Lohani, also known asNuhani, is a nomadicPashtun tribe which had made deeper incursions into India, as far asBihar, and settled therein during the days of theLodi dynasty.[1][2]
The exact ethnicity of Lohanis is disputed. While some authors refer to them as an Afghan Powinda tribe, others state them to be aHindumercantilecaste originating fromSindh that engaged in the Indo-Central Asian trade,[3] and identify them withLohanas instead.[3]
The earliest mention of the Lohani tribes comes in the form of an inscription written on a tablet from 1496 AD inBihar during the days of theLodi dynasty.[1] The inscription records the construction of a certain gate by Darya Khan Nuhani who is thereafter mentioned as one of the ''governors of the kingdom". The Lohani tribes were also mentioned by the Mughal EmperorBabur in his memoirs, theBaburnama, as Nuhani Afghan around 1529.[2]