GENEALOGY OF MIR AND WANI SURNAMES IN KASHMIR

                                                                                  

WARIS KHAN'S WELL IN BADAAMVAARI GARDEN OF SRINAGAR KASHMIR .
( LOCALLY KNOWN AS WARIS KHAANUN CHAAH )

Photo Autar Mota

WANI SURNAME IN KASHMIR.

Wani caste belongs to the Baniya community . Yes Baniya a name by which the Trader is known in the of rest of the country . Baniya is derived from Vanijya Word meaning Merchandise or Commodity meant for Trade and commerce and from Baniya comes the word Wani. Caste system or the Varnas also existed in kashmir before the arrival of Islam . Baniya belonged to Vaishya sect or Varna . I quote Kalhana's Rajataringani

." In his country , to which thronged numerous Merchants who came from different directions, there lived a Baniya named NONA from Rauhtika."

Taranga IV canto 11 Rauhtika is present day Rohtak ,..........

." Liberal like the cloud burst during the deluge let the Harsdeva be crowned king;This miserly Khasa is a Baniya . Let him be turned out of the realm."

 Taranga VII canto 773.

Baniya is again mentioned by Kalhana in Taranga VIII 128-134. Refer Translation of R S Pandit .

MIR SURNAME  IN  KASHMIR

In Kashmir , the title Mir was common among Syeds, and Mughals. According to Historian Hassan ,Syeds would prefix the word 'Mir' to their names e.g., Mir Manzoor and Mir Maqbool, whereas non Syeds used it as suffix to their names like Ali Mir, Qadir Mir etc.

Syeds came to Kashmir from Central Asia during the rule of Sultans and settled permanently here. They have lost all the traces of their descent by intermarrying with the Local Muslims. It is also a fact that Hindus of kashmir who converted to Islam also started using Mir as Prefix or suffix to their name in Kashmir .

Mir is also a title of Persian origin, a short form of Arabic Amir ‘prince’, ‘commander’.. Mirs are also found in Spain , Poland , Turkey ,Germany , Russia and  UK  as well .

( Autar Mota 14.10.2013 )

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