Lohana

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Template:Distinguish Template:Pp-extended Template:Pp Template:Infobox ethnic group Lohana are a Hindu caste, a trading or mercantile community mostly residing in India and some also in Pakistan.[1][2]

The Lohanas are divided into many separate cultural groups as a result of centuries apart in different regions. Thus there are significant differences between the culture, language, professions and societies of Gujarati Lohanas and Kutchi Lohanas from Gujarat, India and Sindhi Lohanas from Sindh, Pakistan (the latter having largely migrated to India as well).

Origin

The Lohanas belong to Vaishya caste, traditionally merchants in Hindu caste system, although they claim that they are of Kshatriya origin.[3][4]

According to André Wink, at least in the Muslim sources, Lohanas appear to be subdivisions of the Jats or to be put on a par with the Jats of Chacha's Sind.[5] According to David Cheesman, the Lohana who immigrated from Punjab to Sindh in the distant past, may have been descended from the people also known as Lohana who fled from Sindh after the Arab conquest of 711.[6] Matthew A. Cook argues that many Punjabis migrated to Sindh during the eighteenth century and got assimilated into the Lohana community.[7]

U.T Thakur writes that there are many similarities between Aroras, Khatris, Bhanushalis and Lohanas, all of whom recruited Saraswat Brahmins as priests. Lari says the Bhatias, Khatris and Lohanas even intermarried.Template:Sfn Schaflechner cites the historian Rowe who states that "low ranking"Template:Efn Saraswat Brahmins originating in Balochistan formed a symbiotic relationship with castes such as Khatris, Lohanas, etc. who were trying to raise their varna status – which in turn would benefit the Saraswat Brahmins as well. For this purpose, certain religious texts were written during the British Raj era.Template:Sfn

However, as per Pierre Lachaier, their name derives from the city of Lohargadh in Lahore district of Punjab (now in Pakistan).[8] Before their traditional occupation of traders, both the Lohanas and Bhatias were involved in the profession of agriculture. Goswami states that their ritual position was "ambiguous", and "they were considered neither a high nor a low caste".[9]

Sub-divisions

Sindhi Lohana

Vast majority of Sindhi Hindus are Lohanas.[10] Sindhi Lohanas have since been divided into several groups, among which are a traditionally more educated "upper section" called "Amils", who served as scribes to the Muslim rulers and a less educated "lower section" called "Bhaibands", who were traders:[11][12]

File:Lohana Amils, Hindoos, Sind (NYPL b13409080-1125564).jpg
Sindhi Lohana Amil's.
  • Amils : The "upper section" of educated Lohanas who served the Muslim dynasties as scribes in Sindh. In the 18th–19th century, they began working for the British. They currently are generally involved in clerical jobs in government offices, as working in posts of revenue collectors and other senior positions. They originally composed 10–15% of the Lohana community continued to draw members from those castes.Template:Sfn[12]
  • Bhaibands : The less educated of "lower section", mainly involved in trade and commerce and so mostly merchants. Most were shopkeepers and money-lenders. The community was involved in international and trade in interior of Sindh even before the arrival of the British. They also played an important part in the development of the city of Karachi.[12]
  • Sahitis: placed somewhere between Amils and Bhaibands, they could be either in government service or traders.

For hundreds of years, the Sindhi Lohanas absorbed other communities from the western Indian subcontinent.Template:Sfn The Lohanas of Sindh became an important trading community in Sindh during the Kalhora rule.[13]

History

Ala-Din Khilji (1296–1316) mounted a number of campaigns in the region battling the Sumra princes whose cycle of capitulation/rebellion could be charted exactly to the perceived military stress on the metropole. Yet, the Delhi Sultans and their governor rarely resorted to invading Sumra held territories – relying, instead, on alliances with tribal elite and local power struggles. Against the Sumras, Khiljl advanced the cause of Samma. The conflict guaranteed a rolling supply of princes and tribal chiefs wanting alliances with the center. The tussle for dominance between the Sumras and the Samma lasted until the reign of Firuz Shah Tughluq (1351–1388), when the Jam emirs of Samma were finally able to end Sumra dominance, taking over lower Sindh.[14] Template:Multiple image

Formation of Khoja and Memon Islamic communities

The community's oral history says that the decline of their community began after the death of Veer Dada Jashraj. It also says that their name derives from the city of Lohargadh (/Lohanpur/Lohkot) in Lahore, from which they migrated in the 13th century after the establishment of Muslim rule there.[8]

Pir Sadardin converted some Lohanas to the Shia Ismaili Nizari sect of Islam in the 15th century. As Lohanas were worshippers of Shakti, the emergence of a devotional Ismaili oral tradition that incorporated indigenous conceptions of religion, known as ginans, played a role in the forming of a new ethnic caste-like grouping. This group came to be known as Khojas (from Khawaja), a title given by Sadardin, that would predominantly merge into what is now understood as the Nizari Ismaili branch of Shia Islam.[15]

In 1422, Jam Rai Dan was tribal leader in Sindh during the Samma Dynasty; he was converted to Islam by Sayad Eusuf-ud-Din and he adopted a new name Makrab Khan. At that time a person named Mankeji was head of 84 nukhs of Lohanas, who were in favour in court of that Samma king. He was persuaded by ruler and the Qadri to convert to Islam. However, not all Lohanas were ready to convert from Hinduism. But 700 Lohana families comprising some 6,178 persons converted in Thatta, Sindh. These are now known as Memons (from Mumins).[16]

Post-partition

After the partition of India in 1947, Lohanas from Kutch and Sindh migrated in large numbers to Gujarat, mostly to Kutch, Ahmedabad and Vadodara. Many also settled in Maharashtra in Mumbai, Mulund, Pune, and Nagpur.Template:Sfn

Overseas diaspora

Thousands of Hindu Gujaratis left India between 1880–1920 and migrated to British colonies in the African Great Lakes region of Uganda, Kenya and Tanganyika. A significant number of these came from the Patidar and Gujarati Lohana communities.[17] At that time, however, there was already a bustling merchant class diaspora of Gujarati Muslims in these countries.[18]

The Lohana migrants to East Africa, of which there were 40,000 in 1970,[19] came mainly from the Saurashtran cities of Jamnagar and Rajkot.[20] Many Lohanas set up businesses in those countries, two of the most successful being those set up by Nanji Kalidas Mehta and Muljibhai Madhvani.[21][22]

In the later part of 20th century, following the independence of British colonies, and particularly after Idi Amin's expulsion order for South Asians in 1972, most Lohanas moved to the United Kingdom, and to a lesser extent to United States and Canada.[23] In the UK, the highest concentration of Lohanas and other Gujarati Hindu communities is around the West London suburbs of Wembley and Harrow, and the city of Leicester in the East Midlands region of England.[24][25]

Society and culture

Lohanas largely follow Hindu rituals and worship Hindu deities such as Krishna. They worship avatars of Vishnu such as Rama with his consort Sita and Krishna in the form of Shrinathji. They worship Shakti in the form of Ravirandal Mataji, and Ambika. The 19th century saints Jalaram Bapa, and Yogiji Maharaj, also attract many Lohana devotees. Their main clan deities are Veer Dada Jashraj, Harkor Ba, Sindhvi Shree Sikotar Mata and Dariyalal. The Sun is also worshipped by the community.[8] Some Lohana branches worship Hinglaj as a clan goddess.Template:Sfn

Sindhi Lohanas eat meat and drink alcohol.[26]

Surnames

Sub-Caste Surnames[27][28][29]
Gujarati and Kutchi Lohana Akhani Adwani Aahiya, Adhia, Ajwani, Ambiya, Amlani,Motwani,Mirchandani, Adatia, Anadkat, Barai, Bhatadi, Bhayani, Bhimani, Bhimjiyani, Bhojani,Chugani, Chadupotra, Chandan, Chandarana, Chug, Dattani, Davda, Devani, Dhanak, Dhakar, Gadhiya, Gajan, Gajjar, Gakhar, Gandhi, Gatha,Gokani, Hindocha, Jobanputra, Kataria,Kakkad, Kanabar, Kanani, Katira, Khakkar,Khandhadiya,Khilochia, Kotak, Kotecha, Ladhak, Lodhiya,Manghirmalani Madan, Madlani, Madhvani, Majithia,Mamtora, Manek, Mapara,Kariya, Thakkar, Ganatra, Mahtani Mashru, Nathwani, Pandhi, Popat, Pujara, Raimagia, Raja, Rajvir, Rariya, Ruparel, Raychura, Sachdev, Shakrani, Sejpal,Sunchak, Tanna, Pabari, Thakaral, Unadkat, Vasani, Vasant, Vithlani.
Sindhi Amil Lohana Advani, Ahuja, Ajwani, barai,Bathija, Bhavnani, Bijlani, Chhablani, Chugan, Dadlani, Daryani, Dudani, Gidwani, Hingorani, Idnani, Issrani, Jagtiani, Jhangiani, Kandharani, Karnani, Kewalramani, Khubchandani, Kriplani, Lalwani, Mahtani, Makhija, Malkani, Manghirmalani. Manshani, Mansukhani, Mirchandani, Mukhija, Panjwani, Punwani, Ramchandani, Rijhsanghani, Sadarangani, Shahani, Sipahimalani, Sippy, Sitlani, Takthani, Thadani, Vaswani, Wadhwani and Uttamsinghani
Sindhi Bhaiband Lohana Aishani, Agahni, Anandani, Aneja, Ambwani, Asija, Bablani, Bajaj, Bhagwani, Bhaglani, Bhagnani, Balani, Baharwani, Biyani, Bodhani, Chhabria, Channa, Chothani, Dalwani, Damani, Dhingria, Dolani, Dudeja, Ganda ,Gajwani, Gangwani, Ganglani, Gyanani, Gulrajani, Hotwani, Harwani, Jamtani, Jobanputra, Juneja, Jumani, Kateja, Kodwani, Khabrani, Khairajani, Khanchandani, Lakhani, Lanjwani, Longan, Lachhwani, Ludhwani, Lulia, Lokwani, Mamtani, Mirani, Mirwani, Mohinani, Mulchandani, Nihalani, Nankani, Nathani, Parwani, Phull, Qaimkhani, Ratlani, Rajpal, Rustamani, Ruprela, Sambhavani, Santdasani, Soneji, Sethia, Sewani, Tewani, Tejwani, Tilokani, Tirthani, Wassan, Vangani, Vishnani, Visrani, Virwani and Valbani

References

  1. ↑ The Cambridge Economic History of India: Volume 2, C.1757-c.1970{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. CUP Archive(1983). ISBN 978-0-521-22802-2
  2. ↑ Living Islamic History: Studies in Honour of Professor Carole Hillenbrand{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Edinburgh University Press(21 April 2010). ISBN 978-0-7486-4219-9
  3. ↑ Cosmopolitan Connections: The Sindhi Diaspora, 1860–2000{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. BRILL(1 September 2004). ISBN 978-90-474-0603-7
  4. ↑ Popular Hinduism, Stories and Mobile Performances: The Voice of Morari Bapu in Multiple Media{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Routledge(24 June 2022). ISBN 978-1-00-060464-1
  5. ↑ Al-Hind: The Making of the Indo-Islamic World. Early medieval India and the expansion of Islam 7th-11th centuries. Vol. 1{{#if:Wink|, Wink}. Brill Academic Publishers(2002). ISBN 978-0-391-04125-7
  6. ↑ Landlord Power and Rural Indebtedness in Colonial Sind{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Routledge(2013). ISBN 9781136794490
  7. ↑ Sindhi Sikhs in India: The Missing People. South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies({Template:Date).
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Firmes et entreprises en Inde: la firme lignagère dans ses réseaux{{#if:Lachaier|, Lachaier}(1999-01-01). ISBN 9782865379279
  9. ↑ Globalization before Its Time: The Gujarati Merchants from Kachchh{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Penguin UK(18 February 2016). ISBN 9789385890703
  10. ↑ Hindu, Sufi, or Sikh: Contested Practices and Identifications of Sindhi Hindus in India and Beyond{{#if:Ramey|, Ramey}. Springer(2008-10-27). ISBN 978-0-230-61622-6
  11. ↑ Cosmopolitan connections: the Sindhi diaspora, 1860–2000{{#if:Falzon|, Falzon}(2004). ISBN 978-9004140080
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Explorations in History and Globalization{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Routledge(14 April 2016). ISBN 978-1-317-24384-7
  13. ↑ Template:Harvnb: "Lachaier claims that in the nineteenth century, the Lohanas were the most important trading community in the areas of Sindh, Kutch, and Saurashtra. One reason for this was the established rule of the Kalhoras in Sindh in the eighteenth century, which brought new business opportunities for merchant professions."
  14. ↑ The many histories of Muhammad b. Qasim: Narrating the Muslim conquest of Sindh – page – 99{{#if:Ahmed|, Ahmed}. The University of Chicago(2008)
  15. ↑ The Khojahs of South Asia: Defining a Space of their Own. Cultural Dynamics({Template:Date).
  16. ↑ The Muslim communities of Gujarat: an exploratory study of Bohras, Khojas, and Memons{{#if:Engineer|, Engineer}. Ajanta Publications(1989). ISBN 9788120202306
  17. ↑ Contested terrains: negotiating ethnic boundaries in the city of Leicester since 1950 (Doctoral dissertation, History){{#if:Herbert|, Herbert}(2004)
  18. ↑ The Changing Culture of Hindu Lohanas in East Africa. Contemporary Asians Studies({Template:Year).
  19. ↑ The rise and fall of philanthropy in East Africa : the Asian contribution{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Transaction Publishers(1992). ISBN 978-1-56000-007-5
  20. ↑ A case study of urban ethnicity: Harrow Gujaratis (Doctoral dissertation, London School of Economics and Political Science (United Kingdom){{#if:Kalka|, Kalka}(1986)
  21. ↑ The Rise and Fall of Philanthropy in East Africa: The Asian's Contribution{{#if:Gregory|, Gregory}(1992). ISBN 9781412833356
  22. ↑ Persistence Amid Adversity:The Growth and Spatial Distribution of the Asian Population of Kenya, 1902–1963{{#if:Bennett|, Bennett}. Syracuse University(1976)
  23. ↑ Hinduism in Great Britain: the perpetuation of religion in an alien cultural{{#if:Burghart|, Burghart}(1987). ISBN 9780422609104
  24. ↑ Young bilingual children in nursery schools{{#if:Thompson|, Thompson}. Multilingual Matters(2000). ISBN 978-1853594540
  25. ↑ Dying, death and bereavement in a British Hindu community{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Peeters(1997). ISBN 978-90-6831-976-7
  26. ↑ Devotion, Religious Authority, and Social Structures in Sindh: Khojas, Vanyos, and Faqirs{{#if:Boivin|, Boivin}. Brill(2024)
  27. ↑ The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Oxford University Press(2016-11-17). ISBN 978-0-19-252747-9
  28. ↑ Socio-Cultural Life of Merchants in Mughal Gujarat{{#if:Sharma|, Sharma}. Partridge Publishing(2014-12-03). ISBN 978-1-4828-4036-0
  29. ↑ Sindhi Culture{{#if:U.T Thakur|, U.T Thakur}(1959)

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Bibliography

  • Template:Wikisource inline
  • Hinglaj Devi: Identity, Change, and Solidification at a Hindu Temple in Pakistan{{#if:Schaflechner|, Schaflechner}. Oxford University Press(2018). ISBN 978-0-19-085052-4

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