Aroras (Hindi: अरोड़ा, Punjabi: ਅਰੋੜਾ) (or Aror-vanshis, Aror Bans) are an urban mercantile community of the Punjab and Sindh. In India, they reside in Punjab (India), Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Jammu, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Gujarat and other parts of the country. In Pakistan, they are mainly found in Punjab (Pakistan) and Sindh. They have also spread to all parts of the world. David Arora (born 1957) is an American mycologist. ... The Indian caste system describes the social stratification and social restrictions in the Indian subcontinent, in which social classes are defined by thousands of endogamous, hereditary groups often termed as jātis or castes. ... For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya (Hindi: , from Sanskrit: , ) is one of the four varnas, or castes, in Hinduism. ... This article is about the geographical region. ... Sindh (SindhÄ«: سنڌ, UrdÅ«: سندھ) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhis. ... This article is for the Indian state. ... , Rājasthān (DevanāgarÄ«: राजस्थान, IPA: )   is the largest state of the Republic of India in terms of area. ... , Uttar Pradesh (Hindi: , Urdu: , IPA:  , translation: Northern Province), [often referred to as U.P.], located in central-south Asia and northern India, is the most populous and fifth largest state in the Republic of India. ... , Uttarakhand (Hindi: उत्तराखंड), known as Uttaranchal from 2000 to 2006, became the 27th state of the Republic of India on November 9, 2000. ... Jammu   (Hindi: जम्मू, Urdu: جموں) is one of the three regions comprising the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir. ... Hindi (हिन्दी) is a language spoken mainly in North and Central India. ... Punjabi redirects here. ... SindhÄ« (سنڌي, सिन्धी) is the language of the Sindh region of South Asia, which is now a province of Pakistan. ... Urdu ( , , trans. ... Hinduism is a religious tradition[1] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... Sikhism (IPA: or ; Punjabi: , , IPA: ), founded on the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev and nine successive gurus in fifteenth century Northern India, is the fifth-largest religion in the world. ... Hindi (हिन्दी) is a language spoken mainly in North and Central India. ... Punjabi redirects here. ... This article is about the geographical region. ... Sindh (SindhÄ«: سنڌ, UrdÅ«: سندھ) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhis. ... , This article is about the Indian state of Punjab. ... For the town in Hoshiarpur district, see Hariana. ... , Himachal Pradesh (Hindi: हिमाचल प्रदेश, IPA:  ) is a state in the north-west of India. ... , For other uses, see Delhi (disambiguation). ... Jammu   (Hindi: जम्मू, Urdu: جموں) is one of the three regions comprising the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir. ... , Rājasthān (DevanāgarÄ«: राजस्थान, IPA: )   is the largest state of the Republic of India in terms of area. ... , Uttar Pradesh (Hindi: , Urdu: , IPA:  , translation: Northern Province), [often referred to as U.P.], located in central-south Asia and northern India, is the most populous and fifth largest state in the Republic of India. ... , Uttarakhand (Hindi: उत्तराखंड), known as Uttaranchal from 2000 to 2006, became the 27th state of the Republic of India on November 9, 2000. ... This article is for the Indian state. ... This article is about the Pakistani province. ... Sindh (SindhÄ«: سنڌ, UrdÅ«: سندھ) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhis. ...

The Arora people are of similar origin to Khatri in that they are from the Kshatriya caste and are thus of warrior ancestry.^[1][2][3] They are a group of Indo-Aryans who remained in the Indus Valley throughout most of their history. However, the Arora people were separated from the other Kshatriya in their move to the city of Aror, which is believed to be at the request of the Brahmin community led by Parsurama. The Arora people were originally Hindu, but over their history some of them have accepted Sikhism or Islam. The Arora community has suffered many divides in its past. After moving to Aror, they were conquered by the Arabs and hundreds of thousands of Aroras are said to have been slaughtered during the Islamic invasions of India. Aroras also suffered extreme violence and massacres during the Partition of India. A Khatri is not a Kshatriya and never was one. ... For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya (Hindi: , from Sanskrit: , ) is one of the four varnas, or castes, in Hinduism. ... The Indo-Aryans are a wide collection of peoples united by their common status as speakers of the Indo-Aryan (Indic/Indian) branch of the family of Indo-European and Indo-Iranian languages. ... The Indus (सिन्‍धु नदी) (known as Sindhu in ancient times) is the principal river of Pakistan. ... The medieval city of Aror is the original homeplace of the Arora community in the Punjab region of South Asia. ... This article discusses the adherents of Hinduism. ... Sikhism (IPA: or ; Punjabi: , , IPA: ), founded on the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev and nine successive gurus in fifteenth century Northern India, is the fifth-largest religion in the world. ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... The medieval city of Aror is the original homeplace of the Arora community in the Punjab region of South Asia. ... For other uses, see Arab (disambiguation). ... The Muslim conquest of the Indian subcontinent took place during the ascendancy of the Rajput Kingdoms in North India, during the 7th to the 12th centuries. ...

Name

The name Arora itself derives from Sanskrit Aroda, which in turn may be derived from Proto-Indo-Aryan Aratta.^[3] The Greeks used the word "Eoritae" to describe Arattas living in Arachosia (modern Kandahar).The city of Aror (Arorkot, Alor) was named after the Aroras, who founded and controlled the city since ancient times. They can also be called 'Aryans', the common racial name, understood by one and all. 'Arya' is also one of the subcastes of 'Aroras'. Sanskrit ( , for short ) is a classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 official languages of India. ... The Indo-Aryan languages form a subgroup of the Indo-Iranian languages, thus belonging to the Indo-European family of languages. ... Arachosia is the ancient name of an area that corresponds to the southern part of today s Afghanistan, around the city of Kandahar. ... The medieval city of Aror is the original homeplace of the Arora community in the Punjab region of South Asia. ...

History

Origins

There are many traditions regarding the origin of this community. These different versions are reported below. All traditions support the origin of the Aroras from Aror, modern Rohri and Sukkur in Sindh.^[3] The fact that Aroras appear to have diverged from Aror according to family traditions, also support their origin from Aror. It is said "Aroras are Kshatriya of Aror, and Khatris are Kshatriya of Lahore".^[3] However, the Aroras seem to have settled in Amritsar during the time of Maharaja Ranjit Singh or even earlier. There is a street in Amritsar named as ‘Arorianwali Gali’. ^[3] The medieval city of Aror is the original homeplace of the Arora community in the Punjab region of South Asia. ... Rohri (Urdu: روہڑی) is town located in Sindh, Pakistan. ... Sukkur (Urdu:سکر, Sindhi: سکھر) is the third largest city of Sindh province, situated on the west bank of Indus River (Pakistan) in Sukkur District. ... Sindh (SindhÄ«: سنڌ, UrdÅ«: سندھ) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhis. ... For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya (Hindi: , from Sanskrit: , ) is one of the four varnas, or castes, in Hinduism. ... The Khatris is a sub-group of Punjabis and are the original Kshatriya group of the Hindu caste system. ... For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya (Hindi: , from Sanskrit: , ) is one of the four varnas, or castes, in Hinduism. ...   (Urdu: لاہور, Punjabi: لہور, pronounced ) is the capital of the Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. ...

The Aroras are of Aryan descent, in fact, the surname Arya belongs to the Arora caste. It is believed that while other Indo-Aryan people migrated to the east and south after the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization, some groups remained in the Punjab region, the Aroras are one of these groups, making them one of the most untouched descendants of the Proto-Indo-Europeans (as per the Out of India theory). Some historians believe that Aroras are descendants of an Indo-Aryan group known in the ancient times as Arattas (Arachosians) mentioned in the epic Mahabharata as western neighbours of Bahilkas (present Punjab in Pakistan); from Arachosia (southern Afghanistan and Helmand River basin ) they migrated to Sindh and populated the Indus valley. Aror and Arora may be a derivative of Aratta. Aryan (/eərjən/ or /ɑːrjən/, Sanskrit: ) is a Sanskrit and Avestan word meaning noble/spiritual one. ... Ārya is a Sanskrit (आर्य) and Avestan word used by Hindus, Jains, Zoroastrians, and Buddhists. ... The Indo-Aryans are a wide collection of peoples united by their common status as speakers of the Indo-Aryan (Indic/Indian) branch of the family of Indo-European and Indo-Iranian languages. ... Excavated ruins of Mohenjo-daro. ... This article is about the geographical region. ... The Proto-Indo-Europeans are the hypothetical speakers of the reconstructed Proto-Indo-European language, a prehistoric people of the Chalcolithic and early Bronze Age. ... The Out of India theory (OIT, also called the Indian Urheimat Theory) is the proposition that the original homeland of the Indo-European language family is India. ... For the film by Peter Brook, see The Mahabharata (1989 film). ... Arachosia is the ancient name of an area that corresponds to the southern part of today s Afghanistan, around the city of Kandahar. ... The Helmand River: Avestan: Haētumant rich in dams (also Helmend, Helmund, Hirmand or Tarnak) is the longest river in Afghanistan. ...

Rohri - Sukkur, seven sisters' samadhi

According to this account, the name of the community was derived from a place named Aror which was situated near the modern towns of Rohri and Sukkur in Sindh, Pakistan. It is also claimed that the legendary Parasurama drove them towards Multan, near which they founded Arorkot (or Aror). Cursed by a faqir, the town became desolate and Aroras fled by its three gates to the north, south and west, whence the three main groups (Uttradhi, Dakhna and Gujarati or Dahra) in which they are divided arose ^[4][3]. Image File history File links Rohri_Town_Sukkur. ... Image File history File links Rohri_Town_Sukkur. ... The medieval city of Aror is the original homeplace of the Arora community in the Punjab region of South Asia. ... Rohri (Urdu: روہڑی) is town located in Sindh, Pakistan. ... In Hinduism, Parashurama (axe-wielding Rama) is the sixth avatar of Vishnu, and a son of Jamadagni. ... Fakir is etymologically an Arabic term usually used to refer to either the spiritual recluse and fierce eremite or the common street beggar who chants holy names, scriptures or verses. ...

According to another tradition, one Khatri chieftain by name of Art/Aroot in a dialogue with Parasurama stoutly refused to oppose Brahmins and won his respect. Parasurama advised Art to settle in Sindh ^[5]. A Khatri is not a Kshatriya and never was one. ... Young Indian brahmachari Brahmin A Brahmin (less often Brahman) is a member of the Hindu priestly caste. ...

Aror (or Alor) is located 8 km east of Rohri. It was the ancient capital of Sindh, predating Sukkur, and was once located on the banks of the Indus. Due to its location, where the Indus takes a sharp turn towards the west, it was a center of commerce and was a prosperous city. It was the capital of Sindh when it was ruled by [[Dahir (Raja)|King Dahir. In 711 this city was conquered by the Arab general, Muhammad bin Qasim, who moved the capital some 300 km south to Mansura near Hala. In the 10th century it received another blow when the river Indus changed its course, which was probably caused by a massive earthquake in 962 ^[6]. The present course of Indus is west of Aror. The modern towns of Sukkur and Rohri are situated on both sides of the river. Aror is now a small dusty village. Sukkur (Urdu:سکر, Sindhi: سکھر) is the third largest city of Sindh province, situated on the west bank of Indus River (Pakistan) in Sukkur District. ... The Indus is a river; the Indus River. ... See also: phone number 711. ... Muhammad bin Qasim Al-Thaqafi (Arabic: محمد بن قاسم) (c. ... Mansura (Arabic: منصورہ) was the capital of the Arab empire in Pakistan. ... Hala can refer to The Hala clan of India and Pakistan. ... Events February 2 - Pope John XII crowns Otto I the Great Holy Roman Emperor. ...

Some claim that like the Khatris, Aroras were dispersed by Parasurama, but denied their Kshatriya origin in order to escape persecution by Parasurama (parašurama in Sanskrit means ‘Rama with the axe’), calling themselves Aur, which means ‘someone else’ in Hindi and Punjabi ^[7]. A Khatri is not a Kshatriya and never was one. ... Sanskrit ( , for short ) is a classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 official languages of India. ... Hindi (DevanāgarÄ«: or , IAST: , IPA:  ), an Indo-European language spoken all over India in varying degrees and extensively in northern and central India, is one of the 22 official languages of India and is used, along with English, for central government administrative purposes. ... Punjabi redirects here. ...

The above three traditions are reported here as claimed by different sections of Aroras and recorded by Ibbetson et al. in the late 19th century. Supporting this historical perspective, Aroras are divided into three main groups: Uttradhi, Gujarati (Dahra) and Dakhna. Prior to India-Pakistan partition of 1947, they intermarried within each of three groups only; however after partition they started intermarriages among other groups of Aroras, Khatris, Bhatias and Soods.^[3] The Khatris is a sub-group of Punjabis and are the original Kshatriya group of the Hindu caste system. ... Bhatia is a caste originating in Gujarat, a majority of whose members follow Pushtimarg, a Haveli Dharma followed among believers in Lord Krishna, a sect known as Vaishnav. ... Sood From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 74. ...

Independence

Aroras joined hands with the rest of India to fight for Indian independence.^[8] Many were imprisoned for satyagraha. Some were involved in the Hindu Mahasabha in fighting for independence, including Madanlal Pahwa. As the Aroras are mainly from the Western Punjab region, most Aroras had to migrate to India during the Partition of India in 1947. The Indian independence movement was a series of steps taken in the Indian subcontinent for independence from British colonial rule, beginning with the Rebellion of 1857. ... Mohandas Karamchand “Mahatma” Gandhi, who developed Satyagraha Satyagraha (Sanskrit: सत्याग्रह satyāgraha) is a philosophy and practice of nonviolent resistance developed by Mohandas K. Gandhi. ... Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha, a Hindu nationalist organization originally founded in 1915 to counter the Muslim League and the secular Indian National Congress. ... Madanlal Pahwa Madanlal Pahwa to India as a refugee, which was his own country. ... This article is under construction. ...

Demographics

Before the partition

Prior to India-Pakistan partition in 1947, Aroras generally lived in the southwestern parts of the Punjab including Dera Ghazi Khan District (and recently created districts of Rajanpur), Multan, Bahawalpur, northern Sindh and Dera Ismail Khan Division of the North-West Frontier Province. The main language of this area is Lahnda, now known as Seraiki in Pakistan. Beside the Derajat, Aroras dwelled in varying numbers further north in the districts of Jhang, Mianwali, Lahore, Amritsar and Lyallpur (now known as Faisalabad), and south of Derajat in Sukkur, Shikarpur and as far as Karachi. In Kohat, the Aroras were split into autochthonous and immigrant Aroras, in which most of the immigrants were Sikh while the autochthonous were Hindu.^[9] Dera Ghazi Khan (Urdu: ڈیرہ غازی خان) is a district in Punjab, Pakistan. ... Nankana Sahib District is one of the districts in the province of Punjab , Pakistan. ... Multan District is a district of Pakistan. ... Bahawalpur District (Urdu: بہاول پور) is one of the districts of Punjab, Pakistan. ... Dera Ismail Khan Division was an administrative division of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan, until the reforms of 2000 abolished the third tier of government. ... The North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) (Urdu: Å›imāl maÄ¡ribÄ« sarhadÄ« sÅ«ba شمال مغربی سرحدی صوبہ) is the smallest of the four main provinces of Pakistan. ... Punjabi language - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Seraiki is a language of great antiquity in Pakistan. ... Jhang District (Urdu: جھنگ) is located in Punjab, Pakistan. ... Mianwali (Urdu: میانوالی) is a District in the north-west of Punjab province, Pakistan. ... Lahore District is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan. ... Amritsar District is one of 19 districts in the state of Punjab in North West India. ...   (Urdu: فیصل آباد) is a city located in Punjab, Pakistan. ... Sukkur (Urdu:سکر, Sindhi: سکھر) is the third largest city of Sindh province, situated on the west bank of Indus River (Pakistan) in Sukkur District. ... Shikarpur is a town of in Sindh province of Pakistan, capital of a district of the same name. ...   (Sindhi: , Urdu: ) is the largest city in Pakistan and is the provincial capital of Sindh province. ... Kohat (Urdu: کوہاٹ) is a medium sized town in central North West Frontier Province in Pakistan. ... Religions Sikhism Scriptures Guru Granth Sahib Languages English, Punjabi] A Sikh (English: or ; Punjabi: , , IPA: ) is an adherent to Sikhism. ... This article discusses the adherents of Hinduism. ...

Half of the Aroras of the Punjab were living in southwest in the areas of Dera Ghazi Khan, Jhang, Mianwali, Muzaffargarh, Multan and Bahawalpur ^[10]. According to Imperial Gazetteer of India (1901), the three major mercantile communities (of the Punjab province), Aroras, Banias and Khatris were dominant in southwest (Multan division), southeast (Delhi division including present Haryana), and northeast (Jalandhar division) parts respectively; in central (Lahore division) and northwest (Rawalpindi division) parts, Aroras and Khatris were almost equal in numbers.^[11] For the city in northwestern Syria, see Baniyas For information on the processor formerly codenamed Banias, please see Pentium M The Banias Waterfall The remains of the city of Banias (Arabic pronunciation of Panias) are located at the foot of Mt. ... Multan shown on a 1669 world map   (Urdu: ملتان) is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. ... , For other uses, see Delhi (disambiguation). ... This article is about the city in India. ...   (Urdu: لاہور, Punjabi: لہور, pronounced ) is the capital of the Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. ...   (Urdu: راولپنڈی) is a city in the Potwar Plateau near Pakistans capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. ...

The numerical strength of three communities in the 1901 census of the province (which included Delhi) was as follows: Aroras 653,000; Banias 452,000; Khatris 436,000. In the former princely state of Bahawalpur practically the entire commerce was in the hands of Aroras, while Khatris dominated in the state of Patiala. A majority of the government employees were also Aroras. In the same census of 1901, the numbers of Aroras and Khatris in North Western Frontier Province were 69,000 and 34,000 respectively; in the province of Sind and the princely state of Khairpur, both Aroras and Khatris were probably counted as Lohanas, the mercantile community of Sind. Many Aroras distinguished themselves in all departments of the Indian government as Extra Assistant commissioners, accountants, professors, doctors, civil surgeons, engineers, military officers and court officers etc. [14] After the partition of India in 1947, the majority of Sikh and Hindu Aroras from all over the newly created nation of Pakistan migrated to India.^[12] Bania may refer to: Bania, Vanika in Sanskrit, someone of a Hindu bourgeois (mercantile) group of castes Banya (sauna), a Russian steambath Kenny Bania, a secondary character on the Seinfeld TV series Banya Category: ... A Khatri is not a Kshatriya and never was one. ... , Patiala   (Punjabi: ਪਟਿਆਲਾ) is a city in the Punjab state of India. ... North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) is geographically the smallest of the four provinces of Pakistan. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Previously, Aroras only used to intermarry between their subgroups (Uttradhi, Gujarati and Dakhan), but after continued migrations, Aroras have become more lenient towards marriage choices.^[3]

Sadhu Bela ashram on Sindhu river

ImageMetadata File history File links SaduBela. ... ImageMetadata File history File links SaduBela. ...

After the partition

As mentioned earlier, the Aroras settled in Amritsar during the time of Maharaja Ranjit Singh or even earlier.^[3] It is presumed that they migrated to Amritsar from Lahore to which place they might have originally migrated from Sind or Multan. This is inferred from the fact that, after a very long stay in the central Punjab, they ceased to speak their Lahnda dialect^[3]. The Arora Sikhs are mostly found in big towns, especially in Amritsar. They were living there even before the partition. Their Hindu counterparts, majority of who migrated from Pakistan, arrived in India in 1947 after a terrifying journey, lasting up to a month or more to cross only 100 to 400 miles, starved, dehydrated, ill and often with only the clothes they were wearing. The government of newly independent India was inexperienced and dysfunctional, and the local established groups in India including Hindu, Sikhs-Jats, Banias and others were being opportunistic and exploitive of their helpless, homeless and penniless status. However, Aroras not only have survived their third holocaust (Parasurama, Arab invasion of Aror/Alor, and Indo-Pakistan partition of 1947) but, like their Khatri brethren, have also prospered because of strong work ethic, education, enterprise, and survivor instincts sharpened by the centuries of a minority status among violent, monotheistic and colonial groups of various Mediterranean and Central Asian invaders, Muslims and the British.^[3] The Amritsar Gazetteer claims that the hard work of the Aroras made them prominent among all of the migrants from Pakistan, as they quickly began to rival local communities in influence. ^[3] Ludhiana Gazette of Revenue department of Govt. of Punjab describes Aroras to be of tougher disposition and more shrewd and intelligent than Khatris; and having superior business acumen than their local Khatri shopkeepers counterparts. Similarly, Hoshiarpur gazetteer says "Before independence, the Aroras did not constitute a sizeable population in the district. With the migration of the non-Muslim population from Pakistan to India in 1947, they settled here, though in small numbers. The Aroras were generally settled in West Punjab (Pakistan) and in the Firozepur District. Their representation in the eastern districts of the Punjab was not notable. According to Ibbetson, the Aroras are the Khatris of Ror (Rori Sukkur, Sindh, in Pakistan). Whatever be their origin, the fact is that they resemble Khatirs in certain traits. In certain respects, they are even superior to them. They are also divided into many groups and castes, Uchanda, Nichanda, etc., but in social life, these groups are of no importance. They intermarry in their groups like others. They also intermarry among Khatirs. In the All-India meeting in 1936, held by the Khatris at Lahore (Pakistan), it was decided that the Aroras, Soods and Bhatias were Khatri for all intents and purposes. And, as such, they should be admitted to the Khatri stock. This interpretation did not find much favour then, but with the lapse of time, it has almost been accepted." (Reference- http://punjabrevenue.nic.in/fdigs.htm) This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Maharaja Ranjit Singh (Punjabi: ), also called Sher-e-Punjab (The Lion of the Punjab) (1780-1839) was a Sikh ruler of the Punjab. ...

But after partition, Aroras are increasingly shunning caste system and thinking of Aroras has become very much liberal especially the populace in bigger towns and cities. Inter-caste marriages with other communities of Punjab and other states and religions have become quite common and becoming commoner with each passing day. Socio-economic status has replaced caste as the prime concern in matrimonial alliances in the present era.

Role in Indian society

Pakistan's Lt. Gen A. A. K. Niazi signs the Instrument of Surrender on December 16, surrendering his forces to Lt. Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora (left, wearing turban) representing the Mitro Bahini.

The Amritsar Gazzeteer described Aroras as generally energetic, intelligent and well built.^[3] Aroras are a well-established mercantile community of India and Pakistan. At the turn of the 20th century, Aroras and Khatris lived and controlled trade and finance to varying extents across a wide geographic area from Chittagong to Baku in present-day Bangladesh and Azerbaijan respectively; however, their main concentration was in Derajat. A significant number of Arora merchants and moneylenders were based at Astrakhan, Russia on the northern shore of Caspian Sea. According to economic historian L.C.Jain, the Aroras were known to 'control the finance of much of the commerce of India with central Asia, Afghanistan and Tibet'. Aroras will usually be in the same proximity of the subcastes of Khatris (referred to as warrior class), who are also in the mercantile profession. Guru Sanwal Shah Singh, an Arora, provided funds for the building of the Golden Temple.^[9] Image File history File links 1971_surrender. ... Image File history File links 1971_surrender. ... Lt. ... The instrument of surrender was signed at Ramna Race Course in Dacca at 16. ... is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Lt-Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora (February 13, 1916 - May 3, 2005) was the Indian commander whose comprehensive defeat of Pakistan in 1971 led to the creation of Bangladesh. ... Mitro Bahini (meaning Allied forces in Bangla) was a military force composed of Bangladesh Army (as part of Mukti Bahini) and the Indian Army in December 1971 during the Bangladesh Liberation War. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the scientific concept of energy. ... Intelligence is a general mental capability that involves the ability to reason, plan, solve problems, think abstractly, comprehend ideas and language, and learn. ... Vitruvian Man, by Leonardo da Vinci. ... The Khatris is a sub-group of Punjabis and are the original Kshatriya group of the Hindu caste system. ... This article is about Chittagong as a city in Bangladesh. ... Coordinates: , Country Government  - Mayor Hajibala Abutalybov Area  - City 260 km²  (100. ... Derajat is an area consisting of two districts, one of them is Dera Ghazi Khan founded by Ghazi Khan Nawab and other is Dera Ismail Khan founded by Ismail Khan Mirani. ... For other uses, see Astrakhan (fur). ... The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the worlds largest lake or a full-fledged sea. ... The Khatris is a sub-group of Punjabis and are the original Kshatriya group of the Hindu caste system. ... For the Golden Pavilion Temple in Kyoto, Japan, see Kinkaku-ji. ...

Arora families in India place great emphasis and attention to the education of their children including their daughters; because of this, they have become prosperous and are successful in many diverse professions such as trade, education, medicine, finance, technology, engineering, manufacturing, entertainment, arts, armed forces and bureaucracy. They have achieved remarkable success despite being a very small minority, lack of a political power-base, vigorous attempts to disparage and/or to suppress them by Muslims in pre-partition Punjab and Sind, and loss of their homes, businesses, properties and bank deposits (at Punjab & Sind Bank owned and controlled by three Sikh Khatri families) at the time of partition in 1947.Another prominent bank of the masses at that time in Punjab ( Punjab National Bank) is reported to have played a very positive role by encashing bank deposits of migrants based on pass book entries even though the bank had lost its records in Pakistan ( Ref: Banking Century by Parkash Tandon Panguin. Punjab & Sind Bank is a major bank in Northern India. ...

Aroras, following off from their Kshatriya history, have taken roles in the Indian Armed Forces. Late Lt. Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora and Gen. J.J. Singh are two prominent contributions of Arora community to Indian Armed Forces. Aroras were particularly prominent in the recent Kargil War also. Vikram Batra was declared a war hero in India, as was Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja, both of whom died during the conflicts. The Indian Armed Forces is the primary military organization responsible for the territorial security and defence of India. ... Lt-Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora (February 13, 1916 - May 3, 2005) was the Indian commander whose comprehensive defeat of Pakistan in 1971 led to the creation of Bangladesh. ... Combatants  India  Pakistan, Kashmiri secessionists, Islamic militants (Foreign Fighters) Strength 30,000 5,000 Casualties Indian Official Figures: 527 killed,[1][2][3] 1,363 wounded[4] 1 POW Pakistani Estimates: 357-500 killed[5][6] (Pakistan troops) 665+ soldiers wounded[5] 8 POW.[7] The Kargil War, also known... Captain Vikram Batra, PVC Captain Vikram Batra (September 9, 1974 - July 7, 1999) was an officer of the Indian Army, posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, Indias highest award for valour, for his actions during the 1999 Kargil War in Kashmir between India and Pakistan. ... Sqn. ...

Religion

Most of the Aroras are Hindus or Sikhs. Hindu Aroras are very tolerant in their religious faith. Most are followers of Sanatana Dharma; however, they respect the sanctity of and frequently visit Arya Samaj temples, Jain temples, Sikh Gurdwaras, and Dargahs (tombs) of Muslim Sufi saints. For several centuries in the past, the eldest son of a Arora Hindu family voluntarily changed his religion to Sikhism as a family devotion to the Sikh Gurus.^[3] Most Punjabi Hindu Aroras belong to Kashyap gotra. Arya Samaj (Aryan Society or Society of Nobles) is a Hindu reform movement in India that was founded by Swami Dayananda in 1875. ... The Harimandir Sahib. ... A dargah (Persian: درگه) is a Sufi shrine built over the grave of a revered religious figure, often a Sufi saint. ... Sufism (Arabic تصوف taṣawwuf) is a system of esoteric philosophy commonly associated with Islam. ... Sikhism was established by ten Gurus, teachers or masters, over the period 1469 to 1708. ...

During the Islamic Invasion of India, large masses of Aroras were slaughtered for their Hindu beliefs. Some accepted Islam during this time while many others who resisted, embraced Sikhism. Aroras of Derajat kept the spirit and traditions of Sanatana Dharma alive despite centuries of rule being ruled by Zoroastrian, Buddhist, and Afghan, Mughal and Baloch Muslim rulers. The Muslim Aroras now live in Lahore and other large cities of Pakistan's Punjab; the Muslim Arora traders are known as Khoja Sheikhs. Sikh Aroras usually use Arora as family names. Since Sikhism does not believe in a caste system most Sikh Aroras prefer not to use the last name. This article discusses the adherents of Hinduism. ... Sikhism (IPA: or ; Punjabi: , , IPA: ), founded on the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev and nine successive gurus in fifteenth century Northern India, is the fifth-largest religion in the world. ... This article is about the Hindu religion; for other meanings of the word, see Hindu (disambiguation). ... The Khwajahs or officially Khojas (Urdu: خوجہ) are a (mostly Muslim) community that are mainly concentrated in South Asia, but due to migrations over the centuries have spread to many parts of the globe. ...

Divisions

Many of the Sindhi Hindus in India are also Aroras (although they are classified as Lohanas) and live in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra. Many Gujaratis and Sindhis with family names ending in -ani or -ja are probably Aroras. Like their Punjabi Arora brethren, they have also prospered and migrated further to various parts of India and various other countries. There are still some Sindhi Hindu Aroras living in Northern Sindh and are mostly involved in trade. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

There are three main divisions among the Aroras: Uttradhi, Dakhna and Gujarati. The Uttradhi Aroras used to live in the northern regions. The Dakhna Aroras used to live in southern regions nearer to the coast and the Gujarati Aroras used to live in the west, nearer to Gujarat.^[13][3].

Famous Aroras

Main article: List of Aroras

See List of Aroras for a detailed list of famous people from the Arora caste. Aroras have had an impact on many areas of India and it's development. This includes the fact that Gulzarilal Nanda, former Prime Minister of India, was Arora. Lt. Gen. late Jagjit Singh Aurora (who led the Mitro Bahini), Gen. JJ Singh, Vikram Batra (who died in Kargil) and Ajay Ahuja (who also died in Kargil), have made a very large impact on the Indian army. A large number of Aroras are also involved in business or showbusiness, including the likes of Karan Johar, Kulbhushan Kharbanda Malvinder Mohan Singh of Ranbaxy group. Lord Swaraj Paul is also an Arora (Paul is used by certain Aroras with suffix -pal in their surnames, like Nagpal, Kathpal etc.). Aroras have also expanded into other areas which are not directly related to their history or caste, including sport, literature, music and other areas. This is a list of famous personalities of the Arora caste of the Punjab and Sindh // Gulzarilal Nanda Gulzari Lal Nanda Arun Jaitley Madan Lal Khurana[1] AK Luthra - Chief Commissioner of Income tax. ... This is a list of famous personalities of the Arora caste of the Punjab and Sindh // Gulzarilal Nanda Gulzari Lal Nanda Arun Jaitley Madan Lal Khurana[1] AK Luthra - Chief Commissioner of Income tax. ... Gulzarilal Nanda (Hindi: ) (July 4, 1898 - January 15, 1998) was an Indian politician. ... Lt-Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora (February 13, 1916 - May 3, 2005) was the Indian commander whose comprehensive defeat of Pakistan in 1971 led to the creation of Bangladesh. ... Mitro Bahini (meaning Allied forces in Bangla) was a military force composed of Bangladesh Army (as part of Mukti Bahini) and the Indian Army in December 1971 during the Bangladesh Liberation War. ... Captain Vikram Batra, PVC Captain Vikram Batra (September 9, 1974 - July 7, 1999) was an officer of the Indian Army, posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, Indias highest award for valour, for his actions during the 1999 Kargil War in Kashmir between India and Pakistan. ... Sqn. ... Karan Johar (born May 25, 1972 in India) is a son of the late Yash Johar and a popular Indian film director, producer, and TV celebrity. ... This biographical article needs more biographical information on the subject. ... Malvinder Mohan Singh is the eldest son of the Parvinder the Chairman and managing director of Ranbaxy Laboratories. ... Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited is an Indian company incorporated in 1961. ... Swraj Paul, Baron Paul (born 1931) is an Indian-born, British-based business magnate and philanthropist. ...

Some of the family names of the Aroras include - Ahuja, Alreja, Aneja, Batra, Baweja, Bhathheja, Baseeja, Baggha, Buddhiraja, Chawla, Chhabra, Chhabaria, Chugh, Chuggha, Dhamija, Dhawan, Dhingra, Gambhir, Gagneja, Gera, Gogia, Guliani, Grover, Handa, Hangal, Jhandai, Juneja, Kalra,Kataria, Kharbanda, Khurana, Kukreja, Lekhi, Makhija, Mehndiratta, Middha, Monga, Nagpal, Narula, Nijhawan, Pahwa, Pahuja, Rajpal, Rekhi, Sidana, Sachdev, Sachdeva, Saluja, Taneja, Thakkar, Thukral, Wadhwa, Wadhawan, etc.

See also

• Hinduism in Punjab
• Forward Caste
• Khatri
• Bhatia
• Sood
• Lohana
• Mair Rajputs of Punjab

// Map of early Iron Age Vedic India after Witzel (1989). ... Forward caste (or upper caste) is used in India to denote people from any religion who do not currently qualify for Government of India Reservation benefits (that is, set quotas for political representation) for backward castes, scheduled castes and tribes. ... A Khatri is not a Kshatriya and never was one. ... Bhatia is a caste originating in Gujarat, a majority of whose members follow Pushtimarg, a Haveli Dharma followed among believers in Lord Krishna, a sect known as Vaishnav. ... Sood From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 74. ... Lohanas are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group and are an urban Hindu mercantile community of India. ... Mair Rajputs or Maid Rajputs is the name of a Hindu Punjabi caste in India from amongst the Punjabi Rajputs. ...

References

1. ^ Punjab Revenue Religion and Castes
2. ^ Ancestry.com Origin of Arora
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o} Punjab Revenue See section on Aroras
4. ^ Denzil Ibbetson, Edward Maclagan, H. A. Rose, " A Glossary of The Tribes & Casts of The Punjab & North West Frontier Province", 1911, pp 17 Vol II
5. ^ ibid, pp 17 Vol II, footnote
6. ^ Isobel Shaw,"Pakistan Handbook", (The Guidebook Co., Hong Kong, 1989), pp 117
7. ^ ibid, pp 17 Vol II
8. ^ Example of Gulzarilal Nanda
9. ^ ^{a b} Sikh Heritage Various Sects
10. ^ D. Ibbetson, E.MacLagan, H.A. Rose, " A Glossary of The Tribes & Casts of The Punjab & North West Frontier Province", 1911, pp 17 Vol II
11. ^ D. Ibbetson, E.MacLagan, H.A. Rose, " A Glossary of The Tribes & Casts of The Punjab & North West Frontier Province", 1911, pp 17 Vol II
12. ^ D. Ibbetson, E.MacLagan, H.A. Rose, " A Glossary of The Tribes & Casts of The Punjab & North West Frontier Province", 1911, pp 17 Vol II
13. ^ D. Ibbetson, E.MacLagan, H.A. Rose, " A Glossary of The Tribes & Casts of The Punjab & North West Frontier Province", 1911, pp 17 Vol II

14. ^ Short Ethnographical history of the Aror Bans, "Proceedings of the General Meeting of the Aror Bans Punchayat", Lahore, held on July 20, 1888. Sir Denzil Charles Jelf Ibbetson (1847–1908), was an administrator in British India and an author. ... Sir Edward Douglas Maclagan (1864-1952) was an administrator in British India. ... Gulzarilal Nanda (Hindi: ) (July 4, 1898 - January 15, 1998) was an Indian politician. ...

External links

Look up Arora surnames in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Nanak-Panthi