Lalkhani
Encyclopedia
The Lalkhani are a Muslim Rajput community, found in North India
. They are a sub-division of the Bargujar clan of Rajput
s. The community is found mainly in the districts of Aligarh
and Bulandshahr
in Uttar Pradesh
. They are found in Dataganj
and Gunnaur
tehsil
s of Badaun District
. The term Lalkhani does not apply to all Muslim
Bargujar, as those originally from Haryana
, now found in Punjab
, Pakistan
are, in fact, a distinct community.
and settled in the Doab
in the 12th century. According to their traditions, they were invited by Prithvi Raj Chauhan, the last Hindu
ruler of North India
, to deal with the Chandel
Rajput
s who were causing trouble for the king. They get their name from Lal Khan,Bargujar, a Bargujar chieftain who converted to Islam
during the reign of the Mughal
Emperor Jahangir
, together with his brother Ahmed Khan, Bikram Khan, Kamal Khan and Rai Khan, from whom descend the Ahmadkhani, Bikramkhani, Kemalkhani and Raimani clans of Muslim
Bargujars. As a result of the conversion, the Lalkhanis were granted 64 villages, and became substantial landowners. The term Lalkhani now covers the Lalkhani proper, as well as the other four clans. With the breakup of the Mughal Empire
, the Lalkhani chieftains craved out several principalities, the main ones being Pahasu
, Chhatari
, Danpur
, Dharampur
and Pindrawal
, and from their clan came the Muhammad Ahmad Said Khan Chhatari
"Nawab of Chhatari", a prominent Muslim League politician, and last Prime Minister of the Hyderabad State
.
and Aligarh
. A few villages are also found in Badaun District
, mainly in Dataganj
and Gunnaur
tehsil
s.
The Lalkhani marry into other Rajput Muslim
clans in the neighbourhood, such as the Bhatti and Chauhan
, as well as marrying close kin, and have no concept of clan exogamy. They are Sunni Muslim
s, historically they incorporated several Hindu
beliefs, but many of these practices have now been abandoned. The Lalkhani speak both standard Urdu
, and the local Khari Boli dialect. They do not have an informal caste council, which marks them out from neighbouring Ranghar
communities.
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
. They are a sub-division of the Bargujar clan of 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...
s. The community is found mainly in the districts of Aligarh
Aligarh District
Aligarh District is a district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Its district seat is located in the city of Aligarh .The Aligarh District belongs to Aligarh Division...
and Bulandshahr
Bulandshahr District
Bulandshahar District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. Bulandshahr city is the district headquarters.-Geography:...
in 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...
. They are found in Dataganj
Dataganj
Dataganj is a town and a nagar panchayat in Badaun district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India.-Geography:Dataganj is located at . It has an average elevation of 158 metres .-Demographics:...
and Gunnaur
Gunnaur
Gunnaur is a town and a nagar panchayat in Badaun district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Geography:Gunnaur is located at . It has an average elevation of 170 metres .-Demographics:...
tehsil
Tehsil
A Tehsil or Tahsil/Tahasil , also known as Taluk and Mandal, is an administrative division of some country/countries of South Asia....
s of Badaun District
Badaun District
Budaun district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Budaun town is the district headquarters. Budaun district is a part of Bareilly division. The district covers an area of 5168 km²...
. The term Lalkhani does not apply to all Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
Bargujar, as those originally from Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
, now found in Punjab
Punjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
, 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...
are, in fact, a distinct community.
Origin
The Bargujar ancestors of the Lalkani came from RajasthanRajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
and settled in the Doab
Doab
A Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
in the 12th century. According to their traditions, they were invited by Prithvi Raj Chauhan, the last Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
ruler of North India
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
, to deal with the Chandel
Chandel
Chandela may refer to* Chandela, a Rajput clan in India* Chandel district, a district in Manipur, India* Suresh Chandel, Indian politician...
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...
s who were causing trouble for the king. They get their name from Lal Khan,Bargujar, a Bargujar chieftain who converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
during the reign of the Mughal
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...
Emperor Jahangir
Jahangir
Jahangir was the ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1605 until his death. The name Jahangir is from Persian جهانگیر,meaning "Conqueror of the World"...
, together with his brother Ahmed Khan, Bikram Khan, Kamal Khan and Rai Khan, from whom descend the Ahmadkhani, Bikramkhani, Kemalkhani and Raimani clans of Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
Bargujars. As a result of the conversion, the Lalkhanis were granted 64 villages, and became substantial landowners. The term Lalkhani now covers the Lalkhani proper, as well as the other four clans. With the breakup of the Mughal Empire
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...
, the Lalkhani chieftains craved out several principalities, the main ones being Pahasu
Pahasu
Pahasu is a town and a nagar panchayat in Bulandshahr district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Geography:Pahasu is located at . It has an average elevation of 187 metres .-History:...
, Chhatari
Chhatari
Chhatari is a town and a nagar panchayat in Bulandshahr district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India.-History:Chhatari was a jagir during British India.It was owned by Nawabs of Lalkhani, a Badgujar, Muslim Rajput community.-Nawabs of Chhatari:...
, Danpur
Danpur
Danpur is a town in Danpur Mandar in Bulandshahr District in Uttar Pradesh, India.Nearby towns are Dibai, Pahasu, Anupshahr-History:...
, Dharampur
Dharampur
Dharampur, was a princely state ruled by Sisodia Rajput rulers, which acceded to the Union of India June 10, 1948. It is now loacted in Gujarat, India....
and Pindrawal
Pindrawal
Pindrawal is a town is Bulandshahr district of Uttar Pradesh, IndiaRohilkhand railway station is about 4 km away from Pindrawal.-History:"Pindrawal" was a zamindari during British India belonging to dynasty of Lalkhani Badgujar, Muslim Rajput community....
, and from their clan came the Muhammad Ahmad Said Khan Chhatari
Muhammad Ahmad Said Khan Chhatari
Lieutenant Colonel Saeed ul-Mulk Nawab Sir Muhammad Ahmad Said Khan Chhatari, GBE, KCSI, KCIE, LL.D also known as Nawab of Chhatari was Governor of the United Provinces, Chief Minister of United Provinces, President of the Executive Council of the Nizam of Hyderabad Lieutenant Colonel Saeed...
"Nawab of Chhatari", a prominent Muslim League politician, and last Prime Minister of the Hyderabad State
Hyderabad State
-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...
.
Custom and traditions
Other than the former jagirdar families, most Lalkhani are small- to medium-scale farmers, with their villages densest in the area bordering the districts of BulandshahrBulandshahr District
Bulandshahar District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. Bulandshahr city is the district headquarters.-Geography:...
and Aligarh
Aligarh District
Aligarh District is a district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Its district seat is located in the city of Aligarh .The Aligarh District belongs to Aligarh Division...
. A few villages are also found in Badaun District
Badaun District
Budaun district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Budaun town is the district headquarters. Budaun district is a part of Bareilly division. The district covers an area of 5168 km²...
, mainly in Dataganj
Dataganj
Dataganj is a town and a nagar panchayat in Badaun district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India.-Geography:Dataganj is located at . It has an average elevation of 158 metres .-Demographics:...
and Gunnaur
Gunnaur
Gunnaur is a town and a nagar panchayat in Badaun district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Geography:Gunnaur is located at . It has an average elevation of 170 metres .-Demographics:...
tehsil
Tehsil
A Tehsil or Tahsil/Tahasil , also known as Taluk and Mandal, is an administrative division of some country/countries of South Asia....
s.
The Lalkhani marry into other Rajput Muslim
Ranghar
Ranghar are a Muslim ethnic group, which is found in Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan and Haryana and Uttar Pradesh states of India. Ranghar were native to Indian state of Haryana and also found in the Doab region of Uttar Pradesh, as well as Delhi in India...
clans in the neighbourhood, such as the Bhatti and Chauhan
Chauhan
Chauhan, Chouhan or Chohan , , - is a clan who ruled parts of northern India in the Middle Ages. The clan is most famous for Rajput King Maharaja Prithviraj Chauhan...
, as well as marrying close kin, and have no concept of clan exogamy. They are Sunni Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s, historically they incorporated several Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
beliefs, but many of these practices have now been abandoned. The Lalkhani speak both standard Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
, and the local Khari Boli dialect. They do not have an informal caste council, which marks them out from neighbouring Ranghar
Ranghar
Ranghar are a Muslim ethnic group, which is found in Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan and Haryana and Uttar Pradesh states of India. Ranghar were native to Indian state of Haryana and also found in the Doab region of Uttar Pradesh, as well as Delhi in India...
communities.