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Bhabra or Bhabhra is an ethno-linguistic and religious group who are from Punjab region which follow Jainism.
| Part of a series on |
| Jainism |
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| Punjabis |
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Punjab portal |
Bhabra or Bhabhra is an ethno-linguistic and religious group who are from Punjab region which follow Jainism.
The Bhabra community has had a close historical association with Jainism. It is believed to be connected with the Bhavadar or Bhavada Gachchha to which the legendary Jain Acharya Kalakacharya belonged to. They may have originated from the Bhabra town (32° 13' 30": 73° 13').[1] Inscriptions suggest that Bhavada Gachchha had survived until the 17th century.
Jainism has been present in Punjab since ancient times. This is where Alexander the Great encountered Gymnosophists and Xuanzang met both Digambara and Swetambara monks.[2] According to Shatrunjaya Mahatmya of Dhaneshwar Suri, Javad Shah of Taxila had restored Shatrunjaya Tirth and brought an idol of Lord Adinath from Taxila and installed it at Shatrunjaya.
Vaar 8 Pauri 12 of 24 of Vaaran Bhai Gurdas (1550-1620 CE)[3] says: "kaytarhiaan hee baaneeay kitarhay bhaabharhiaan suniaaray",[4] there are many traders and many Bhabras are goldsmiths.
In "Romantic Tales from the Punjab" Charles Swynnerton relates a folk tale about several girls. It mentions a girl being a Bhabra, and mentions them being strictly vegetarian.[5] In the 17th century, Fray Sebastien Manrique met them in Amritsar district.[6] Their presence has been noted in the Mughal period,[7] and in the 19th century.[8]
The original home region of the Bhabras is now in Pakistan. While all the Bhabras left Pakistani Punjab in 1947, for India. Many cities still have sections named after Bhabras.
In India they have been present at:
After 1947 Partition, most of displaced bhabra families were resettled in Ludhiana, Punjab and Ambala, Haryana. [11]
In Delhi, the majority of Jains in Rup Nagar locality also have their origin in west Punjab.[12]
