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This
article is about Tarkhan, a Northern Indian tribe. For other uses,
see Tarkan (disambiguation)
The Tarkhan
(pronounced Terr-khaan) ethnic tribe inhabits the Punjab area of
Northern India and Punjab area of Pakistan. They are a separate
cultural and ethnic people that by historical tribal custom associate
within their own Tarkhan community. Some are also found in Kashmir.
Scholars such as H.A. Rose state that they are descended from the
Saka tribes, and originally settled in Taxila. The Tarkhans are a
minority in the Punjab, with numbers estimated at around 1,000,000 at
least to 2,000,000 maximum.
Contents
[hide]
1 History
2 Ramgarhia/Tarkhan tribes
3 Tarkhans and Lohars
4 The Ramgarhia Misl
4.1 Hardas Singh
4.2 Jassa Singh
4.3 The Ghallughara
5 Tarkhan Gotras (Clans)
6 Tarkhan - Ramgharia Personalities
6.1 Political, Religious and Miscellaneous Figures
6.2 Eminent Writers
6.3 Sports Personalities
6.4 Film, Television & Media Personalities
6.5 Music Personalities
6.6 Eminent Painters/Artists
6.7 Successful Entrepreneurs
6.8 Eminent Academicians
7 References
8 External links
[edit]
History
Hindu
Tarkhans are regarded to be of the Vaishya Varna (as they are
artisans) and worship the Vedic deity, Vishwakarma.[1] This is namely
due to following the traditional Vaishya occupation of
carpentry.
Sikh Tarkhans are more commonly known as Ramgarhias
because of their reverence for the famous Misl leader, Jassa Singh
Ramgarhia(1723-1803), who was a Tarkhan.
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.[2].
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.
[edit]
Ramgarhia/Tarkhan tribes
According
to Sir Denzil Ibbetson[3], the major Twelve Tarkhan tribes of the
Punjab and the Northwest Frontier Province include
1) Jhangra - found in Delhi and Hissar
2) Dhaman - found in Karnal, Ambala, Jalandahar, Sialkot, Patiala, Nabha, Faridhkot and Firozpur.
3) Khattia - found in Karnal, Ambala, Jalandahar, Sialkot, Patiala, Nabha, Faridhkot and Firozpur.
4) Siawan - Jallandhar and Sialkot
5) Gade - Amritsar
6) Matharu - Ludhiana, Amritsar and Lahore.
7) Netal - Hoshiarpur
8) Janjua - Rawalpindia
9) Tharu - Gurdaspur and Sialkot
10)Khokar - Lahore, Rawalpindi and Multan
11)Bhatti - Lahore, Rawalpindi and Multan
12)Begi Khel - Hazara.
Ibbetson
Ibbetson notes further that[4]:
"The
carpenters of Sirsa are divided into two great sections: the Dhaman
and Khati 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."
Ibbetson
It should be noted that the artisan sections of Tarkhans look down
upon the agricultural sections of their tribe too.
[edit]
Tarkhans and Lohars
Lohars
are blacksmiths. According to HA Rose and Denzil Ibbetson, Lohars are
descended from Rajputs and Jats. Although considered a lower caste
than Tarkhans, Lohars have been accepted into Tarkhan tribal
affiliations.
[5]
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
This would explain why some Tarkhans/Lohars have similar surnames to
Jats and Rajputs.
[edit]
The Ramgarhia Misl
The
founder of the Ramgarhia Misl was Khushal Singh of Guga village near
Amritsar. Khushal Singh was succeeded, Nand Singh, who belonged to
the village of Sanghani near Amritsar. He was succeeded by a much
more enterprising and valiant man, named Jassa Singh, under whose
stewardship the band assumed the status and the name of the Misl. He
took over the floundering Misl and made it into one of the greatest
fighting armies of the Punjab.
[edit]
Hardas Singh
Hardas
Singh, the grandfather of Jassa Singh, a carpenter by caste, was the
resident of Sur Singh which is situated about nineteen miles east of
Khem Karan, in the present district of Amritsar. Hardas Singh was
initiated into the Khalsa faith by Guru Gobind Singh himself from
whose hands he took pahul and fought some battles at the Guru's side.
When Banda Bahadur organised the Sikhs to fight against the Mughals,
Hardas Singh joined his followers and participated in most of the
battles fought by him. He died in the battle of Bajwara AD
1715.
[edit]
Jassa Singh
One
of the known warriors from punjab jassa singh came from the
zamindars/landlord family. Bhagwan Singh, the only son of Hardas
Singh, was of a still more adventurous disposition. He had also
mastered the Adi Granth. He shifted to the village of Ichogil which
lay about twelve miles east of Lahore. He preached the Sikh faith in
the neighbouring villages. He was an intrepid soldier. Bhagwan Singh
had five sons, named Jai Singh, Jassa Singh, Khushal Singh, Mali
Singh and Tara Singh. In 1739, during the invasion of Nadir Shah
Bhagwan Singh saved the life of the governor of Lahore at the cost of
his own. To reward his brave deed the governor gave a village each to
all of his five sons. The villages gifted were Valla, Verka,
Sultanwind, Tung and Chubhal. Of these villages Valla came to the
share of Jassa Singh. [6]. Ramgharia Sikhs today (often referred to
as Tarkhans) derive this name from the very same aristocratic Jassa
Singh Ramgharia, who was renowned for his bravery in battle.
[edit]
The Ghallughara
When
Prince Timur, son of Ahmad Shah Abdali, marched against Adina Beg,
the latter retreated towards the hills to the north and Sardar Jassa
Singh and his brothers left him and went to Amritsar, where they
joined the forces of Nand Singh Sanghania. The younger brother of
Sardar Jassa Singh was at this time killed in action with the Afghans
near Majitha. After the terrible blow dealt to the Sikhs by Abdali,
in the Battle of Ghallughara ('Holocaust'), in which 17,000 Sikhs
fell, the three brothers, Jassa Singh, Mali Singh and Tara Singh,
with Jai Singh Kanhaiya (Leader of the Kanhaiya Misl), were reduced
to the necessity of hiding in jungles and subsisting on whatever
chance threw in their way. They had, however, the temerity to visit
Amritsar to bathe in the sacred tank, and pillaged the suburbs of the
city. When attacked by the Shah's troops they fired off their
matchlocks and fled to the jungles. After the departure of Ahmad
Shah, Jassa Singh with his brothers Mali Singh and Tara Singh, and
Jai Singh Kanhaiya emerged from their jungle retreat, and collecting
their followers ravaged the country far and wide, building forts and
establishing military outposts. When Khawaja Obed, the Governor of
Lahore, attacked the Sikh fort at Gujranwala, he was opposed by the
united forces of the Ramgarhias and Kanhaiyas and the guns,
ammunition and treasure left by the Governor were equally divided by
the leaders of the two Misls.
[edit]
Tarkhan Gotras (Clans)
Main
article: List of Tarkhan Clans
Many Tarkhan clans are also
cross-listed as Jat, Gujjar and Rajput, due to Tarkhans having the
same racial lineage and racial type as these ethnic tribes. In the
context of secular classification they can be classed a Eurasian due
to central Asian ancestral lineage contributions. Eventually
Hephthalites (coalition between many tribes with different origins,
including Mongolian and Turkic) and Huns (it is proven Rajputs have
also an east-Asian ancestor-line). It is probable that Aroras/Arokhas
(they are also thought as Herodot's Arachosians in ancient Kandahar),
Gujjar, Jats, Kamboj, Khatris and Rajputs, have varying degrees of
both foreign and indigenous Indian stock. In many parts, it is
largely due to familial tradition that some members of a certain clan
dub themselves Rajput and others of the same clan are Arora, Gujjar,
Jat, Khatri, Kamboj and Tarkhan. This is more often the case in the
Punjab, where there was already a large indigenous ethnic tribal
population when the invading tribes arrived. Within the religion of
Hinduism, it is not entirely clear in the case of many clans and
surnames as to which subdivision of the religious Kshatriya
classification they belong to. They were absorbed into the Hindu
religious Kshatriya classification, given their warlike nature, and
thus became one of the subgroups or in many cases, assimilated
completely into older Indo-Aryan clans.
[edit]
Tarkhan - Ramgharia Personalities
The
lists in this article may contain items that are not
notable, encyclopedic, or helpful.
Please help out by removing such elements and incorporating
appropriate items into the main body of the article. (August
2008)
Monty
Panesar was born into the Tarkhan Panesar Clan.
[edit]
Political, Religious and Miscellaneous Figures
Bhai Laalo Ji - a Ghatorha Gotra to be blessed by Guru Nank Dev ji himself,and was one of the greatest saints of Punjab.
Sardar Jassa Singh Ramgarhia - Leader of Ramgharia Misl, Jathedar and holder of keys to the Golden Temple.
Baba Ram Singh - one of the greatest social reformers, a spiritual teacher and national leader. One of the leaders of the Namdharia Cult.
Sarmukh Singh Chamak - Gurudwara reform movement leader and Indian Freedom fighter.
Arjan Singh Gargaj - Gurudwara reform movement leader and Indian Freedom fighter.
Baba Nand Singh ji - The life of Baba Nand Singh ji is also the life of highest type of 'Saint'.
Bhai Sukha Singh Kalsi - Sikh Warrior and Leader in Buddha Dal.
Bhai Roop Chand Ji Khokar - Sikh Warrior and trusted Lietenant of Guru Hargobind Singh Ji.
Bhai Dharam Singh - Bhai Roop Chand's son and warrior of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.
Bhai Param Singh - Bhai Roop Chand's son and warror of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.
Bhai Dharma Singh - Sikh Warrior and son of Bhai Dharam Singh.
Bhai Param Singh - Sikh Warrior and son of Bhai Dharam Singh.
Bhai Karam Singh - Sikh Warrior and son of Bhai Dharam Singh.
Bhai Mahanand Singh - Sikh Warrior and son of Bhai Dharam Singh.
Bhai Sadanand Singh - Sikh Warrior and son of Bhai Dharam Singh.
Bhai Surtia - Sikh Warrior and son of Bhai Dharam Singh.
Bhai Sukhia ji - Sikh Warrior and son of Bhai Dharam Singh.
Hardas Singh - Trusted Warrior of Guru Gobind Singh.
Jai Singh - Sikh Warrior and Misl General.
Mali Singh - Sikh Warrior and Misl General.
Tara Singh Bhambra - Sikh Warrior, Misl General and expert in the Sikh Martial Art of Gatka.
Giani Zail Singh - Chief Minister of Punjab and First Sikh President of India.
Dalip Singh Saund - First Sikh United States Congressman.
Sardar Bahadur Karnail Singh - Chairman, Indian Railways and brother of Dalip Singh Saund
Justice Mota Singh - First Sikh Law Lord in United Kingdom.
Air Marshal Shiv Dev Singh - IAF leading light and 2nd World War Veteran.
Bhai Ranjit Singh Ghattora - Jathedar At Golden Temple and chastiser of the Nirankari Cult.
Sardar Sardul Singh Caveeshar - Indian Freedom Fighter.
S. Karam Singh Bhogal - Indian Freedom Fighter and Partcipant in the Jaito Ji Morcha.
Shaheed Sundar Singh - Son of Bhai Gian Singh Saggu and Martyr of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.
Sardar Chanan Singh Hunjan - Barrister at Law and Chief Judge of the Kenyan High Court. Close friend of President Jomo Kenyatta.
Jaswant Singh Bharaj - Freedom Fighter who fought against British Colonialism in India and Africa.
Priyadarshan Singh - DGM, Bank of Baroda
[edit]
Eminent Writers
Dr. Harbhajan Singh - winner of Kabir and Saraswati Sanmaans and Professor Emeritus, University of Delhi
Hazara Singh Gurdaspuri - best known for the "vaars" he wrote in Punjabi
Tara Singh Kaamal - best known satirist
Suba Singh - best known humor-writer, also press-advisor to Giani Zail Singh, then Chief Minister of Punjab
Giani Ditt Singh - best known for his seminal book "Mera Pind"
Gurdial Singh - eminent novelist, winner of Bhartiya Gyanpeeth Award
Atam Hamrahi - Eminent folklorist and poet from the Malwa region
Jaswant Singh Virdi - eminent short-story writer based in Chandigarh
Ajmer Rode - Canada-based eminent poet, dramaturg and translator
Navtej Bharti - Canada-based eminent poet and prose writer
Surjit Paatar - amongst the best known Punjabi poets today
Surinder Kaur Chahal - Canada-based eminent poetess
Madan Gopal Singh - Lyricist and Composer for "Khamosh Pani"
Munna Dhiman - Lyricist for "Nishabd"
[edit]
Sports Personalities
Joginder Singh - Winner of the African Safari
Joginder Singh Gindi - Member, Indian Hockey Team in the 60s
Virender Singh - famous right-half of the Indian hockey team that won the 1975 World Cup
Harbhajan Singh Plaha - Indian Cricketer.
Monty Panesar - England Cricketer.
Gursharan Singh - played for the Indian test team
Bahadur Singh Saggu - Indian Strongman and Olympic Shotputter and Asian Games Gold Medalist.
Jatinder Singh Mudarh - Indian Strongman and given the title "The Strongest Man in Panjab".
Mandeep Singh Bhogal - AKA Iron Singh - American BodyBuilder.
[edit]
Film, Television & Media Personalities
Ajay Devgan - Famous Indian Film Star
Veeru Devgan - Famous Action Designer for Indian Films - Father of Ajay Devgan
Gulzar - Famous Indian poet, lyricist, film-maker, director.
Ameet Channa - British Film Actor
Kulvinder Ghir - Actor/Comedian Goodness Gracious Me
Satnam Bhogal - Actor - Holby City
Suzanne Virdee - News Presenter
Vicky Bhogal - UK TV Chef & Author
Kanwaljit Singh - Punjabi film star, acted in a number of serials and punjabi films with harbhajan maan
Ravinder Bhogal - UK TV Chef and presenter
[edit]
Music Personalities
Baba Jwala Singh Thatte Tibbewale - greatest exponent of Gurbani Kirtan
Bhai Santa Singh - the best known Gurbani Kirtankaar
Bhai Surjan Singh - Equally well-known Kirtankaar
Bhai Sumand Singh - Vintage Kirtankaar of Agra Gharana
Bhai Avtar Singh Gurcharan Singh - the best known Kirtankaar in Dhrupad Ang
Bhai Balbir Singh - Another stalwart in Gurbani Kirtan
Bhai Baldeep Singh - An institution in himself at a young age
Bhai Manjit Singh - Amongst the most melodious kirtankaars today
Ustad Gurdev Singh - Amongst the ablest disciples of Ustad Amjad Ali Khan
Alam Lohar - a legend of a folk singer from Pakistan
Dr Madan Gopal Singh - Best known for his renditions of Sufi texts
Bally Sagoo - World Famous Music Producer and first Sikh Artist to cross over to UK Charts.
Surinder Shinda - Panjabi Folk Singer and Icon.
Jaswant Bhanwara -Eminent Musician. Guru of Sukhvinder, Kamal Heer, Manmohan Waris and Sangtar
Jeet Bhogal - renowned music producer.
Jagjit Singh Dhiman - World renowned religious singer and famous ghazal artist.
Rohan Singh Bhogal - a tabla child prodigy born and raised in Canada.
Dilraj Kaur - Became a famous singer under the tutelage of OP Nayyar and Jaidev
Talvin Singh - Musician and world renowned percussionist.
Kuljit Bhambra - Music producer (for groups such as Heera and Premi).
Kulwant Bhambra - Singer and one half of duo in Apna Sangeet.
Sardar Sukhvinder "Pinky" Bharaj - Renowned Tabla Player.
Prof. Harchand Singh Kalsi - Musician.
Amarjyot - Singer with the famous Amar Singh Chamkila.
Hazara Singh Ramta - Panjabi Folk and comedy singer.
Johnny Kalsi - World Famous Dholi.
Jagmohan Kaur - Panjabi Folk singer.
Ranjit Kaur - Panjabi Folk singer with Mohd. Saddiq.
Didar Sandhu - (Ramgarhia-Sandhu) Famous Folk Singer.
Pargat Singh Matharu- Classical singer [Sham churasi Ghrana he disciple of legandery Master Rattan jee]
Mandippal Jandu - Young Toronto based Musician viewed by many music journalists as a future star.
Harbans Jandu - known more commonly as Jandu Littrawala. Famous punjabi lyricist.
[edit]
Eminent Painters/Artists
Sobha Singh - Artist and Famous Religious Painter.
GS Thakur Singh - Landscape artist par excellence
S. Sohan Singh Saggu (Popular as G. S. Sohan Singh) - Famous Artist.
Kirpal Singh - Artist who painted the bulk of the Sikh Museum at the Golden Temple, Amritsar
Dr. Surjit Kaur - A well known woman painter of Punjab, established Fine arts Department in Apeejay college of Fine Arts, Jalandhar.
Bhai Gian Singh Saggu - Artist and Fresco Painter.
Avtarjeet Dhanjal - famous artist based in London
Gurcharan Singh - Amongst the most sought after India painters based in Mumbai
Phoolan Rani - Amongst the better known women painters of Punjab
Rajesh Kalsi - Eminent artist, a product of Art College, Chandigarh, is famaous for his Printmaking, Digital Art and Photography
[edit]
Successful Entrepreneurs
Sardar Ganda Singh - the man who played a decisive role in developing the railway network in the North-East in the 20s
[edit]
Eminent Academicians
Dr. Harbhajan Singh, Professor Emeritus, University of Delhi
Prem Singh - Eminent artist and teacher, retired as the Principal of the Art College, Chandigarh
Dr. Shamsher Singh Bari - Registrar, Panjab University, Chandigarh
[edit]
References
^ see H.A. Rose. A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North-West Frontier Province; Manu Smriti
^ Patwant Singh. The Sikhs.
^ Prof Sahib Singh - Adhi Bir Barai - page 198
^ H.A. Rose. A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North-West Frontier Province.
play songs online punjabi singer at punjabilok.com
^ Patwant Singh. The Sikhs.
^ Sir Denzil Ibbetson. Panjab Castes - page 313.
^ Sir Denzil Ibbetson. Panjab Castes - page 313.
^ Sir Denzil Ibbetson. Panjab Castes - page 312.
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