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Ahluwalia (caste)

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Ahluwalia (also transliterated as Ahluvalia) is an Indian caste native to the Punjab region.[1][2]

Ahluwalia/Ahluvalia/Ahlawal
AbbreviationWalia
Gotra52 including Bimbat, Jaspal, Kapila, Neb, Rai, Raikhy, Rekhi, Paintal, Pal, Sikand
ReligionsSikhism
Hinduism
LanguagesHindi, Punjabi
CountryIndia
Pakistan
Original statePunjab region
RegionSouth Asia
EthnicityIndo-Aryan
Mixed
Notable membersJassa Singh Ahluwalia
Bhag Singh Ahluwalia
Jagatjit Singh
Rajkumari Amrit Kaur
Montek Singh Ahluwalia
S. S. Ahluwalia
Related groupsIndo-Aryan peoples
Historical groupingKalal/Karal/Kulal
StatusGeneral
Kingdom (original)Kapurthala State

There are more than 52 divisions and surnames of Ahluwalia caste. Some of them are Bhandari, Bimbat, Hoon, Jaiswal, Jaspal, Janwathia, Judge, Kapila, Lal, Malik, Maunik, Paintal, Rai, Raikhy, Rekhi, Sand, Sikan, Sikand, Sulla and Tulsi.[3][4]

History

Origin

The Ahluwalias originally belonged to Punjab region as the part of Punjabi Kalal or Karal[5] community.[2] It is a community of varying class and status indicating a very composite origin.[4]

Composition

In West, Karals or Kharrals[6] were mostly an agricultural community. Meanwhile, some Kalals or Karals in east including in Peshawar, Northern Punjab and in Kenya were known to be merchants, artisans and traders. They even traced their origin to Hindu Rajput ancestry from Karauli of Rajasthan. In Patiala, they were known as Nebs, and those belonging to Tulsi and Pittal gotra were commonly found in Kapurthala.[4][7][8][9] Some Kalals (also known as Karals or Kharrals) adopted Islam during the colonial era. To elevate their social status,[10][11] some began identifying as “Kakezai” (or “Kakkezai”) by claiming a fabricated Pathan lineage,[10] despite having no genealogical connection to the Pashtun Kakazai tribe—an established Afghan community in Punjab.[12][13] This naming shift was part of a broader effort among Muslim Kalals to escape the stigma of their traditional occupation in liquor distillation.[12][11] Historians describe this as a case of social mobility through name appropriation, also noting that some Kalals claimed identities such as Shaikh, Khatri, or Rajput, though these claims had no basis in ancestry.[12][11]

Early Sikhism (Sikh Kalals)

Sikh Kalals and Karals[4] who became Ahluwalias[14][15][16] were primarily a mercantile community with a wide range of occupations including being traditionally involved in wine-making, tavern-keeping, agriculture, pottery, from drawing juice of palmyra, date trees to toddy and inn-keeping.[17][18][19] They were referred to be of a good physique and a great hardihood nature. Sikh Kalals were noted to make good soldiers and established themselves as a martial race as they joined the military service in the army of Guru Gobind Singh and later, in the Dal Khalsa (Sikh army). Sikh Kalal soldiers were among the 40 men who fought alongside Guru Gobind Singh in the Battle of Chamkaur.[20][21] According to G. S. Talib and other scholars, it was the Jats, Kalals and others who actually carried on the burden of programmes started by the Gurus.[22][23]

Sikh Kalals (Ahluwalias)[24][25] were known to have a reputation for, "enterprise, mercy and obstinacy."[26][27]A famous saying regarding their obstinacy was, "Death may budge, but a Kalal won't", throughout the region.[28][29]

Among Sikh Kalals, only a few are known to write Kalal as a surname next to Singh, a surname for all Sikhs (male) irrespective of origin. It includes Bhai Koer Singh Kalal, a prominent Sikh scholar who is credited with the first comprehensive written work on the life of Guru Gobind Singh and Khalsa.[30][31]

Sikh Confederacy and later

Some were also engaged in occupations related to their gotras like florist or Phul, protector or Jaspal and treasurer or Bhandari.[32] Despite being small in number, they were a tightly organised community. Those who were vinteners had a low status in traditional caste hierarchy due to religious stigma. They embraced Sikhism more than others within the community. By the 18th century, most of them started working in diverse occupations and Ahluwalia became an influential upper or forward caste in the Punjab region. By the 19th century, their status was regarded as that of a martial race or a Kshatriya.[1][11][33][34][18][27][35]

Etymology

In the 18th century, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia who originally belonged to a Kalal family of Tulsi sub-caste or gotra,[36] and the chiefs of Ahlu village in Lahore established Ahluwalia (misl).

He established the Kapurthala State and was known as a prominent Sikh leader. He became the 5th Jathedar of Akal Takht and Supreme Sikh Leader of Dal Khalsa. Following Sanskritisation, his fellow caste members, followers, and others also adopted this surname, which led to the formation of Ahluwalia (caste). [1]

Colonial period

Ahluwalias were made up of similar groups with varying origins. Karals were an agricultural or landowning community, and Kalals/Kalars/Kullals were both merchants and artisans. Majority of them adopted Ahluwalia surname after Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and also, became soldiers of both Khalsa forces and Ahluwalia (misl).[14][37] During colonial period, those who were in wine merchant business gave up their traditional occupations, as the colonial British administration started regulating the distribution and sale of liquor. Soon after that, they started working in the different fields and gained more political power. Many of them joined civil services with higher posts within British administration.[12][38][3][39][34][37]

Following this, the Ahluwalias, as a caste became equivalents of the high-ranked Khatris in the caste hierarchy.[1] They also style themselves as Kshatriyas as the Sikh Kalals are known to be serving in the Sikh military since Akal Sena. They were known to have inter-faith marriage alliances among their community but not outside the community.[40] Similarly, Khatris also practice endogamy but their marriage alliances with Ahluwalias are common.[41] Ahluwalias along with Khatris and Aroras form the Punjabi caste or community.[42]

In parts of Uttarakhand, they are a part of Rajput community.[43][12] Ahluwalias claim Kshatriya descent origin with some from Khatris or Rajputs who also claim Kshatriya descent. For example, a legendary account traces the ancestry of the Kapurthala royal family to the Bhatti Rajput royal family of Jaisalmer (and ultimately to Krishna through Salibahan). According to this narrative, a group of Bhattis migrated to Punjab, where they came to be known as Jats, and became Sikhs. The account states that Sadho Singh and his four sons married into Kalal families, because of which the family came to be known as Ahluwalia.[44] Lepel Griffin (1873), a British administrator who wrote on the history of Punjab's rulers, dismissed this account connecting the Ahluwalias to the Jaisalmer royal family as spurious.[44] The Sikh author Gian Singh, in his Twarikh Raj Khalsa (1894), noted that the Ahluwalia family had adopted the Kalal caste identity much before Sadho Singh.[45]

Social status

In urban areas, they have been a minority.[46][43][47] They lived across Punjab from Peshawar, Gujrat to Hoshiarpur.[48][49][2]

Religion

Most of the Ahluwalias follow either Sikhism or Hinduism. A small number of them follow Buddhism and Islam. [1][50]

Notable people

See also: This list has a few notable people from all divisions. For more, check here, Ahluwalia (surname), Bamral, Bimbat, Neb, Paintal, Rekhi, Sikand, Tulsi and Walia

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e W. H. McLeod (2009). The A to Z of Sikhism. Scarecrow Press. p. 225. ISBN 978-0-8108-6344-6.
  2. ^ a b c Paramjit S. Judge (2015). "Caste Hierarchy, Dominance, and Change in Punjab". Sociological Bulletin. 64 (1). Sage: 62. JSTOR 26290720. Ahluwalias, formerly known by the name of Kalal, are a caste of liquor distillers. At present, they are upper caste without any traditional stigma.
  3. ^ a b Singh, K. S. (1998). India's Communities. Anthropological Survey of India. ISBN 978-0-19-563354-2.
  4. ^ a b c d www.DiscoverSikhism.com. Encyclopaedia of Sikh Religion and Culture.
  5. ^ Barstow, A. E. (1989). Handbook on Sikhs. Uppal Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-85024-54-7.
  6. ^ Singh, K. S. (1996). Communities, Segments, Synonyms, Surnames and Titles. Anthropological Survey of India. ISBN 978-0-19-563357-3.
  7. ^ University of Chicago (1964). Encyclopaedia Britannica, a new survey of universal knowledge. Internet Archive. Chicago, Encyclopaedia Britannica.
  8. ^ Kotewal Jehangir F. (1952). Whither Bharat Or The Mission From Moonland (1952). New Book Co. Ltd.
  9. ^ Encyclopedia Britannica Vol-xx (1947). Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. London. 1947.
  10. ^ a b van den Dungen, P. H. M. (1968). ""Changes in status and occupation in nineteenth century Panjab"". In Low, D. A. (ed.). Soundings in Modern Southern Asia History. University of California Press. pp. 70–71. OCLC 612533097.
  11. ^ a b c d Dev Raj Chanana (1961-03-04). "Sanskritisation, Westernisation and India's North-West" (PDF). The Economic Weekly. VIII (9): 410. The Ahluwalias had a very low social status as they engaged in the distillation and sale of liquor. Their professional name was Kalal. [...] They got the chance to improve their social status, when one of their castes was able to carve out the state of Kapurthala for himself. The entire community then laid claim to the title of Kshatriyas...".
  12. ^ a b c d e Donald Anthony Low (1968). Soundings in Modern South Asian History. University of California Press. pp. 70–71. OCLC 612533097.
  13. ^ Joshi, Rita (1985). The Afghan Nobility and the Mughals: 1526–1707. New Delhi: Vikas Publishing House. p. 9. ISBN 978-0706927528.
  14. ^ a b Marenco, Ethne K. (1976). The transformation of Sikh society. Internet Archive. New Delhi : Heritage Publishers.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
  15. ^ Siṅgha, Dīwāna (1995). The Highway of Sikhism. Peoples Publishing House.
  16. ^ McLeod, W. H. (2000). Exploring Sikhism: Aspects of Sikh Identity, Culture and Thought. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-564902-4.
  17. ^ The National Archives Of India, New Delhi (1949). Calender Of Persian Correspondence Vol-ix (1949).
  18. ^ a b Dipankar Gupta Rivalry And Brotherhood Politics In The Life Of Farmers In Northern India Oxford University Press ( 1997).
  19. ^ Raj, Sheela (1987). Mediaevalism to Modernism: Socio-economic and Cultural History of Hyderabad, 1869-1911. Popular Prakashan. ISBN 978-0-86132-143-8.
  20. ^ Bikramjit Hasrat (1977). Ranjit Singh (Bikramjit Hasrat).
  21. ^ Perspectives on the Sikh tradition. Internet Archive. Amritsar : Singh Bros. 1996. ISBN 978-81-7205-178-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  22. ^ Gurbhachan Singh Talib (1999). The Impact Of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.
  23. ^ www.DiscoverSikhism.com. Sikh Religion And Human Civilization.
  24. ^ Stoneman, Richard (2021-06-08). The Greek Experience of India: From Alexander to the Indo-Greeks. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-21747-5.
  25. ^ Singh, Jodh (1983). The Religious Philosophy of Guru Nanak: A Comparative Study with Special Reference to Siddha Goṣti. Sikh Philosophical Society.
  26. ^ Hodder, Reginald (2019-12-16). Famous Fights of Indian Native Regiments: Valiant Battles of Forgotten Heroes: A Historical Account of Indian Native Regiments. Good Press.
  27. ^ a b The Sikh Review. Sikh Cultural Centre. 1983.
  28. ^ Indian Defence Review. Lancer International. 2004.
  29. ^ www.DiscoverSikhism.com. Sikh Coinage Symbol Of Sikh Sovereignty.
  30. ^ Singh, Sangat (2001). The Sikhs in History: A Millenium Study, with New Afterwords. Uncommon Books. ISBN 978-81-900650-2-3.
  31. ^ Takhar, Opinderjit Kaur; Jakobsh, Doris R. (2023-03-13). Global Sikhs: Histories, Practices and Identities. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-000-84735-2.
  32. ^ Singh, K. S.; Bhalla, V.; Singh, Swaran (1997). Chandigarh. Anthropological Survey of India. ISBN 978-81-7304-119-8.
  33. ^ Gurcharan Singh Gill (2008-08-08). 'Deeper Roots Of The Gill, Bhatti, Sidhu, Brar, Toor, and Related Jat and Rajput Clans' (8 August 2008) by Gurcharan Singh Gill.
  34. ^ a b McLeod, W. H. (1989). Who is a Sikh? : the problem of Sikh identity. Internet Archive. Oxford : Clarendon Press ; New York : Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-826548-1.
  35. ^ McLeod, W. H. (1995). Historical dictionary of Sikhism. Internet Archive. Lanham, Md. : Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-3035-6.
  36. ^ Ahluwalia, M. L. (1989). Life and Times of Jassa Singh Ahluwalia. Publication Bureau, Punjabi University.
  37. ^ a b www.DiscoverSikhism.com. Perspectives On Sikh Studies.
  38. ^ Singh, Manpreet J. (2020-08-31). The Sikh Next Door: An Identity in Transition. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-93-89165-58-6.
  39. ^ Fuchs, Stephen (1981). At the Bottom of Indian Society: The Harijan and Other Low Castes. Munshiram Manoharlal. ISBN 978-81-215-0205-4.
  40. ^ Singh, K. S. (1992). People of India: Punjab. Anthropological Survey of India. ISBN 978-81-7304-123-5.
  41. ^ W. H. McLeod (1989). Who Is A Sikh? (W. H. McLeod).
  42. ^ McLeod, W. H. (1999). Sikhs and Sikhism. Internet Archive. New Delhi : New York : Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-564745-7.
  43. ^ a b Eastern Anthropologist March-August 1958: Vol 11 3-4. Internet Archive. March–August 1958.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  44. ^ a b Ganda Singh (1990). Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia. Punjabi University. pp. 1–4.
  45. ^ M. L. Ahluwalia (1996). Land marks in Sikh history. Ashoka International. p. 37.
  46. ^ Bardwell L. Smith (1990). Boeings and Bullock-Carts: Studies in Change and Continuity in Indian Civilization : Religious Movements and Social Identity. Internet Archive. South Asia Books. ISBN 978-81-7001-066-1.
  47. ^ Arunangshu De; P. G. Shah; T. Mariappa; S. D. S. Chaurasia. Minute of Dissent, Vol. III. New Delhi, Government of India Press.
  48. ^ SGPC (1996). The Truth About Punjab - S.G.P.C. White Paper.
  49. ^ Singh, Jagjit (1981). The Sikh Revolution: A Perspective View. Bahri.
  50. ^ Jogindra Singh Gandhi (1982). Lawyers and Touts: A Study in the Sociology of Legal Profession. Hindustan. p. 64. Ahluwalia are bi-religious, having both Hindu and Sikh members
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