Dhar (surname)

Dhar (Sanskritised Kashmiri: Dhar, Persianised Kashmiri: Dar) (Urdu: دھر or ڈار, Hindi: धर or डार) is a surname of Kashmiri Hindu origin.[1][2] It is native to the Kashmir Valley, and common today[1] among Kashmiri Pandits[3] and Kashmiri Muslims of Hindu lineage.[4][5] Outside Kashmir, it is used by members of the Kashmiri diaspora, in places like Punjab,[6] Bengal,[7][8] Gujarat,[9] and Maharashtra,[9] and more commonly in recent times by the global Kashmiri Pandit diaspora following the Exodus of Kashmiri Hindus in 1989–1990.

Dhar or Dar
Language(s)Kashmiri, Hindi, Urdu
Origin
Language(s)Kashmiri
DerivationKashmir Valley

History and origins

Dhar originated as an honorific given to a village head, strongman, or warlord of a jagir.[9][10][11] The title was widespread by the 12th century CE and continued until the 14th century CE.[9] The earliest available records of Dhar or Dar used as a surname date back to the 16th century CE.[9]

Difference between Dhar and Dar

The two surnames have a common origin,[9] but the reason for their difference between the two is not settled.[9] One theory suggests that the difference stems from the forms of Kashmiri spoken by Kashmiri Pandits and Muslims.[9] Before the Sanskritisation and Persianisation of the Kashmiri language, it used the Sharada script,[9] and the surname had a common pronunciation.[9] When Sanskritised Kashmiri became more widely spoken by Kashmiri Pandits and Persianised Kashmiri by Kashmiri Muslims, the surnames developed a difference in pronunciation.[9] An alternative theory suggests that with the advent of Islam in Kashmir, new Muslims modified their surnames to differentiate themselves from Kashmiri Pandits.[9] A weakness of this theory, however, is that Kashmiri Muslims use Muslim forenames, which would have clearly differentiated their names from Hindu names.

Notable people surnamed Dhar or Dar

Pakistani sportspeople

Pakistani politicians

See also

References
  1. Explore Kashmiri Pandits. Dharma Publications. ISBN 9780963479860. Retrieved 2 December 2010.
  2. Bulletin of the Deccan College Research Institute, Volumes 62–63. Dr. A. M. Ghatage. 2004. Retrieved 25 March 2007. Hence Kashmiri speech community can be viewed as the population united by sharing social norms; acquire Kashmiri as their native language; and use Kashmiri language to meet ... The surnames like Bhat, Pandit, Munshi, Dhar, Dar, Handoo, ...
  3. D. D. (Dhruv Dev). Sharma (2005). Panorama of Indian Anthroponomy: An Historical, Socio-Cultural and Linguistic Analysis of Indian Personal Names. Mittal Publication. ISBN 9788183240789. Retrieved 25 March 2007. Similar is the case of Hindus and Christians in Kerala, eg (Krisna Panikkar; George Panikkar), and Hindus and Muslims in Kashmir or Hindus and Sikhs in Punjab who have many common surnames, eg (Kashmir) : Bhat, Dar, Malik, Rana, Pandit (Saleem Pandit), etc. and (Punjab): Arora, Bedi, Kapoor, Bjaj, Sahney, Maini, Ahloowalia, etc. In such cases reference to a person by his surname, as Mr. Bhat or Mr. Arora does not indicate whether the person under reference is a Hindu, a Muslim or a Sikh.
  4. Saligram Bhatt; Jānakīnātha Kaula (2004). Kashmiri Pandits, a cultural heritage. Lancer Book. Retrieved 25 March 2007. Incidentally it may be stated that many Kashmiri Muslims still have the surnames of the pandits, like Kaul, Bhatt, Pandit, Dar, etc. With the accession to throne of Hari Singh in 1925, the State was given a 'new look'.
  5. Proceedings - Indian History Congress, Volume 63. Indian History Congress. 2003. p. 867. Retrieved 30 December 2016. ...the Muslims also retained their Hindu caste-names known as Krams e.g. Tantre, Nayak, Magre, Rather, Lone, Bat, Dar, Parray, Mantu, Yatoo.....
  6. A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North-West Frontier Province. Nirmal Publishers and Distributors. 1997. ISBN 9788185297699. Retrieved 25 March 2007. The most important Kashmiri element in the Punjab is found in the cities of Ludhiana and Amritsar, which still contain large colonies of weavers, employed in weaving carpets and finer fabrics.
  7. Saligram Bhatt (2008). Kashmiri Scholars Contribution to Knowledge and World Peace. A.P.H. Publishing Corporation. ISBN 9788131304020. Retrieved 25 March 2007. A recent article by a Kashmeeri writer has propounded that Dhar's were those who migrated to Gauda {Bengal} and retained their Dhar surname once they returned to the valley.
  8. Jogendra Nath Bhattacharya (1896). Hindu Castes and Sects: An Exposition of the Origin of the Hindu Caste System and the Bearing of the Sects Towards Each Other and Towards Other Religious Systems. Nabu Press. p. 575. Dhar–A Surname–1. (1) Of the Dakshin Rarhi Kayasthas of Bengal–179. (2) Of the Bangaja Kayasthas of East Bengal–184. (3) Of the Barendra Kayasthas of North bengal–184.
  9. Saligram Bhatt (2008). Kashmiri Scholars Contribution to Knowledge and World Peace. A.P.H. Publishing Corporation. ISBN 9788131304020. Retrieved 25 March 2007. The genesis in outline is that Dhar was the honorific given to a village head, strongman or a warlord of smaller jagir/estate; called Dara pronounced as Dhara. This honorific was prevalent during 12th Century {Jaisimha} and continue to be used till about 14th Century.
  10. Kumar Suresh Singh; Tapash Kumar Ghosh; Surendra Nath (1992). People of India: Delhi. Anthropological Survey of India. ISBN 9788185579092. Retrieved 25 March 2007. Some of their surnames are derived from location, occupation, tide, status, family history and so. These are Kaul, Dhar, ...
  11. Barbara Anne Brower; Barbara Rose Johnston (15 September 2007). Disappearing peoples?: indigenous groups and ethnic minorities in South and Central Asia. Left Coast Press. ISBN 9781598741209. Retrieved 25 March 2007. Their surnames (kram) designate their original professions or their ancestors' nicknames (eg, Hakim, Kaul, Dhar, Raina, ...
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