Virk, Jalandhar
Encyclopedia
Virk is also known as Birka/Virka. It is a village near Phagwara
, but falls within Tehsil Phillaur
, Jalandhar
district, in Punjab
, India.
, Jamalpur
and Mouli.
in Pakistan
.
The Virks of Virk are known as Birk in India
. The village Virk is also known as Birka. This is because the local Punjabi
dialect in Jalandhar is Doabi
which drops the letter "v" at the start of a word and replaces it with the letter "b". This is what differentiates Doabi
Virks/Birk from the rest of Punjab.
Virks.
Legend 1:
A Virk
was passing by in the region from his native Sheikhupura
(now in Pakistan
) and stopped at a well. The owner of the well and the land had a daughter and no sons. He offered the passing Virk
the hand of his daughter in marriage and his inheritance. The Virk
said that he would think it over and went on. Upon his return, he went to the same person and accepted. Thereafter he founded the village of Birk (now also called Virk/Virka/Birka).
Legend 2:
An elderly Virk
was passing through the region which is now Virk/ Birka village. The owner of that whole region was in trouble because of a dispute between two communities. Virk
being a very experienced old man suggested that the owner should bring a third community to settle which will stop the fighting. The owner asked him to settle on the land, the Virk
accepted. Then he formed the villages Virk/Birka and Reru.
Legend 3:
Some people believe the ancestry of the Virk (Birk) families lies in Chubarkhan in Gujranwala
, Pakistan
.
Phagwara
Phagwara is a city and a municipal council in Kapurthala district in North India, in the central part of the Punjab.-Location:Phagwara lies on the Delhi–Amritsar national highway No.01 and is also served by the rail link between Delhi and Amritsar. It is located between the two big cities of...
, but falls within Tehsil Phillaur
Phillaur
Phillaur is a town and a municipal council in Jalandhar district in the Indian state of Punjab.- Overview :Phillaur is the railway junction on the border line of Ludhiana and Jalandhar Cantonment. It was a junction for Lohian and Ferozepur. In pre-partition days, it was the main timber market of...
, Jalandhar
Jalandhar
Jalandhar is a city in Jalandhar District in the state of Punjab, India. It is located 144 km northwest of the state capital, Chandigarh...
district, in Punjab
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
, India.
Demographics
According to the 2001 Census, Virk has a population of 5,195. Neighbouring villages include Chachoki, Indna Klaske, Paddi KhalsaPaddi Khalsa
Paddi Khalsa is a village in the tehsil of Phillaur, sub-tehsil of Goraya, Jalandhar district, in Punjab, India.-Demographics:According to the 2001 Census, Paddi Khalsa has a population of 1,455 people. The village has...
, Jamalpur
Jamalpur
Jamalpur may refer to:Bangladesh* Jamalpur District* Jamalpur Sadar UpazilaIndia* Jamalpur, Munger, Bihar* Jamalpur, Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh* Jamalpur , West Bengal...
and Mouli.
History
All legends narrating the history of the Virk village point to its origins in the PunjabPunjab (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...
in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
The Virks of Virk are known as Birk 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...
. The village Virk is also known as Birka. This is because the local 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...
dialect in Jalandhar is Doabi
Doabi
Doabi is one of the Punjabi dialects spoken in Doab . The word "Do Aabi" means "the land between two rivers" and this dialects is spoken between the rivers of Beas and Sutlej...
which drops the letter "v" at the start of a word and replaces it with the letter "b". This is what differentiates Doabi
Doabi
Doabi is one of the Punjabi dialects spoken in Doab . The word "Do Aabi" means "the land between two rivers" and this dialects is spoken between the rivers of Beas and Sutlej...
Virks/Birk from the rest of Punjab.
Legends
There are three legends as to the origins of the DoabiDoabi
Doabi is one of the Punjabi dialects spoken in Doab . The word "Do Aabi" means "the land between two rivers" and this dialects is spoken between the rivers of Beas and Sutlej...
Virks.
Legend 1:
A Virk
Virk
Virk Wirk Birk Vrik Varika is a gotra 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...
was passing by in the region from his native 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,...
(now in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
) and stopped at a well. The owner of the well and the land had a daughter and no sons. He offered the passing Virk
Virk
Virk Wirk Birk Vrik Varika is a gotra 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...
the hand of his daughter in marriage and his inheritance. The Virk
Virk
Virk Wirk Birk Vrik Varika is a gotra 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...
said that he would think it over and went on. Upon his return, he went to the same person and accepted. Thereafter he founded the village of Birk (now also called Virk/Virka/Birka).
Legend 2:
An elderly Virk
Virk
Virk Wirk Birk Vrik Varika is a gotra 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...
was passing through the region which is now Virk/ Birka village. The owner of that whole region was in trouble because of a dispute between two communities. Virk
Virk
Virk Wirk Birk Vrik Varika is a gotra 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...
being a very experienced old man suggested that the owner should bring a third community to settle which will stop the fighting. The owner asked him to settle on the land, the Virk
Virk
Virk Wirk Birk Vrik Varika is a gotra 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...
accepted. Then he formed the villages Virk/Birka and Reru.
Legend 3:
Some people believe the ancestry of the Virk (Birk) families lies in Chubarkhan in 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...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.