| Gurjar, Gurjara, Gujjar | |
|---|---|
| Ethnicity | |
| Ethnicity | Punjabi,Kashmiri,Gujarati,Sindhi,Haryanvi,Marathi |
| Location | South Asia |
| Language | Punjabi,Kashmiri,Hindi-Urdu,Gujarati,Sindhi,Haryanvi,Gojri,Pashto,Balochi |
| Religion | Islam,Hinduism,Sikhism |
Gurjar orGujjar (also transliterated asGoojar[1],Gujar andGurjjar) are apastoral,agricultural and peasant[2] ethnic community,[3]residing mainly inIndia,Pakistan,Nepal, andAfghanistan,[4] divided internally into 1788 to 2000[5] clan groups. They are an agricultural and pastoral group ofJammu and Kashmir, NorthwesternIndia, northern and centralPakistan,Azad Kashmir and northeasternAfghanistan.[6]
TheGujari language is closely related toRajasthani andMarwari. As per historical accounts parts ofRajasthan andGujarat were known asGurjarah-bhumi orGurjaratra prior toMughal period in India.[7][8]
However, in later times, circa the 14th century AD onwards, they were reduced to small principalities due to successful invasions and conquests by Muslim powers in northern and western India. During the 15th-16th century, there were Gurjars in the areas ofMeerut and Dadri. The Gurjars in Pakistan and Afghanistan are Muslim.[9]
After this time, with struggles against the risingMughal power and laterBritish India the Gurjars gradually fell into a decline. They became poor nomads and started living in jungles and forests. With Muslim rule in North India, theHindu Gurjars of the area surroundingDelhi had to live in jungles in order to save theirHindu faith and to survive.
Today, Hindu Gurjars are found in theIndian states ofRajasthan,Haryana, WesternUttar Pradesh and to a smaller extentPunjab. Muslim Gurjars are found in the Indian states ofUttarakhand,Himachal Pradesh,Jammu and Kashmir and in thePakistani provinces ofPunjab,Azad Kashmir,Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and in theAfghanistan province ofNuristan.
The heterogeneous category that is variously called gujar/Gujjar/Gurjara.
Gujars , belonging to a community of cattle herders who had a reputation for their warlike behaviour
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