Kot (District Fatehpur, U.P. India)
Encyclopedia
Kot is a village in the southeast corner of Fatehpur district
in the state of Uttar Pradesh
, India
. The village was founded by Malik Bahbal (Izzuddin Malik Babar), a general in the army of ShahabUddin Ghori (also Ghauri, Ghouri) in the 12th century. Kot has 12 smaller satellite villages, including Rahmatpur, Shivpuri, Kulli, Ghazipur, Dariyapur, Manupur, Shahnagar, Daulatpur, Oraha and Adhaiya. The people from the area refer to themselves as Khokkhars. Another community from this area is the Kshatriya
s, who call themselves Chandrauls, Chandelas or Chandravashi Kshatriya (descendants of King Parikshit).
tribe, originally numbering almost 100,000, has lived in Kot, Fatehpur district, for nearly 800 years. As of 2011, the population of Khokkhars living in the Kot area is estimated at about 5,000; other Khokkars are scattered around many parts of India. Most of the original population emigrated to Pakistan
. Many others moved to Bhopal, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Visakapatna, Bhubneshwar, Bilaspur, Itarsi, Banda (Bundelkhand) and other parts of India. Some emigrated to the Middle East, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, and other countries for economic gain. The worldwide Khokkhar population may be as high as 300,000.
Research indicates that the Kokkhars are the descendants of Uzbek
Persians who, after their defeat by the Arabs in Persia, took refuge in Punjab; the army of King Babar (which was passing through the area) recruited them because of their ferocity in warfare.
Former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in a late-1980s speech, noted that the Khokkhars in Kot are strong, united and their numbers are increasing. Former Prime Minister V. P. Singh visited Kot (due to its political importance) shortly after he was sworn in as Prime Minister of India in 1991.
Another reference indicates that the Kokkhars are a tribe of the Rajput clan (inferred due to their ruling status in the Kuh-i-Jud regions of Punjab
), and have allied with other clans (such as the Janjua) in pushing back the Ghorid armies from the region.
"Ghakkar" and "Kakar" are other variations of Kokkhar. Although they are not of Chandra, Surya or Agnikula Vansh lineage, they were given the status of Rajput Pathan by the priests of their time; it was not a self-proclaimed title. This demonstrates that the Kokkhars are not Jatts, Thakurs or any other military tribe of India, and may not be an indigenous ethnic group. Many defeated royal figures with Uzbek, Persian and Pashtun origins became Lashkari (allies of passing warlords), the Kokkhars among them. They are mistakenly thought to have been in frequent conflict with the Indian Jatts, Thakurs and Rajputs; rather, they sided with the Jatts, Rajputs and Moguls against the Ghorides.
The term "Kokkhar" is equivalent to "barbarian" in Europe, since they originated in Central Asia. They were Huns, who rapidly attacked and influenced northern India. The Kokkhars played a similar role with respect to northern India's empires as the barbarians (or the Huns) did for the Roman Empire. More research is needed, since much Kokkhar history is currently unknown.
and the armies of the Moguls
and Aladdin Qhiljee.
Despite a degree of social uniformity, many different phenotypes may be found in the Khokkhar population including blond-haired, blue-eyed Khokkhars. Those with darker features and epicanthic folds are considered to be descendants of Kokkhars and the Thakur and Rajput
groups. Tall, olive-skinned, mustachioed tribesmen and those who combine these features are said to be descendants of the Jatt and Khokkhar dynasties. Although it may be tempting to associate certain physical features with a particular ethnic group, scholars recognize that (since all human populations are capable of intermingling, and do so) there are more physical differences found within ethnic groups than between them. In general, Khokkhars living in Kot have light skin (nearly Caucasian); they are tall, and resemble the Uzbeks
.
River at high altitude, providing a spectacular scenery of ancient fortified fortresses. Members of the different Kokkhar groups and Khandans residing in different locations must adapt to their own micro-environments. Many Khokkhars use Khan as a surname, while others have adopted the surname Khokkhar. Many Khokkhars (in Kot, elsewhere in India and abroad) are involved in business; some are bureaucrats, or otherwise in public service (including members of the military and police forces). A few are members of the underworld; however, most Khokkars – especially those abroad – are employed in particular industries, depending on location (real estate in Mumbai and travel in Germany, for example).
Fatehpur district
Fatehpur district is one of the 71 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The district covers an area of 4,152 km². The district has a population of 2,308,384 . Fatehpur city is the administrative headquarters of the district. Located on the banks of the sacred rivers Ganges and...
in the state of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The village was founded by Malik Bahbal (Izzuddin Malik Babar), a general in the army of ShahabUddin Ghori (also Ghauri, Ghouri) in the 12th century. Kot has 12 smaller satellite villages, including Rahmatpur, Shivpuri, Kulli, Ghazipur, Dariyapur, Manupur, Shahnagar, Daulatpur, Oraha and Adhaiya. The people from the area refer to themselves as Khokkhars. Another community from this area is the Kshatriya
Kshatriya
*For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya or Kashtriya, meaning warrior, is one of the four varnas in Hinduism...
s, who call themselves Chandrauls, Chandelas or Chandravashi Kshatriya (descendants of King Parikshit).
History
The Khokhar KhanzadaKhokhar Khanzada
The Khokhar Khanzada are a Muslim Rajput community found mainly in the Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh in India. They have no connection with the Ranghar Khokhar of Moradabad district in western Uttar Pradesh, another community of Muslim Khokhars settled in Uttar Pradesh. The Khokhar are a well...
tribe, originally numbering almost 100,000, has lived in Kot, Fatehpur district, for nearly 800 years. As of 2011, the population of Khokkhars living in the Kot area is estimated at about 5,000; other Khokkars are scattered around many parts of India. Most of the original population emigrated to Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. Many others moved to Bhopal, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Visakapatna, Bhubneshwar, Bilaspur, Itarsi, Banda (Bundelkhand) and other parts of India. Some emigrated to the Middle East, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, and other countries for economic gain. The worldwide Khokkhar population may be as high as 300,000.
Research indicates that the Kokkhars are the descendants of Uzbek
Uzbeks
The Uzbeks are a Turkic ethnic group in Central Asia. They comprise the majority population of Uzbekistan, and large populations can also be found in Afghanistan, Tajikstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Pakistan, Mongolia and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China...
Persians who, after their defeat by the Arabs in Persia, took refuge in Punjab; the army of King Babar (which was passing through the area) recruited them because of their ferocity in warfare.
Former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in a late-1980s speech, noted that the Khokkhars in Kot are strong, united and their numbers are increasing. Former Prime Minister V. P. Singh visited Kot (due to its political importance) shortly after he was sworn in as Prime Minister of India in 1991.
Another reference indicates that the Kokkhars are a tribe of the Rajput clan (inferred due to their ruling status in the Kuh-i-Jud regions of Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
), and have allied with other clans (such as the Janjua) in pushing back the Ghorid armies from the region.
"Ghakkar" and "Kakar" are other variations of Kokkhar. Although they are not of Chandra, Surya or Agnikula Vansh lineage, they were given the status of Rajput Pathan by the priests of their time; it was not a self-proclaimed title. This demonstrates that the Kokkhars are not Jatts, Thakurs or any other military tribe of India, and may not be an indigenous ethnic group. Many defeated royal figures with Uzbek, Persian and Pashtun origins became Lashkari (allies of passing warlords), the Kokkhars among them. They are mistakenly thought to have been in frequent conflict with the Indian Jatts, Thakurs and Rajputs; rather, they sided with the Jatts, Rajputs and Moguls against the Ghorides.
The term "Kokkhar" is equivalent to "barbarian" in Europe, since they originated in Central Asia. They were Huns, who rapidly attacked and influenced northern India. The Kokkhars played a similar role with respect to northern India's empires as the barbarians (or the Huns) did for the Roman Empire. More research is needed, since much Kokkhar history is currently unknown.
Ethnicity
Many Khokkhar elders living in Kot refer to their ancestors as Ajbuk, an Uzbek word meaning "wild warriors". Rivalries (sometimes escalating to armed hostility) have traditionally been frequent between – and within – various Khokkhar groups. Historical and geographic factors have spawned diversity within the Khokkhars. The relationship between tribe and ethnic group is complex, and all Khokkhars (including those in rural areas) consider themselves linked to the Pashtun peoplePashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
and the armies of the Moguls
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
and Aladdin Qhiljee.
Despite a degree of social uniformity, many different phenotypes may be found in the Khokkhar population including blond-haired, blue-eyed Khokkhars. Those with darker features and epicanthic folds are considered to be descendants of Kokkhars and the Thakur and Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
groups. Tall, olive-skinned, mustachioed tribesmen and those who combine these features are said to be descendants of the Jatt and Khokkhar dynasties. Although it may be tempting to associate certain physical features with a particular ethnic group, scholars recognize that (since all human populations are capable of intermingling, and do so) there are more physical differences found within ethnic groups than between them. In general, Khokkhars living in Kot have light skin (nearly Caucasian); they are tall, and resemble the Uzbeks
Uzbeks
The Uzbeks are a Turkic ethnic group in Central Asia. They comprise the majority population of Uzbekistan, and large populations can also be found in Afghanistan, Tajikstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Pakistan, Mongolia and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China...
.
Kot today
The Afghan and North Western Frontier's rugged environment isolated residential communities and created micro-environments with rigorous survival skills. Kot possesses a similar topography; it is located near the YamunaYamuna
The Yamuna is the largest tributary river of the Ganges in northern India...
River at high altitude, providing a spectacular scenery of ancient fortified fortresses. Members of the different Kokkhar groups and Khandans residing in different locations must adapt to their own micro-environments. Many Khokkhars use Khan as a surname, while others have adopted the surname Khokkhar. Many Khokkhars (in Kot, elsewhere in India and abroad) are involved in business; some are bureaucrats, or otherwise in public service (including members of the military and police forces). A few are members of the underworld; however, most Khokkars – especially those abroad – are employed in particular industries, depending on location (real estate in Mumbai and travel in Germany, for example).