Politics

Historical Administrators

Members of Parliament (India)

  • Vijay Kumar Malhotra MP, Deputy leader BJP
  • Jagmohan Malhotra, former Cabinet Minister for Tourism and Culture, Governor Of Kashmir, Lt. Governor of Delhi

Prime Ministers of India

Science

Sports

Writing

References

  1. ^ D. Ibbetson, E.MacLagan, H.A. Rose, " A Glossary of The Tribes & Casts of The Punjab & North West Frontier Province", 1911, pp 17 Vol II
  2. ^ http://punjabgovt.nic.in/Culture/Historical.htm Punjab Historical Background
  3. ^ http://www.ece.lsu.edu/kak/wonder.pdf Wonder that was Kashmir, Subhash Kak
  4. ^ As Kshatriyas
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference PR was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ http://www.punjabheritage.org/cultural-heritage/legend---stories-from-the-life-of-hari-singh-nalwa.html Stories from the Life of Hari Singh Nalwa by Dr. Vanit Nalwa
  7. ^ Four Legends of King Rasalu of Sialkot, The Folk-Lore Journal, 1883 Folklore Enterprises, Ltd, p. 129-151
  8. ^ M.A. Sherring, Hindu Castes and Tribes as represented in Banares, 1872.
  9. ^ Jwalaprasad Mishra, Jati Bhaskar, 1914
  10. ^ M.A. Sherring, Hindu Castes and Tribes as represented in Banares, 1872.
  11. ^ Jwalaprasad Mishra, Jati Bhaskar, 1914
  12. ^ http://philtar.ucsm.ac.uk/encyclopedia/jainism/tapa.html Tapa Gaccha
  13. ^ See Muslim conquest in the Indian subcontinent
  14. ^ M.A. Sherring, Hindu Castes and Tribes as represented in Banares, 1872.
  15. ^ M.A. Sherring, Hindu Castes and Tribes as represented in Banares, 1872.
  16. ^ M.A. Sherring, Hindu Castes and Tribes as represented in Banares, 1872.
  17. ^ http://punjabrevenue.nic.in/fdigs.htm Punjab District Gazeeters
  18. ^ M.A. Sherring, Hindu Castes and Tribes as represented in Banares, 1872.
  • Public Domain This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  • Jwalaprasad Mishra, Jati Bhaskar, 1914.
  • M.A. Sherring, Hindu Castes and Tribes as represented in Banares, 1872.
  • Raja Vanvihari Kapur, The History of Khatris
  • The Khatris, a socio-historical study, Baij Nath Puri, M.N. Publishers, 1988.
  • Bhai Gurdas Ji, Varan Bhai Gurdas Ji, Vaar 8 - Pauri 10.
  • The Indian Diaspora in Central Asia and Its Trade, 1550-1900 by Scott Cameron Levi.
  • Denzil Ibbetson, Edward MacLagan, H.A. Rose "A Glossary of The Tribes & Casts of The Punjab & North-West Frontier Province", 1911 AD, Page 501-526, Vol II,
  • Ibid, Page 537-538, Vol II.
  • Temple, R.C. "The Legends of The Panjab", 1884, Reprinted by Institute of Folk Heritage, Islamabd, 1981.
  • Khatris are Kshatri http://punjabrevenue.nic.in/gaz_ldh8.htm
  • Mahan Kosh by Bhai Kahan Singh Nabha
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