Khukhrain | |
---|---|
Khokhrain | |
Profile | |
Region | Punjab |
Ethnicity | Punjabi |
Khukhrain no longer has a chief, and is an armigerous clan | |
Historic seat | Bhera |
The Khukhrain or Khokhrain [1] is a sub-group composed of eight clans of the Khatri caste that originally hailed from the areas of the Salt Range.
The Khukhrains spread over Khushab, Dhune Kheb, Chakwal, Pind Dadan Khan, Peshawar, Nowshera and Lahore. [2] [ full citation needed ] They were a powerful tribe during the attacks of Mahmud of Ghazni and resisted him during his third invasion after the defeat of Jayapala at the Battle of Bhera in 1004-5. Bhera was the Khukhrain capital. [3] [ full citation needed ] King Jai Dev Anand defeated Mahmud of Ghazni, making him a prisoner of war. However the King let him go against the advice of his minister and the General Shri Pal Suri. Mahmud of Ghazni had his wounds treated and made arrangement's within one year the Kingdom was sacked by Ghazni. [4] When Bhera was sacked by Mahmud of Ghazni, the Khukhrain king, Biji Rai preferred to commit suicide using his dagger rather than submit to Mahmud Ghaznavi. [2] Jaipal's son, Anandapala, received support of the Khukhrains against the Ghazni rule in 1008-9 at Wahind. [5] [ full citation needed ]
In 1206, the Khukhrains had assassinated Muhammad Ghori during a raid near Jhelum. [6]
The Khukhrain clan was originally Hindu. Later clan members embraced Sikhism and Islam. Khukhrains of all these faiths collectively form one kinship. In Pakistan there continues to be a large number of Muslim Khukhrains living especially in the Pakistani Punjab. Some scholars such as Muhammad Ikrām Chutai believe that a number of Khukhrains were converted to Islam by the Sufi Baba Farid. [7]
Encyclopædia Britannica notes that: "The Khukhrain sub-group of the "52"s claims descent from a son of Manu and several clan names are traced to military terms in support of the claim to Kshatriya descent.." [16]
Khatri is a caste originating from the Malwa and Majha areas of Punjab region of South Asia that is predominantly found in India, but also in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Khatris claim they are warriors who took to trade. In the Indian subcontinent, they were mostly engaged in mercantile professions such as banking and trade. They were the dominant commercial and financial administration class of late-medieval India. Some in Punjab often belonged to hereditary agriculturalist land-holding lineages, while others were engaged in artisanal occupations such as silk production and weaving.
Bhera is a city and a tehsil of Sargodha District, Punjab province of Pakistan. The city is known for wood-carved items, textiles, and certain desserts.
Bhatia is a group of people and a caste found in Punjab, Sindh and Gujarat. Traditionally, they have been a trading and merchant community. The Bhatias primarily live in Northwestern India and Pakistan. The Bhatias, Lohanas and Khatris were similar communities and were known to intermarry. The Bhatias recruit Saraswat Brahmins as priests.
Kohli is a Khatri clan from Delhi. The clan belongs to Khukhrain family of the Punjabi Khatris, along with other subcastes: Anand, Talwar, Sahni/Sawhney, Sethi, Ghai, Bhasin, Sabharwal, Chadha, and Suri.
Jat Sikh or Jatt Sikh is an ethnoreligious group, a subgroup of the Jat people whose traditional religion is Sikhism, originating from the Indian subcontinent. They are one of the dominant communities in the Punjab, India, owing to their large land holdings. They form an estimated 20–25% of the population of the Indian state of Punjab. They form at least half of the Sikh population in Punjab, with some sources estimating them to be about 60–66% appx. two-third of the Sikh population.
Puri is an Indian Punjabi surname of Kshatriya Varna derived from a Chandravanshi Indo Aryan Puru tribe of King Porus.
Bhai Gurdas was a Sikh writer, historian and preacher who served as the Jathedar of the Akal Takht from 1606 to his death in 1636. He was the original scribe of the early version of Guru Granth Sahib, having served as the amanuensis of Guru Arjan in its compilation.
Duggal is a Punjabi Khatri surname.
Bindra is a Punjabi surname found among Jats & Khatris. Many Bindra Khatris were located in Rawalpindi district.
Dhawan is a surname associated with the Khatri caste found in Punjab, India.
Sethi is a surname that is found among the Punjabi Khatris of India. They are a part of Khukhrain sub-caste among the Khatris which also includes the clans of Anand, Bhasin Chadha, Kohli, Ghai, Sahni, Sethi, (Sawhney) and Suri. Most of Sethis are Dual-faith Hindus. Some Sethis also follow Islam. The surname is also found among Arora. Historian Kamal Shankar Srivastava writes that all Khukrains including Sethis were originally found near the banks of Indus and Jhelum river especially in the towns of Pind Dadan Khan, Peshawar and Nowshera.
Kakkar or Kakar is an Indian surname originating with the founder of a Bahri clan. It is associated with the Khatri caste of Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims. Whilst the Dictionary of American Family Names states that the etymology derives from the Sanskrit word karalagni, used in reference to the Sun and translating as "one who holds fire in its hands", the historians R. C. Dogra and Baij Nath Puri, believe it is derived from the word Karkar, meaning strong or powerful.
Chopra is a surname of Ror and Khatri communities mainly based in Haryana and Indian Punjab.
Kochhar or Kochar is a surname that is found among the Punjabi Khatri community of India.
Chandok is a surname found among the Khukhrain community. According to Hindu scriptures, Chandoks are of the Khatri caste, are Suryavanshis and also Descendants of Lord Rama. Chandoks are Kshatriya. Most of Chandoks are Dual-faith Hindus.
Dheer is a surname found among the Brahmins and Khatris of Punjab. The Dhirs of Kapurthala descend from Baba Mahya, who was the Guru (teacher) of Guru Amardās of the Sikhs, and is still revered at Dhir weddings. The word "Dhir" translates to brave. The Khulasat-ut-Tawarikh, a Persian language book about the history of India and the Mughal Empire was written by Sujan Rai Bhandari, a Dhir Khatri from Batala in Gurdaspur. The Dhirs of Batala moved there before the end of Akbar's reign as soldiers. Bhai Bula, a Dhir Khatri was a dedicated Sikh of the time of Guru Arjan. His son, Dayal Das Dhir was martyred during a battle against the Mughals in Amritsar.
Uppal is an Indian and Pakistani surname. It is also found as clan name among the Khatris and Jats.
Sobti is a Punjabi Khatri surname.
Wahi is a Punjabi Khatri surname. According to Shyam Singh Shashi, they're related to the ancient clan of Bālhikas. They were found in Pindigheb, Rawalpindi in West Punjab.