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Which Hindu caste did your ancestors convert from to Islam?

Khans - Rajput, Gujjar converts. It was a title bestowed to them by their Turkic and Mughal overlords for their bravery in battle fields.
Syeds - Brahmin converts
Ansari - Backward and OBC castes
Shaikh, Siddiqui - Baniya and other business community converts
No particular surname - Dalits.
 
Khans - Rajput, Gujjar converts. It was a title bestowed to them by their Turkic and Mughal overlords for their bravery in battle fields.
Syeds - Brahmin converts
Ansari - Backward and OBC castes
Shaikh, Siddiqui - Baniya and other business community converts
No particular surname - Dalits.
Absolutely not true!

I know that you don't have a long attention span so will just ask 1 question:

Please tell me if Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was a Brahmin convert or a Rajput or Gujjar convert? And provide evidence of your assertion.
 
Absolutely not true!

I know that you don't have a long attention span so will just ask 1 question:

Please tell me if Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was a Brahmin convert or a Rajput or Gujjar convert? And provide evidence of your assertion.
Its a general rule of thumb. You can never prove anyone's background in India. Everyone is mixed in India. However many like to claim they have foreign ancestry which is very cute.

India has Mulayam Singh Yadav. He is a Yadav with a Singh in his title. Anyone can put a title in their name.
 
There is no way to be sure if all our ancestors were converts but there was a massive influx of invaders/conquerors from the west who moved in east and settled down. Over the years, there were plenty of inter-marriages, etc. Im sure nobody can claim to be 100% sure there is no mixture in their lineage so the question of this thread is really pointless.
 
Khans - Rajput, Gujjar converts. It was a title bestowed to them by their Turkic and Mughal overlords for their bravery in battle fields.
Syeds - Brahmin converts
Ansari - Backward and OBC castes
Shaikh, Siddiqui - Baniya and other business community converts
No particular surname - Dalits.
Gujjars are not Khans. They are from cattle and sheep/goat herding community and moreover, they were not renowned for any fighting.
Syeds by definition are not Brahmin converts. They are meant to have a direct lineage to Prohpet Muhammad SA.
 
Khans - Rajput, Gujjar converts. It was a title bestowed to them by their Turkic and Mughal overlords for their bravery in battle fields.
Syeds - Brahmin converts
Ansari - Backward and OBC castes
Shaikh, Siddiqui - Baniya and other business community converts
No particular surname - Dalits.
This is a bit off the mark
 
Khan is not a caste. Its an ethnicity, a tribal Pashtun people.

The concept of caste has its origin in one's profession. So these are two totally different conceptans and should not be mixed.
 
Khans - Rajput, Gujjar converts. It was a title bestowed to them by their Turkic and Mughal overlords for their bravery in battle fields.
Syeds - Brahmin converts
Ansari - Backward and OBC castes
Shaikh, Siddiqui - Baniya and other business community converts
No particular surname - Dalits.

Question:

Please tell me if Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was a Brahmin convert or a Rajput or Gujjar convert? And provide evidence of your assertion.

Response:
Its a general rule of thumb. You can never prove anyone's background in India. Everyone is mixed in India. However many like to claim they have foreign ancestry which is very cute.

India has Mulayam Singh Yadav. He is a Yadav with a Singh in his title. Anyone can put a title in their name.

Counter Question:

Give me the source and background of "general rule of thumb"?
Khan is not a caste. Its an ethnicity, a tribal Pashtun people.

The concept of caste has its origin in one's profession. So these are two totally different conceptans and should not be mixed.

It is also a Mughul and then British title but largely yes its ethnicity. @Champ_Pal has a history of inventing things...
 
Syeds are 99% not arabs. Very easy to prove just do a y dna test.

Khan is a title not An ethnicity or tribe, anyone could be given the title khan by the delhi kings.
 
Syeds are 99% not arabs. Very easy to prove just do a y dna test.

Khan is a title not An ethnicity or tribe, anyone could be given the title khan by the delhi kings.
Partially correct.

Khan is an ethnicity and not a caste. The title is pronounced Khaa, with a silent N or noon ghunna (if you know what it means). I think that could be the one you are referring to. But the last name Khan is definitely a pasthun identity and for ages used as a last name regardless of their social stature.
 
Bro...you are a Rajput descent and still 24*7 bashing Hindus?

Imagine what your ancestors must be thinking from heaven. Rajput's are one of the bravest souls.
not hindu bashing, but i think more than half of the recipients for nishan-e-haiders are rajput, considering Rajputs pbly make up maybe 5% to 10% of Pakistanis that's a staggering overrepresentation. rajputs in my historical experience tend to love a scrap and are very hot headed, its the administration and politics they cant do, otherwise they might have had empires too, rather than kingdoms squabbling and killing amongst each other.
 
Any Pakistanis with South Indian ancestors?
i do apparently, malayali according to dna tests, but we had one hyderabi deccan ancestor according to family tradition long time ago. Talking of invaders, despite looking genetically ambiguous im only 10 to 12% "generally central asian". They won't be able to refine these categories properly until they get a lot more desi dna. the most common non indian dna ive seen amongst pakistanis is persian, like 15 to 20% in some instances, ive rarely ever seen arab dna.
 
Partially correct.

Khan is an ethnicity and not a caste. The title is pronounced Khaa, with a silent N or noon ghunna (if you know what it means). I think that could be the one you are referring to. But the last name Khan is definitely a pasthun identity and for ages used as a last name regardless of their social stature.
Rajas in AJK also use Khan as a surname
 
There is no way to be sure if all our ancestors were converts but there was a massive influx of invaders/conquerors from the west who moved in east and settled down. Over the years, there were plenty of inter-marriages, etc. Im sure nobody can claim to be 100% sure there is no mixture in their lineage so the question of this thread is really pointless.

Exactly.

There were many intermarriages during those days.

Even in Bangladesh, many Bangladeshis have Persian/Muhajir/other blood. For example, Athar Ali Khan has a muhajir background (originally from Bihar). I am guessing it is the same for many Pakistani and Indian Muslims.

Another question is does any Muslim care what his ancestor's caste was? LOL. It is completely irrelevant now.
 
Exactly.

There were many intermarriages during those days.

Even in Bangladesh, many Bangladeshis have Persian/Muhajir/other blood. For example, Athar Ali Khan has a muhajir background (originally from Bihar). I am guessing it is the same for many Pakistani and Indian Muslims.

Another question is does any Muslim care what his ancestor's caste was? LOL. It is completely irrelevant now.

My personal opinion, but I think every Muslim in the subcontinent must do Pind daan at least once in his life out of respect for ancestors.
 
Exactly.

There were many intermarriages during those days.

Even in Bangladesh, many Bangladeshis have Persian/Muhajir/other blood. For example, Athar Ali Khan has a muhajir background (originally from Bihar). I am guessing it is the same for many Pakistani and Indian Muslims.

Another question is does any Muslim care what his ancestor's caste was? LOL. It is completely irrelevant now.
Alhamdulillah, out of the jahaliat.
"O humankind! We have created you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another. The noblest of you in God's sight is the one who is most righteous."
 
My personal opinion, but I think every Muslim in the subcontinent must do Pind daan at least once in his life out of respect for ancestors.
..."In summary, "Pind Daan" is a Hindu ritual offering to ancestors, while the Karni Mata temple in India venerates rats as reincarnated ancestors, a separate but related practice involving animal reverence. "

Yer alright fella ...
 
Alhamdulillah, out of the jahaliat.
"O humankind! We have created you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another. The noblest of you in God's sight is the one who is most righteous."

Indeed.

Alhamdulillah that our ancestors converted and embraced the truth.
 
Partially correct.

Khan is an ethnicity and not a caste. The title is pronounced Khaa, with a silent N or noon ghunna (if you know what it means). I think that could be the one you are referring to. But the last name Khan is definitely a pasthun identity and for ages used as a last name regardless of their social stature.
Another well known example is boxer Amir Khan from Rawalpindi of the potohar janjua clan. Definitely not pronounced "khaa with silent N"...
 
some of my ancestors put khan after there name cos they liked it, most never included raja or rajput in their names, some did. its not a hard and fast rule.
 
Saqlain Mushtaq in a recent TV interview revealed that his great-grandfather’s name was Rood Singh, a Hindu from Amritsar. Rood Singh converted to Islam, and his descendants later migrated to Pakistan. Saqlain traced his lineage as follows: Rood Singh → Umang Din → Lal Din → Mushtaq Ahmed → Saqlain Mushtaq .
 
some of my ancestors put khan after there name cos they liked it, most never included raja or rajput in their names, some did. its not a hard and fast rule.
Similarly some Gujjars alo put Khan as their surname. And you also see other put Shah after they name even though they are not syeds.
 
Heard Pakistan's ex defence minister Bajwa is a Jatt, wonder which part of Hinduism his background is...
 
..."In summary, "Pind Daan" is a Hindu ritual offering to ancestors, while the Karni Mata temple in India venerates rats as reincarnated ancestors, a separate but related practice involving animal reverence. "

Yer alright fella ...
Bhaijan was trolling my bro sweep_shot :rolleyes:
 
My personal opinion, but I think every Muslim in the subcontinent must do Pind daan at least once in his life out of respect for ancestors.

I’m serious about it.
You may continue practicing Islam. But once in your life, for the sake of the ancestors, you should do it. It’s not for yourself. Don’t be selfish about it.
 
I’m serious about it.
You may continue practicing Islam. But once in your life, for the sake of the ancestors, you should do it. It’s not for yourself. Don’t be selfish about it.
what is pind Daan? maybe you should shed some more light on it
 
I’m serious about it.
You may continue practicing Islam. But once in your life, for the sake of the ancestors, you should do it. It’s not for yourself. Don’t be selfish about it.
This ritual has its roots in Hinduism. Why would a Muslim do it? I just searched this term. Had no clue what it was.

Anyhow this seems to go against the teachings of Islam. If we want to do something for our Hindu ancestors, we will pray to Allah and ask for their maghfirat and forgiveness. Nothing selfish about it. Not sure where you get that from.
 
Khans - Rajput, Gujjar converts. It was a title bestowed to them by their Turkic and Mughal overlords for their bravery in battle fields.
Syeds - Brahmin converts
Ansari - Backward and OBC castes
Shaikh, Siddiqui - Baniya and other business community converts
No particular surname - Dalits.
I’d like to ask this with genuine curiosity and a sincere desire to understand diverse perspectives — not to provoke, insult, or spark unnecessary debate.

I find it fascinating how cultural and historical backgrounds often shape certain patterns of behavior. For instance, some communities have traditionally emphasized higher education across generations, others have shown a natural affinity for business, politics, or even martial roles. These tendencies seem to emerge from long-standing social, economic, and cultural influences.

I’d love to hear your insights or reflections on this — especially from a historical or sociological point of view.
Changing lineage (which you are loosely referring to as caste) is impermissible in Islam and major sin.
It was narrated from Ibn Abbas that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever claims to belong to someone other than his father, or (a freed slave) who claims that his Wala is for other than his real master, the curse of Allah (SWT), the angels and all the people will be upon him.” [Sunan Ibn Majah 2609]

People adopt last names out of legal necessity OR maybe they are paying homage to a prominent historical figure, for example:

In Turkiye after Mustafa Kamal Ataturk passed the "Surname Law" in 1934, people added names for official business and it has nothing to do with ancestry.

In Afghanistan, there was no such thing as "Surname" and was added much later by people so things like "Abdullah Abdullah" was created.

In Pakistan, when people migrated they also added surnames for official reasons so the extrapolations of "caste system" (which has no basis in Islam) from surname is not correct. Those of our family who migrated to Pakistan dropped "Khan" in 1947 and added something else for paperwork purposes and not to align themselves to a caste, they did it because "Khan" was too common so it was a fashion thing...

In traditional Arab societies (and also in Europe) it was based on parentage so this is a typical name:
  1. Osman Bin (son of)
  2. Muhammad Bin (son of)
  3. Awad Bin (son of)
  4. Aboud Bin (son of)
  5. Ladin
When converted in today's society it will have to be modified, so my birth name given to me is:

W$%^ X$%^ Y$%^ Z$%^ Yusuf Zai

but legally on my passport it is W$%^ X$%^ Khan and then further written legally shortened as W$%^ X. Khan

So if you look at my legal name (today) it partially points to my ethnicity and lineage but some in my family don't even have "Khan" in it so you can't get ethnicity out of it at all.

Caste has no bearing in Islam so it is irrelevant.

Many do take a last name paying homage to someone they admire, happens the world over all the time. I have a White convert friend and his name was (lets say)

James Smith

There is no Islamic legal requirement to change names but he changed it to

Muhammad Umar Ayyubi, is he related to Salahuddin Ayyubi? No, he is paying homage to it, I know why he picked it because he liked the movie at the time :)

I can't remember the Hindu name of our Brahim friend but he changed his name to "Muhammad Umar"

Another Hindu friend of mine went from Vinny Kumar to Muhammad Ali

Dileep Kumar Rajagopala went to Allah Rakha Rahman

Sanjjanaa Galrani is now Aisha Aziz Pasha

So what you are researching (for the past), we see it in real time week in and week out. In my experience some converts change their first name but keep last name but don't legally change anything but just "Joe" is just referred to as "Khalid" etc while some legally change the first name and some change the last name too.

Islam doesn't have castes so the extrapolation of caste from surname has no bearing on anyone.

When marrying in Islam, certain scholars (followed) in subcontinent have discussed Kufu and let me explain that to you.

Kufu (Kafa'ah) in Marriage:

Loosely it means finding a marriage partner who is "most compatible" with you. In modern times, this could be from an Academic or socioeconomic perspective but in the past it would have other considerations.

I have read old religious writings (from the subcontinent) where they extended this concept in the past to imply that X should marry Y and had recommendations in family lineage etc but this is not based on Islam.

Any X can marry any Y in Islam regardless of caste or ethnicity etc.

You will find that a some "prevalent Islamic practices in India" are cultural Indian baggage and nothing to do with Islam, for example women visiting Dargahs in India is BS because as you well know women visit the most holy sites in Islam so why would there be a problem with visiting a Dargah in India???


images
 
Changing lineage (which you are loosely referring to as caste) is impermissible in Islam and major sin.


People adopt last names out of legal necessity OR maybe they are paying homage to a prominent historical figure, for example:

In Turkiye after Mustafa Kamal Ataturk passed the "Surname Law" in 1934, people added names for official business and it has nothing to do with ancestry.

In Afghanistan, there was no such thing as "Surname" and was added much later by people so things like "Abdullah Abdullah" was created.

In Pakistan, when people migrated they also added surnames for official reasons so the extrapolations of "caste system" (which has no basis in Islam) from surname is not correct. Those of our family who migrated to Pakistan dropped "Khan" in 1947 and added something else for paperwork purposes and not to align themselves to a caste, they did it because "Khan" was too common so it was a fashion thing...

In traditional Arab societies (and also in Europe) it was based on parentage so this is a typical name:
  1. Osman Bin (son of)
  2. Muhammad Bin (son of)
  3. Awad Bin (son of)
  4. Aboud Bin (son of)
  5. Ladin
When converted in today's society it will have to be modified, so my birth name given to me is:

W$%^ X$%^ Y$%^ Z$%^ Yusuf Zai

but legally on my passport it is W$%^ X$%^ Khan and then further written legally shortened as W$%^ X. Khan

So if you look at my legal name (today) it partially points to my ethnicity and lineage but some in my family don't even have "Khan" in it so you can't get ethnicity out of it at all.

Caste has no bearing in Islam so it is irrelevant.

Many do take a last name paying homage to someone they admire, happens the world over all the time. I have a White convert friend and his name was (lets say)

James Smith

There is no Islamic legal requirement to change names but he changed it to

Muhammad Umar Ayyubi, is he related to Salahuddin Ayyubi? No, he is paying homage to it, I know why he picked it because he liked the movie at the time :)

I can't remember the Hindu name of our Brahim friend but he changed his name to "Muhammad Umar"

Another Hindu friend of mine went from Vinny Kumar to Muhammad Ali

Dileep Kumar Rajagopala went to Allah Rakha Rahman

Sanjjanaa Galrani is now Aisha Aziz Pasha

So what you are researching (for the past), we see it in real time week in and week out. In my experience some converts change their first name but keep last name but don't legally change anything but just "Joe" is just referred to as "Khalid" etc while some legally change the first name and some change the last name too.

Islam doesn't have castes so the extrapolation of caste from surname has no bearing on anyone.

When marrying in Islam, certain scholars (followed) in subcontinent have discussed Kufu and let me explain that to you.

Kufu (Kafa'ah) in Marriage:

Loosely it means finding a marriage partner who is "most compatible" with you. In modern times, this could be from an Academic or socioeconomic perspective but in the past it would have other considerations.

I have read old religious writings (from the subcontinent) where they extended this concept in the past to imply that X should marry Y and had recommendations in family lineage etc but this is not based on Islam.

Any X can marry any Y in Islam regardless of caste or ethnicity etc.

You will find that a some "prevalent Islamic practices in India" are cultural Indian baggage and nothing to do with Islam, for example women visiting Dargahs in India is BS because as you well know women visit the most holy sites in Islam so why would there be a problem with visiting a Dargah in India???


images
I still don't understand where you guys are all inferring from that "Khan" is related to a "caste"

There are plenty of wannabes and copies but the real "Khans" are Pashtuns and they have a tribal structure. There are Niazis, Yousafzais, Durranis, Afridis, Lodhis, etc and most of them use Khan in their names along with the tribal name. It has zero connection with caste.
 
I still don't understand where you guys are all inferring from that "Khan" is related to a "caste"

There are plenty of wannabes and copies but the real "Khans" are Pashtuns and they have a tribal structure. There are Niazis, Yousafzais, Durranis, Afridis, Lodhis, etc and most of them use Khan in their names along with the tribal name. It has zero connection with caste.
Agreed.

I am YusufZai but on the paperwork it has been replaced with just "Khan".

The thread is based on the presumption that last names are somehow linked to Caste which isn't an Islamic concept to begin with.

I am going further and saying that people are converting now and just adding whatever (or keeping whatever) and caste isn't even on their mind...
 
Agreed.

I am YusufZai but on the paperwork it has been replaced with just "Khan".

The thread is based on the presumption that last names are somehow linked to Caste which isn't an Islamic concept to begin with.

I am going further and saying that people are converting now and just adding whatever (or keeping whatever) and caste isn't even on their mind...
The caste system is a distinctly Hindu system. The Punjabis have inherited some of it. For instance Gujjars are typically in dairy business or milk sellers. Jatts are farmers or landlords, etc. But in Pathans or Pashtuns there is no such concept. I can speak for the other ethnicities of Pakistanis. But I have rarely heard Urdu speaking "mahajirs" refer to their "caste" either. I suspect same goes for Balochis and Sindhis as well. Most of the provinces or areas of the western subcontinent had a tribal system rather than caste systems.
 
I still don't understand where you guys are all inferring from that "Khan" is related to a "caste"

There are plenty of wannabes and copies but the real "Khans" are Pashtuns and they have a tribal structure. There are Niazis, Yousafzais, Durranis, Afridis, Lodhis, etc and most of them use Khan in their names along with the tribal name. It has zero connection with caste.
The real Khans were mongolian like genghis khan. Khan, shah, sultan are persian/mongol names for ruler with khan being used heavily by pashtuns/afghans.
 
The real Khans were mongolian like genghis khan. Khan, shah, sultan are persian/mongol names for ruler with khan being used heavily by pashtuns/afghans.
Yes, so once again - the connection between the term "Khan" and Turkic/Moghal/Pashtun/Mongol/Persian has been made by various traditions over the course of history, which further higlights its ethnic or tribal etymology rather than one based in the Hindu Caste system.

Suggest keeping Khans/Pashtuns, etc out of this discussion. The modern day Khans may have had some Hindu ancestors generations ago but its very difficult to ascertain what castes since the last name "Khan" really belongs to the family name belonging to mostly the Muslim side and doesn't offer any clues to the Hindu caste.
 
I’m serious about it.
You may continue practicing Islam. But once in your life, for the sake of the ancestors, you should do it. It’s not for yourself. Don’t be selfish about it.
Not possible. Not as a Muslim. If it were permissible at any point, Prophet Ibrahim peace be upon him would’ve gladly participated for his father’s sake who was a priest.

Instead he smashed every idol into bits and left the axe with the biggest idol, when his people came back from the festival and asked who did this he said ask the big one.

We are willing to completely defy and be at odds with our ancestors, parents etc whoever if they engage in associating partners with God and innovate in religion. Blood relations and bloodlines mean nothing if it gets in the way of obedience to God. That’s not just for shirk, but also for bid’ah (innovation in religion) because that’s how misguidance and corruption begins.
 
The caste system is a distinctly Hindu system. The Punjabis have inherited some of it. For instance Gujjars are typically in dairy business or milk sellers. Jatts are farmers or landlords, etc. But in Pathans or Pashtuns there is no such concept. I can speak for the other ethnicities of Pakistanis. But I have rarely heard Urdu speaking "mahajirs" refer to their "caste" either. I suspect same goes for Balochis and Sindhis as well. Most of the provinces or areas of the western subcontinent had a tribal system rather than caste systems.
Yes it is prevalent in Punjab.

It's commonly asked question for marriage purposes even here in the UK amongst Punjabis but dying out slowly but apart from that it's not really a day to day issue for most.
 
I come from the Kaushal Punjabi Brahmin lineage like the famous actor Vicky Kaushal.

I trace my spiritual ancestry to the legendary ancient Rishi Vishvamitra who was a Kshatriya King turned Brahmarishi, one of the most powerful and complex figures in our Vedic heritage.

He didn’t inherit his sainthood but he earned it, challenging gods, traditions, and even himself in his ascent from royalty to rishi. Our gotra, Kaushika takes its name from him, and with it, a legacy of tenacity, intellect, and restlessness.

Historically, Kaushal or Kaushik Brahmins were spread across northern India, particularly in regions that were once part of ancient Kosala Desh, the same land associated with Lord Rama, and centered around Ayodhya.

Over time, branches of this lineage migrated and established deep roots in various parts of India, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and even parts of Madhya Pradesh.

In Punjab, where my own family hails from, Kaushal Brahmins adapted to the robust, martial spirit of the land while preserving our ritual, scholarly, and spiritual traditions. In times of upheaval, many served as custodians of dharma, advisors, healers, and teachers balancing Vedic knowledge with the pragmatism the land demanded.

Now, on a more personal note: I carry within me what I believe are unmistakable echoes of my lineage.
  • A burning focus when I believe in something.
  • A temper that sparks when pushed (I’m working on that).
  • And admittedly, a certain fascination with beauty, especially in its feminine form which if you’ve read the Vishvamitra–Menaka episode, feels rather hereditary. It almost led to my downfall and pushed me to the dark side the first time around. I showed extremely resilience to come back from that pit only to be pushed back in there by Pakistanis who backstabbed me in 2025.

But just as my ancestor didn’t stop at desire, nor at anger, neither should I. Vishvamitra fell, rose, and ultimately transcended not by suppressing human experience, but by integrating and outgrowing it.

Being Kaushal is not about being perfect it’s about being in process: fiercely human, deeply spiritual, and always aiming just a little higher.

Now, although we trace our gotra to Kaushika Rishi, many of us use the more widely recognized surname “Sharma” Why? Because Sharma is a pan-Indian Brahminical honorific, derived from the Sanskrit word śarman meaning joy, comfort, or blessing. It serves as a unifying identity across different Brahmin sub-groups, especially in North India. So, while Kaushal Brahmin describes our gotra and lineage, Sharma reflects our varna and scholarly dharma, a priestly class tasked with the preservation of knowledge, ritual, and dharma.

So here I am a modern Kaushik, stuck somewhere between tapasya and traffic jams, trying to live up to a lineage that was never afraid of the fire.

IMG_1381.jpeg
 
There is no way to be sure if all our ancestors were converts but there was a massive influx of invaders/conquerors from the west who moved in east and settled down. Over the years, there were plenty of inter-marriages, etc. Im sure nobody can claim to be 100% sure there is no mixture in their lineage so the question of this thread is really pointless.
And even amongst Hindus, caste origins may not be as easy to prove as one might presuppose. Many years ago an Indian sociologist - M.N. Srinivas - famously coined the phrase, "Sanskritization," to explain the practice where lower castes emulated the customs and rituals of higher castes. Eventually many claimed higher status or simply adopted different names. There was therefore greater upward mobility than might have been assumed.
 
the cast system was merely a step in the economic evolution of the division of labour. in hunter gatherer societies everyone had to partake in the hunt, everyone had to partake in the defense of the family or tribe. when humans because agrarian and settled the capital surplus meant that there was time to invest in other pursuits, such as weapon smithing, or tailoring, etc. given there were no schools to teach people these crafts, it was incumbent on the family to teach their talented children the means and ways of whatever skill they were proficient in.

being taught this skill became a mark of being a chosen child, as other children would likely have been invovled in daily labour intensive activities, unless the families were very well to do. those families which practised certain skills eventually grew into tribes, and casts, and realising the benefit of limiting competition enshrined in a social construct the idea that certain people occupy certain rungs in social orders, and the cast system was built.

its a historical artefact which is given more importance than it is worth if you take it seriously, or hold any material value to it, however as a means of sating curiousity about ones on background or origins, it does no harm. im not religious, but even islam puts the utmost importance on knowing familial background, "zaat or nasal parasti" is haram, but as long as you only use it for educational purposes, there is nothing wrong in it.
 
I come from the Kaushal Punjabi Brahmin lineage like the famous actor Vicky Kaushal.

I trace my spiritual ancestry to the legendary ancient Rishi Vishvamitra who was a Kshatriya King turned Brahmarishi, one of the most powerful and complex figures in our Vedic heritage.

He didn’t inherit his sainthood but he earned it, challenging gods, traditions, and even himself in his ascent from royalty to rishi. Our gotra, Kaushika takes its name from him, and with it, a legacy of tenacity, intellect, and restlessness.

Historically, Kaushal or Kaushik Brahmins were spread across northern India, particularly in regions that were once part of ancient Kosala Desh, the same land associated with Lord Rama, and centered around Ayodhya.

Over time, branches of this lineage migrated and established deep roots in various parts of India, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and even parts of Madhya Pradesh.

In Punjab, where my own family hails from, Kaushal Brahmins adapted to the robust, martial spirit of the land while preserving our ritual, scholarly, and spiritual traditions. In times of upheaval, many served as custodians of dharma, advisors, healers, and teachers balancing Vedic knowledge with the pragmatism the land demanded.

Now, on a more personal note: I carry within me what I believe are unmistakable echoes of my lineage.
  • A burning focus when I believe in something.
  • A temper that sparks when pushed (I’m working on that).
  • And admittedly, a certain fascination with beauty, especially in its feminine form which if you’ve read the Vishvamitra–Menaka episode, feels rather hereditary. It almost led to my downfall and pushed me to the dark side the first time around. I showed extremely resilience to come back from that pit only to be pushed back in there by Pakistanis who backstabbed me in 2025.

But just as my ancestor didn’t stop at desire, nor at anger, neither should I. Vishvamitra fell, rose, and ultimately transcended not by suppressing human experience, but by integrating and outgrowing it.

Being Kaushal is not about being perfect it’s about being in process: fiercely human, deeply spiritual, and always aiming just a little higher.

Now, although we trace our gotra to Kaushika Rishi, many of us use the more widely recognized surname “Sharma” Why? Because Sharma is a pan-Indian Brahminical honorific, derived from the Sanskrit word śarman meaning joy, comfort, or blessing. It serves as a unifying identity across different Brahmin sub-groups, especially in North India. So, while Kaushal Brahmin describes our gotra and lineage, Sharma reflects our varna and scholarly dharma, a priestly class tasked with the preservation of knowledge, ritual, and dharma.

So here I am a modern Kaushik, stuck somewhere between tapasya and traffic jams, trying to live up to a lineage that was never afraid of the fire.

View attachment 155237
So an obnoxious brahmin Indian who thinks he's a priestly class know it all.
 
the cast system was merely a step in the economic evolution of the division of labour. in hunter gatherer societies everyone had to partake in the hunt, everyone had to partake in the defense of the family or tribe. when humans because agrarian and settled the capital surplus meant that there was time to invest in other pursuits, such as weapon smithing, or tailoring, etc. given there were no schools to teach people these crafts, it was incumbent on the family to teach their talented children the means and ways of whatever skill they were proficient in.

being taught this skill became a mark of being a chosen child, as other children would likely have been invovled in daily labour intensive activities, unless the families were very well to do. those families which practised certain skills eventually grew into tribes, and casts, and realising the benefit of limiting competition enshrined in a social construct the idea that certain people occupy certain rungs in social orders, and the cast system was built.

its a historical artefact which is given more importance than it is worth if you take it seriously, or hold any material value to it, however as a means of sating curiousity about ones on background or origins, it does no harm. im not religious, but even islam puts the utmost importance on knowing familial background, "zaat or nasal parasti" is haram, but as long as you only use it for educational purposes, there is nothing wrong in it.
Its a patent system/trade secret/job security method for all practical purposes.
 
Its a patent system/trade secret/job security method for all practical purposes.
same reason why medieval european societies had trade guilds and why people pay monthly fees towards having professional qualification letters behind their names, ironically not that dissimilar to carrying your caste in your full name.
 
Caste system was the genius construct of an era where the wellness of society as a whole was paramount and where selfishness had no place.
 
It’s very likely that only 10% of the self proclaimed Syed are actual descendants of prophet (A.S) according to inconclusive DNA evidence so yea many Brahmin converts adopted this title and so many other converts as well.

Feeling proud to be an actual syed with my lineage traceable with Saudi hashmi tribe as little as from 120 years.
 
It’s very likely that only 10% of the self proclaimed Syed are actual descendants of prophet (A.S) according to inconclusive DNA evidence so yea many Brahmin converts adopted this title and so many other converts as well.

Feeling proud to be an actual syed with my lineage traceable with Saudi hashmi tribe as little as from 120 years.

Very nice.
I have heard the Royal family of Jordan are also direct descendants from
Prophet Mohd (Peace be upon him) ‘s family.

What’s the story of the Syed community and its origins.

And any famous Pakistani Syeds?
 
Which are the Top 5 surnames in Pakistan. Who have no shortage of rishta for niqah.
 
Very nice.
I have heard the Royal family of Jordan are also direct descendants from
Prophet Mohd (Peace be upon him) ‘s family.

What’s the story of the Syed community and its origins.

And any famous Pakistani Syeds?
The DNA evidence is inconclusive and the actual real syed can be from 10% to 40% but definitely more than half of the Syed population in subcontinent has just adopted the name for pride sake.
 
There was no saudi 120 years ago.

What is this pride thing?

Surely there must be some gain in character or influence. Due to lineage.
Abha, located in the Asir Province of southwestern Saudi Arabia, has been inhabited for centuries. Even by the early 1900s (around 1905), Abha was an established town. It served as a regional center in the highlands and was part of the Asir Emirate, which was an independent state at that time under the leadership of Muhammad ibn Ali al-Idrisi.


The Ottoman Empire had some control or influence over parts of the region in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but the rugged geography of the Asir mountains made Abha relatively isolated and governed more locally.
 
You are neither saudi. Nor turkeesh. Nor descendant of prophet. Like all other subcontinental converts.

You are a pakistani with western passport. Again wielding no incremental influence like all other pakistanis with western passports.

Let's leave it at that.
 
So an obnoxious brahmin Indian who thinks he's a priestly class know it all.

I have never made a big deal of my caste. I judge a man by the content of his character and not by his surname. Tapasya and Tyag are the hallmarks of the my family.
 
I have never made a big deal of my caste. I judge a man by the content of his character and not by his surname. Tapasya and Tyag are the hallmarks of the my family.
@maverick85

Bhaijan what he said above is correct, he judges a man by his character which is why he holds our honorable PM in high regard despite being from a lower caste.
 
You are neither saudi. Nor turkeesh. Nor descendant of prophet. Like all other subcontinental converts.

You are a pakistani with western passport. Again wielding no incremental influence like all other pakistanis with western passports.

Let's leave it at that.
No point arguing with you brother. Peace out.
 
Modern Pakistan has more links to sikhism than Hinduism as alluded by OP. Surnames shared include Chauhan, Sethi, Gill, Sandhu, amongst others
 
Modern Pakistan has more links to sikhism than Hinduism as alluded by OP. Surnames shared include Chauhan, Sethi, Gill, Sandhu, amongst others
Not true.

pak sindhis/gujratis/memons/kachis have surnames of lakhani, jinnah, hoodbhai, vadwani, jumani, sachideva, poonja et al were hindus.

pak founder Mahomedali Jinnahbhai, an agakhani gujrati, with hindu ancestory.
 
Modern Pakistan has more links to sikhism than Hinduism as alluded by OP. Surnames shared include Chauhan, Sethi, Gill, Sandhu, amongst others

Sikhism itself has been transitioning religion with Hindu roots brother.
 
Not true.

pak sindhis/gujratis/memons/kachis have surnames of lakhani, jinnah, hoodbhai, vadwani, jumani, sachideva, poonja et al were hindus.

pak founder Mahomedali Jinnahbhai, an agakhani gujrati, with hindu ancestory.
Allama Iqbal AR was Brahmin. Point being Pakistani Punjab especially has had lots of DNA crossover with sikhs. It's a fact.


That a subcontinental nation would have historically been Hindu or Buddhist is surprising why ?. Hinduism predates Islam
 
It's a plagiarism of various texts, yes

That’s not the right word.

Inspiration is the right word because being fair to them they tried to include good teachings that made sense to the Gurus from various religions and cultures while at the same time they distanced their community from many aspects of other religions they did not agree with

Immense respect to the Gurus and early days Sikh misls.
 
Allama Iqbal AR was Brahmin. Point being Pakistani Punjab especially has had lots of DNA crossover with sikhs. It's a fact.


That a subcontinental nation would have historically been Hindu or Buddhist is surprising why ?. Hinduism predates Islam

And Buddhism.

Sanatan is the oldest major religion on the planet. Some of the Godly figures in Sanatan predate what is generally considered the dawn of Hinduism. They have been worshipping Shiva since stone ages.
 
Not true.

pak sindhis/gujratis/memons/kachis have surnames of lakhani, jinnah, hoodbhai, vadwani, jumani, sachideva, poonja et al were hindus.

pak founder Mahomedali Jinnahbhai, an agakhani gujrati, with hindu ancestory.

Good for you Farhan babu, once again planting your Hindu flag in the Sindhi soil. The first step to reclaiming your dharma has been taken. :apology
 
Islam is, with Adam (pbuh) being the first muslim.

It’s a fairy tale.
There are many fairy tales in our culture too.

I’m talking about historical facts.

Sanatan Dharma as a culture predates the other major cultures.

Religious philosophy cannot be compared apple to apple. Sanatan talks about time and origins in its own way.
 
It’s a fairy tale.
There are many fairy tales in our culture too.

I’m talking about historical facts.

Sanatan Dharma as a culture predates the other major cultures.

Religious philosophy cannot be compared apple to apple. Sanatan talks about time and origins in its own way.

Sanatan Dharma predates all other major cultures, we can agree on that. It was also discarded centuries ago in reality, and today Sanatanis pay lip service only. Even when an evil woman murders her husband in calculated cold blood so she can rejoin her lover, brainwashed "Sanatanis" make excuses like she must have had a forced marriage. They cannot even call a spade a spade these days except if it accords with western narratives.
 
Sanatan Dharma predates all other major cultures, we can agree on that. It was also discarded centuries ago in reality, and today Sanatanis pay lip service only. Even when an evil woman murders her husband in calculated cold blood so she can rejoin her lover, brainwashed "Sanatanis" make excuses like she must have had a forced marriage. They cannot even call a spade a spade these days except if it accords with western narratives.

Sanatan Dharma has shown remarkable resilience through the ages. The very fact that it continues to thrive in over a billion people today worldwide including in some nations where it’s an overwhelming minority is a powerful testament to its enduring strength. There are people holding on to it in countries where the reward and public acceptance for conversion would be a huge incentive for them and yet they choose the struggles that come with being a minority. It cannot be possible of the connection with Dharma isn’t extremely strong and personal.

It has withstood conquests, plunder, prejudice, philosophical debates, and even periods of deep self-doubt yet it remains intact and now even stands at the threshold of a spiritual and cultural renaissance. Simply extraordinary for a tradition that has never pursued expansionism, imposed harsh penalties for dissent, or coerced its followers into conformity. Hinduism at its core is a path to liberation. It encourages introspection, free thought, and open discussion, which is why it often eludes rigid definitions or simple explanations.

Even the faiths that emerged from Sanatan roots, Buddhism and Sikhism remain strong and vibrant in their own right. Like all living traditions, religions undergo change and are tested by time. Social reform is not a sign of weakness, but of vitality.
 
Sanatan Dharma has shown remarkable resilience through the ages. The very fact that it continues to thrive in over a billion people today worldwide including in some nations where it’s an overwhelming minority is a powerful testament to its enduring strength. There are people holding on to it in countries where the reward and public acceptance for conversion would be a huge incentive for them and yet they choose the struggles that come with being a minority. It cannot be possible of the connection with Dharma isn’t extremely strong and personal.

It has withstood conquests, plunder, prejudice, philosophical debates, and even periods of deep self-doubt yet it remains intact and now even stands at the threshold of a spiritual and cultural renaissance. Simply extraordinary for a tradition that has never pursued expansionism, imposed harsh penalties for dissent, or coerced its followers into conformity. Hinduism at its core is a path to liberation. It encourages introspection, free thought, and open discussion, which is why it often eludes rigid definitions or simple explanations.

Even the faiths that emerged from Sanatan roots, Buddhism and Sikhism remain strong and vibrant in their own right. Like all living traditions, religions undergo change and are tested by time. Social reform is not a sign of weakness, but of vitality.


Perhaps my view is warped from living in the west. I have only really been exposed to Indians keen to assimilate with western culture and generally hide their Sanatan roots, and we only get to see Bollywood nonsense which also gives a similar vibe.
 
Perhaps my view is warped from living in the west. I have only really been exposed to Indians keen to assimilate with western culture and generally hide their Sanatan roots, and we only get to see Bollywood nonsense which also gives a similar vibe.

People make a mistake when they compare two completely different philosophies in spirituality and way of life as Apple to Apple.

We don’t consider ourselves as part of any competition. It’s not about proving ourselves as best and the other culture as inferior. That’s really not Hindu culture.

Mother, Nation & Sanatani culture for us is beyond comparisons.
 
And Buddhism.

Sanatan is the oldest major religion on the planet. Some of the Godly figures in Sanatan predate what is generally considered the dawn of Hinduism. They have been worshipping Shiva since stone ages.

0*OT_dXHUPuyW2r8FG.jpg

The sentinelese are the real sanatananas, who still live in the stone age. Brahmins and other hindutvavadis are newcomers to the gangetic plains in the grand scheme of things. You should do a pind daan to the andaman island once in your lifetime as they are the OG's of the bharati dharmic life
 
0*OT_dXHUPuyW2r8FG.jpg

The sentinelese are the real sanatananas, who still live in the stone age. Brahmins and other hindutvavadis are newcomers to the gangetic plains in the grand scheme of things. You should do a pind daan to the andaman island once in your lifetime as they are the OG's of the bharati dharmic life

They’re an untouched tribe.

They’ve had no interaction with our civilization and we have been generous enough in letting them be. It’s a gorgeous Island.
 
They’re an untouched tribe.

They’ve had no interaction with our civilization and we have been generous enough in letting them be. It’s a gorgeous Island.
Shouldn't you follow their way of living? They're the original inhabitants of a certain bharat mata. You could probably rock up to them on a boat and declare you're a brahmin related to a king rishi and that they should now follow a caste system. It could be a type of ghar wapsi for you. Although I hear stone age weapons are pretty sharp
 
Guys peddling an agenda… looking to increase his clubs subs 😂

Like a broken record screeching away.

People are drawn to the truth…the numbers dont lie…evidently the numbers aren’t tallying up for his club… 😞
 
Shouldn't you follow their way of living? They're the original inhabitants of a certain bharat mata. You could probably rock up to them on a boat and declare you're a brahmin related to a king rishi and that they should now follow a caste system. It could be a type of ghar wapsi for you. Although I hear stone age weapons are pretty sharp

They never even entered Bharat. Whatever you’re smoking today. You had a good time and you should sleep now. I cannot keep replying to low IQ comments
 
I’d like to ask this with genuine curiosity and a sincere desire to understand diverse perspectives — not to provoke, insult, or spark unnecessary debate.

I find it fascinating how cultural and historical backgrounds often shape certain patterns of behavior. For instance, some communities have traditionally emphasized higher education across generations, others have shown a natural affinity for business, politics, or even martial roles. These tendencies seem to emerge from long-standing social, economic, and cultural influences.

I’d love to hear your insights or reflections on this — especially from a historical or sociological point of view.
Bhai jaan, I found your post a bit confusing, so I just wanted to share a clarification. Castes in the Indian subcontinent have traditionally been linked to occupations and social roles, not religion. For example, a caste like 'Jatt' refers to a community historically associated with farming and landowning, and you’ll find Jatts who are Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, and even in rare cases Christian, the caste identity remains the same across religious lines.

This is because caste is a social and cultural structure, not a religious one. Saying things like ‘Hindu farmer’ or ‘Muslim farmer’ doesn’t really make sense in this context. A farmer is a farmer, and if they belong to a caste like Jatt, Gujjar, or Yadav, that identity stays regardless of their religion.
 
They never even entered Bharat. Whatever you’re smoking today. You had a good time and you should sleep now. I cannot keep replying to low IQ comments
MIT-FastDrift-press.jpg

Are you denying your baharati history? Are you anti-national? The islands came along in the continental drift, along with king rishis ancestors. Why are you triggered by the ghar wapsi to the andaman islands?
 
Are you a Syed? If so, you most probably are a Brahmin from what I gather.
What you gather is incorrect maybe you should do some research. Syeds are from the lineage of our prophet muhammed saw i don't see how your connecting it with bramans
 
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