Khatri
Caste in South Asia / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Khatri is a caste originating from the Punjab region[13] of South Asia that is predominantly found in India, but also in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Khatris claim they are warriors who took to trade.[14] In the Indian subcontinent, they were mostly engaged in mercantile professions such as banking and trade.[15][16][17] They were the dominant commercial and financial administration class of late-medieval India.[17] Some in Punjab often belonged to hereditary agriculturalist land-holding lineages,[18][19] while others were engaged in artisanal occupations.[20][21][22][23]
Khatri | |
---|---|
Religions | Hinduism, Sikhism |
Languages | Major: Lahnda variety of Punjabi (Potohari, Hindko, Multani/Saraiki)[1][2][3][4][5] Minor: Hindi, Gujarati, Dogri, Kangri, Sindhi,[6] Pashto, Urdu,[7] Kutchi |
Country | India, Pakistan and Afghanistan |
Region | Punjab, Sindh, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir,[8] Himachal Pradesh,[9] Haryana,[10] Gujarat,[11] Maharashtra,[12] Uttar Pradesh |
Khatris of Punjab specifically were scribes and traders. They secured good employment in the Mughal imperial service by several of them taking membership in the Madrasas and learning Persian.[24][14]
The Sikh religion was founded by Guru Nanak, a Bedi Khatri. The second guru, Guru Angad was a Trehan Khatri. The third guru, Guru Amar Das was a Bhalla Khatri. The fourth through tenth gurus were all Sodhi Khatris.[14]
During the Sikh Empire, many Khatris formed the military vanguard of the Khalsa Army and its administrative class as Dewans of all the provinces. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh Khalsa Army, was an Uppal Khatri and responsible for most of the Sikh conquests up until the Khyber pass.[25][26] Others such as Mokham Chand commanded the Sikh Army against the Durrani Empire at Attock while those such as Sawan Mal Chopra ruled Multan after wrestling it from the Afghans.[27]
During the British colonial era, they also served as lawyers and engaged in administrative jobs in the colonial bureaucracy.[28][29] Some of them served in the British Indian army after being raised as Sikhs.[18]
During the Partition of British India in 1947, Khatris migrated enmasse to India from the regions that comprise modern-day Pakistan.[30][31] Hindu Afghans and Sikh Afghans are predominantly of Khatri and Arora origin.[32]
Khatris have played an active role in the Indian Armed Forces since 1947, with many heading it as the Chief of Army or Admiral of the Navy. Some such as Vikram Batra and Arun Khetarpal have won India's highest wartime gallantry award, the Param Vir Chakra.[33][34]