Khukhrain | |
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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. 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. [4] [ full citation needed ]
In 1206, the Khukhrains had assassinated Muhammad Ghori during a raid near Jhelum. [5]
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. [6]
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.." [15]