Khukhrain
| Khukhrain | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Khatri |
| Religions | Hinduism and Sikhism |
| Languages | Punjabi (Doabi), Hindi |
| Populated States | Punjab |
| Subdivisions | Anand, Bhasin, Chadha, Chandoke, Kohli, Sabharwal, Sahni, Sethi, Suri. |
The Khukhrain is a clan composed of eight septs of the Khatri caste who originally hailed from the areas of the Salt Range and particularly the town of Bhera in Punjab.
Origin
Their area of origin is the Sind Sagar Doab (Indus-Jhelum interfluve) and the Jech Doab (Jhelum-Chenab interfluve) region of Pakistan. The language spoken in the region was majorly Doabi. The names of the eight clans are: Anand, Bhasin, Chadha, Kohli, Sabharwal, Sahni, Sethi and Suri.
Battle of Bhera
The Khukhrains spread over Khushab, Dhune Kheb, Chakwal, Pind Dadan Khan, Peshawar, Nowshera and Lahore.[1] 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.[2]
When Bhera was sacked by Mahmud of Ghazni, the Khukhrain king Biji Rai preferred to commit suicide using his dagger rather than submit to Ghazni.[1] Jaipal's son, Anandapala, received support of the Khukhrains against Ghazni in 1008-9 at Wahind[3]
Religious beliefs
Most Khukhrains are Hindu or Sikh. Some are Muslim. Khukhrains of all these faiths collectively form one community. In Pakistan there continues to be a large number of Muslim Khukrains living specially in the Pakistani Punjab as is borne out by their Khukrain surnames such as Sethi, Sahni and Suri. Some scholars such as Muhammad Ikrām Chutai believe that a number of Khukharains were converted to Islam by the Sufi Baba Farid [4]
Khokran and Khokhars
Encyclopaedia Britannica notes that: "The Khokharain sub group of the 52 claims descent from a son of Manu but it is possibly named from the Khokhar Rajputs and several clan names are traced to military."[5]
See also
References
- 1 2 The Panjab Past and Present By Punjabi University Dept. of Punjab Historical Studies Published by Dept. of Punjab Historical Studies, Punjabi University., 1981 Page 195
- ↑ The Panjab Past and Present By Punjabi University Dept. of Punjab Historical Studies Published by Dept. of Punjab Historical Studies, Punjabi University., 1981 Page 200)
- ↑ The Panjab Past and Present By Punjabi University Dept. of Punjab Historical Studies Published by Dept. of Punjab Historical Studies, Punjabi University., 1981 page 201}
- ↑ Babaji: Life and Teachings of Farid-ud Din Ganj-i Shakar By Muhammad Ikrām Chutai Page 433 Published by Sang-e-Meel Publications, 2006
- ↑ Britannica: A New Survey of Universal Knowledge By Walter Yust Published by Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1952 Page 980
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