Bhabra

Bhabra (or Bhabhra) is an ancient merchant community from Punjab whose population mainly follows Jainism [Final Report of Revised Settlement, Hoshiarpur District, 1879-84 By J. A. L. Montgomery, p. 35] , [Census of India, 1901 By India Census Commissioner, Sir Herbert Hope Risley, p. 137-140] .

The Bhabra community has had a close historical association with Jainism. It is believed to be connected with the Bhavadar or Bhavada Gachchha to which the legendary Jain Acharya Kalakacharya belonged to. They may have originated from the Bhabra town (32° 13' 30": 73° 13') [Sarupa-Bharati: Or the Homage of Indology, Being the Dr. Lakshman Sarup ...by Vishveshvaranand Vedic Research Institute - Indic studies - 1953 - Page 247] . Inscriptions suggest that Bhavada Gachchha had survived until 17th century [इतिहास की अमर बेल ओसवाल, मांगीलाल भूतोड़िया, १९९२] .

Jainism has been present in Punjab since ancient times. This is where Alexander the Great encountered Gymnosophists and Xuanzang met both Digambara and Swetambara monks [Life and Culture in Ancient India: From the Earliest Times to 1000 A.D. By Bhanwarlal Nathuram Luniya, 1978, Pub.Lakshmi Narain Agarwal] .

According to "Shatrunjaya Mahatmya" of Dhaneshwar Suri, Javad Shah of Taxila had restored Shatrunjaya Tirth and brought an idol of Lord Adinath from Taxila and installed it at Shatrunjaya.

Vaar 8 Pauri 12 of 24 of Vaaran Bhai Gurdas (1550-1620 CE) [http://www.searchgurbani.com/main.php?book=bhai_gurdas_vaaran&action=pauripage&vaar=8&pauri=12 Vaar 8 Pauri 12 Castes and working classes] says: "kaytarhiaan hee baaneeay kitarhay bhaabharhiaan suniaaray" [http://www.searchgurbani.com/main.php?book=bhai_gurdas_vaaran&action=pauripage&vaar=8&pauri=12 Vaar 8 Pauri 12 of 24 of Vaaran Bhai Gurdas] , there are many are traders and many Bhabras and goldsmiths.

In "Romantic Tales from the Punjab" Charles Swynnerton relates a folk tale about several girls. It mentions a girl being a Bhabra, and mentions them being strictly vegetarian [Romantic Tales from the Punjab, Charles Swynnerton - 1892] . Their Jain perspective on God's uninvolvment in world's afairs is mentioned un [The Mystics, Ascetics, and Saints of India. A Study of Sadhuism, with an ... by John Campbell Oman, 1903 - Page 149]

In 17th century, Fray Sebastien Manrique met them in Amritsar district [Travels of Fray Sebastien Manrique, 1629-1643: A Translation of the ... by Sebastião Manrique, Henry Hosten - Missions - 1927- Page 225] .Their presence has been noted in the Mughal period [The Punjab Under the Mughals by Muhammad Akbar - Punjab (India) - 1948- Page 19] , and in the 19th century [Early Nineteenth Century Panjab: From Ganesh Das's Char Bagh-i-Panjab]

The original home region of the Bhabras is now in Pakistan. While practically all the Bhabras have left Pakistan region, many cities still have sections named after Bhabras.

* Sialkot [Gazetteer of the Sialkot District, 1920 - Page 51] : All the Jains here were Bhabra and mainly lived in Sialkot and Pasrur. The Serai Bhabrian and Bhabrian Wala localities are named after them. There were several Jain temples here before partition of india.

* Pasrur: Pasrur was developed by a Jain zamindar who was granted land by Raja Maan Singh. Baba Dharam Dass belonged to the zamindar family who was murdered on a trading visit [http://www.pasrur.info/JainDeoka.htm Baba Dharam Dass Tomb in Pasrur] .

* Gujranwala: Two old Jain libraries managed by Lala Karam Chand Bhabra were present here which were visited by Ramkrishna Gopal Bhandarkar [The two Jain Libraries at Gujranwala by Ramkrishna Gopal Bhandarkar in A Catalogue of Sanskrit Manuscripts in the Library of the Deccan College, by Deccan College Library, Franz Kielhorn- 1884 -- Page 12]

* Lahore: There were Jain temples at localities still called Thari Bhabrian and Gali Bhabrian [abafna.googlepages.com/jainrelicsinpakistan] .

* Rawalpindi: Bhabra Bazar is named after them.

Some also lived in Sindh [A gazetteer of the province of Sindh by Albert William Hughes - 1876, - Page 224] . A few hundred Bhabras in Pakistan have become Muslim. Some Bhabras in Pakistan now follow Hinduismfact|date=January 2008.

In India they have been present at:

* Amritsar: Kucha Bhabrian, Katra Bhabrian
* Hansi: Mohalla bhabran

The famous Bhabra edict from Maurya period found in Rajasthan is unrelated to the Bhabra community.

Famous Bhabras

* Son of Shri Sawan Mai Bhabra, Amritsar, nationalist activities, 1901 [Who's who of Indian Martyrs - Page 113] .
* Bhawani Shah Bhabra who loaned money to Diwan Amir Chand [Gulabnama of Diwan Kirpa Ram: A History of Maharaja Gulab Singh of Jammu, by Kirpa Ram, Sukh Dev Singh Charak, 1977]

ee also

* Jainism in Punjab

References