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ThePunjabi Saudagaran-e-Delhi (Urdu:پنجابی سوداگران دہلی), sometimes referred to as theQaum-e-Punjabian (Punjabi and Urdu: قوم پنجابیان),Dehlawi, or simplyShamsi Biradari are a merchant community that historically came fromSargodha andChiniot districts inWest Punjab and settled mainly inOld Delhi, India. The community got established in Delhi during the tenure ofSa'adullah Khan Chinioti, thePunjabiGrand Vizier ofShah Jahan, in the 17th century.[1]
They also settled in a number of other cities, chieflyKolkata, and towns in westernUttar Pradesh, such asAgra,Aligarh,Meerut,Moradabad,Bareilly,Rampur,Kanpur; including areas within western Uttar Pradesh that now fall in the state ofUttarakhand; namelyRoorkee,Nainital andHaldwani. After thepartition of India, and subsequentindependence of Pakistan in 1947, many members of the community migrated to Pakistan, particularlyKarachi andLahore.[2][3][4]
They are divided into various lineages and some also use Multani, Goronwalay, Beri, Kathuria, Bathla, Allahwalay, Namoonay Walay, Taar-Gitti Walay, Lahore Walay, Chawla, Chandna, Sarwana, etc., as a title.[5]
The community belongs to the Muslim Khatris community, some of whom were converted to Islam byShamsuddin Sabzwari. Some subgroups use the surnameShamsi (a disciple of Shams), in his honour. The families moved fromSargodha,Bhera,Khushab, orPind Dadan Khan in what is now Pakistan in the 17th century, on the invitation by Sa'adullah Khan, the prime minister of theMughal EmperorShah Jahan, in search of business opportunities toUttar Pradesh and especially inDelhi.[2]
TheQuam-e-Punjabian Aonla, is a separate subgroup of the Punjabi Saudagars. They are said to have settled in the town ofAonla inRohilkhand in the early 17th Century. The Aonla Punjabi Saudagar are now found scattered all over Rohilkhand, in particular, the city ofBareilly, where the settlement of Saudagar Tola is particularly ancient. In spite of their common ethnic origin with Qaum-e-Punjabian Delhi, they form a distinct community, with their own communal organisations. A significant number have immigrated toKolkata andMumbai. Their main Biradaris are the Soleja, Mahindarata, Chhabra, andKhera. A much smaller number have also settled inKarachi.[6][full citation needed]
The independence in 1947 was a traumatic event, and a significant portion of this community had to leave India. After the independence of Pakistan, a large number of these traders migrated toLahore and Karachi. A few numbers of these traders migrated toMecca andMedina and are usually referred to by the surname, “Aldehlawi”. Some still continue to live inDelhi.[7][3]