Khukhrain
The Khukhrain or Khokhrain [1] is a clan composed of eight septs of the Khatri caste that originally hailed from the areas of the Salt Range and particularly the town of Bhera in Punjab.
Khukhrain | |
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Khokhrain | |
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Region | Punjab |
Ethnicity | Punjabi |
Khukhrain has no chief, and is an armigerous clan | |
Historic seat | Bhera |
Battle of Bhera
The Khukhrains spread over Khushab, Dhune Kheb, Chakwal, Pind Dadan Khan, Peshawar, Nowshera and Lahore.[2] 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.[3]
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.[2] Jaipal's son, Anandapala, received support of the Khukhrains against the Ghazni rule in 1008-9 at Wahind.[4]
Religious beliefs
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 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.[5]
Khokran and Khokhars
Encyclopædia Britannica notes that: "The Khukhrain sub-group of the "52"s claims descent from a son of Manu, but it is possibly named from the Khokhar Rajputs, and several clan names are traced to military terms in support of the claim to Kshatriya descent.."[6]
See also
- Hinduism in Punjab
References
- Khushwant Singh (8 January 2011). "The brave Khokhrains". The Tribune (India newspaper). Retrieved 6 September 2019.
- 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 Encyclopædia Britannica, 1952 Page 980