Tarkhan (Punjab): Difference between revisions
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:''This article is about Tarkhan, a Northern Indian tribe. For other uses, see [[Tarkan (disambiguation)]]'' |
:''This article is about Tarkhan, a Northern Indian tribe. For other uses, see [[Tarkan (disambiguation)]]'' |
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|caption = [[Giani Zail Singh]] (right), first [[Sikh]] President of [[India]] |
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The '''Tarkhan''' are considered a [[Punjabi people|Punjabi]] tribe in [[Pakistan]]i [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]] while a [[caste]] in [[India]]n [[Punjab (India)|Punjab]]. They are traditionally [[carpenter]]s by occupation.<ref>{{cite book |first=W. H. |last=McLeod |authorlink=W H McLeod |title=Exploring Sikhism: Aspects of Sikh Identity, Culture and Thought |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2000 |isbn=978-0-19-564902-4 |page=214}}</ref> |
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The '''Tarkhan''' ([[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]: ਤਰਖਾਣ) are considered a [[Punjabi people|Punjabi]] tribe. They are [[carpenter]]s by occupation.<ref>W. H. McLeod, ''Exploring sikhism: aspects of Sikh identity, culture and thought'', Oxford University Press, 2000 ISBN 978-0-19-564902-4, p. 214.</ref> H.A. Rose{{ref}} supposed that they are descended from the [[Saka]] tribes, and originally settled in [[Taxila]]. Scholars such as Khalsa have analysed the work of ethnographers such as Ibbetson, Cunningham, and Elliot, and have concluded that agrarian and artisan communities in Punjab such as Tarkhans may be of [[Scythian]] origin.<ref>http://rajputana.htmlplanet.com/scy_raj/scy_raj1.html</ref> Further analysis has suggested that Tarkhans may be descended from Scythic tribes who settled in north-western India in successive waves between 500 B.C. too 500 AD.<ref>www.worldmultimedia.biz/Culture/yuechih%20sakas%20kushans.pdf</ref><ref>W. H. McLeod, ''Exploring sikhism: aspects of Sikh identity, culture and thought'', Oxford University Press, 2000 ISBN 978-0-19-564902-4, p. 214.</ref> |
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==History== |
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[[File:Nand Singh VC IWM IND 3975.jpg |thumb|right|[[Nand Singh]] a [[Victoria Cross|VC]] and [[Maha Vir Chakra|MVC]].]] |
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[[File:Sardar_Mangal_Singh_Ramgarhia_of_Amritsar.jpg |thumb|right| [[Mangal Singh Ramgarhia]], Maharaja of [[Amritsar]].]] |
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[[File:Ajay-Devgan-LondonDreams01.jpg|thumb|right|[[Ajay Devgan]], Bollywood actor and member of the Devgan Tarkhan clan]] |
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[[File:Raja Lal Singh, of First Anglo-Sikh War, 1846.jpg|300px|thumb|[[Lal Singh]], in battle during the [[First Anglo-Sikh War]] in 1846]] |
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[[File:jassasinghmaha.jpg|300px|thumb|[[Maharaja Jassa Singh Ramgarhia]].]] |
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[[File:Baba Jai Lal Ji Gurdwara.jpg|thumb|Baba Jai Lal Ji Gurdwara, at Jalandhar Cantonment, Punjab, India]] |
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[[File:British and Indian Officers of the 15th Bengal Native Infantry 1885. (Loodhiana Sikhs).jpg|right|300px|thumb|[[15th Ludhiana Sikhs]].]] |
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The Tarkhan People are a Northern Indian ethnic tribe that inhabit the entire region of [[Punjab]]. Generally, a clan name is unique to the Tarkhan community. The occupation of Tarkhans was traditionally known to be [[carpentry]], however due to similarities in size, religious values and the way their [[turbans]] were tied, the occupation of a Tarkhan was then split into three, which was: Tarkhan work, building work and [[Lohar | Lohar work]]. |
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===Varna status=== |
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Hindu Tarkhans are regarded to be of the Vaishya Varna (as they are artisans) and worship the Vedic deity, Vishwakarma. This is namely due to following the traditional Vaishya occupation of carpentry.<ref>http://www.unp.me/f16/the-tarkhan-history-48969/#ixzz2p8yULu50</ref>Hindu religious texts assigned Vaishyas to traditional roles in agriculture and cattle-rearing but over time they came to be landowners, traders and money-lenders.<ref>{{cite book |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=K85NA7Rg67wC&pg=PA24 |page=24 |title=The First Great Political Realist |first=Roger |last=Boesche}}</ref> The Vaishyas, along with members of the [[Brahmin]] and [[Kshatriya]] varnas, claim "twice born" (''dvija'') status in Hindu theology.<ref>{{cite book |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=n84OAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA112 |page=112 |title=Western Sociologists on Indian Society: Marx, Spencer, Weber, Durkheim, Pareto |first=Gurmukh Ram |last=Madan |publisher=Taylor & Francis |year=1979 |isbn=9780710087829}}</ref> Indian traders were widely credited for the spread of [[Indian culture]] to regions as far as [[Greater India|southeast Asia]].<ref>{{cite book |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Xn-6yMhAungC&pg=PA361 |page=361 |title=Asia in western and world history |first1=Ainslie Thomas |last1=Embree |first2=Carol |last2=Gluck}}</ref> |
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===Muslim Tarkhans=== |
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It was used among the various [[Iranian people|Iranian]] ([[Sogdians]], [[Hotan|Khotanese]], and [[Hephthalites]]) Turkic and Mongol peoples of [[Central Asia]] and other [[steppe]] people, and was a high rank in the army of [[Tamerlane]]. Tarkhans commanded military contingents (roughly of regimental size under the Khazar khan) and were, roughly speaking, [[general]]s. They could also be assigned as military governors of conquered regions. In the [[Mongol Empire]], the Darkhan were exempted from taxation, socage and requisitioning. [[Genghis Khan]] made those who helped his rise Darkhans in 1206. The families of the Darkhan played crucial roles later when the succession crisis occurred in [[Yuan Dynasty]] and [[Ilkhanate]]. [[Abaqa Khan]] (1234–82) made an [[Indian people|Indian]] Darkhan after he had led his mother and her team all the way from Central Asia to Persia safely. A wealthy merchant of Persia was made of Darkhan by [[Ghazan]] (1271–1304) for his service during the early defeat of the Ilkhan. In Russia, the Khans of the [[Golden Horde]] assigned important tasks to the Darkhan. A [[jarliq]] of [[Temur Qutlugh]] (ca. 1370–1399) which authorized rights of the Tarkhan found in Crimea.<ref>http://reff.net.ua/26327-YArlyki_hanov_Zolotoiy_Ordy_kak_istochnik_prava_i_kak_istochnik_po_istorii_prava.html</ref> |
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===Sikh Tarkhans=== |
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Sikh Tarkhans are more commonly known as Ramgarhias because of their reverence for the famous Misl leader, [[Maharaja Jassa Singh Ramgarhia]](1723-1803), who was a Tarkhan.<ref>http://www.unp.me/f16/the-tarkhan-history-48969/#ixzz2p90EzW9M</ref> Many Sikhs today mistake the term ‘Ramgharia’ for a caste rather than a sect. The Ramgharias are predominantly ‘Tarkhans’ (carpenters) by caste. A Tarkhan named Hardas, and his son Bhagwan Singh served Akali Nihang Guru Gobind Singh in the late 1600s/early 1700s. Later they would serve Banda Bahadur during his battles with the Moghals.At present Tarkhan Sikhs who are descended from the [[Ramgarhia]] [[Misl]], especially in UK, keep their Gurdwaras separate and try to, contrary to Tat Khalsa Singh Sabhia thinking, maintain their distinctiveness in Sikhism. Many of their practices are in line with Sanatan Sikh ideology.<ref>http://www.sarbloh.info/htmls/article_samparda_ramgharia.html</ref> |
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==Ramgarhia Sikh/Misl== |
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Ramgarhia, led by Nand Singh Sanghania, so called as they extended fort of Ram Rauni at Amritsar which was later called Ramgarh. Riarki Area around Batala Approximately 5,000 horsemen. Their territory was parts of Amritsar, Qadian, Batala and Sri Hargobindpur, in the Bari doab and Miani, Sarih, and Urmur Tanda in the Jalandhar Doab. Jassa Singh Ramgarhia was a great Sikh warrior of times of [[Nawab Kapur Singh]] and [[Jassa Singh Ahluwalia]]. He led Khalsa army in many battles. In command of Dal Khalsa he was just behind Jassa Singh Ahluwalia after the retirement of Nawab Kapur Singh.<ref>http://informaitonofpunjab.weebly.com/punjab.html</ref> |
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===Origin of the Ramgarhia Misl=== |
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Rome was not built in a day. So the organisation of the Sikh power in the sacred land of the five rivers was not the work of one man (the Lion of the Punjab) only, nor was it attained in one day. It was the result of the constant and combined efforts of the twelve Misls. The leaders of these Misls had to undergo and face many hardships, not only to establish the Sikh power in the Punjab but also to defend their faith and their very existence upon the face of the earth. The seed was sown and watered by the blood of the martyrs. Their nerveswould tingle and their brains would throb when they read the stories of these heroes. No religion can be proud of so many martyrs. But it was Ranjit Singh only who was destined to reap the main harvest which had taken nearly a century to ripen and had cost the blood of the dearest sons of the Guru. By some means or other he reduced all the chiefs to subjection who were on this side of the Satluj. The Cis - Satluj chiefs obtained the protection of the British and thus escaped destruction. The reader will find in the following pages how sudden and extraordinary were the circumstances that changed the fate of the Ramgarhia family. Had it time to appeal to the British Government, this family also would have been ruling over its possessions like its contemporaries of Patiala, Nabha, Jind and Kapurthala. Reader! It is really very pathetic to compare the present condition of the family with its past grandeur. Time has changed, new men have come to the front, some no doubt pushed forward merely by fortune and others drawn to the front by the extended hands of appreciation. Let us thank the Almighty that we are under the benign rule of a government which has the best regard for, appreciation of, noble blood and high birth, of which the recent establishment of the Imperial Cadet Corps by our worthy Viceroy Lord Curzon, bears ample testimony.<ref>http://www.sikh-heritage.co.uk/postgurus/ramgarhia2/ram%20Jassa%20Singh.htm</ref> |
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Of the leaders of the Ramgarhia Misl during the earliest period of its existence Sardar Jassa Singh was the most distinguished, although he can hardly be called its founder. Through many eventful years the Misl had existed as an organised body under Sardar Khushal Singh. |
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==Tarkhan clans== |
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According to [[Sir Denzil Ibbetson]]{{ref|Ibbetson}}, the major Twelve Tarkhan clans (Based on 1881 census) of the [[Punjab region|Punjab]] and the [[Northwest Frontier Province]] in the order as they occur from east to west are: |
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* [[Jhangra]] - found in Delhi and Hissar |
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* [[Dhiman sikh|Dhaman/Dhiman]] - found in Karnal, Ambala, Jalandahar, Sialkot, Patiala, Nabha, Faridhkot and Firozpur. |
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* [[Khatti]] - found in Karnal, Ambala, Jalandahar, Sialkot, Patiala, Nabha, Faridhkot and Firozpur. |
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* [[Siawan]] - Jallandhar and Sialkot |
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* [[Gade (clan)|Gade]] - Amritsar |
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* [[Matharu]] - Ludhiana, Amritsar and Lahore. |
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* [[Netal]] - Hoshiarpur |
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* [[Janjua]] - Rawalpindi |
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* [[Matharu|Tharu]] - Gurdaspur and Sialkot |
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*[[Khokhar|Khokar]] - Lahore, Rawalpindi and Multan |
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*[[Bhatti]] - Lahore, Rawalpindi and Multan |
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*[[Begu Khel|Begi Khel]] - Hazara |
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*Ibbetson notes further that: |
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:''"The carpenters of Sirsa are divided into two great sections: the [[Dhiman sikh|Dhaman/Dhiman]] and Khatti proper, and the two will not intermarry. These are two great tribes of the Lohars (q.v.). The Dhamans again include a tribe of Hindu Tarkhans called [[Suthar]], who are almost entirely agricultural, seldom working in wood, and who look down upon the artisan sections of their caste. They say they came from Jodhpur, and that their tribe still holds villages and revenue free grants in Bikaner." '' |
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==Tarkhans and Lohars== |
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Historically,the Sikh tarkhan's occupation was carpentry as well as being blacksmiths.Many administrators of the [[British Raj]] period who also wrote books - such as [[H. A. Rose]]<ref>{{note|Rose}} see [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=1QmrSwFYe60C&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false H.A. Rose. ''A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North-West Frontier Province 1919'']</ref> and [[Denzil Ibbetson]]<ref>{{cite book|last=Ibbetson|first=Denzil|title=Panjab Castes|year=1916|publisher=Low Price Publications, 1916|location=Lahore|isbn=8185557551, 9788185557557|pages=349|url=http://books.google.co.in/books/about/Panjab_castes.html?id=VWhuAAAAMAAJ&redir_esc=y|edition=reprint|accessdate=2 December 2012|pages=309–314|chapter=Workers in wood,iron,stone and Clay}}</ref> - referred to the blacksmith communities as ''[[Lohar]]s'', although in fact that term refers to a specific group of people [[sikligar]] and is not the synonym that they supposed.<ref>{{cite book |title=Strategies of social change in India |first1=Paramjit S. |last1=Judge |first2=Gurpreet |last2=Bal |publisher=M.D. Publications |year=1996 |isbn=978-81-7533-006-1 |url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=7lKM4aWhIH0C |page=54 |accessdate=2012-03-21}}</ref> |
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{{ref|Ibbetson}}{{Quoter| ''In Hushyarpur They are said to form a single caste called Lohar-Tarkhan, and the son of a blacksmith will often take to carpentry and vice versa; but it appears that the two castes were originally separate, for the joint caste is still divided into two sections who will not intermarry or even eat or smoke together, the Dhaman, from dhamna "to blow", and the Khatti from khat "wood". In Gujranwala the same two castes exist; and they are the two great Tarkhan tribes also (see section 627). In Karnal a sort of connection seems to be admitted, but the castes are now distinct. In Sirsa the Lohars may be divided into three main sections; the first, men undoubted and recent [[Jat]] and even [[Rajput]] origin who have generally by reason of poverty, taken to work as blacksmiths; secondly the Suthar Lohar or members of the Suthar tribe of carpenters who have similarly changed their original occupation; and thirdly, the Gadya Lohar, a class of wandering blacksmith not uncommon throughout the east and south east of the Province, who come up from Rajputana and the North West Provinces and travel about with their families and implements in carts from village to village, doing the finer sorts of iron work which are beyond the capacity of the village artisan. The tradition runs that Suthar Lohars, who are now Musalman, were originally Hindu Tarkhans of the Suthar tribe (see section 627); and that Akhbar took 12,000 of them from Jodhpur to Delhi, forcibily circumcised them, and obliged them to work in iron instead of wood. The story is admitted by a section of the Lohars themselves, and probably has some substratum of truth. These men came to Sirsa from the direction of Sindh, where they say they formerly held land, and are commonly known as Multani Lohars.''| Ibbetson Page 312}} |
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===History of the Lohars=== |
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Writers of the Raj period often used the term ''Lohar'' as a synonym for ''blacksmith'', although there are other traditional smithing communities, such as the [[Ramgarhia]] and [[Sikligar]]s, and numerous non-traditional communities, including the [[Yadav]]s, [[Kayastha]]s, [[Rajput]]s and even [[Brahmin]]s.<ref>{{cite book |title=Strategies of social change in India |first1=Paramjit S. |last1=Judge |first2=Gurpreet |last2=Bal |publisher=M.D. Publications |year=1996 |isbn=978-81-7533-006-1 |url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=7lKM4aWhIH0C |page=54 |accessdate=21 March 2012}}</ref> |
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The Lohar are one of the most widespread communities in [[Uttar Pradesh]]. They are divided along religious lines, with the [[Hindu]] Lohar are known as Vishvakarmas, and [[Muslim]] Lohars are known as [[Saifi]]s. The Lohar are further divided into a number of [[exogamy|exogamous]] groupings, the main ones being the Kanaujiya, Purbia, Bahai, Moulia and Magajia. Most Lohar are still engaged in their traditional occupation of metal fabrication, but most the Lohar of western Uttar Pradesh are cultivators. The assimilated Lohar speak Hindi and its various dialects such as [[Awadhi language|Awadhi]].<ref>People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part Two edited by A Hasan & J C Das pages 902 to 906 Manohar Publications</ref> But others speak [[Ho language|Ho]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Ho|publisher=Ethnologue|url=http://www.ethnologue.com/language/hoc |accessdate=2 May 2013}}</ref> and some speak [[Western Pahari]]. |
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==Culture and society== |
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{{See also|List of Tarkhan People}} |
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The Tarkhans were a [[Martial Race]] in the period of the British Raj.<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/modern/independence1947_01.shtml</ref> They were a Martial Race due to the requirements of being brave, intimidating and independent warrior-like figures, walking with pride and authority. Tarkhans were well built men with strong hands and muscles, as well as patience and skill. A very proud and fiercely independent people, they are amongst the wealthiest and most educated clans of the Punjab region. Historically, Tarkhan occupations have included carpentry, landowning, farming, engineering, politics, science, medicine, and military. Tarkhans have served courageously in crack Commando units of the Punjab and Sikh Regiments of the Indian Army, as well as brave fighter pilots and in the Navy. They were made famous on the silver screen in the Bollywood film, Border for their brave actions in the Battle of Longowal, a battle fought during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.<refhttp://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Tarkhan#History_of_Sikh_Tarkhans></ref> |
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===Religion=== |
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Tarkhans, predominantly the Sikh, were known to be followers of [[Tat Khalsa]]<ref>http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Tat_Khalsa</ref> and follow its teachings. Many Sikh Tarkhans moved to Kenya during the Anglo-Sikh Wars, as well as the first and second world wars<ref>http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/543900/Sikh-Wars</ref>. Due to this they adopted a certain style of their [[Turban]]. |
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===Tarkhan Diet=== |
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Tarkhans were by and large non-vegetarians. They used to hunt their meat themselves and cook them upon reaching home, their main meals would be one of; pork; beef; chicken; lamb. The Tarkhans were also seen to be heavy consumers of alcohol, some recent polls in Punjab have indicated that the Tarkhans were the worst when it came to drinking. |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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[[Dhiman sikh|Dhiman]] |
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*[[Ubhi]] |
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*[[Matharu]] |
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*[[Ramgarhia | Ramgarhia Sikh]] |
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*[[Maharaja Jassa Singh Ramgarhia]] |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
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*{{note|Rose}} ''see'' [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=1QmrSwFYe60C&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false H.A. Rose. ''A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North-West Frontier Province 1919''] |
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*{{note|Ibbetson}} Sir Denzil Ibbetson. ''Panjab Castes - page 312f'' |
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*Read more: http://www.unp.me/f16/the-tarkhan-history-48969/#ixzz2pIA5qRF6 |
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{{Ethnic groups, tribes and clans of the Punjab}} |
{{Ethnic groups, tribes and clans of the Punjab}} |
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[[Category:Hindu communities]] |
[[Category:Hindu communities]] |
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[[Category:Carpenter castes]] |
[[Category:Carpenter castes]] |
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==External links== |
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*http://informaitonofpunjab.weebly.com/punjab.html |
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*http://www.sarbloh.info/htmls/article_samparda_ramgharia.html |
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Revision as of 22:34, 3 January 2014
- This article is about Tarkhan, a Northern Indian tribe. For other uses, see Tarkan (disambiguation)
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Punjab | |
| Languages | |
| Punjabi, Hindi, English[citation needed] | |
| Religion | |
| Sikhism, Hinduism, Islam[citation needed] | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| other Indo-Aryans |
The Tarkhan are considered a Punjabi tribe in Pakistani Punjab while a caste in Indian Punjab. They are traditionally carpenters by occupation.[1]
See also
References
- ^ McLeod, W. H. (2000). Exploring Sikhism: Aspects of Sikh Identity, Culture and Thought. Oxford University Press. p. 214. ISBN 978-0-19-564902-4.