Bharai

Bharai are a Muslim community found in India and Pakistan. They are settled in the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab in India, and in Punjab province and Karachi in Pakistan. They are also known as Parahin and in Uttar Pradesh, the Bharai are also commonly known as Sheikh Sarwari.[1][2] It is also the name of a Jat and Rajput clan.[3][4]

Origin

The Bharai were traditionally priests of the Sultani sect, a syncretic sect with combined elements of Hinduism and Islam. The Sultanis were followers of the Sufi saint Sultan Sakhi Sarwar of Dera Ghazi Khan in what is now Pakistan. Most Sultanis were members of the Hindu Jat community, but the Bharai were always Muslim, and belonged either to the Muslim Jat or Muslim Rajput castes. The Jat Bharai claim descent from one Garba Jat, a Hindu attendant at the shrine of Sakhi Sarwar, who said to have been instructed by the Sakhi Sarwar to convert to Islam in a dream. There are various theories as to the origin of the word Bharai.

Present circumstances

The Bharai are now mainly settled agriculturists. Many Bharai are involved in rearing cattle, and the community are considered fairly skilled in this activity. Important subsidiary occupation includes service in the army, police and forestry service.[5]

Although Sunni, the Bharai still pay special reverence to Sultan Sakhi Sarwar.

References
  1. People of India Punjab Volume XXXVII edited by I.J.S Bansal and Swaran Singh pages 102 to 105 Manohar
  2. People of India Himachal Pradesh Volume XXIV by B.R Sharma and A.B Sankhyan Manohar 1996 pages 88 to 91
  3. Himachal Pradesh. People of India: States series. Vol. 24. K. S. Singh, B. R. Sharma, A. R. Sankhyan. Anthropological Survey of India. 1996. p. 88.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  4. Singh, Kumar Suresh (1996). "Appendix B". Communities, Segments, Synonyms, Surnames and Titles. People of India: National series. Vol. 8 (Illustrated ed.). Delhi: Anthropological Survey of India. pp. 1355–1357. ISBN 0-19-563357-1. OCLC 35662663.
  5. People of India Punjab Volume XXXVII edited by I.J.S Bansal and Swaran Singh pages 102 to 105 Manohar
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