Chapa
Chapa[1][2][3][4] also known Chap[5][6] is a clan of the Gurjar ethnic community of northern India.[7][4]
| Chapa, Chap | |
|---|---|
| Religions | |
| Languages | |
| Country | |
| Region | |
| Ethnicity | Gurjar (Gujjar) |
Chapa Gujjars are distributed in various regions of Pakistan and India. They are mostly Hindus, although some are Muslim.[8][9]
Origin
Uncertainty surrounds the origin of the Chapa Gujjars. However, according to Brahman historian, K.M. Munshi, asserts that this Gujar clan as well as the Chapa Gujjars, are descended from Brahman (a varna in Hinduism).[5]
Etomology
The name Chapa or Chap is a transliteration of the Sanskrit word Chapotkrisht (Chapotkata/Chapotkat), which signifies strong or excelled at archery.[4]
History
According to some historians, Chapa Gujjars ruled in the Chapa dynasty (from approximately 500 to 670 A.D)[10] of Gujarat before the establishment of the Chavda dynasty (690–742 A.D.) and Bhinmal was their capital now in Rajasthan.[4]
Because of their rule and influence their ruling territory got its name as Gurjaradesa/Gurjaratra during the regime of Chapa ruler Vyaghramukha in about 628 A.D later it came to known as Gujarat.[1][8][2]
Chapa Gujjars ruled in Gujarat for more then 200 hundred years before the Gurjar Pratiharas until the invasion led by Sultan Mehmood Gaznavi of Gazna.[10]
In an historical account Sir George Abraham Grierson mentioned about the Chapa dynasty and it's ruler Vyaghramukha of Chapa clan of the Gurjars of Gujarat as;
We know that as early as the first half of the seventh century, Bhinmal (Srimäla) to the north-west of Mount Abt, was the capital of a kingdom ruled by Vyaghramukha Chapa. The Chapas were a subdivision of the Gurjars. A coin of Vyaghramukha was found associated with numerous slightly earlier Hiça coins of the sixth and seventh centuries on the Manaswal Platean in the outer Siwalik Hills, Hoshiyarpur District, Panjab, which at that period undoubtedly was under Huna-Gurjara rule.[11]
British historian James Campbell about Chapa Gurjars mentioned as;
Chápas a branch of the Gurjjaras (Gujars) as the centre of power at Anahi- laváda , 480 ; a Gurjjara king of Bhinmal (A.D. 628).[12]
Distribution
Chap Gujjars are found in Punjab, Azad Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces of Pakistan. In India they are mainly located in Gujarat,[13] Rajasthan,[4] Madhya Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
References
Citations
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 singh, Rajinder. Gujrat Indian State (in en) (2023-01-01)Guarav book center. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Warikoo, Kulbhushan. Gujjars of Jammu and Kashmir (in en) (2000)Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya. p. 8.
- ↑ Rahi, Dr Javaid. The Gujjars Vol: 06 Edited by Dr. Javaid Rahi Book series on Gujjar History and Culture (in en) (2017-01-01)Jammu and Kashmir Acacademy of Art, Culture , Languages , Jammu.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Khan, Aakib. Complete Rajasthan (English) (in en)SI Publication. p. 106.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Warikoo, Kulbhushan. Gujjars of Jammu and Kashmir (in en) (2000)Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya. p. 25.
- ↑ Gurjar Gotra (2023-12-10). Retrieved 2023-12-24.
- ↑ Varma, Ratanalāla. Bhāratīya saṃskr̥ti ke rakshaka (in hi) (1987)Bhāratīya Gurjara Parishad. p. 59_119.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Varma, Ratanalāla. Bhāratīya saṃskr̥ti ke rakshaka (in hi) (1987)Bhāratīya Gurjara Parishad.
- ↑ Rahi, Javaid. The Gujjars Vol: 01 and 02 Edited by Dr. Javaid Rahi (in en) (2012-01-01)Jammu and Kashmir Acacademy of Art, Culture , Languages , Jammu. p. 412.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Historical Background and Socio Cultural Aspects of Gujjar Community in Jammu and Kashmir A Case Study (in en) 68 (48) (2020). p. 54.
- ↑ Grierson, Sir George Abraham. Linguistic Survey of India: Volume 9, Part 4 (in en) (1916)Office of the superintendent of government printing, India. p. 12.
- ↑ Campbell, James M.. Hindu Castes and Tribes of Gujarat (in en) (1988)Vintage Books.
- ↑ Campbell, James M.. Hindu Castes and Tribes of Gujarat (in en) (1988)Vintage Books.
Sources
- Printed at the Government Central Press (1901) Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency :Volume 9, Part 1 p.560
- Sir George Abraham Grierson (1916) Linguistic Survey of India: Volume 9, Part 4 p.12
- Archaeological Survey of India (1911) Indian Antiquary: Volume 40 p.86
- Vintage Books (1988) Hindu Castes and Tribes of Gujarat: Volume 2 p.560