Virk
Encyclopedia
| Jat Clan: Virk विर्क ورک | |
| Distribution | Malwa(Punjab) |
| Branches: | Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Chichawatni, Faisalabad and Sialkot(Pakistan) Ludhiana,Jalandhar in Punjab,Panipat, Kurushetra and Karnal in Haryana(India)) |
| Religion |  SikhismSikhism Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing... ,  IslamIslam Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~... |
| Owner | Everyone Everyone Everyone may refer to:* Everyone , a 2006 album by Reuben Morgan* Everyone , official theme song of the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics held in Singapore* Everyone , a 1970 song by Van Morrison... |
| Languages | Punjabi Punjabi language Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language... |
| Surnames: | Virk (ورک)(विर्क) Wirk (विर्क) Birk (برک)(बिर्क) Vrik (वृक) Varika (ویرکا) (वरिक) |
Virk (ورک) (विर्क) Wirk (विर्क) Birk (बिर्क) Vrik (वृक) Varika (वरिक) is a gotra
Gotra
In the Hindu society, the term Gotra broadly refers to people who are descendants in an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor. Panini defines gotra for grammatical purposes as apatyam pautraprabhrti gotram , which means "the word gotra denotes the progeny beginning with the son's son"...
of the Jat clan found in the Punjab region of India and Pakistan. Typically, Virks are tall, thin and fair-skinned. In western Punjab, Virks are supposed to belong to the Mahe dynasty and Manhas or Minhas are considered to be brethren of the Virks. Birk and Virk gotras are of the same origin. The pronunciation is different only due to linguistic differences.
History
The Pandavas, when they returned from forest, had demanded: "give us even Kusasthala, Vrikasthala, Makandi, Varanavata and, for the fifth, any other that thou likest (see -Udyoga Parva/Mahabharata Book V Chapter 31: Vrikasthala was one of them: (Bickram Virk)- कुश स्थलं वृकस्थलम आसन्थी वारणावतम
- अवसानं भवेथ अत्र किं चिथ एव तु पञ्चमम (V.31.19)
It is one of the most important clans. It is mentioned by Pāṇini and V.S. Agrawal has identified Virks with the Jats. The same identification has been mentioned by Buddha Prakash [1]. Mahabhasya mentions Vrika and its derivative Varkenya, the Varkan of the Persians, and Hyrcan of the Greeks. The Caspian sea was once called the Sea of Vrkans (Hyrcanian). The identification of Hyrcan with Varkan has also been mentioned by Rawlinson in his "History of Herodotus", he mentions that, even in the thirteenth century, their country in Central Asia was mentioned as Urkanich in Yakut. According to Herodotus
Herodotus
Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria and lived in the 5th century BC . He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a...
, they fought in the battle of Thermopylae
Battle of Thermopylae
The Battle of Thermopylae was fought between an alliance of Greek city-states, led by King Leonidas of Sparta, and the Persian Empire of Xerxes I over the course of three days, during the second Persian invasion of Greece. It took place simultaneously with the naval battle at Artemisium, in August...
under their leader named Megapanus which, afterwards, was a Satrap of Babylonia [2]. They are one of the earliest clans to enter India and, up to the sixth century A.D., at least they were ruling in Malwa under their king Vishnuvardhana, Vrik. The Vriks are remembered in the Brahma, Vaman and Markandeya Puranas. Their antiquity goes very much deep in the past.
A country called Uruk/Wark is mentioned in Sumer
Sumer
Sumer was a civilization and historical region in southern Mesopotamia, modern Iraq during the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age....
ia, along with a country called Gutium. In fact, Trigan, the last Gutian king in the twenty-second century B.C. was defeated by Utu-Khegal, the ruler of Wark country. It is possible that this country has been named after them.
The word Vrik in Sanskrit means a wolf - the same as Russian word Volka which also means the same and after which the river Volga is named.
In the Kushana period, an officer of Vima Kadphises was a Vrika, according to K.P.Jayaswa.
According to Patan Jali Bhashya 4.6-114, Ashtadhyayi l-6-155 Mahabhasya 4-2-154 and Kashika varti 1-1-175, Raja Virk Vardhan had his forts in Kasrud (Mandsaur), Central India, Shakil (Sialkot) Sosaph, Dathaaprastha, Naudipur, Koak, Kandewa, Mula, Pava Datt, Karkar, Virkgary, etc.
According to historians, the present Sheikhupura was the site of Virkgarh.
According to Th. Yugendrapal, Virks are Vahikas who are mentioned in the Mahabharata and who took one-sixth of the income of King Shalya. In the fourth century AD, they had a powerful kingdom. They were contemporaries of the Gupta rulers. According to Brij Indra Bhaskar, in 428 AD, the Virk rulers performed a big Yagya near Bayana and constructed a Pillar, on which they are mentioned as Virks. Rock inscriptions of Yasodharman have been found in Mandsaur. Their reign in Malwa came to an end in 462 AD.
King Singhavarma belonging to this dynasty ruled from 535 AD to 585 AD. He had two sons Narvarma and Chandravarma. Chandravarma's son was Yasovarman. According to a rock inscription found in Gandhara, he was an independent ruler. He had two sons, Bhimvarma and Bondhuvarma. Bondhuvarma was defeated by the Gupta rulers and Bhimvarma was appointed the savant of a principality near Kausambhi but, once again, he became independent and, allying himself with Anu Gupta, fought the Huns. This has been referred to in the "Chandra Viyakaran".
Bhandhuvarmas's son was Yasodharman and his son Shiladitya.
The Virk Jat Kapur Singh founded Kapurthala and made it his capital. Before Punjab's partition, Sir Shahab-ud-Din, member of the Punjab Assembly and Secretary of Jat Sabha belonged to Tar in Sialkot. Jandiala in Amritsar belonged to the Virks.
Yasodharman was Virk Clan Jat
The BijayagadhBayana
Bayana is a historical town in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan in India. It is a historical city founded by Banasur, who was an Asura. He lived during the time of Krishna...
Stone Pillar Inscription of Vishnuvardhana
Vishnuvardhana
Vishnuvardhana was an emperor of the Hoysala Empire in present day Indian state of Karnataka. Vishnuvardhana took the first step in consolidating the Hoysala Empire in South India through a series of battles against his overlords, the Western Chalukya empire...
shows that Yasodharman, the father of Vishnuvardhana, was a king of Virk gotra.Thakur Deshraj
Thakur Deshraj
Thakur Deshraj was a social worker, journalist, nationalist, freedom fighter and author of many books. He was from Rajasthan state in India. He was revenue minister in the princely state of Bharatpur....
and C.V. Vaidya have concluded that the inscription of Bijaygarh and Mandsaur
Mandsaur
Mandsaur or Mandsour is a city in the Malwa region and district of Madhya Pradesh state of central India. It is the administrative headquarters of Mandsaur District.-Origin of name:...
prove that Yasodharman
Yasodharman
Yasodharman or Yashôdharman was the king of Malwa, in central India, during the early part of the 6th century.- History :...
, the ruler of Malwa, was a Jat king of the Virk gotra.
Virks in other ancient texts
According to the Patanjali Bhashya (4.6-114), Ashtadhyayi (l-6-155), Mahabhasya( 4-2-154) and Kashikavarti (1-1-175), Raja Virk Vardhan built forts in:Chichawatni 34/12.
- Kasrud (present-day MandsorMandsaurMandsaur or Mandsour is a city in the Malwa region and district of Madhya Pradesh state of central India. It is the administrative headquarters of Mandsaur District.-Origin of name:...
) in central India - Chichawatni
- Gujranwala .total region especially in nowshera virkan.
- Faisalabad
- Shakil (SialkotSialkotSialkot is a city in Pakistan situated in the north-east of the Punjab province at the foothills of snow-covered peaks of Kashmir near the Chenab river. It is the capital of Sialkot District. The city is about north-west of Lahore and only a few kilometers from Indian-controlled Jammu.The...
) - Sosaph
- Dathaaprastha
- Naudipur
- Koak
- Kandewa
- Mula
- Pava Datt
- Karkar
- Virkgarh(Sheikhupura)
sargodha.
According to Thakur Yugendrapal, the Virks are the Vahilkas (they are believed to be the founders of Bahawalpur
Bahawalpur
Bahawalpur , located in the province of Punjab, is the twelfth largest city in Pakistan. The city was once the capital of the former princely state of Bahawalpur. The city was home to various Nawabs and counted as part of the Rajputana states...
) who are mentioned in the Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
and who took one-sixth of the income of the King Shalya
Shalya
In the epic Mahabharata, King Shalya was the brother of Madri , as well as the ruler of Madra-desa or the kingdom of Madra. Thus, he was the maternal uncle of Nakula and Sahadeva and was loved and revered by the Pandavas. When he was young, he entered a competition among princes and nobilities to...
, who was the king of the Madra
Madra
Madra, Mada or Madraka is the name of an ancient region and its inhabitants, located in the north-west division of the ancient Indian sub-continent.-Uttaramadra division:...
s and ruled over Madradesa (modern-day Sialkot). In the 4th century AD, they had a powerful kingdom. They were the contemporaries of the Gupta
Gupta Empire
The Gupta Empire was an ancient Indian empire which existed approximately from 320 to 550 CE and covered much of the Indian Subcontinent. Founded by Maharaja Sri-Gupta, the dynasty was the model of a classical civilization. The peace and prosperity created under leadership of Guptas enabled the...
rulers. According to Brij Indra Bhaskar, in 428 AD, the Virk rulers performed a big Yagya near Bayana
Bayana
Bayana is a historical town in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan in India. It is a historical city founded by Banasur, who was an Asura. He lived during the time of Krishna...
and constructed a pillar, on which they mentioned themselves as Virks. Rock inscriptions of Yasodharman
Yasodharman
Yasodharman or Yashôdharman was the king of Malwa, in central India, during the early part of the 6th century.- History :...
have been found in Mandsor. Their reign in Malwa came to an end in 462 AD. There are many Virks, some live near Phagwara, and they are Duabi.
Manhas and Virk Linkage
Traditionally, Virk have been associated with horse and buffalo trading throughout Punjab. This account of the Virk clan's historical role in Punjab has recently gained increasing support with the discovery of 17th century texts written by Bhai GurdasBhai Gurdas
Bhai Gurdas was a Punjabi Sikh writer, historian, preacher and religious figure. He was the original scribe of the Guru Granth Sahib and a companion of four of the Sikh Gurus.-Early life:...
. However, speculation remains regarding the extent these actions as well as the accuracy of this account.
The headquarters of the Virk appear to be the Gujranwala and Sheikhupura districts, especially, the former in which they own 132 villages. They claim origin from a 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...
called Virk, who left Jammu and settled at Ghuchli in Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
, Sheikhupura
Sheikhupura
Sheikhupura or Shekhupur , formerly Kot Dayal Das or Singhpuria or Virkgarh , is an industrial city in the province of Punjab slightly northwest to Lahore in Pakistan. It is known for its historical places, and is commonly known locally as Qila Shaikhupura, because of the fort in the city,...
and, Gujranwala
Gujranwala
Gujranwala is a industrial city in the north-east of the Punjab province. It is the sixth largest city in Pakistan with a population of approximately 2,661,360 as on 24 June 2011...
, nearly a third of them have returned themselve as 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...
s, but they marry freely with the Jat tribes in their neighbourhood. They say that their ancestor, Virk, had descended from Raja Malan Hans Dev of Jammu, the founder of the Manhas or Minhas
Minhas
Minhas or Manhas or Minhas-Dogra is a Suryavanshi Rajput clan from the Punjab region and Jammu & Kashmir in India and Pakistan. It is an off-shoot of Jamwal-Dogra Rajputs, the founders of the city and state of Jammu and its rulers from ancient times to 1948 CE...
clan of Rajputs. Leaving Paragowal in Jammu, Virk settled in Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
and married a Gill
Gill
A gill is a respiratory organ found in many aquatic organisms that extracts dissolved oxygen from water, afterward excreting carbon dioxide. The gills of some species such as hermit crabs have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are kept moist...
Jat girl. His descendants, shortly afterward, moved westwards into Gujranwala. There are three main sections of the tribe, the Jopur, Vachra, and Jan
Jan
-Acronyms:* Japanese Article Number, a barcode system* Japanese Accepted Names for Pharmaceuticals, the Japanese equivalent of United States Adopted Name* Jackson-Evers International Airport , an airport in Jackson, Mississippi...
}. The tribes rose to some political importance about the end of last century, ruling a considerable tract in Gujranwala and Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, till subdued by Ranjit Singh.
Sheikhupura
According to the historians, the present-day city of SheikhupuraSheikhupura
Sheikhupura or Shekhupur , formerly Kot Dayal Das or Singhpuria or Virkgarh , is an industrial city in the province of Punjab slightly northwest to Lahore in Pakistan. It is known for its historical places, and is commonly known locally as Qila Shaikhupura, because of the fort in the city,...
in the province of Punjab (Pakistan)
Punjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
, was the site of Virkgarh till the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
emperor, Jahangir
Jahangir
Jahangir was the ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1605 until his death. The name Jahangir is from Persian جهانگیر,meaning "Conqueror of the World"...
built the city of Sheikhupura. The epical ancestor of Virks, Raja Virk Vardhan, was a ruler of the area with its capital being the present-day city of Sialkot, Punjab (Pakistan). The eastern extent of his Raj included [Amritsar] (India) which still belongs to the Virks. The Virks are still strong in this area politically and economically. There are 132 villages in this area which belong to the Virks.
Muslim and Sikh Virk
Whether Muslim, Hindu or Sikh, Virks always took pride in being members of the Jat community. The majority of Virks on the western side of Punjab converted to Islam while the majority of Virks on the eastern side of Punjab converted to Sikhism. The famous Virk chieftain, Nawab Kapur SinghNawab Kapur Singh
Nawab Kapur Singh is considered one of the pivotal figures in Sikh history, under whose courageous leadership the Sikh community traversed one of the darkest periods of its history. He was the organizer of the Sikh Confederacy and the Dal Khalsa. Nawab Kapur Singh is regarded by Sikhs as a leader...
founded the Dal Khalsa
Dal Khalsa
Dal Khalsa is a socio-religio-political organization of the Sikh nation, based in the city of Amritsar . The primary aim of Dal Khalsa is to achieve the independence of the Punjabi-speaking Sikh majority region of North West India through peaceful and democratic means in order to establish a...
and, later, divided it into twelve Misl
Misl
Misl generally refers to the twelve sovereign states in the Sikh Confederacy. The states formed a commonwealth that was described by Antoine Polier as an "aristocratic republic"...
s. He belonged from the "Fyzallapur" village which remained his headquarters. This village was, later, renamed as Singhpur. The Misl that he headed was, consequently, known as the Singhpuria Misl.
Virk Jats today
Most of Virk Jats live in Bathinda district also. There are two villages in district Bathinda: VIRK KHURD and VIRK KALAN. All the people of these villages are of virk jats only.There is a popular village virk in Jalandhar dist. It is 6 km from Phagwara towards the Gorayan side. Most of the jatt in this village are virk but there are people of every religion.
Today, one can find Virk Jats on both sides of Punjab and also in foreign countries (USA, UK, Canada, Australia, etc.). In Punjab (Pakistan), a majority of Virks live in the VIRKAIT which consists of Tehsils (Ferozwala, Sheikupura, Safder Abad) of Sheikhupura
Sheikhupura District
Sheikhupura District is a district of Punjab province, Pakistan. Sheikhupura is the headquarters of Sheikhupura District. According to the 1998 census of Pakistan, the district had a population of 3,321,029 of which 25.45% were urban....
district, Tehsils (Nowshera Virkaan & Kamokey) of Gujranwala
Gujranwala District
Gujranwala District is a district in Punjab, Pakistan.- History :The village of Asarur which has been identified as the location of Taki, an ancient town, visited by the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsiang contains immense ruins of Buddhist origin...
district, Tehsil (Nankana Sahib) of Nankana Sahib
Nankana Sahib District
Nankana Sahib is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Nankana Sahib is the principal town of the district. The district of Nankana Sahib is located about 75 kilometres west of Lahore and about 55 kilometres east of Faisalabad.-Administration:The area around Nankana Sahib was formerly a...
district and some are scattered in the districts of Sialkot, Narowal, Faisal Abad, Sahiwal and Khanewal. There are about 250 villages of virks in VIRKAIT. Virks still control the city of Sheikhupura (the ancient Virkgarh) both, politically and economically. In India, Virks are mainly concentrated in the Karnal
Karnal
Karnal is an important city and the headquarters of Karnal District in the Indian state of Haryana.Karnal is said to have been founded by the Kauravas in the Mahabharata era for the king Karna, a mythological hero and a key figure in the epic tale...
district of Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
. There is also few villages of VIRK's in LUDHIANA district. Village VIRK in tehsil Jagraon has all the families of VIRK Jatts. A majority and some very prominent Virk families are concentrated in villages around tehsil Assandh, Village Sheikhupura, district Karnal, district YamunaNagar (Haryana), Village Urlana Khurd (Panipat), village Habri, (district Kaithal) and few are temporarily living in Patiala district. Mostly, Virks live in village Sounkra (district Karnal).
Distribution in Punjab
In the present day, Virks live in Sheikhupura, a district in Punjab. Virk population is 3,600 in Patiala district.
According to B. S. Dhillon, the population of the Virk clan in Jalandhar district is 3,150.
Virk population is 2,037 in Amritsar district. In Firozpur district, the Virk population is 1,500.
Notable people
- Nawab Kapur Singh Virk Was a famous Jat Sikh Misl warriors leader in the 18th century in Punjab
- Kulwant Singh VirkKulwant Singh VirkKulwant Singh Virk is considered a pioneer of contemporary literature. He wrote mostly in Punjabi but extensively in English as well. His short stories were translated into several other languages including Russian by Leo Tolstoy's granddaughter Natasha Tolstoy and in Japanese by Dr Tomio...
Known as the emperor of Punjabi short story genre. Among several awards, he also won the Indian president's prestigious Sahitya Akedemi award for Punjabi literature in 1967. His works have been published in Russian and Japanese. More about him on web site www.ksvirk.in - Karora Singh Virk was a famous Jat Sikh Misl leader of warriors in the 18th century in Punjab.
- Khushal Singh Virk was famous Jat Sikh Misl - Nawab Kapur Singh Virk was succeeded by his nephew (brother's son) Khushal Singh.He occupied the town of Jalandhar by defeating its ruler Shaikh Nizam-ud-Din.
- Khan Bahadur Chaudhry Sir Shahab-ud-Din Virk. Before the Partition of India, Sir Shahab-ud-Din Virk, or officially known as Khan Bahadur Chaudhry Sir Shahab-ud-Din Virk, Kt. B.A., L.L.B., was a member of the Punjab Assembly and remained Speaker of Punjab Legislative Council three times from 03-12-1925 to 27-10-1926, 04-01-1927 to 26-07-1930 and 25-10-1930 to 24-10-1936. He also remained Speaker of Punjab Legislative Assembly from 06-04-1937 to 19-03-1945. He was a close friend of Sir Alama Muhammad Iqbal, and both attended Government College Lahore together. He was also Secretary of Jat Sabha and belonged to village Bubak / Matran near Chiwanda, Sialkot.
- Jathedar Teja Singh Chuharkana Was a fighter against British Rule and one of the few responsible for India's freedom from the British.
- Birshalinder Singh Virk Inventor of Turbo bioreactor Technology TBRTM and first virk to have International wastewater Process IP based on Biocatalyst.
- Sardar Bahadur Buta Singh Virk Was a prominent lawyer from Sheikhupura and the deputy speaker of United Punjab. His family currently resides in Karnal and Chandigarh and his great daughter in law Mrs. Sumita Singh is the sitting M.L.A from Karnal.
- Hina Tahir Virk The first lady fighter pilot in Pakistan Airforce in the Whole Islamic World. Who flied the F 7P aircraft solo.
- Sardar Surain Singh Virk A prominent freedom fighter. His family currently resides in Karnal.
- Gurlal Singh Virk A police officer (JUDGE ATTORNEY GENERAL/ DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL, FHQ, NEW DELHI, ITBP) who was awarded the PRESIDENT'S POLICE MEDAL FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE INDEPENDENCE DAY-2011.
- Sardar Gulab Singh Wirk Was a political figure pre-partition, prominent community activist and lawyer from Lyallpur. Sardar Gulab Singh Wirk was the Chairman of Zamindara Bank, Lyallpur, as well as controlled large business interests and land holdings.
ch. Ghulam nabi virk is borned in Indian state grdas pur he worked for the mu slim unity.after the freedom he lives in 73 gb gadian faisalabad (lyalpurr) he is also great worrier of the muslam his services for Pakistan is more.