Bharsaiyan
Encyclopedia
The Bharsaiyan or Bharaiyan are a Rajput
clan
found in the state of Uttar Pradesh
in India
.
Chauhan
s. A small band of Chauhan
warriors are said to have moved to Awadh
under the leadership of Karan Singh, who married into a family of Bais Rajput
s, who were the dominant power in the region. A descendent of Karan Singh, Baz Singh is said to have converted to Islam
during the rule of Sher Shah Suri
. His descendents are now found mainly in Inhauna in Sultanpur District
. Both the Muslim and Hindu
branches of the tribe are confined to Raebareli District
. They are said to be the earliest settlers in Sultanpur
, having dispossed the Bhar
and Tiar
communities, who are said to be aboriginal.
The Bharsaiyan are mainly a community of small and medium sized. Like other Rajput
clans of Awadh
, they practice clan exogamy, and intermarry with other Rajput
clans of the region. The Muslim Bharsaiyan now form a community within the larger Khanzada
ethnic group of eastern Uttar Pradesh
. They are Sunni Muslim
s, and their customs are similar to other Khanzada
groupings.
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
clan
Clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clan members may be organized around a founding member or apical ancestor. The kinship-based bonds may be symbolical, whereby the clan shares a "stipulated" common ancestor that is a...
found in the state of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Origin
The word Bharsaiyan is said to be a corruption of the word bhainsauliyan or a native of the town of Bhaisaul, where the tribe is said to have originated from. They claim to be a clan of MainpuriMainpuri
Mainpuri is a city and a municipal board in Mainpuri district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of the Mainpuri district and is situated to the north-east of Agra.-Geography:...
Chauhan
Chauhan
Chauhan, Chouhan or Chohan , , - is a clan who ruled parts of northern India in the Middle Ages. The clan is most famous for Rajput King Maharaja Prithviraj Chauhan...
s. A small band of Chauhan
Chauhan
Chauhan, Chouhan or Chohan , , - is a clan who ruled parts of northern India in the Middle Ages. The clan is most famous for Rajput King Maharaja Prithviraj Chauhan...
warriors are said to have moved to Awadh
Awadh
Awadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
under the leadership of Karan Singh, who married into a family of Bais Rajput
Bais Rajput
The Bais Rajput , are an ancient Rajput clan consisting of the wealthy, warriors, entrepreneurs and Zamindar .The Bais Rajput are one of the Chattis Rajkul - 36 Royal Rajput lineages...
s, who were the dominant power in the region. A descendent of Karan Singh, Baz Singh is said to have converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
during the rule of Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri , birth name Farid Khan, also known as Sher Khan , was the founder of the short-lived Sur Empire in northern India, with its capital at Delhi, before its demise in the hands of the resurgent Mughal Empire...
. His descendents are now found mainly in Inhauna in Sultanpur District
Sultanpur District
Sultanpur District is a district in the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India. The district is a part of Faizabad Division. Its administrative head is Sultanpur.-History:...
. Both the Muslim and Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
branches of the tribe are confined to Raebareli District
Raebareli District
Raebareli District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The town of Raebareli is the district headquarters. The district is part of Lucknow Division.-Raebareli District in 1911:...
. They are said to be the earliest settlers in Sultanpur
Sultanpur
Sultanpur is a city and a municipal board in Sultanpur district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located in the geographic center of and is the administrative headquarters of Sultanpur District. It is an ancient town situated on the right bank of Gomati River, to the south east of...
, having dispossed the Bhar
Bhar
The Bhar are a Hindu caste found in North India. They are also known as Rajbhar. British historian General Cunningham said that Bhars are branch of the Ahir tribe.-History and origin:...
and Tiar
Tiar
The Tiar are scheduled caste, found in North India. They are also known as the Parihar.-History and origin:The word tiar is a corruption of the Sanskrit word thivara, which means a hunter. They were traditionally hunters, but with the greater deforestation of their environment, they are now mainly...
communities, who are said to be aboriginal.
The Bharsaiyan are mainly a community of small and medium sized. Like other Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
clans of Awadh
Awadh
Awadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
, they practice clan exogamy, and intermarry with other Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
clans of the region. The Muslim Bharsaiyan now form a community within the larger Khanzada
Khanzada (Awadh)
The Khanzada or Khan Zadeh are a community of Hindu converted Muslim Rajputs, found in the Awadh region of the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. A few are also found in the state of Bihar. This community is distinct from the Rajasthan Khanzadas, who are also a community of Muslim Rajputs. They also...
ethnic group of eastern Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
. They are Sunni Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s, and their customs are similar to other Khanzada
Khanzada (Awadh)
The Khanzada or Khan Zadeh are a community of Hindu converted Muslim Rajputs, found in the Awadh region of the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. A few are also found in the state of Bihar. This community is distinct from the Rajasthan Khanzadas, who are also a community of Muslim Rajputs. They also...
groupings.