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WHO ARE THE PUNJABI SHEIKHS? Almost all of the Punjabi Sheikhs families were converted from Khatri class. Kashmiri Sheikhs residing in the Punjab were converted from Brahman class. Punjabi Sheikhs are mostly urban and non agriculturist. Their main professions are business or servies. Before the creation of Pakistan in 1947, Khatris were living in all the districts of the undivided Punjab. Most of them were concentrated in the western districts. The people of the Punjab started becoming Muslims in 11th century. In the western districts conversion was almost universal. People from all classes; Rajputs, Jats, Gujjars, Arians, Gakkkars, etc; embraced Islam in large numbers. In districts east of River Sutlej (now in Indian Punjab) conversion was limited. Large numbers of Khatris remained Hindu. In 1947 almost all Punjabi Sheikhs moved to Pakistan. Khoja Sheikh Khatris after accepting Islam adopted Sheikh as title and it is generally assumed to belong to Muslim trading families. Though large number of them were employed in government services. When Khatri traders from the western districts of the Punjab; Sargodha, Jhang, Jhelum, Chakwal, Faislabad; accepted Islam called themselves ''Khoja'' and adopted Sheikh as title. They are also called ''Khoja Sheikh''. Some of them adopted ''Mian'' as title. In recent years traders from a small town of Chiniot of district Jhang became prominent due to their contribution in the industris of Pakistan. These traders are known as Chiniotis or ''Chinioti Sheikhs''. Famous trading family Saigols , Sahgal Khatris of Chakwal district, are known as ''Punjabi Sheikh'' instead of ''Khoja Sheikh''. They use Mian as title. Qanungo Sheikh Qanungo Sheikhs are Muslim Khatris. They belonged to all the districts of the undivided Punjab. They are descendant of Khatri familis who were holding hereditary office of ''Qanugo'' during Muslim Period. This designation was used in the Punjab and other provinces of India and Pakistan for hereditary registrar of landed property in a subdivision of a district. In Mughal times most of these offices were held by Khatris. When these families converted to Islam, they called themselves Qanungo Sheikh. Delhi Punjabi Sodagran Delhi Punjabi Sodagran are descendant of Muslim Khatri traders who settled in the old city of Delhi. The date of settlement in Delhi is not certain. They use Sheikh as title. After creation of Pakistan in 1947, a large number of these traders migrated to Karachi. Some still live in Delhi. Other Sheikhs Kashmiri Sheikhs is another community living in different districts of the Punjab. They emigrated from Kashmir during 19th & 20th century. Allama Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal belonged to this group. His grandfather Sheikh Rafiq migrated to Sialkot in early 19th century. Kakkezai traders, who claim desent from Afghan of Seistan are residing in almost all the districts of the Punjab. They also use Sheikh as title. Ghulam Muhammad , the 3rd Governor General of Pakistan belonged to this community. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Vedic Period All the indigenous Punjabi Sheikhs are descendants of converted Khatris. The ancestors of present day Khatris were Kshatriyas of antiquity. Kshatriya was one of the Varnas (casts or classes) of Aryan social system. This class was responsible for ruling and defending the people. The present day Khatri families are not homogeneous racially, nor all of them are descendends of Kashatriya of Vedic Period (1700 - 1000 BC). The Punjab being the gateway of the Subcontinent of India-Pakistan had absorbed wave after wave of new races from the north west. The original Kashatriya families of Vedic Period came from two different backgrounds. First group of families were Aryans. They were successors of conquering families under whose leadership the Aryans secured their new homes in the Punjab and rest of the South Asia. The second group of families were indigenous. The Indus Valley Civilization was the first civilization of the South Asia flourished in the present day Pakistan and West India from 2800 - 1800 BC. This civilization began to decline and its major cities Harappa and Mohen-jo-daro were abandoned much before the arrival of Aryans in around 1700 BC. The people of IVC were absorbed in Aryan social system and were not evaporated in air. The indigenous people who maintained their independence against incoming newcomers were accepted in Aryan social orders in equal terms. Leading families of these indigenous people who successfully resisted Aryans may become Kashatriya of the Vedic Period {Link without Title} Invasions of Turko-Iranian People From 2nd century BC to 5th century AD Pakistan and West India came under continuous invasions of different Iranian peoples; Bacterians, Sakas, Parthians, Kushans, and Huns. These non Aryans conquerors from north west were accommodated in Aryan social system "... By adopting orthodox way of life and performing appropriate penitential sacrifices " [3 they were granted Kashatriya status. During those centuries ethnic composition of the Punjab remained in flex. By 7th century it was stabilized. Rajput s, Jat s, and Gujjar s, never heard before became integral part of the population. With the introduction of the Iranian peoples a physical feature became predominated which resemble to Iranian or other Caucasoid races to the west. This made people of Pakistan and West India distinct from the rest of the South Asia {Link without Title} . These Caucasoid physical features are more prominent in Sheikh and Khatris of present time. Rajput Period During Rajput Period (647 - 1021 AD) Khatris role changed. They lost their political powere to emerging order of Rajput. Being literate, proud, and well versed in statecraft, beside involved in to administrative role in government, Khatris channeled their skills into commerce and trade. Muslim Period During Muslim Period (1021-1752 AD) although rulers were foreign Muslims, local administration and revenue collection remained in the hands of local Muslims and Hindus. One of the offices called Qanungo was mostly held by Khatris. Many of these Qanungo Khatris embraced Islam. Their descended are now called ''Qanungo Sheikhs''. By the time Mughals lost control of the Punjab to Afghans in 1752 AD, ''Khoja Sheikhs'' had became the backbone of the economy of the Punjabi towns. Family names of Sheikhs and division of Khatris Sahgal (Saigol), Sethi, Chaddha, Wadhaun, Vohra, Duggal, Talwar, Jirath, Suri, Mehndru, Churra, Maghoon, Puri, Gadhiok, are some of the common family (or Gotra ) names of Punjabi Sheikhs. These are all Khatri sections. Khatri families were divided into three major groups; ''Bawanji'', ''Baraghar'' and ''Sarin''. The Emperor Akbar's close adviser Abu Fazel noted these divisions and reported in his book ''Ain-i-Akbari'' (compiled in 1590 AD): '' " there are 500 tribes of these Kshatriya, of whom 52 (''Bawanjai'') are pre-eminently distinguished and 12 (''Baraghar'') are considerable importance" '' He also wrote that ''"Some of their descendants abandoning the profession of arm and have taken other occupations''" {Link without Title} These groupings is said to be happened at the time of Ala-uddin Khilji (1296-1315 AD) when he tried to impose widow-marriage upon Khatris. They sent a deputation of 52 to oppose this court order. ''Sarin'' accepted court orders, while Bawanjai did not. ''Khokhran'', a sub group of ''Bawanjai'' are descendeds of those opposed and joined Khokhars in rebellion. {Link without Title} The ''Baraghar'' are Kapur, Khanna, Malhotra, Kakar, Chopra, Talwar, Sahgal, Dhawan, Wadhaun, Tannan, Vohra and Maindharu. ''Bawanjai'' consisted of many sections. One of the sub group mentioned above consists of 8 sections; Anand, Bhasin, Chadda, Sahni, Suri, Sethi, Kohli and Sabbarwal; is indigenous to Rawalpindi Division is known as ''Khokhran'' or ''Kukhran''. ''Sarin'' division beside a large number of sections consists of four section of Sikh gurus; Bedi, Sodhi, Trihun and Bhalla. PUNJABI SHEIKHS IN THE PRESENT ERA The British Raj (1848 - 1947 AD) offered lot of opportunities in education and busineses for the people of the Punjab. Majority of the people were involved in cultivations. Sheikhs and Khatris who were non agriculturists availed these opportunities. The establishment of new system of education and development of communications ; roads, railways, and telegraphs; stimulated large number of Sheikhs and Khatris for progress. Those who were involved in trade expanded their activities beyond Punjab and established their businesses as far as Kolkatta and Burma. Initially their activities were restricted to trading later they established manufacturing industries. After partition of India in 1947 almost all Punjabi Sheikhs moved to Pakistan. Presently, beside Saigols and Chinioties, Sheikh traders are involved in all kind of businesses in small and large towns of the Punjab and other cities of Pakistan. Those who joined government services during 19th century, provided high education to their children. They are now most successful comunity of the Punjab and represented heavily in the public service, in professions like doctors, lawyers, and engineers. DISTINGUISHED PUNJABI SHEIKHS
REFERENCES # D. Ibbetson, E.MacLagan, H.A. Rose, " ''A Glossary of The Tribes & Casts of The Punjab & North West Frontier Province''", 1911, pp 502 Vol II # Wendy Doniger, tr. "''The Law of Manu''", (Penguin Books, 1991 ) Verses 43-44, Chapter 10. # A.L. Basham " ''The Wonder That Was India''", ( Sidgwick & Jackson, 1967) # D. Ibbetson, E.MacLagan, H.A. Rose, pp 58, Vol I # Abu Fazal, "''Ain-i-Akbari''", translated by H.Blocmann & H.S. Jarrett, (Calcutta, 1873-94) 3 Vols., a gazetteer of the Mughal Empire compiled in 1590 AD. # D. Ibbetson, E.MacLagan, H.A. Rose, pp 513-514 Vol II |
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