On the top are ''dhai-gharas" (Charjati) or those belonging to the "two and a half houses." Followed by the Bhahris and Bhunjais. The "Bahris" or the "twelvers" and a large mixed group of "Bhunjais" or "fifty-twoers" which includes almost all the remaining with the Sarin group. Another division is in the vansis mentioned here. Khatri surnames like Bhatia, Bhandari, Chopra, Chowdhri, Dhawan, Duggal, Kapoor, Khanna, Kochhar, Mehra, Maindharu, Mahendru, Sahgal, Sami, Sahni, Sethi, Tandan, Talwar, Uppal, Vohra, Wadhwa etc. are commonly used among Hindus of Punjab. (Rose pg. 507-508)
"In the Kashmir hills however, the Kakkas, on the east bank of the Jhelum, are said to have been originally Khatris (they are a curiously handsome race) and in the interior and the Kangra hills there is an interesting race of fine patriarchal-looking shepherds called Gaddis, most of whome are Khatris. Khatri traders are numerous in Delhi; are found in Agra, Lucknow and Patna; and are well known in the Bara Bazar of Calcutta, though they are principally connected with Punjab farms". They are not usually military in their character but are quite capable of using the sword when necessary.
Some Khatri sections:
Bhalla also called Bhallar in Panchap. Bhalla - means spear. Thus Bhalla is derived from Bhalla, a spear. It is also one of 72 ½ sections of the Maheshri Banias. Bhallas are found in Lahore and Ferozpur but also throughout Panjab. H.A. Rose p.515,
Bhasin from Bhas, brilliancy and in. Master i.e. the sun. Mahendru is naturally derived from Mahendra, 'lord of the earth' or 'chief'.
Kapoor/Kapur: Kapur is said to mean the moon, 'karpur'. Kapur Singh led guerilla warfare against Mughals and their Afghani allies from 1721 AD - 1748 in the Panjab was a Kahtri.
Diwan Sawan Mal, governor of Multan and his notorious successor Mulraj and very many of Ranjit Singh's chief functionaries were Khatris. It is in the record that a Khatri was dewan of Badasahkhan of Kunduz. The Khatris are staunch Hindus. The clans to which the first Sikh gurus belonged seem to have lost their Khatri status.
The Khatri claim to be descendants of the old Khetrya, written also Chetrya and Kshatrya. The Kukka east of the Jhelum and the Gaddi of the Kangra hills are said to have been Khatri originally. We find by Arrian, that the Cathei were confederated with the Malli and Oxydracere, that is the people of Multan and Katchh, and which to the south where Alexander might be supposed to cross the Hydraotes (Ravi), he appears to have been drawn out of the direct route towards the Ganges, to attack the city of Sangala. Sangala occurs only in Arrian, (it is probably the Sagala of Raja Millinda (Manindra, a subject to Mihirakula) and is said to have been a city of great strength and importance in the country of the Cathei. (Cathei might be either the Kathi or the Khatri). If the Katheri of Diodorus Siculus are the same as the Cathi, they are the race that so manfully opposed Alexander. They were then located at about Multan, at this period occupied by the Langa race. Colonel Tod describes the genuine as of a fine manly form, and claims they are of Scythian origin (Tod, Rajasthan p. 246). The cathi claim descent from the Balla, another proog of their northern origin. A portion of them gave their name to Kattyawar, in the Saurashtra peninsula.
- Wadhva: Also known as Vadhvani (in Sindh) and Wadhel.
- Wahi, Vahal or Wahla, Wahal(a).
- Duggal
- Kochar: is said to come from 'Kavach' / 'armour'.
- Dhawan or Dhaun: Dhawan or Dhavan is said to mean a messenger on the field of battle.
- Mehra (Mehrotra): Mehra is said to be derived from Mihir, the sun or mihiragotra.
- Khanna: Khanna is derived from khan - a sapper or khanda - a sword.
- Tandon: Tandon is also said to be an abbreviation of Martand and to mean the sun, but it is also said to mean warrior.
- Kakkar: Kakkar is said to be originally Karkar, 'strong' or 'powerful'. They use the title of Seth or Sethi. Seth means rich and also Raja.
- Setty is also said to be a corruption of shreshta (good) and is a title of the Komti caste.
- Chopra Sami
- Sahni & Seni are both said to be corruptions of the Sanskrit word 'Sainin'- the head of an army or general.
- Uppal or Oppal
- Arora or Rora Etc.
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