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Lohar/लूहर
Regions with significant populations
•  India •    Nepal •  Pakistan
Languages
• Punjabi • Urdu • Khari boli • Hindi • Marathi
Religion
• Hinduism 30% • Sikhism 40% • Islam 30%
Related ethnic groups
• Saifi • Khati • Barhai

Lohar (Urdu: لوہار)(Hindi लूहर) is an ethnic sub-caste of Khatri/Rajput tribe, found among Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims in Northern India and Northern Pakistan. Originally this community was a warrior tribe living in provinces of Kermanshah in Iran right up to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan. In India the Lohars are also known as Vishwakarma, Lohana or Panchals.[1] Muslim Lohar in North India are known as Saifi.

Etymology

The word Lohar originated from the Sanskrit word, loha (Iron). Lohar is also a common Muslim family name in Pakistan. The Pakistani city of Lahore was once called Loharpur, the city of the Lohar dynasty. See Loharpur. 'Lohar'[2] is also the name of a city in the Punjab region of Pakistan. The city Lohar Chak was named after the Lohar Dynasty in Kashmir. Lohar Chak is a city in the State of Jammu & Kashmir with a population of approximately 80,901.

According to H. A. Rose and Denzil Ibbetson, Lohars are descended from Rajputs and Jats. These Rajputs and Jats were actually Tarkhan tribals (Iranian warriors) who migrated to India. Most of the Lohars had their families in Peshawar in Pakistan, Lahore in Pakistan and Kermanshah in Iran. Lohars are the clans of Sassanid Persians who once ruled Iran. These warriors were the first civilisation of Zoroastrians or sun-worshipers. The belief in Ahura Mazda has not been confirmed although they differ to a great extent from the modern-day Persians. The Zoroastrianism that the Lohars followed was entirely different from the practices laid out in the Avesta, the holy books of Zoroastrianism. The clergy altered the religion to serve themselves, causing substantial religious uneasiness. Once they entered India the members of this group were classified as Kshatriyas or Brahmins or Blacksmiths (originally Kshatriyas who manufactured weapons).

The Lohars have been linked to the Scythian tribes (ancient Iranians) of central Asia. These tribes were aggressive and expansionist Iranian warriors who settled in western and north-western South Asia in successive waves between 5th century BC and 1st century AD. Their migration to Pakistan and India happened because of the Islamic Invasion of Iran (The expansion under the prophet Mohammad, 622-632, the Patriarchal Caliphate,[clarification needed] 632-661 and the expansion during the Umayyad Caliphate, 651-750). The Saka inscriptions found at Peshawar and Mathura state "Sarvasa Sakasthanasa puyae" which are directly linked to the Iranian Origin of Lohars.

Ethnological information collected in colonial censuses indicate that the majority of the population of the Vishwakarma clan in India including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Punjab and western Uttar Pradesh is of Saka (Iranian) origin.

Lohara Dynasty

The centre of Lohara dynasty (also known as Lohar Dynasty) was at Lohran. The state kingdom of Lohara which is now in Poonch district of the state Kashmir.

This clan is famous in Kashmir history since it gave a whole dynasty which ruled for a long time called 'Lohara dynasty'. Their settlement in India, Lohran, is located in Pir Panjal Range. The Lohara fort also called as the Lohar-Qila is named after them. The famous queen Dida, married to Kshemagupta, was daughter of King Simha Raja Lohara, who himself was married to a daughter of Shahenshah Lalli Bhima (Jat Clan) of Kabul. Lohar Kot was the name of the royal palace of the Lohar Dynasty. Alberuni (Abu Rayhan Biruni) refers to this castle Lohar Kot-as Loha Kot, and Mahmud Ghazni’s attack on Loha Kot was a dismal failure. Farishta tells that Muhmud failed because the fort “was remarkable on account of its height and strength. The Lohara's had enough strength to defend the towering palace.

The Lohar Dynasty ruled Kashmir for more than a century when Kshtriya rituals entered the Brahamnic cult. As is common with despotic rule the whole period suffered from murders, suicides, corruption-material and moral- a record of which has been prepared by Kalhan Pandit who followed in the 12th century in the reign of Jayasinha. The mysticism that the Lohara's from Iran introduced was a slow but soothing stream aimed at raising up of moral and spiritual values and oneness of God. Therefore, Kashmiris readily accepted it in all its traits in which the Reshi order of Nundrishi was also contained. So Kashmiri thinking evolved out of a happy amalgam of Sanskrit, Buddhist and Islamic values.

The Lohara Dynasty also lead to decline of Buddhism. The decline of Buddhism was a result of anarchy that the Iranian Lohara's introduced to the state of Kashmir.[3]

Exagamous divisions

Tarkhan Lohars

The Tarkhan Lohar community is well known for its skills and craftsmanship. These warriors used to possess as well as invent various powerful weapons.

The Tarkhan Lohars originate from Iran. These warriors who migrated to India and modern Pakistan when Iran was invaded originally had nothing to do with the profession of a blacksmith. They were forced by Akbar to work as blacksmiths to make weapons for the army.

In Gujranwala the same two castes exist; and they are the two great Tarkhan tribes also (see section 627). In Karnal a sort of connection seems to be admitted, but the castes are now distinct. In Sirsa the Lohars may be divided into three main sections; the first, men undoubted and recent Jat and even Rajput origin who have generally by reason of survival and war, taken to work as blacksmiths; secondly the Suthar Lohar or members of the Suthar tribe of carpenters who have similarly changed their original occupation; and thirdly, the Gadia Lohar native Indians, blacksmiths who are not uncommon throughout the east and south east of the Province. The Gadia Lohar are not related to the Lohars in any way.

The tradition runs that Suthar Lohars were originally Iranian Sassanids then Hindu Tarkhans of the Suthar tribe (see section 627); and that Akbar took 12,000 of them from Jodhpur to Delhi and forced them to work in iron instead of wood. The story is admitted by a section of the Lohars themselves, and probably has some substratum of truth. These men came to Sirsa from the direction of Sindh, where they say they formerly held land, and are commonly known as Multani Lohars.

-Ibbetson

This would explain why some Tarkhans/Lohars have similar surnames to Khatri, Gujjar, Jats and Rajputs. Many Tarkhan clans are also cross-listed as Khatri, Jat and Rajput, due to Tarkhans having the same lineage and type as these ones. It is not entirely clear in the case of many clans and surnames as to which subdivision of the Kshatriyas they belong to.

Eventually, Scythian, Parthian, Greek-Bactrian, and various other Central Asian tribal peoples (such as the Hephthalites, and the Tocharians or Yuezhi) were absorbed into the Kshatriya, given their warlike nature, and thus became one of the subgroups or in many cases, assimilated completely into older asian clans.

In many parts, it is largely due to familial tradition that some members of a certain clan dub themselves Rajput and others of the same clan are Gujjar, Jat, Khatri, Kamboj and Tarkhan. This is more often the case in the Punjab, where there was already a large indigenous Kshatriya population when the invading tribes arrived.

Lohars from Pakistan, Punjab, Gujarat and Maharashtra belong to the Sassanid clan. In most part of India, Lohars belong to the larger Vishwakarma Brahmin caste of Iranian (Scythian) origin.

Brahmin Lohars

The Brahmin-Lohars belong to the Parusheya(vishwakarma)Brahmin community. These Persian migrants who settled in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra identify themselves as Maithil Brahmins, Lohars from Gujarat identify themselves as Panchal Brahmins and Lohars from Maharashtra identify themselves as Vishwa Brahmins of the Vishwakarma community. In most of these states, Lohars follow Brahmin rites and have Brahmin surnames. They perform Upanayanam (thread ceremony- initiation) for their children.

Lohroy

Lohara (لوھراءجاٹ) or Lohroy in Urdu( لورائے جاٹ) is also gotra of Jats dwelling in Uttar Pradesh. The gotra started after Raja Kalash Loha (कलस लोह). [1]

History Bhim Singh Dahiya has described about the history of this clan. This clan is famous in Kashmir history and gave it a whole dynasty called Lohar dynasty. Their settlement in India was Lohran, in Pir Pantsal range. The Lohara Kot-fort of Lohara's-is named after them. The famous queen Dida, married to Kshemagupta, was daughter of Emperor Simha Raja Lohara, who himself was married to a daughter of Lalli (Jat Clan) Sahi king Bhima of Kabul and Udabhanda (Und, near modern Attock)

Thus Didda was a LohroyJat scion, and a granddaughter of Lalli Jats of Kabul. The descendants of their ruling family are still called Sahi Jats. Queen Didda, made one Sangram Raj, her successor. He was the son of her brother Udaya Raj and he died on 1028 AD. [2] Lohar itself remained with Vigrah Raj. [3]

Alberuni refers to their castle Lohar Kot-as Loha Kot. [4]

Distribution

Lohroy Jats are also now settled in about six villages near Mathura and Village LORAN Tehsil and District Gujrat Pakistan and other areas. (This information was also countributed from Chaudhry Ahsan Premee Chief editor and Journalist, APS Associated Press Service, the news agency from Islamabad Pakistan and History of the Panjab hill states, Volume 1 By John Hutchison, Jean Philippe Vogel) .

Lohar of Uttar Pradesh

The Lohar are one of the most widespread communities in Uttar Pradesh. They are divided along religious lines, with the Hindu Lohar are known as Vishvakarmas, and Muslim Lohars are known as Saifis. The Lohar are further divided into a number of exogamous groupings, the main ones being the Kanaujiya, Purbia, Bahai, Moulia and Magajia. Most Lohar are still engaged in their traditional occupation of metal fabrication, but most the Lohar of western Uttar Pradesh are cultivators. The Lohar speak Hindi and its various dialects such as Awadhi. [6]

Pillars of Indian culture and civilization

The Vishwakarma Brahmins have contributed greatly to Indian civilization and culture as temple and city builders, architects, engineers and artists. Without their immense contribution, Indian civilization might be very poor indeed.

Contribution of Vishwakarma Brahmins to Indian culture and civilization:

  • Nalanda - Vishwakarma Brahmins built this giant educational complex accommodating over 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers. The university was considered an architectural masterpiece, and was marked by a lofty wall and one gate. Nalanda had eight separate compounds and ten temples, along with many other meditation halls and classrooms. On the grounds were lakes and parks. The library was located in a nine storied building where meticulous copies of texts were produced. The subjects taught at Nalanda University covered every field of learning, and it attracted pupils and scholars from Korea, Japan, China, Tibet, Indonesia, Persia and Turkey.
  • Iron pillar of Delhi - The pillar is made up of 98% wrought iron of pure quality, and is a testament to the high level of skill achieved by ancient Indian iron smiths in the extraction and processing of iron. It has attracted the attention of archaeologists and metallurgists as it has withstood corrosion for the last 1600 years, despite harsh weather.
  • Indus Valley civilization - The earliest known civilization in the Indo-Pak region of South Asia was the Indus Valley Civilization, comprising many urban settlements, including the large cities of Harrappa and Mohenjo Daro, and characterised by a variety of house types, many of which had private baths connected to public drainage systems. The cities consisted of a citadel raised above residential and production districts with streets laid out in a grid plan and lined by drains. The uniformity in urban layouts, house typologies and sizes as well as construction methods of the standard kiln-fired bricks, is evidence of significant social and political co-ordination.
  • Hindu architecture - A basic Hindu temple consists of an inner sanctum, the garbha griha or womb-chamber, in which the image is housed, often with space for its circumambulation, a congregation hall, and possibly an antechamber and porch. The sanctum is crowned by a tower-like shikara. At the turn of the first millennium CE two major types of temples existed, the northern or Nagara style and the southern or Dravida type of temple. They are distinguishable by the shape and decoration of their shikharas.
  • Buddhist and Jain architecture - Viharas (Buddhist monasteries) began to appear soon after the death of the Buddha, particularly during the Mauryan Empire (321 - 232 BC) with characteristic stupa monuments; and chaityas (meditation halls housing a stupa). The same period saw the beginning of stone architecture, evidenced by palace remains at Pataliputra as well as the Ashoka Stambha - the monolithic free-standing columns inscribed with edicts put up by the Emperor Ashoka. The Ashokan period is also marked for the introduction of brilliant rock-cut architecture, which formed into the 1000-year-long tradition of cutting and sculpting vast, complex and multi-roomed shrines into natural rock, resulting in religious edifices belonging to Ajivika Buddhist, Hindu and Jain faiths.
  • South Indian architecture - South Indian architecture was a style of architecture that emerged thousands of years ago in the Indian subcontinent. They consist primarily of pyramid shaped temples which are dependent on intricate carved stone in order to create a step design consisting of numerous statues of deities, kings, and dancers.
  • Konark Sun Temple - Konark Sun Temple is a 13th-century Sun Temple (also known as the Black Pagoda), at Konark, in Orissa. It was built in red sandstone (Khandolite) and black granite by King Narasimhadeva I (AD 1236-1264) of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty. The temple is one of the most well renowned temples in India and is a World Heritage Site.
  • Vastu Shastra - Vishwakarmas are the creators of this ancient Indian system of architectural design that has gained national and international respect and following. Vaastu Shastra deals with various aspects of designing and building living environments that are in harmony with the physical and metaphysical forces.
  • Mahabodhi Temple - The Mahabodhi Temple (Literally: "Great Awakening Temple") is a Buddhist temple in Bodh Gaya, the location where Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, attained enlightenment. Bodh Gaya is located about 96 km (60 mi) from Patna, Bihar state, India.
  • Indian rock-cut architecture - Indian rock-cut architecture is more various and found in greater abundance than any other form of rock-cut architecture around the world.
  • Ellora Caves - Ellora represents the epitome of Indian rock-cut architecture. The 34 "caves" – actually structures excavated out of the vertical face of the Charanandri hills - were Buddhist, Hindu and Jain cave temples and monasteries, built between the 5th century and 10th century. The 12 Buddhist (caves 1-12), 17 Hindu (caves 13-29) and 5 Jain caves (caves 30-34), built in proximity, demonstrate the religious harmony prevalent during this period of Indian history.
  • Ajanta Caves - Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India are rock-cut cave monuments dating from the 2nd century BCE, containing paintings and sculpture considered to be masterpieces of both "Buddhist religious art" and "universal pictorial art". Since 1983, the Ajanta Caves have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  • Mahabalipuram - The monuments are mostly rock-cut and monolithic, and constitute the early stages of Dravidian architecture wherein Buddhist elements of design are prominently visible. They are constituted by cave temples, monolithic rathas (chariots), sculpted reliefs and structural temples. The pillars are of the Dravidian order. The sculptures are excellent examples of Pallava art. It is believed that this area served as a school for young sculptors. The different sculptures, some half finished, may have been examples of different styles of architecture, probably demonstrated by instructors and practiced on by young students. This can be seen in the Pancha Rathas where each Ratha is sculpted in a different style.
  • Badami Cave Temples - The Badami Cave Temples are composed of four caves, all carved out of the soft Badami sandstone on a hill cliff in the late 6th century. The four caves are simple in style. The entrance is a verandah with stone columns and brackets, a distinctive feature of these caves, leading to a columned mantapa and then to the small square shrine (sanctum sanctorum) cut deep into the cave. The temple caves represent different religious sects. Among them, two are dedicated to Lord Vishnu, one to Lord Shiva and the fourth is a Jain temple. The first three are devoted to the Vedic faith and the fourth cave is the only Jain temple at Badami.
  • Pancha Rathas - Pancha Rathas an example of monolith Indian rock-cut architecture dating from the late 7th century located at Mamallapuram, a tiny village south of Madras in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The village was a busy port during the 7th and 8th century reign of the Pallava dynasty. The site is famous for the rock-cut caves and the sculptured rock that line a granite hill, including one depicting Arjuna's Penance. It has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Pancha Rathas shrines were carved during the reign of King Mahendravarman I and his son Narasimhavarman I. Each temple is a monolith, carved whole from a rock outcropping of pink granite. The five monolithic pyramidal structured shrines are named after the Pandavas (Arjuna, Bhima, Yudhishtra, Nakula and Sahadeva) and Draupadi. As noted, each shrine is not assembled from cut rock but carved from one single large piece of stone. It is likely their original design traces back to wood constructions.
  • Indian art - The vast scope of the art of India intertwines with the cultural history, religions and philosophies which place art production and patronage in social and cultural contexts.
  • Indian painting - Somewhere around 1st century BC the Sadanga or Six Limbs of Indian Painting, were evolved, a series of canons laying down the main principles of the art. Vatsyayana, who lived during the 3rd century AD, enumerates these in his Kamasutra having extracted them from still more ancient works. These ‘Six Limbs’ have been translated as follows:
  1. Rupabheda The knowledge of appearances.
  2. Pramanam Correct perception, measure and structure.
  3. Bhava Action of feelings on forms.
  4. Lavanya Yojanam Infusion of grace, artistic representation.
  5. Sadrisyam Similitude.
  6. Varnikabhanga Artistic manner of using the brush and colours. (Tagore.)

The subsequent development of painting by the Buddhists indicates that these 'Six Limbs' were put into practice by Indian artists, and are the.basic principles on which their art was founded.

  • Buddhist art - Buddhist art originated on the Indian subcontinent following the historical life of Gautama Buddha, 6th to 5th century BCE, and thereafter evolved by contact with other cultures as it spread throughout Asia and the world.
  • Indian coinage - The Vishwakarma Brahmins minted beautiful coins displaying great artistic talent.
  • History of metallurgy in the Indian subcontinent - History of metallurgy in the Indian subcontinent begins during the 2nd millennium BCE and continues well into the British Raj. The Indian cultural and commercial contacts with the Near East and the Greco-Roman world enable an exchange of metallurgic sciences.
  • History of Indian Science and Technology - The History of Science and Technology in India begins in the pre-modern era. Archaeological evidence from Mehrgarh (7000 BCE) shows construction of mud brick houses and granaries. Farming, metal working, flint knapping, bead production, and dentistry, are known to the people of Mehrgarh. The more advanced Indus Valley civilization yields evidence of hydrography, metrology and city planning being practiced on a sizable scale. Great attention to medicine, astronomy and mathematics is seen during the Vedic period (1500 BCE—400 BCE) —which also witnesses the first inquiry being made into the field of linguistics by the 5th century BCE. Construction of stepwells and stupas, use of diamond as a gemstone, and plastic surgery operations become visible during later periods. Indian mathematicians made early contributions to the study of the decimal number system, zero, negative numbers, arithmetic, and algebra.
  • Jaivana cannon - The Jaivana cannon is the largest wheeled cannon ever constructed. It is located at the Jaigarh Fort, Jaipur.
  • Yantra Mandir - The Yantra Mandir (commonly known as the Jantar Mantar) is an equinoctial dial, consisting a gigantic triangular gnomon with the hypotenuse parallel to the Earth's axis. On either side of the gnomon is a quadrant of a circle, parallel to the plane of the equator. The instrument is intended to measure the time of day, correct to half a second and declination of the Sun and the other heavenly bodies.
  • Khajuraho Temples - The Khajuraho temples, constructed with spiral superstructures, adhere to a northern Indian shikhara temple style and often to a Panchayatana plan or layout. A few of the temples are dedicated to the Jain pantheon and the rest to Hindu deities - to God's Trio, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, and various Devi forms, such as the Devi Jagadambi temple. A Panchayatana temple had four subordinate shrines on four corners and the main shrine in the center of the podium, which comprises their base. The temples are grouped into three geographical divisions: western, eastern and southern. With a graded rise secondary shikharas (spires) cluster to create an appropriate base for the main shikhara over the sanctum. Kandariya Mahadeva, one of the most accomplished temples of the Western group, comprises eighty-four shikharas, the main being 116 feet from the ground level. These temples of Khajuraho have sculptures that look very realistic and are studied even today. The Khajuraho temples are UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Phrase

The Urdu and Hindi phrase:

Sau hath sonar ke to ek hath lohar ka
(Hundred hands (taps) of jeweller then (compared to) one hand (strike) of blacksmith)

Since the jeweller taps slowly to make jewellery while blacksmith strikes the iron hard. The phrase means that the hundred insults of a person could be countered with only one insult by another person.

See also

References

  1. ^ http://books.google.co.in/books?ei=1TVJTeyJLYjWrQfsqaGbDg&ct=result&id=bRBuAAAAMAAJ&dq=dagar++gotra&q=panchal
  2. ^ http://www.fallingrain.com/world/PK/04/Lohar.html
  3. ^ http://www.ambedkar.org/research/Kashmir%20Problem.htm
  4. ^ http://books.google.co.in/books?ei=1TVJTeyJLYjWrQfsqaGbDg&ct=result&id=bRBuAAAAMAAJ&dq=dagar++gotra&q=dagar
  5. ^ India's communities, Volume 6-page-2017
  6. ^ People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part Two edited by A Hasan & J C Das pages 902 to 906 Manohar Publications
  • Dr Mahendra Singh Arya, Dharmpal Singh Dudee, Kishan Singh Faujdar & Vijendra Singh Narwar: Ādhunik Jat Itihasa (The modern history of Jats), Agra 1998, p. 280
  • RAJAT, VI, 355 and VII, 1284
  • For details see, RAJAT, Vol II, p. 293; Steins note. E
  • Elliot, Early History of India (V A Smith), Vol I
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