Tarkhan: Difference between revisions

The Tarkhans are a Northern Indian ethnic tribe that inhabits the Punjab, which is now divided between Northern India and northern Pakistan. Scholars such as H.A. Rose state that they are descended from the Saka tribes who were originally settled in Taxila. They are known to be of the same stock as the Jatt ethnic tribe and other tribes as they are a purely Indo-Scythian tribe.

It is interesting to note that Tarkhan was a very respected title in use among some of the armies that invaded India during the reign of Tamer the Lame of Central Asia, therefore it is possible that the Tarkhans found in Punjab and the Northwestern Province are possibly the descendants of those Tarkhans.

History of Sikh Tarkhans

Sikh Tarkhans are more commonly referred to as Ramgarhias because of their reverence for the famous Misl leader, Jassa Singh Ramgarhia (1723-1803), who was a Tarkhan.

A very proud and fiercely independent people, they are amongst the wealthiest and most educated clans of India. Historically, the Sikh tarkhans' occupation was Carpentry.

Tarkhans have served couragously in crack Commando units of the Punjab and Sikh Regiments of the Indian Army, as brave fighter pilots and in the Navy. They were made famous on the silver screen in the Bollywood film, “Border” , which depicted their brave actions in the Battle of Longowal, a battle fought during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

Martial Races

The Tarkhans are among the Races designated by the British as martial races.

From an anonymous list (c.1860) titled -"Rajputs"- in the collection of the British Library of the races of India which were declared by the British as martial races [15] [page # needed]

They are listed below in alphabetical order:

Awans Bhumihar Cheema Dogra Garhwalis Gujjars Gurkhas Irish Jats Javanese Kamboj Kumaoni Minhas Mohyal Scottish Sikhs Tarkhan (Punjab) Pashtuns/Pathans Rajputs Tyagis Yadavas Zulus

The Tarkhan Clans