Gadhok

Gadhiok (also called as Gadok, Gandhok, Gadhok, Gadhoke, Gandhioke) are a Punjabi Khatri community, found in both the Punjab, Pakistan and Punjab, India. They are a sub-group within the Khatri caste and form part of the Bara-Ghar (12 house) Jāti.

History and origin

It is a clan very small in numbers, but highly intelligent and enterprising, found in a few villages of the central Salt Range. They have held important positions in the government and army. Their traditions assert that their ancestor Mahta Chandu Rai came from Mathra to Delhi and entered the Mughal service under Babur, who employed him with Raja Mal Janjua to drain the eastern Dhanni tract in the Salt Range, Gharka Kassar and Sidhar Manas afterwards aided them to colonise the tract and Babur granted Chandu Rai a percentage in the revenue of the Dhanni and other tracts of the Salt Range. Humayun granted Kali or Kalki Das, son of Chandu Rai a Sanad (dated 1554) of 30000 takas for the improvement of the tract and the family also received Sanads from Akbar to Aurengzeb. In the latters reign one branch of the tribe was converted to Islam, but most of its members are still Hindus and Sikhs.

The Gadhiok usually marry among themselves, but some intermarry with Khatris of the Bari group, though never with Bunjhais.

Muslim Gandhiok

The latter style themselves as Shaikh: while Hindus generally use the title of Mahta.

Dewan Mulraj

The family of Dalwal is styled Diwan, Mulraj, one of its members having been governor of Hazara under the Sikhs.

See also

• Khatri