110-516: The Khukhrain or Khokhrain 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 . 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
220-923: 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. Khatris of Punjab, specifically, were scribes and traders during
330-533: A Sikh rebellion against the Mughals in the early 1700s severely compromised the Khatri's ability to trade and forced them to take sides. Those who were primarily dependent on the Mughals went to significant lengths to assert that allegiance in the face of accusations that they were in fact favouring " Jat Sikh followers of the rebel leader, Banda ". The outcome of their assertions - which included providing financial support to
440-727: A group of martial caste members called Khati (Khatri) exist in North-India ". Michael Witzel , writing in his paper " Sanskritization of the Kuru State" states the Kathaiois were Kaṭha Brahmins . The Khatris played an important role in India's trans-regional trade during the period, being described by Levi as among the "most important merchant communities of early modern India." Levi writes: " Stephen Dale locates Khatris in Astrakhan , Russia during
550-515: A growth of the army which split into different confederacies or semi-independent misls . Each of these component armies controlled different areas and cities. However, in the period from 1762 to 1799, Sikh commanders of the misls appeared to be coming into their own as independent. Sikhism began during the conquest of North India by Babur , the founder of the Mughal Empire . His grandson, Akbar , supported religious freedom and after visiting
660-569: A letter that commanded all Sikhs to join him. After two years of gaining supporters, Banda Singh Bahadur initiated an agrarian uprising by breaking up the large estates of Zamindar families and distributing the land to the poor peasants who farmed the land. Banda Singh Bahadur started his rebellion by defeating the Mughal armies at the Battle of Samana , establishing the First Sikh State in 1709. This
770-631: A medieval Muslim dynasty founded by Zafar Khan Muzaffar , a member of the Tank caste of Punjabi Khatris according to the contemporary historian Shiekh Sikander or Rajputs. He started as a menial but rose to the level of a noble in the Delhi Sultan's family and became the Governor of Gujrat. After Timur attacked the city, people fled to Gujarat and it became independent. According to historians Roger Ballard and Harjot Oberoi , Afghan Hindus and Sikhs descend from
880-520: A neutral role in the power struggle between two of the sons of Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb and Dara Shikoh , for control of the Mughal Empire. The ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur , moved the Sikh community to Anandpur and travelled extensively to visit and preach in defiance of Aurangzeb, who attempted to install Ram Rai as new guru. Guru Tegh Bahadur aided Kashmiri Pandits in avoiding conversion to Islam and
990-586: A number of years when he no longer felt threatened. The Sikh community did not have any further issues with the Mughal Empire until the death of Jahangir in 1627. The succeeding son of Jahangir, Shah Jahan , took offence at Guru Hargobind's "sovereignty" and after a series of assaults on Amritsar forced the Sikhs to retreat to the Sivalik Hills . The next guru, Guru Har Rai , maintained the guruship in these hills by defeating local attempts to seize Sikh land and playing
1100-550: A simple border policy where it did not allow uninvited foreigners into the state. The purpose of this border policy was to dissuade potential foreign spies from entering the country. An example of the policy in-action is the case of Captain Arnold Mathews, who snuck into the Sikh Empire in circa 1808 to spy under the guise of being a tourist headed towards Kashmir but was intercepted and brought to Lahore. The Sikh court observed
1210-653: A springboard to advance on the Sikh-held region of Multan, eventually resulted in conflict with the British. After Ranjit Singh's death in 1839, the empire was severely weakened by internal divisions and political mismanagement. This opportunity was used by the British East India Company to launch the First Anglo-Sikh War . The Battle of Ferozeshah in 1845 marked many turning points, the British encountered
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#17329234203671320-569: A sub-caste of Khatris by some scholars were concentrated in the districts of Bannu , Kohat and Dera Ismail Khan . The Aroras spoke Jatki language which is the 9th century version of Saraiki (Multani) according to Ibbetson . They were also found in Afghanistan at a population of 300,000 in 1880. According to an 1800s colonial source referred by Shah Hanifi , " Hindki is the name given to Hindus who live in Afghanistan. They are Hindus of Khatri class and are found all over Afghanistan even amongst
1430-412: A total of over 200,000 sq mi (520,000 km ) at its zenith. Another more conservative estimate puts its total surface area during its zenith at 100,436 sq mi (260,124 km sq). The following modern-day political divisions made up the historical Sikh Empire: Jamrud District ( Khyber Agency , Pakistan) was the westernmost limit of the Sikh Empire. The westward expansion was stopped in
1540-465: Is also seen, in the context of Hindi. Hence the change from kshatriya to khatri is in consonance with the Prakrit rule and Hindi usage. The same is also testified by scholars R. G. Bhandarkar and Shapurji Edalji . As per historian W. H. McLeod and Louis Fenech, Khatri is a Punjabi form of the word Kshatriya. Peter Hardy and A. R. Desai also agree that Khatri is derived from Kshatriya. Despite
1650-549: Is another sort of gentiles whom they call Catry, the town is properly their country and from thence they spread all over the Indies." According to Dr. Madhu Tyagi, Thevenot is referring to Hindu Khatri caste here. The last caste-based census was conducted by the British in 1931 which regarded Khatri and Arora as a different caste. During 1931, Khatris were prominent in the West Punjab and North-Western Frontier Province (NWFP), which
1760-708: Is now known as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK). The Khatris spoke Hindko and Potohari language. Highest percentage concentration of Khatris (excluding Aroras) were in Potohar regions of Jhelum and Rawalpindi . In NWFP, the Khatris were found mainly in Peshawer and Hazara . Arora-Khatris were centered in Multan and Derajat regions of Punjab and NWFP . In the NWFP, the Aroras which are considered
1870-440: Is supposed to slice the thick branch or stem of a Jandi Tree (Prosopis cineraria) in one blow using a sword. During the pregnancy period of a female, a baby shower ceremony called "reetan" or "goadbharai" is carried out amongst Khatris and Aroras. During the event, gifts are showered to the pregnant mother from family and friends among other traditions. Harish Damodaran says the rise of Khatri industrialists in post-1947 India
1980-604: Is to protect the oppressed from the aggression of the oppressors". According to scholars, the Khatri Hindus dominated the weaving industry in Benaras. When the first caravan of Muslim weavers arrived in Benaras , the Khatri, who were considered low-caste Hindus at the time, helped them. The Muslims had to depend on the Khatri weavers because the Muslims found it difficult to interact with
2090-609: The Sarkar Khalsaji . The foundation of the Sikh Empire can be traced to as early as 1707, the year of Aurangzeb 's death and the start of the downfall of the Mughal Empire . With the Mughals significantly weakened, the Sikh army, known as the Dal Khalsa , a rearrangement of the Khalsa inaugurated by Guru Gobind Singh , led expeditions against them and the Afghans in the west. This led to
2200-554: The Adi Granth . When the Guru refused, Jahangir ordered him to be put to death by torture. Guru Arjan's martyrdom led to the sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind , declaring Sikh sovereignty in the creation of the Akal Takht and the establishment of a fort to defend Amritsar . Jahangir attempted to assert authority over the Sikhs by jailing Guru Hargobind at Gwalior Fort , but released him after
2310-645: The Afghan-Sikh Wars , and the unification of the separate Sikh misls. Ranjit Singh rose to power in a very short period, from a leader of a single misl to finally becoming the Maharaja of Punjab. He began to modernise his army, using the latest training as well as weapons and artillery . After the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the empire was weakened by the British East India Company stoking internal divisions and political mismanagement. Finally, in 1849,
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#17329234203672420-507: The Battle of Jamrud , in which the Afghans managed to kill the prominent Sikh general Hari Singh Nalwa in an offensive, though the Sikhs successfully held their position at their Jamrud fort. Ranjit Singh sent his General Sirdar Bahadur Gulab Singh Powind thereafter as reinforcement and he crushed the Pashtun rebellion harshly. In 1838, Ranjit Singh with his troops marched into Kabul to take part in
2530-532: The British Empire . The formation of the empire began with the capture of Lahore from its Durrani ruler, Zaman Shah Durrani . Ranjit Singh was proclaimed as Maharaja of the Punjab on 12 April 1801 (to coincide with Vaisakhi ), creating a unified political state. Sahib Singh Bedi, a descendant of Guru Nanak , conducted the coronation. The formation of the empire was followed by the progressive expulsion of Afghans from Punjab by capitalizing off Afghan decline in
2640-541: The Cis-Sutlej States and also in territory under the British East India Company's rule. Other vakil emissaries of the Sikh court were sent to Rajputana , the Marathas , and Nepal on complimentary missions. Western/European officers from various backgrounds, including Britishers, Frenchmen, Germans, Italians, Spaniards, Americans, and Russians, also rose to high levels within the Sikh court in many instances. However,
2750-717: The Dallewallia Misl , an independent 18th century Sikh sovereign state in Ludhiana and Jalandhar district that would later on join Maharaja Ranjit Singh's kingdom. In the Sikh Empire, Hari Singh Nalwa (1791–1837) an Uppal Khatri from Gujranwala , became the Commander-in-chief of the Sikh Khalsa Army . He led the Sikh conquests of Kasur , Sialkot , Attock , Multan , Kashmir , Peshawar and Jamrud . He
2860-616: The Koh-i-Nor diamond for Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He served as governor of Kashmir and Hazara and established a mint on behalf of the Sikh empire to facilitate revenue collection. His frontier policy of holding the Khyber Pass was later used by the British Raj . Nalwa was responsible for expanding the frontier of Sikh empire to the Indus River . At the time of his death, the western boundary of
2970-987: The Param Vir Chakra . The word khatri , in the Hindi Language , comes from the Sanskrit " kshatriya ", according to the Śabdasāgara Lexicon by Shyamasundara Dasa. According to B. N. Puri , philologists agree that the terms "khatri" and "kshatriya" are synonymous. The Sanskrit conjunct ksha (क्ष) turns into the Prakrit kha (ख), as per the grammarian Vararuchi . This change is not only accepted in Prakrit, but in all Indian vernaculars derived by it, such as Gujarati , Urdu , Gurumukhi as well as Farsi or Persian . Certain Sanskrit words have very close counterparts, such as: kshetra (kheta), kshama (khama), laksha (lakha), and iksha (ikha). The substituition of ri (ऋ) from riya
3080-666: The Partition of British India in 1947, Khatris migrated enmasse to India from the regions that comprise modern-day Pakistan. Hindu Afghans and Sikh Afghans are predominantly of Khatri and Arora origin. Khatris have played an active role in the Indian Armed Forces since 1947, with many heading it as the Chief of Army or Admiral of the Navy . Some such as Vikram Batra and Arun Khetarpal have won India's highest wartime gallantry award,
3190-511: The Punjab Army , opening with a gun-duel in which the Sikhs "had the better of the British artillery". As the British made advances, Europeans in their army were specially targeted, as the Sikhs believed if the army "became demoralized, the backbone of the enemy's position would be broken". The fighting continued throughout the night. The British position "grew graver as the night wore on", and "suffered terrible casualties with every single member of
3300-573: The Sivalik Hill rajas , who attempted to attack the city, but Guru Gobind Singh 's forces routed them at the Battle of Bhangani . He moved on to Anandpur and established the Khalsa , a collective army of baptised Sikhs, on 30 March 1699. The establishment of the Khalsa united the Sikh community against various Mughal-backed claimants to the guruship. In 1701, a combined army of the Sivalik Hill rajas and
3410-411: The langar of Guru Amar Das got a favourable impression of Sikhism. As a result of his visit, he donated land to the langar and the Mughals did not have any conflict with Sikh gurus until his death in 1605. His successor Jahangir , saw the Sikhs as a political threat. He ordered Guru Arjan , who had been arrested for supporting the rebellious Khusrau Mirza , to change the passage about Islam in
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3520-820: The Battle of Bhera in 1004-5. Bhera was the Khukhrain capital. 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 . Jaipal's son, Anandapala , received support of
3630-514: The Brahmin scribes who discontinued the use of Persian and started using Marathi in the Deccan. According to McLane, them being a trading group, had spread into many parts of India, possibly long before the 1700s and to Bengal, possibly even before the Mughals arrived. According to a 17th-century legend, Khatris continued their military service until the time of Aurangzeb , when their mass death during
3740-737: The Chinese and Tibetans. The Cis-Sutlej states were a group of Sikh states in the Punjab region lying between the Sutlej River to the north, the Himalayas to the east, the Yamuna River and Delhi district to the south, and Sirsa District to the west. These states fell under the suzerainty of the Maratha Empire after 1785 before the Second Anglo-Maratha War of 1803–1805, after which
3850-520: The Governor General's staff either killed or wounded". Nevertheless, the British army took and held Ferozeshah. British General Sir James Hope Grant recorded: "Truly the night was one of gloom and forbidding and perhaps never in the annals of warfare has a British Army on such a large scale been nearer to a defeat which would have involved annihilation." The reasons for the withdrawal of the Sikhs from Ferozeshah are contentious. Some believe that it
3960-529: The Khatri men since the seventeenth century. In the early 19th century, the Khatris, Bhatias and Lohanas were the main trading castes in Rajasthan , Delhi , Agra , Sind and Punjab . Banking, trading and business were considered "traditional occupations of the Khatri in Rajasthan". According to Prakash Tandon , during Khatri weddings, a ritual is carried out to test the Khatri groom's strength. The groom
4070-624: The Khatri weavers in Gujarat trace their ancestry to either Champaner ( Panch Mahals District ) or Hinglaj (Sindh) and the community genealogists believe that the migration happened during the late sixteenth' century. Suraiya Faroqhi , writes that, in 1742 Gujarat, the Khatris had protested the immigration of Muslim weavers by refusing to deliver cloth to the East India Company. In another case Khatris taught weaving to Kunbis due to receiving excessive orders who soon became strong competitors to
4180-401: The Khatris much to their chagrin. In the mid-1770s, the Mughal governor granted the Kunbi rivals rights to manufacture saris . This licence was later revoked in 1800 due to pressure from the British, after a deal was struck between the Khatris and the East India Company , in which the Khatris would weave only for the EIC until certain quotas were met. The Gujarat Sultanate (1407–1523) was
4290-418: The Khatris, Kashmiri Brahmins and Kayasthas took readily to learning Persian from the times of Sikandar Lodi onwards and found ready employment in the Imperial Services, specifically in the departments of accountancy (siyaq), draftsmanship (insha) and offices of the revenue minister (diwan). In the 15th century, the Sikh religion was founded by Guru Nanak , a Bedi Khatri. The second guru, Guru Angad
4400-402: The Khukhrains against the Ghazni rule in 1008-9 at Wahind. In 1206, the Khukhrains had assassinated Muhammad Ghori during a raid near Jhelum . 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
4510-492: The Maharaja when their father, Ghulam Muhiuddin, a physician, was summoned by him to treat an eye ailment soon after his capture of Lahore. The other Fakir brothers were Imamuddin, one of his principal administration officers, and Nuruddin, who served as home minister and personal physician, were also granted jagirs by the Maharaja. Every year, while at Amritsar, Ranjit Singh visited shrines of holy people of other faiths, including several Muslim saints, which did not offend even
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4620-434: The Marathas lost control of the territory to the British East India Company . The Cis-Sutlej states included Kalsia , Kaithal , Patiala State , Nabha State , Jind State , Thanesar , Maler Kotla , Ludhiana , Kapurthala State , Ambala , Ferozpur and Faridkot State , among others. The Sikh Empire of Ranjit Singh occupied Faridkot State in 1807. However, control was restored to Gulab Singh of Faridkot in 1809 due to
4730-432: The Mughals and shaving their beards - was that the Khatris became still more important to the Mughal rulers as administrators at various levels, in particular because of their skills in financial management and their connections with bankers. Khatri standards of literacy and caste status were such during the early years of Sikhism that, according to W. H. McLeod , they dominated it. Historian Douglas E. Hanes states that
4840-414: The Mughals and their administrators , the Mughal-allied Hindu hill-rajas of the Sivalik Hills , and hostile local Muslims siding with other Muslim forces. The Sikhs of the Dal Khalsa eventually formed their own independent Sikh administrative regions, Misls , derived from a Perso-Arabic term meaning 'similar', headed by Misldars . These Misls were united in large part by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. After
4950-557: The Mughals under Wazir Khan attacked Anandpur. The Khalsa retreated but regrouped to defeat the Mughals at the Battle of Muktsar . In 1707, Guru Gobind Singh accepted an invitation by Aurangzeb's successor Bahadur Shah I to meet him. The meeting took place at Agra on 23 July 1707. In August 1708, Guru Gobind Singh visited Nanded . There he met a Bairāgī recluse, Madho Das, who converted to Sikhism, rechristened as Banda Singh Bahadur . A short time before his death, Guru Gobind Singh ordered him to reconquer Punjab region and gave him
5060-419: The Muslim and Kunbi weavers purchased imported yarn in the 1840s. In Mandvi , the silk products were highly valued and the Khatri dyers would work in the pits on the bank of the river Rukmavati because the water was supposed to have special properties to give steadfast colours. These products were often exported to east Africa. In Dhamadka, Kutch , "block printing cloth" was the traditional occupation of
5170-401: 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 . 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.." Khatri Khatri is
5280-454: The Punjab plains. In the 1830s, Khatris were working as governors in the districts like Bardhaman , Lahore , Multan , Peshawar and Hazara , but independent from the Mughal rule. In Punjab, they were moneylenders, shopkeepers and grain-dealers among other professions. A Peshkari Khatri family in Hyderabad State would become part of the Hyderabadi nobility and occupy the post of Prime Minister of Hyderabad. Notable individuals of
5390-458: The Punjabi word " khattrī ", meaning "warrior", derives from Sanskrit " kṣatriya ", whereas the Gujarati word " khātrī ", meaning "a caste of Hindu weavers", derives from Sanskrit " kṣattr̥ ", meaning "carver, distributor". John Stratton Hawley and Mann clarify that although the word "Khatri" derives from the word "Kshatriya", in Punjab's context Khatri refers to a "cluster of merchant castes including Bedis, Bhallas and Sodhis". Purnima Dhavan sees
5500-413: The Sikh Empire was the Khyber Pass. The Namgyal dynasty of Ladakh paid regular annual tribute to the Sikh Empire starting 1819 until 1834. The tribute was paid to the local Sikh governors of Kashmir. The Namgyal kingdom would later be conquered by the Dogras , under the leadership of Zorawar Singh. The domain of the Maqpon kingdom of Baltistan, based in Skardu, under the rule of Ahmad Shah Maqpon,
5610-453: The Sikh conquests up until the Khyber pass . Others such as Mokham Chand commanded the Sikh Army against the Durrani Empire at Attock while those such as Sawan Mal Chopra ruled Multan after wrestling it from the Afghans. During the British colonial era, they also served as lawyers and engaged in administrative jobs in the colonial bureaucracy. Some of them served in the British Indian army after being raised as Sikhs. During
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#17329234203675720-431: The Sikh court and nobles also wearing yellow clothing on the day. During Basant, the officials bore gifts for the sovereign ruler, with the ruler in-turn bestowing robe-of-honours to the officials based on their rank and status. During celebrations of Dussehra, the Sikh court assembled itself at Amritsar and the jagirdari troops of the empire's military were paraded and inspected by the maharaja. The Sikh Empire spanned
5830-424: The Sikh court was filled with elaborately garbed and decorated members. Only three individuals were permitted to be seated on chairs within the durbar, them namely being heir-apparent Kharak Singh, kanwar Sher Singh, and Raja Hira Singh. Three sides of the hall of the durbar were covered with golden-pillars, with shawl carpets that were embroidered with golden and silver, and inset with precious stones, decorating
5940-484: The Sikh court was wary of the Westerners within the court, and kept them therefore under strict regulation. These foreign Western members of the court were persuaded by the state to integrate themselves by marrying a local woman, settling down within the empire, and adopt the cultural customs of the locals, such as growing out a beard or wearing a turban. The Western members of the court were also banned from publicly consuming beef or smoking . The Sikh Empire did enact
6050-408: The Sikh court were treated with respect and hospitality, with many contemporary accounts of foreign visitors to the court noting the good-treatment afforded to them by the state. When a foreign visitor arrived, they would be greeted by a protocol officer, who would arrange for their temporary residence, which was based upon the status of the visitor. The state government paid for the expenses regarding
6160-514: The Sikh victory at Sirhind . He ruled the territory between the Sutlej river and the Yamuna river , established a capital in the Himalayas at Lohgarh and struck coinage in the names of Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh. In 1716, his army was defeated by the Mughals after he attempted to defend his fort at Gurdas Nangal . He was captured along with 700 of his men and sent to Delhi , where they were all tortured and executed after refusing to convert to Islam . The period from 1716 to 1799
6270-413: The autobiography of the last Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh , but possibly not so, the Bedi sub-caste of the Khatris derives its lineage from Kush , the son of Rama (according to Hindu epic Ramayana ). Similarly, according to the same legend, the Sodhi sub-caste claims descent from Lav , the other son of Rama. In Guru Granth Sahib , the primary scripture of Sikhism , Khatri is mentioned as one among
6380-408: The city. Historian Stephen Dale states that most of the 10,000 (as estimated by Jean Chardin ) Indian merchants and money-lenders in Isfahan (Iran) in 1670, belonged to the Khatri caste of Punjab and north-west India. In Iran's Bazaar 's, Khatris sold cloth and various items and also practised money-lending. Dale believes that Khatris had possibly been travelling from Punjab via caravans since
6490-546: The claim as originating from a conflation of the phonetically similar words khatri and kshatriya, but refers to Khatris as a "trading caste" of the Sikh Gurus. Baij Nath Puri mentions that the modern descendants of these Kathaiois, Khathrois & Khatriaoi tribes mentioned by the Greeks in West Punjab are the Khatris of India. According to S. Sasikanta Sastri , Greek historians have mentioned that Alexander faced stiffed resistance from Indian army of "Kathiyo" warriors. Sastri further adds that "even in present day modern-India,
6600-401: The court include high-level civil and military appointments, reports from the provincial satraps and kardars . When matters of the court were read-out, royal decrees made orally were transferred into writing for final approval. Tributes and nazaranas were also exchanged or bestowed within the court. Supplicants to the court were dismissed with khill'ats (robes) or monetary gifts. When
6710-584: The customary law of the districts and socio-ethnic groups, and were open to all who wanted to be governed by customary religious law, whether Hindu, Sikh, or Muslim. One of Ranjit Singh's first acts after the 1799 capture of Lahore was to revive the offices of the hereditary Qazis and Muftis which had been prevalent in Mughal times. Kazi Nizamuddin was appointed to decide marital issues among Muslims, while Muftis Mohammad Shahpuri and Sadulla Chishti were entrusted with powers to draw up title-deeds relating to transfers of immovable property. The old mohalladari system
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#17329234203676820-404: The emperor's Deccan Campaign caused him to order their widows to be remarried . The order was made out of sympathy for the widows but when the Khatri community leaders refused to obey it, Aurangzeb terminated their military service and said that they should be shopkeepers and brokers. This legend is probably fanciful: McLane notes that a more likely explanation for their revised position was that
6930-431: The empire was from the Punjab region to Khyber Pass in the west, to Kashmir in the north, Sindh in the south, and Tibet in the east. In 1799, Ranjit Singh moved the capital to Lahore from Gujranwala , where it had been established in 1763 by his grandfather, Charat Singh . Ranjit Singh annexed the Sial State , a local Muslim-ruled chieftaincy, after invading Jhang in 1807. The basis for this annexation
7040-427: The empire's existing territory south of the Sutlej), following attempts by Ranjit Singh to wrest control of these states from the British between 1806 and 1809 The Sikh crossing of the Sutlej, following British militarization of the border with Punjab (from 2,500 men and six guns in 1838 to 17,612 men and 66 guns in 1844, and 40,523 men and 94 guns in 1845), and plans on using the newly conquered territory of Sindh as
7150-450: The era of Ziauddin Barani (around 1300 AD). Chardin specifically stereotyped and expressed disapproval of the money-lending techniques of the Khatri community. According to Dale, this racist criticism was ironic given Chardin's non-English background but adds that it was Chardin's way of giving an "ethnic explanation" to the economic disparity between Iran and India at that time. According to Bichitra Natak , traditionally said to be
7260-415: The etymology, Hardy says that Khatri is "a mercantile class" and Desai says the Khatris were "traditionally tradesmen and government officials". Dr. Dharamvir Bharati comments that in Punjabi language, Kshatriya is pronounced as Khatri. As per Dr. GS Mansukhani and RC Dogra, "Khatri appears to be unquestionably a Prakritised form of Sanskrit word Kshatriya." According to philologist Ralph Lilley Turner ,
7370-457: The exact limits of Khatri occupation to the West, but certainly in all Eastern Afghanistan they seem to be just as much part of the community as they are in the Punjab. They find their way into Central Asia." The Khatris took on a prominent role in the emerging Sikh milieu of post-Mughal Punjab. According to the Khalsa Durbar Records, Maharaja Ranjit Singh 's army was composed of majorly Jats followed by Khatris. Sardar Gulab Singh Khatri founded
7480-439: The family include Maharaja Kishen Prasad , GCIE who would serve as Prime Minister of the State twice. In Hyderabad , around the mid-20th century, Khatris and Padmasalis were the leading "Hindu weaving castes" who owned 43% of the looms . The Khatris specialised in silk, while the Padmasalis in cotton weaving. In Gujarat , during the colonial rule, Khatris contributed greatly to the weaving industry there. They as well as
7590-410: The festivals of Vaisakhi , Dussehra , Basant , Holi , and Diwali . Vaisakhi was considered an especially auspicious celebration within the Sikh court, with it giving and distributing gifts of money, gold, silver, cows, horses, elephants, gold-bangles, and food to Brahmins and the poor. During Basant celebrations, the military troops of the empire were paraded donning yellow uniforms, with members of
7700-491: The floor. The maharaja was seated on a golden throne , with Ranjit Singh preferring to sit cross-legged on it. The member of the court allowed to be seated behind the maharaja was Raja Dhian Singh. The rest of the members of the court were seated as per their rank and status. The colours of the Sikh court were yellow and green. Thus, most of its members donned yellow-coloured dressings made from Kashmiri silk or woollens. However, there existed no strict categorization scheme of
7810-549: The four varnas . ਖਤ੍ਰੀ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣ ਸੂਦ ਵੈਸ ਉਪਦੇਸੁ ਚਹੁ ਵਰਨਾ ਕਉ ਸਾਝਾ ॥ (SGGS, ang 747) Khatri brahman sud vais updesu cahu varna ku sanjha Kshatriyas , Brahmins , Shudras and Vaishyas all have the same mandate Guru Gobind Singh , said the following in a swayya : Chattri ko poot ho, Baman ko naheen kayee tap aavat ha jo karon; Ar aur janjaar jito greh ko tohe tyaag, kahan chit taan mai dharon, Ab reejh ke deh vahey humko jo-oo, hau binti kar jor karoon ; Jab aao ki audh nidaan bane, att hi ran main tab jujh maroon. I am
7920-480: The groups of Ranbaxy , Hero , Mahindra , Ballarpur Industries , Apollo Tyres and Oberoi respectively. They have also co-founded companies like Snapdeal , Hotmail , YesBank , IndiaToday , AajTak , IndiGo Airlines , Sun Microsystems , Max Group etc. Punjabi Khatris and others, together with the traditionally "urban and professional" castes, formed a part of the elite middle class immediately after independence in 1947. According to P. K. Verma, "Education
8030-559: The happenings of surrounding regions, including remote parts of its territory and foreign countries, the Sikh court received reports from the waqa'nawis (news-writers) located in the empire's provinces ( subas ). The reports were dispatched to the Lahore Darbar at regular intervals. Furtheremore, the vakils (agents) of foreign countries were associated with the Sikh court on a reciprocal basis. The Sikh court had news-writers located in Afghanistan and also had its own vakil emissaries in
8140-424: The high-caste Hindus directly at the time. Since these new immigrant Muslims were cheap labour, the Khatris took over marketing and thus transited from weavers to traders over time. The Muslims, who learned the technique of weaving from them, soon came to be known as Chira-i-Baaf or 'fine cloth weavers'. In Bengal, Burdwan Raj (1657–1955) was a Khatri dynasty, which gained a high social position for Khatris in
8250-480: The land Khatris originally belonged to had very little industry and rail infrastructure until the 20th century and hence were not comparable to merchant groups like Banias in terms of scale and spread of operation. Before independence they were only regional players and their rise in phenomenal proportions was a post-independence feature. Since then, they have produced leading entities in fields of pharmaceuticals, two-wheelers, tractors, paper, tyre-making and hotels with
8360-550: The late 17th century and, in the 1830s, Elphinstone , was informed that Khatris were still highly involved in northwest India's trade and that they maintained communities throughout Afghanistan and as far away as Astrakhan ". According to Kiran Datar, they often married Tatar local women in Astrakhan and the children from these marriages were known as Agrijan . As per Stephen Dale, the children born out of Indo-Turkic alliance were in sufficient number to form an Agrizhan suburb in
8470-615: The maharaja was travelling, the court ceased to be static and was held at whatever location the ruler's retinue decided to hold-up at, often under a tree or whilst moving on horseback. The ruler would dictate orders to provincial governors whilst inspecting their troops or even in the midst of battle. Noble members of the court, including relatives of the royal family, resided in palatial haveli structures and donned expensive clothing and accessories (such as jewelry). The Sikh princes, and also Raja Dhian Singh, were permitted to hold their own miniature durbars (courts). Foreign visitors to
8580-501: The majority of Khatris and were deemed superior. This was followed by Sareen Khatris who formed a minority. Another sub-group of Khatris include Khukhrain which had split up from the bunjayees . (Bunjahis) Emperor Jahangir in his autobiography Jahangirnama while talking about the castes, he observed "The second highest caste (after Brahmins in the caste system) is the Chhatri which is also known as Khattri. The Chhatri caste's purpose
8690-558: The medieval period, with the Gurumukhi script used in writing the Punjabi language deriving from a standardised form of the Lāṇḍa script used by Khatri traders; the invention of the script is traditionally ascribed to Guru Angad . During the medieval period, with the rise of Persian as an elite vernacular due to Islamic rule, some of the traditional high status upper-caste literate elite such as
8800-410: The members of the country's indigenous Khatri population who resisted the conversion from Buddhism to Islam between 9th and 13th centuries. Later, they aligned themselves to the teachings of Guru Nanak, himself a Khatri and converted to Sikhism. Hence, Khatris of Afghanistan are in no way of "Indian origin" but are components of the original population of the region. George Campbell says "I do not know
8910-723: The most religious Sikhs of his administration. As relayed by Fakir Nuruddin, orders were issued to treat people of all faith groups, occupations, and social levels equally and in accordance with the doctrines of their faith, per the Shastras and the Quran , as well as local authorities like judges and panches (local elder councils), as well as banning forcible possession of others' land or of inhabited houses to be demolished. There were special courts for Muslims which ruled in accordance to Muslim law in personal matters, and common courts preceded over by judicial officers which administered justice under
9020-473: The north of the river, and setting the Sutlej as the dividing boundary between the Sikh and British empires; negotiating with Dost Muhammad Khan during his unsuccessful attempt to retake Peshawar , and ensuring the succession of the throne during the Maharaja's last days in addition to caretaking after a stroke, as well as occasional military assignments throughout his career. The Fakir brothers were introduced to
9130-404: The positions of foreign minister of the empire and translator for the maharaja, and played important roles in such important events as the negotiations with the British, during which he convinced Ranjit Singh to maintain diplomatic ties with the British and not to go to war with them in 1808, as British troops were moved along the Sutlej in pursuance of the British policy of confining Ranjit Singh to
9240-411: The rankings of the constituent members of the Lahore Darbar, thus the rankings of its members was determined by the level of trust the maharaja held in them. The court also granted awards upon its members, with most of these essentially being bestowed titles in the form of honourifics, however some members were granted jagirs (estate grant). Laziness was heavily looked-down upon with the court, with
9350-665: The region while his son Diwan Mulraj Chopra , (1814-1851) the last Punjabi ruler of Multan led a Sikh rebellion against British suzerainty over Multan after the fall of the Sikh Empire in the Anglo-Sikh Wars . He was arrested after the Siege of Multan and put to death. Purnima Dhawan described that together with Jat community, the Khatris gained considerably from the expansion of the Mughal empire, although both groups supported Guru Hargobind in his campaign for Sikh self-government in
9460-492: The region resulting in greater migration of Khatris from North to Bengal. When Guru Tegh Bahadur visited Bengal in 1666, he was welcomed by the local Khatris, thereby supporting earlier waves of migration of Khatris to Bengal as well. Historian Muzaffar Alam describes the Khatris of Punjab as a "scribe and trading caste". They occupied positions in revenue collection and record keeping and learnt Persian during Mughal era. However, this profession often created conflicts with
9570-559: The reign of Jassa Singh Ramgarhia , the Sikh Misls became divided and fought each other. A sort of 'Cold War' broke out with the Bhangi , Nakkai , Dalelwala and Ramgharia Misls verses Sukerchakia , Ahluwalia , Karor Singhia and Kaniyeha . The Shaheedan , Nishania and Singhpuria also allied but did not engage in warfare with the others and continued the Dal Khalsa. The Phulkian Misl
9680-535: The ruling maharaja , who was the "drum of the Khalsa". In-theory, the Sikh court was based on the Khalsa ideals propounded by Guru Gobind Singh yet the court was secular in-practice. As an example of this secularism, members of the court came from various religious background, including Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims, and Christians. Furthermore, the members also came from various ethnic, regional, and caste backgrounds, such as Dogras, Rajputs, Brahmins, Jats, and Europeans. Whilst Ranjit Singh himself preferred to dress modestly,
9790-692: The ruling maharaja often sending out the court's members on military or diplomatic missions. The business of the ruling government was carried out in Lahore, specifically the Musamman Burj located within the Lahore Fort . A public court was held from morning until noon in the Diwan-i-Aam ("hall of audience"), with the court being attended by important members of the court, including princes, ministers, nobles, and civil and military officers. Some matters discussed in
9900-462: The signing of a treaty between the Lahore Darbar and the British East India Company. While these Sikh states had been set up by the Dal Khalsa , they did not become part of the Sikh Empire. There was a mutual ban on warfare following the treaty of Amritsar in 1809 (in which the empire forfeited the claim to the Cis-Sutlej States, and the British were not to interfere north of the Sutlej or in
10010-432: The son of a Chhatri (Khatri), not of a Brahmin and I will live according to my Dharma . All other complications of life are meaningless for me, and I set my heart on the path of righteousness. I humbly beseech thee God Almighty that when the time comes for me to fulfill my Dharma, may I die with honour in the field of battle. French traveller Thevenot visited India during the 1600s where he commented "At Multan , there
10120-653: The state was dissolved after the defeat in the Second Anglo-Sikh War. The empire is also referred to as the Lahore State , such as in contemporary British maps. The term Lahore Darbar refers to the Sikh court at Lahore of the empire's ruling government. However, the term "Lahore Darbar" only gained currency around the time of Ranjit Singh's death, with it not being found in British sources until then. The empire's own Persian chronicles refers to its ruling government as
10230-449: The thrones of Punjab , Kashmir , and Jammu in personal union. It was divided into four provinces: Lahore , which became the capital; Multan ; Peshawar ; and Kashmir . Ethnically and religiously diverse, with an estimated population of 4.5 million in 1831 (making it the 19th most populous country at the time ), it was the last major region of the Indian subcontinent to be annexed by
10340-513: The victory parade along with the British after restoring Shah Shoja to the Afghan throne at Kabul. The empire was divided into various provinces (known as Subas ), them namely being: The Sikh Empire allowed men from religions other than their own to rise to commanding positions of authority. The Fakir brothers were trusted personal advisors and assistants as well as close friends to Ranjit Singh, particularly Fakir Azizuddin , who would serve in
10450-406: The visitor's entertainment. There exists accounts of visitors being gifted by the state, with presents such as fruit, sweets, wines, and also money. Full displays of the empire's regalia and military forces were displayed during important ceremonial functions, such as the marriages of important nobles or when receiving high-level foreign diplomatic dignatories. In order to keep tabs and updated on
10560-662: The wildest tribes. They are wholly occupied in trade and form numerous portion of the population of all the cities and towns, and are also to be found in the majority of large villages." Apart from Punjab , Khatris arrived in Delhi and Haryana among other regions after the partition where they make up 9% and 8.0% of the population respectively. Historically, Khatris were divided into various hierarchal endogamous sections. This includes u rhai/dhai ghar , char ghar , barah ghar/bahri and bunjayee or bavanjah ghar which translated to House of 2.5, 4, 12 and 52 respectively. They formed
10670-511: Was a Trehan Khatri. The third guru, Guru Amar Das was a Bhalla Khatri. The fourth through tenth gurus were all Sodhi Khatris. During the Sikh Empire , many Khatris formed the military vanguard of the Khalsa Army and its administrative class as Dewans of all the provinces. Hari Singh Nalwa , the commander-in-chief of the Sikh Khalsa Army, was an Uppal Khatri and responsible for most of
10780-497: Was a common thread that bound together this pan Indian elite" and almost all the members of these upper castes communities could read and write English and were educated beyond school. Sikh Empire The Sikh Empire , officially known as Sarkār-i-Khālsa and Khālasa Rāj , was a regional power based in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent . It existed from 1799, when Ranjit Singh captured Lahore , to 1849, when it
10890-419: Was a consequence initially of the cataclysmic Partition , which pushed them in droves towards Delhi and its neighbourhoods. This exodus opened new opportunities for them. A combination of enterprise, articulation, and strategic closeness to the national capital— which, in itself, was becoming a major growth hub - created conditions for Khatri capital to flourish in the post-Partition period. Damodaran adds that
11000-474: Was a highly turbulent time politically and militarily in the Punjab region. This was caused by the overall decline of the Mughal empire that left a power vacuum in the region that was eventually filled by the Sikhs of the Dal Khalsa , meaning " Khalsa army" or " Khalsa party". In the late 18th century, after defeating several invasions by the Afghan rulers of the Durrani Empire and their allies, remnants of
11110-422: Was arrested by Aurangzeb. When offered a choice between conversion to Islam and death, he chose to die rather than compromise his principles and was executed. Guru Gobind Singh assumed the guruship in 1675 and to avoid battles with Sivalik Hill rajas moved the guruship to Paunta . There he built a large fort to protect the city and garrisoned an army to protect it. The growing power of the Sikh community alarmed
11220-568: Was conquered in 1839–40 and its local ruler was deposed. The Dogras at this time were under the suzerainty of the Sikh Empire. During the Sino-Sikh War of 1841, the forces of the empire invaded the Tibetan Plateau , which was then under the control of the Qing dynasty . However, this control was short-lived and the military of the empire was forced to retreat to Ladakh due to a counterattack by
11330-521: Was defeated and conquered by the British East India Company in the Second Anglo-Sikh War . It was forged on the foundations of the Khalsa from a collection of autonomous misls . At its peak in the 19th century, the empire extended from Gilgit and Tibet in the north to the deserts of Sindh in the south and from the Khyber Pass in the west to the Sutlej in the east as far as Oudh ; holding
11440-696: Was excommunicated from the confederacy. Rani Sada Kaur of the Kanhaiya Misl rose in the vacuum and destroyed the power of the Bhangis. She later gave her throne to Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The formal start of the Sikh Empire began with the unification of the Misls by 1801, creating a unified political state. All the Misl leaders, who were affiliated with the army, were the nobility with usually long and prestigious family backgrounds in Sikh history. The main geographical footprint of
11550-457: Was followed the next year by another Sikh victory at the Battle of Sadhaura . The rebellion culminated following their defeat at the Siege of Gurdaspur . During the rebellion, Banda Singh Bahadur made a point of destroying the cities in which Mughals had been cruel to the supporters of Guru Gobind Singh. He executed Wazir Khan in revenge for the deaths of Guru Gobind Singh's sons and Pir Budhu Shah after
11660-637: Was formed in Lahore as a direct representative of the British Crown . The empire's ruling court based out of Lahore is termed the Lahore Darbar or Khalsa Darbar . Faqir Saifuddin of the Fakir Khana Museum prefers to use the term Punjab Darbar rather than "Khalsa Darbar", owing to the large role Muslims played in Ranjit Singh's court. The ruling court was diverse and under the ultimate command of
11770-624: Was reintroduced with each mahallah , or neighborhood subdivision, placed under the charge of one of its members. The office of Kotwal, or prefect of police, was conferred upon a Muslim, Imam Bakhsh. Generals were also drawn from a variety of communities, along with prominent Sikh generals like Hari Singh Nalwa , Fateh Singh Dullewalia, Nihal Singh Atariwala, Chattar Singh Attariwalla , and Fateh Singh Kalianwala; Hindu generals included Misr Diwan Chand and Dewan Mokham Chand Nayyar , his son, and his grandson; and Muslim generals included Ilahi Bakhsh and Mian Ghaus Khan; one general, Balbhadra Kunwar ,
11880-602: Was responsible for expanding the frontier of Sikh Empire to beyond the Indus River , up to the mouth of the Khyber Pass . At the time of his death, the western boundary of the empire was Jamrud. Dewan Mokham Chand (1750-1814) became one of the most distinguished leaders of the Khalsa Army. He was the commander in chief of armies in Battle of Attock which defeated Durrani Empire Wazir Fateh Khan and Dost Mohammad Khan Other Khatris like Diwan Sawan Mal Chopra served as governors of Lahore and Multan , after helping conquer
11990-428: Was that the local ruler of Jhang, Ahmad Khan Sial, was conspiring with Nawab Muzaffar Khan of Multan and had signed a secret treaty with the latter. Hari Singh Nalwa was Commander-in-Chief of the Sikh Khalsa Army from 1825 to 1837. He is known for his role in the conquests of Kasur , Sialkot , Multan , Kashmir , Attock and Peshawar . Nalwa led the Sikh army in freeing Shah Shuja from Kashmir and secured
12100-411: Was treachery of the non-Sikh high command of their own army which led to them marching away from a British force in a precarious and battered state. Others believe that a tactical withdrawal was the best policy. The Sikh empire was finally dissolved at the end of the Second Anglo-Sikh War in 1849 into separate princely states and the British province of Punjab . Eventually, a Lieutenant Governorship
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