Muslim Khatris

Khatri, originally a warrior community, later transitioned itself to the trading profession. They derive their values in keeping their words at any cost. The community is scattered through out Punjab and Kutch region, and found both as nucleated and extended family. They had monopoly of trade in Bharatvarsha (which includes present-day India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh).

Khatri
A Khatri nobleman, in Kitab-i tasrih al-aqvam by Col. James Skinner in (1778–1841)
Regions with significant populations
IndiaPakistanEuropeUnited StatesCanadaAustraliaDubaiSaudi ArabiaUnited Kingdom
Languages
• Punjabi • KutchiEnglish • Urdu
Religion
[Muslim]
Related ethnic groups
KhatrisAroras • Punjabi Sheikh

Nomenclature

Due to similarity in the names, the community had been misidentified with Kshatriya community. However, with the passage of time the boundary between the two communities got dissolved, and both names began to be referred to a single community.

History

Exact roots of the community is not known till date, but tangible evidences suggest that the community was resent during Mughal Era. On the other hand, intangible evidences date back their presence even during Delhi Sultanate. They were frequent travelers of Middle East, and having impressed by the high spirit of Islam, they adopted the religion.

Saudagaran-e-Delhi

In addition, the Punjabi Saudagaran-e-Delhi community are also of Khatri ancestry. Historically, this community lived in Delhi, and other North Indian towns, but after the Partition of India, a lot of these people moved to Pakistan. In Pakistan also, the Muslim Khatris are engaged in various occupations.

gollark: I dislike your Memetics War article. This is not what I meant.
gollark: And obviously standard units of ineffability and their application to the Gods and Constituents Transparency Report.
gollark: Hmm, we should have a page on ineffability.
gollark: I was thinking that hepta*grams* should be dangerous somehow, but the obvious way of "it lets you summon demons" is kind of overplayed?
gollark: I should do apioforms next, or expand on the Royal Astrothaumic Institute, engineers, Memetics War, heptagrams or wheels.

References

    • Basham, Arthur Llewellyn (1954). The Wonder That Was India: A survey of the culture of the Indian sub-continent before the coming of the Muslims. London: Sidgwick & Jackson. OCLC 181731857.
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