Shah (Jain family name)
Encyclopedia
Shah is an Indian family name found mainly in the North India
n states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh
.
The surname has been adopted by the Jain and Hindu bania
(traders). Many Jains, vaishnavas, especially from Gujarat and southern Rajasthan
, have the last name "Shah". Its variants include "Sah", "Shaha", "Sahu", "Sha" or "Shaw".
"Shah
" meaning "King". Actually it is of India
n origin. It is derived from Sanskrit
Sadhu (meaning gentleman) and Prakrit
Sahu, while the actual spelling "Shah" in Western culture was popularized by the title of the former Persian King. As a result, especially in Western culture, the usuage of the spelling "Shah" has become far more pronounced than the other variants. The word Sadhu/Sahu is also separately used to indicate a Jain monk
. See Namokar Mantra.
In the Gujarat region, the surname Shah derives from the Gujarati
sah (from Sanskrit Sahukarah, "merchant"). Originally Sahukaar, the surname appears to have been altered under the influence of the Persian
word for 'king' (Shah) or its variants.
In numerous 12-13th century inscriptions the shravaka who installed the image, is given the title "Sahu".
For example:
Here the word Sahu is equivalent to Sanskrit word "sadhu". Some inscriptions use "sadhu" itself :
madhavannandinugrahitah sadhu-shri sarvadharah .."
The word Sadhu here does not mean a monk but a "gentleman". Some inscriptions abbreviate sahu by just "sa" just like
we write "Mr.".
In some business communities, genealogies are recited during marriages, all ancestors would be respectfully called "sahu".The term "sahukari" means the profession of banking/trading. In the Bundelkhand
Jain community, the father-in-law (or
son's/daughter's father-in-law) used to be called "sahaji". Thus the words "Shah" etc. all indicate a respected member of
the mercantile community. Today it is used by Gujarati business 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...
n states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and 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...
.
The surname has been adopted by the Jain and Hindu bania
Bania (caste)
Bania is an occupational caste of bankers, money-lenders, dealers in grains, spices and in modern times numerous commercial enterprises. Baniya is a distinct caste mostly coming from Western India and Central India but spread now all over India...
(traders). Many Jains, vaishnavas, especially from Gujarat and southern Rajasthan
Rajasthan
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...
, have the last name "Shah". Its variants include "Sah", "Shaha", "Sahu", "Sha" or "Shaw".
History
Sometimes the Indian surname "Shah" is mistakenly thought that it is derived from the PersianPersian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
"Shah
Shah
Shāh is the title of the ruler of certain Southwest Asian and Central Asian countries, especially Persia , and derives from the Persian word shah, meaning "king".-History:...
" meaning "King". Actually it is of 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...
n origin. It is derived from Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
Sadhu (meaning gentleman) and Prakrit
Prakrit
Prakrit is the name for a group of Middle Indic, Indo-Aryan languages, derived from Old Indic dialects. The word itself has a flexible definition, being defined sometimes as, "original, natural, artless, normal, ordinary, usual", or "vernacular", in contrast to the literary and religious...
Sahu, while the actual spelling "Shah" in Western culture was popularized by the title of the former Persian King. As a result, especially in Western culture, the usuage of the spelling "Shah" has become far more pronounced than the other variants. The word Sadhu/Sahu is also separately used to indicate a Jain monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
. See Namokar Mantra.
In the Gujarat region, the surname Shah derives from the Gujarati
Gujarati language
Gujarati is an Indo-Aryan language, and part of the greater Indo-European language family. It is derived from a language called Old Gujarati which is the ancestor language of the modern Gujarati and Rajasthani languages...
sah (from Sanskrit Sahukarah, "merchant"). Originally Sahukaar, the surname appears to have been altered under the influence of the Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
word for 'king' (Shah) or its variants.
In numerous 12-13th century inscriptions the shravaka who installed the image, is given the title "Sahu".
| सं १५१० वर्षे माघ सुदी ८ सोमे गोपाचल दुर्गे Gwalior Fort ċċċċċt̪--122.177.251.15 13:02, 20 November 2011 --122.177.251.15 13:02, 20 November 2011 --122.177.251.15 13:02, 20 November 2011 Gwalior Fort in Gwalior, in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, stands on an isolated rock, overlooking the Gwalior town, and contains a number of historic... तोमर वंशान्वये राजा श्री डूंगरेन्द्र देव राज्य पवित्रमाने श्री काष्ठासंघ Kashtha Sangh Kashtha Sangha was a Digambar Jain monastic order once dominant in several regions of North and Western India. It is considered to be a branch of Mula Sangh itself... माथुरान्वये भट्टारक श्री गुणकीर्ति देवास्तत्पट्टे श्री मलयकीर्ति देवास्ततो भट्टारक गुणभद्रदेव पंडितवर्य रइघू Raighu Raighu was the last of the great Apabhramsha poets. He also supervised the pratishtha of the many, perhaps most of the Jain idols carved on the hill side in the Gwalior Fort during the rule of Tomar Dungarsingh.He wrote many books during sam... तदाम्नाये अग्रोतवंशे Agrawal Agrawal or Agarwal is a large and influential community in India. Agrawals are Kshatriya by birth of the Solar Dynasty but after the adoption of Vanika dharma by king Agrasena, Agrawals started dealing in business... वासिलगोत्रे सकेलहा भार्या निवारी तयोः पुत्र विजयष्ट शाह ... साधु श्री माल्हा पुत्र संघातिपति देउताय पुत्र संघातिपति करमसीह श्री चन्द्रप्रभु जिनबिंब महाकाय प्रतिष्ठापित प्रणमति ..शुभम् भवतु ..|| |
| A Gwalior Fort Gwalior Fort ċċċċċt̪--122.177.251.15 13:02, 20 November 2011 --122.177.251.15 13:02, 20 November 2011 --122.177.251.15 13:02, 20 November 2011 Gwalior Fort in Gwalior, in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, stands on an isolated rock, overlooking the Gwalior town, and contains a number of historic... Inscription 1453 CE |
For example:
- From Gwalior: Here both Sah and Sadhu have been used in the 1510 inscription.
- From Ahar: " Samvat 1210 vaishakha sudi 13 grahpatyanvayae sahu shrisadhu bharya mana tayoh .. ete paNamanti nityam."
Here the word Sahu is equivalent to Sanskrit word "sadhu". Some inscriptions use "sadhu" itself :
- from BahuribandBahuribandBahuriband , near Katni in MP, is famous of the inscription at the feet of a colossal stone image of Jain Tirthankara Shantinath.The inscription reads:...
: "Svasti shri samvat 1070 phalgunavadi ...
madhavannandinugrahitah sadhu-shri sarvadharah .."
The word Sadhu here does not mean a monk but a "gentleman". Some inscriptions abbreviate sahu by just "sa" just like
we write "Mr.".
In some business communities, genealogies are recited during marriages, all ancestors would be respectfully called "sahu".The term "sahukari" means the profession of banking/trading. In the Bundelkhand
Bundelkhand
Bundelkhand anciently known as Chedi Kingdom is a geographic region of central India...
Jain community, the father-in-law (or
son's/daughter's father-in-law) used to be called "sahaji". Thus the words "Shah" etc. all indicate a respected member of
the mercantile community. Today it is used by Gujarati business communities.
See also
- Sahu JainSahu JainSahu Jain is an important industrial family of India. They own the Times Group and its parent company, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.. They are of Agrawal Jain community....
- SinghaiSinghaiSinghai is a hereditary title awarded in the past to leaders of the Jain Sangha ....
(Singhavi/Sanghavi/Singhai/Singhi, a leader of the Jain sangha).