Finding my heritage ..

[mahool]

Re: Finding my heritage ..

@pak-one

**I have done DNA testing **and (surprise, surprise) my family origins are from Mohmand territories of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Up until my Grandfather, my family was of poor origins, who barely visited Pekhawar, Kabul forget internationally. One really amazing aspect is that most of my ancestors are buried in a ramshackle graveyard. I can trace it all the way back to my great-great-great grandfather. One day I will also join them in that same graveyard. It might not mean much to others but its important to me, to lie next to my forefathers.

What is DNA ancestry?

Where do you go for that testing?

[pak-one]

Re: Finding my heritage ..

@X2

pak one, i think there is something special about it. For me it is next to impossible because my ancestors starting from my great grandfather and going back 8-9 generations are buried across the border in the same graveyard an I have not had a chance to even visit. but that is a journey I want to make to not only go their gravesites but visit the institutions that they built.

Agreed. You definitely need to take some time to visit, perhaps later in life?

We don’t exist in a vacuum and that connection to the past cannot be measured in words.

[pak-one]

Re: Finding my heritage ..

@mahool

What is DNA ancestry?

Where do you go for that testing?

Please review: Genealogical DNA test - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I am not sure about your location, but a number of organizations provide DNA testing ranging from National Geographic, 23 and Me, to local testing centers. I recommend that you read the article and see if it might be something that you want to do.

[X2]

Re: Finding my heritage ..

I dont know, I just know I need to do it…especially when i see ppl who have no idea about their family a few generations back, and I have a mausoleum, and 2 institutions of higher learning they built, the home my great great great grandfather was born is still there..i have to go. I have not gone because i wanted to go there with my dad, but he seems to have no desire to go, maybe it brings up stuff he does not want to face. He had moved from there as a child so while he visited, that was not home for him. his elder siblings seem to have more of an attachment, and younger ones even less.

one key thing I think is that everyone ridiculed my grandfather, his sisters and my grandmothers brother who moved to Pakistan saying they are leaving all their land behind to start a new life and will fail…and my parents generation did stellar…there is some jealousy, they tried to rip my grandfathers land and he just said take it, I have no use of it here…you guys make use of it…that pissed em off even more..so some history there and jealousy but that is in the past too and all those ppl are gone now…Its a trip I have to make sooner rather than later

[Cashmere]

Re: Finding my heritage ..

I’m actually planning on writing out an explicit family history document to compliment the old, rather antique family photos of my great grandparents from both sides. Will be having some comprehensive discussions with grandparents.
But my dad’s grandparents was also from Jhalandar, India.

[pwner]

Re: Finding my heritage ..

Jalandhar Jalandhar everywhere

[Xtron]

Some times ago…before my grandfather passed away..i asked him about roots. Found out that…our root is from Syria. And..my grandfather still had this old sword..given to him by his grand father..it had some old arabic signature of ottoman era printed…it is still kept by my chacha there…i was actually planning to bring that over..to keep this interesting piece. Apparently..this old sword was used in battle…and whoever used in the battle used it quiet roughly and which is slightly bent..and…it is rusting pretty bad…

[Khan4Life]

Re: Finding my heritage ..

I asked my aunt once so she said our roots is from Afghanistan but this question never came in my mind when my grandfather was alive but I’m gonna ask my other uncle who knows much better about our ancestors.

[Faris_Udeen]

Re: Finding my heritage ..

I have had mine tested on two occasions and strangely not only is my DNA remarkably similar to Uighurs in China, to many Kashmiri and Afghan hill tribes but also the Urankai from Mongolia, a friend in Kossovo and some friends in Modern day Eastern Turkish Sivas region… and most amazing of all some of my DNA and bone structure is very similar to Natve Americans too… the last people I really did no expect but apparently they were probably Asians who crossed the Berring Staits.
I actually never imagined some Native Americans in Montana to have the same features as me.
When I did the Mongol rally a couple of years back, I travelled deep into the country and on the banks of the Onon river somewhere on those plains my once pagan, tengri worshipping ancestors would have roamed The Urankhai. Would become part of the Turkic peoples. Later the Silver (Mongol) nation.. until somehow our people spread all over… and some of us settled in the Northern part of Hindustaan… Kashmir.

[queer]

Re: Finding my heritage ..

i have genuinely missed your posts, man. and i dont care if your ancestors were from cowboys from montana.

[Faris_Udeen]

Re: Finding my heritage ..

Oh and contrary to what I used to think… our people fought each other far more than they fought others… I’m kind of embarrassed when I found out my forebears kind of took out my childhood hero Bhatti Dullah. My ancestors were also involved in some pretty nasty stuff, sure in later days we helped the Mughals become very powerful but at points we fought against them too… I am surprised to learn that around the years 1592-1597 we were actually involved in some pretty big fights with Rajput forces and also took early invasions of Deccan. Also around early 1600’s the Mughal rulers sacked our senior commanders in favour of other troops and that demand for us fighters went to an all time low. I was also surprised to hear that the Mahrathas hired us in 1803… cant believe we actually helped defend the Mahratha provinces just a few decades after Panipat. Also it s clear that by 1830’s my people made the choice to either head North East or North West of Punjab… not only the rising power of the Sikhs but also a serious drought in Punjab forced us to move to higher climes.

[Faris_Udeen]

Re: Finding my heritage ..

@queer

i have genuinely missed your posts, man. and i dont care if your ancestors were from cowboys from montana.

Actually Montana and Southern Canada region was among the last places to be taken over by the Blue Coats… I’m kinda proud my cousins across the water kicked Custers ass.
Plus they had more firepower than was once thought… and just for you Queer Its a sunday so +300 to Bromance dude.

[Geezer]

Re: Finding my heritage ..

My family is from gulberg lahore and dna testing proved my great great ancestors were also from gulberg lahore.

[Chicken_Biryani]

Re: Finding my heritage ..

Thats awesome , Geezer

[CEO1]

Re: Finding my heritage ..

The irony of everyone being of Iranian/Arab heritage.

[Geezer]

Re: Finding my heritage ..

@Chicken_Biryani

I am at crossroads .. I have been trying to read up on various things that could potentially help me understand where my ancient ancestors belonged to , who they were , what religion they followed.

But I am confused because I really dont know where to start from , I know where my grandparents were from back in India .. but dont know anymore then that. Some people said , you find out more about your caste and then you try to speak to people and find out where people of that caste come from .. like in my case its “Araai” , I have heard the roots go to Iranian heritage then some claimed that all Araai’s used to be hindu so their roots will be more in the subcontinent ..

Has anyone gone down their heritage journey? what kind of leads did you follow? other then the obvious ones, like asking the immediate family etc ..

When i met an arain guy from Pakistan i thought he was an Iranian becoz i have met many Iranians who looked like him. I said to him his ancestors must be from Iran but he didnt know much about his ancestral roots.

If wr go by the looks then it makes sense that many of these people don’t originate in India.

[radiant_light]

Re: Finding my heritage ..

@Chicken_Biryani

yes Icono, its the migration that makes is difficult.

Can someone tell me the history of the Araai caste, were they basically hindu’s?

No, Araain’s were not hindus as told by my maternal grandmother. We have our roots traced back to Muhammad bin qasim.