Origins of Pakistani Punjabis

Very interesting article…it also sheds light on my own origins…i am awan (paternally) and rajput (maternally) :slight_smile:

LEADING TRIBES OF PUNJAB AND THEIR ORIGINS

Before the advent of Islam, but after the Aryan migrations, several invasions and mass migrations of the Central Asian tribes named as the Sakas, Parthians, Kushans, Huns and Gujjars took place in the Punjab (and other parts of Pakistan). The last two tribes i.e. the Huns (White Huns/ Epthalites) and Gujjars arrived in the 5th century AD when Hinduism had revived under the Gupta Empire but had not fully succeeded in crushing the influence of Buddhism. As the Gupta Empire collapsed under the impact of Hun invasions, it caused deep consternation among Brahmins in view of their failure to eliminate Buddhism while the Gupta power supporting them in this task had disappeared. Therefore, they began to make overtures to the new arrivals who were valiant, vigorous and warlike. They were offered the rank of Kshatryas in the Hindu fold, a position only next to that of the Brahmins and confers the responsiblity of rulership.

Almost 60% of the population of the Punjab comprises of Rajputs and Jats and the various branches of their race such as AWANS, Khokhars, Ghakkars, Khattars, Janjuas, Arains, Gujjars, etc. though the Awans, Khokhars and Khattars claim common ancestry from Qutb Shah who is said to have come from Ghazni with Mahmud Ghaznavi, scholars hold the view that they were most probably converted by Qutb Shah during Mahmud Ghaznavi’s reign and were not his descendents. This tendancy of claiming foreign origin by some of the local tribes is not uncommon. Even admittedly Rajput tribes of famous ancestry such as the Khokhar, have begun to follow the example of claiming connection with the Mughal conquerors of India or the Qureshi cousins of the Prophet

Moonaji :slight_smile:

I posted the article a while back, but it’s an interesting read anyway. Do you want to discuss anything related to this? i am actually doing some interesting reading on E. Punjabis, espicially the Jatts. I’m trying to get an understanding of why the vast majority of Sikhs are Jatts. Also trying to get further info on Rajput History. Heres an article I hope you (and everyone else) will enjoy.

Source: http://www.namdar.net/RajputHistory.htm

Rajput History

by

Sardar Ali Ahmed Khan,

Lahore, February, 2002

When the old Kshatriyas of the Vedas were completely disarmed under the influence of Buddhism, in the 5th and later centuries B.C., they were merged into commercial tribes. The only other tribe in the Indo-Pak sub-continent which stubbornly resisted the influence of Buddhism and eventually succeeded in expelling it to other neighboring countries, were the Brahmins.

After the political castration of the fighting Kshatryas and passing of the rulership of the country to other inferior (non-Kshatriya) tribes,** the socio-political order passed through a period of chaos; yet some of the new ruling dynasties contributed to Brahmanism but majority of them like the Mauriyas and the Guptas professed Buddhism**. This state of affairs did not suit the Brahmanical idea of both religion and politics.** Just as luck would have it, a fresh wave of migration of tribes started from central Asia via Afghanistan into India, spearheaded by the famous Yadu tribe. This started sometime in the 2nd Century B.C., and lasted till the third or fourth Century A.D.

The new migrants were animistic and idolators as far as religion was concerned, but they were free from any influence of Buddhism. They were physically strong people, barbaric in their disposition, and great fighters **. These tribes suited the Brahmins to replace the old Kshatriyas with, as rulers in India.

According to old traditions the number of these great tribes was 36 (hence the 36 royal races). IOt was difficult for the Brahmins to absorb these tribes into the then existing Indian society just as Kshatriyas of thr old order simply because they were not part and parcel of the Vedic Aryans. The Brahmins, however, invented a new ceremony of purifying them by means of ‘sacred fire’ or Hawan. After the ceremonial ‘purification’, the Brahmins gave them the sacred thread and called them the Rajputs - the soverigns of India and with their spiritual blessings they set up kingdoms and states just like the old Kshatriyas.

The very famous of the tribes out of these (besides the Yadus) were Bhattis, Chauhans, Kchhwaha, Jhalas, Parmars, Rathors, and Sisodhias. These tribes spread all over the north west, central, and southern parts of the sub-continent. In eastern India they had set up their states in Orissa and Bihar as well as West Bengal, while east Bengal and Assam were lightly touched by their migrations as these zones had their own ancient tribes, and were ruling small kingdoms. There is no doubt that in the extreme southern India, like Travancore and Madras, there were some ancient states ruled by the indegenous rulers. But side by side with them, the Rajputs also carved out large principalities, for instance the Rashtrakutas (which after a lapse of centuries became the Nizam’s territories) comprising of Telangara, etc.

Part of these very tribes when they came to inhabit northern India and settled in Rajputana, they changed their tribal name to Rathors. The princely states of Jodhpur and Bikanir were the renowned remnants of these tribes.** It is to be noted that quite a number of the afore mentioned tribes had stayed in the border countries between India and Afghanistan as well as the present day Baluchistan. These tribes ruled in these territories for a very long time and till the advent of Islam. The Kchhwahas of Jaipur are actually the Kachtries of Baluchistan; and the Jhalas migrated from Jhalawan; and the Jams of Kathiawar are also a branch of the family of Lasbela.

The Bhitanis of the North West Frontier Province are in fact the parents of the Bhattis of the Punjab and Rajputana, who were eventually divided into quite a number of sub-tribes like the Tiwanas and Noons, etc. One of the proof given by historians of note about the origin from Turkestan of the Rajputs lies in their extra chivalerous behavior, theor mode of dresses and ornamanets, like the chak-phools, etc. **

RF, thanks! Wonderful article. :)

Theres a bit of Jat dominance in Punjab right now, the Punjab Chief minister, Chief Justice and soon governor. All are Jats.

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Zakk: *
Theres a bit of Jat dominance in Punjab right now, the Punjab Chief minister, Chief Justice and soon governor. All are Jats.
[/QUOTE]

Salam Zakk,

It's not something that entirely unusual, these things go in cycles. Depends on what politicians are en vogue.

I have a question. My friend is sikh punjabi and he said all punjabis are aryan. I did not understand this statement. Would you please explain this to me? He also said all punjabis have a relation to India. He tried to explain it to me but I wasnt comprehending. If anyone would please explain, much appreciated. Thanks.

Re: Origins of Pakistani Punjabis


Moona you & all Punjabis are Rajputs.Right? Is that why the literacy rate of punjab is dismal compared to the subcontinent.I mean IQBAL was Brahmin :k:perhaps exception that is why after him no jatt rajput coould rise to the level or even to the level of hindu who left punjab for india ???you are giving some self explanatory information i mean self incriminatory :nuch:

according to darwin they evolved from the bandars who were parossi of the bandars that became sindhi, or those that became baluchi, or those that became japanese (dooor kay parossi) etc.

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Munni: *
I have a question. My friend is sikh punjabi and he said all punjabis are aryan. I did not understand this statement. Would you please explain this to me? He also said all punjabis have a relation to India. He tried to explain it to me but I wasnt comprehending. If anyone would please explain, much appreciated. Thanks.
[/QUOTE]

Munni, your friend is misguided in calling Punjabis aryan. Punjabis are descended from Central Asian tribes not from East Europe/Caspian region where Aryans come from. Perhaps your friend is thinking of Aryans as "European like with fair skin etc," however the reality is that Punjab's ancestors were largely from Central Asia. They came as nomadic tribes that settled in the region and if you can find pure Rajputs or Jatts they too will look C. Asian. I am not quite sure what he meant by having a "realtion to India," perhaps he was talking about the history of Rajput rule or something related to that. However, Punjabis are definately not aryans.

Im Awan,family claims to have come from the Middle east... But seriously doubt that...
I certainly have a good deal of Hindu blood in me.

pakpatriot, dude, i'm also 1/2 awan...the other 1/2 is rajput.