 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source .(July 2012) |
The Ghasiara are a Khatri Hindu caste found in the states of Punjab and Haryana in India. They are also known as Ghasi and Lodha. [1]
| | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source .(July 2012) |
The Ghasiara are a Khatri Hindu caste found in the states of Punjab and Haryana in India. They are also known as Ghasi and Lodha. [1]
The Ghasiara claim to be a branch of the Lodha caste of Awadh, who emigrated to Rawalpindi and Multan in the 19th century. They were employed in the service of the British colonial administration as domestic gardeners in a number of cantonments. These Lodha acquired the name Ghasiara on the account of the fact that they were employed as grass cutters. The word ghahas in Hindi means grass, and ghasiara is literally means a grass cutter. When the partition of India occurred in 1947, the community left Multan and Rawalpindi, which were now in Pakistan, and settled in Haryana. They were settled in the districts of Karnal and Ambala by the Government of India. Most now speak Hindi, while most also understand Punjabi. [1]
The Ghasiara are strictly endogamous, and practice clan exogamy. Their clans are referred to as gotras, the main ones being the Pataria, Jaria and Suryavanshi. In their new settlements in Haryana, many Ghasiara now collect the grass they cut and sell it the Gujar and Ahir communities, who are pastoralists, as fodder. Most Ghasiara are now daily wage labourers and involved in activities such as rickshaw pulling. They remain an extremely marginalized community, with high incidences of extreme poverty and instances of child labour. [1]
Bazigar, or Goaars, are an ethnic group of north-western India. They are primarily found in Punjab and in Pakistan's Punjab, but there are also communities in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Rajasthan. They were previously nomadic with their main occupation the performance of acrobatics and other forms of entertainment, but they are now settled and engaged mainly in agricultural and similar forms of labour.
Arora is a community of Punjab, comprising both Hindus and Sikhs. The name is derived from their native place Aror. In 711, the Arora people left Aror and started to settle in the cities of Punjab.
The Muslim Kayastha, also known as Siddiqui, are a community of Muslims, are related to the Kayastha of northern India, mainly modern Uttar Pradesh, who converted to Islam during the rule of the Islamic empires in India.
The Muslim Gaddi are a Muslim community found mainly in northern India. After the independence in 1947, the Gaddi of the states of Haryana and Delhi migrated to Pakistan and are now found in the provinces of Punjab and Sindh. In Pakistan and North India, some community members have started to refer to themselves as Ghazi in a way to reconstruct identity.
The Qassab (Urdu: قصاب; from the Arabic word قصاب, are members of a north Indian community or biradari. Occasionally most Quresh caste members are referred to as the Qassab. At present, Qassab who are engaged in meat cutting and selling business are referred to as Qureshi.
The Muslim Teli are members of the Teli caste who follow Sunni Islam. They are found in India and Pakistan.
The Mirasi are a community found in North India and Pakistan. They are folklore tellers and traditional singers and dancers of a number of communities. The word "mirasi" is derived from the Arabic word (ميراث) mīrās, which means inheritance or sometimes heritage. In the strict grammatical sense of the term, they are considered to be propagators of the cultural and social heritage.
The Singiwala are a Muslim community, found in the state of Rajasthan in India. They also known as Jheewar Bangalee. Many members of Singiwala community have migrated to Pakistan after independence have settled in Karachi, Sindh.
Chhipi is a caste of people with ancestral roots tracing back to India. They are found in the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh of India. Chhipa are also found in Pakistan.
Khumra are a Muslim community found mainly in the Rohilkhand region of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as Sangtarash and Hansiri. A few were also found in Panipat and Karnal in Haryana, most of whom are now found in Pakistan. They generally refer themselves as Khumra Shaikh. The community has been granted Other Backward Classes status in Uttar Pradesh.
The Nat are a Hindu caste found in northern India.
The Sikligar is a community found in the Indian states of Gujarat, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Punjab. By tradition, the Sikligar people specialized in the craft of making and polishing weapons. They are typically Hindu in Gujarat, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh; Sikh in Punjab; and either Hindu and Sikh in Haryana.
Nalband is a Persian language word with the meaning manufacturer of horseshoes. The word is derived from the Persian word nal, meaning horseshoe and band, a fastener.
The Bharbhunja are a largely Hindu caste found in North India and Maharashtra. They are also known as Kalenra in Maharashtra, Mehra in Punjab and in Uttar Pradesh. A small number are also found in the Terai region of Nepal.
The Sirkiband are a Hindu caste found in the states of Haryana and Punjab in India. They have scheduled caste status in Haryana. A small number in Punjab are now Sikh.
The Ghasiya, or sometimes pronounced Ghasia are a Hindu caste found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as Ghasiara and have Scheduled Caste status.
The Chirimar are a Hindu caste found in the state of Haryana in India. They are also known as Baheliya.
The Churigar are a Muslim community found in the state of Rajasthan in India and the Punjab province of Pakistan.
The Pachhada are a Muslim ethnic group found in the Pakistani Punjab. They are also known as Rath.
Khakh is surname belonging to the Jat clan. Most of those with the name are followers of Sikhism and Islam, but a large number of Sikhs also exist among those identifying with the name. Just like many other Jatt castes, the Khakh originate in the historical Punjab region of South Asia. Today, the surname is widely popular across Indian Punjab, New Delhi and Pakistani Punjab.