About Soods
TORONTO CHAPTER -
ANNUAL GET TOGETHER 29th AUGUST was very successful.
SOOD RATTAN AWARD 2010 ; NOMINATIONS INVITED
Dedicated to my parents; Late Parkash Gondal and Shanti Cheema (Both from Sood dynasities of Jaijon Doaba)
The purpose of the website is to carry all the possible information of the sood community, past history and the present settlements. The Sood community is known for doing charity and helping all sections of people, irrespective of caste and creed. In North India, they built shrines and community centres in the past. These days, charitable dispensaries and clinics are run to help the needy and deserving class. Finanial assistance is given to the weaker section of the community.
Sood/Sud is a last name of Parmar Kashtrya origin with close ties to the Khatri community in Punjab. The name originated from the district of Sirhind in Punjab. Soods are also referred to as Agnikul Rajputs.
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Raja Hira Singh Sood who founded the village Hirapur next to Chabhal ( Amritsar-Tarn Taran Belt) ,Punjab, India. Raja Hira Singh’s father was Kumedan Jai Singh who was a Liutenant general in Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s army .He commanded a division of the Bhangia Misl comprising 2000 soldiers. The family ancestral home built in Amritsar in 1918 is in Bhangia ka Kila ( Fort of Bhangia Misl or Command - another County in Amritsar City of Punjab, India). Raja Hira Singh had a large estate in Bahraich in Uttar Pradesh State of India, close to the Nepal border & was a darbari( Court Incharge) in the Oudh Court.
Raja Karam Singh Sood was son of Sardar Labh Singh who was brother of Sardar Bahadur Chain Singh. Raja Karam Singh was adopted by Raja Hira Singh Sood . Katra Karam Singh ( A commercial cum residential County in Amritsar City of Punjab, India) is named after him in Amritsar city, Punjab State, India.
Pratap Talkies ( Cinema) in Taran Taran was started by Sardar Pratap Singh S/O R. Karam Singh .He owned a Cold storage too in Taran Taran. The family still own lands around Taran Taran which were contracted out to farmers in the early 1900’s.
Sardar Bahadur Chain Singh Sood. He was an honorary Magistrate first class in the 20’s in Taran Taran( Older Tehsil of Amritsar,Punjab,India and now a district.) He died in 1938. In both the pictures above, he is seen sitting. Mr.Ram Singh Sood is standing by his side.
SardarLabh Singh Sood, Brother od Sardar Bahadur Chain Singh Sood
From Raja Hira Singh Sood’s Family-Rohan, Mrs. & Mr.Jagjit Singh Sood & Son Ravinder Shashi Sood. Ravinder is settled in the US.
Ravinder “Shashi” with daughter Shivani and wife Sapna. Raja Hira Singh Sood was his Great great grand father, SB Chain Singh’s uncle.
It is also added here that Bhai Gurdas has mentioned the names of the sikhs to whom Guru (Guru Arjun Dev) loves and there are two soods in 22 such sikhs. Bhai Santokh Singh has also written in his book Shri Panth Parkash that a large number of soods became sikhs. A fighter Kirpal Sood from Phagwara was considered as right hand of Guru Teg Bahadur.
There is nothing like ‘convert’ between Hindus and sikhs. It is one family only. Generally speaking, the elder son in the family would be made “Keshdhari” while others would be “Monas(Silent) or Sehajdharis”. All would visit Hari Mandir. together.Both would be categorized as “GURSIKH”….
BibiJi Savitri Devi sood( now 90 plus) headed the ladies wing at Sri Tarn Taran Gurudwara till 1984 or so
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Sirhind was the economic hub of India and was called SoodPur. It was governed and ruled by Agnikul Rajputs of Parmar dynasty called “SOODS”. The entire province of Sirhind consisting of twenty-eight paraganas and extending from the Satluj to the Jamuna and from the Shiwalik hills to Kunjpura, Karnal and Kaithal, yielding Rs. fifty-two lakhs (one lakh = one hundred thousand Rupees) annually which comes to 5.2 million rupees.
Prior to Sirhind (Punjab,India), the Sood were settled in Amarkot in Punjab part of Pakistan and before that they lived in Patten of Sindh-Pakistan for eight generations.
They are now found in the Indian states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and other areas of Northern India. Some Soods can also be found in parts of Afghanistan and some parts of former Russian block. Soods are settled in good numbers in Australia, Canada,Gulf,New Zealand,U.K., and U.S.A.Majority of soods are educated and hold key positions in the government, MNCs, IT, Defence, trade and businesses.
All the soods are mainly Hindus and worship through Sanatan Dharama, Arya Samaj and Sikhism. Many sood families made their eleder son a sikh. There are inter-marriages amongst the families believing in different sects and all the religions which have originated from India viz: Sanatan Dharama, Arya Samaj, Jainism, Budhism, Sikhism, Nirankaris, Radha Swami etc. During the Mughul/ Muslim rule, some soods were compelled to convert to Islam.
Traditionally, soods were marrying amongst soods only but with different sub-caste.These days, inter-marriages amongst the sood and other castes have become very common. This applies to other communities of Hindus as well. Indian community is mixing up which is very good.
Some Sood luminaries:
Mr. Jagdish Chandra Sood, M.D., Eros Group of Companies who are renowned builders in Delhi owing the Eros Intercontinental Hotel in Nehru Place, Eros Cinema in Jangpura, New Delhi, Vishal Cinema in Punjabi Bagh and Charmwood Village on Delhi Haryana border near Suraj Kund, South Delhi and many other high rise commercial towers. His father, Late Shri Rattan Chand Sood was a patron of Sood Sabha, Delhi. His relation, Desh Bandhu Sood, lives at Kailash Colony, New Delhi. Email fargods@gmail.com
Rai Bahadur Jodha Mal Sood-Kuthiala-bulit numerous shrines in Hoshiarpur,Kangra and Shimla areas.
Kamini Kaushal-the famous bollywood actress of fifties.
Sonu Sood-Actor of Film Jodha Akbar fame.
Ritu Sood-Berri-the famous fashion designer.
Kuldip Sood & Sanjeeva Sood-famous bollywood editors.
Mahindra & Mahindra-the leading auto giants of India.
Kashmiri (Kash) L Sood & Amy Sood of Ranka Enterprises, Canada.
Ashok Sood of Cleaning Depot,Canada.
At present, there are three Sood MLAs in Punjab Assembly, namely: Tikshan Sood-Hoshiarpur, Brahm Dutt Mahendra-? and Harish Dhanda-Ludhiana ?
I am surprised to see that someone has deleted the entire text without knowing the facts or going into the depth.
Late Madan Mohan Sood was PS to the former Chief Minister of Haryana in 70s and he used his good offices to do a lot of research to find facts supported by quotes from “Chhajnamaas” which is the recorded data base of the moghuls or rulers of that time.He had attended a joint meeting cum conference of Soods and Rajputs at Lahore and soods were accepted as having rajput/ k’shatrya origin. Soods living in Chandigarh area knew him very well. I knew him too as I took care of his dental health.He was a very fine personality who would not sell himself for cheap publicity. Two years back,We confered upon him a very prestigious award posthmously in Mississauga City (Toronto area), Canada where his family(two sons,a daughter and may grand children) lives now. Most of his family members attended the ceremony.
Akbar was born in Amarkot(now in Pakistan) at a Sood king’s palace.
Sirhind was called Soodpur. Soods controlled the economy there can be judged from the fact that Sirhind region still has a visible concentration of sood families there and most of the families are well settled.
We still have senior soods to tell us the tales. So many sood shrines and mansions are still existing.There is one Mahinderae Baharian da Mela at Jalandhar. If some one have more information about it please mention it in this page.
I think there is no harm to use the word “glorious” if that is based on facts. Moreover, one should not delete the whole text just because one feels that the text is biased.
To know the facts about soods, one must visit cities like Sirhind, Morinda, Machhiwada, Moga, NoorMahal, Hoshiarpur, Kangra, PalamPur, Garli, Ambota, PragPur, Haroli, Jaijon, Kola, Shimla etc. and hear about glories of soods, especialy from people who are not soods. Paragpur in Himachal Pradesh has been declared as a “Heritage Village” because of contributions made by soods of that area to Himachal Pradesh. It has beautiful sood havelis(mansions). There existed a Sood-Kuthiala haveli(mansion) in Haroli. I hope that is maintained well because I saw it more than forty years ago. Visit Jaijon Doaba-Hoshiarpur to see a magnificant and well maintained sood haveli(mansion of my paternal grandmother’s family).One room has a picture gallery of our ancestors.
Soodan Mohallas ( Sood neighbourhoods) are there in many cities like Noormahal. There are villages named after Soods like “Kot Soodan” in Jalandhar District where Shri Kuldip Rai Sood, Principal of Institute for the Blind,Chandigarh, was born.
Sood community feels proud to have three shrines in and around Chandigarh,viz: Sood Dharamsala in Sector 22 and Sood Bhawan at Sector 44 at Chandigarh and Sood Bhawan at Sector 10, Panchkula. This is exceptional because no other community has three shrines in a particular region like this one.Isn’t that glorious?
Hoshiarpur city has a huge mansion (haveli) of Late Mela Ram Sood at Kanak Mandi Chowk. We also have Lachhman Dass Sood Dharamsala (Shrine)and Balbhadr Sood Vatika(shrine) at Civil Lines.
There are two Sood shrines at Shimla; Sood Janj Ghar ( Sood Marriage place) and Ram Mandir( marriage banquet etc.) which is a four storeyed huge shrine for the use of the community at large.
There is a sood Dharamsala(shrine)at Jawalmukhi.
Dr.Bhushan Sood,Mississauga,Canada (15th February, 2008.
There are many soods who have excelled in the field of IT,Medicine, Science,Trade and Business. You may browse or search Google / Yahoo to find their websites.
I have also tried to provide links to some eminent sood personalities in this website.
Please enjoy reading and I need your feedback to improve contents of the web.
You can write your comments at the end of this page……..Author
on June 9th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
very good attempt. Keep t up.
This will help carry history of soods to the world.
Dr,Jeevan Sood
on July 20th, 2007 at 5:33 pm
Please see
www.hareshsood.com
and www.trianglemediagroup.org
Regards
Philip Smith
Head of PR
on July 23rd, 2007 at 12:26 am
Thank u so much for the information.
Let us start building a historical web site.
on July 23rd, 2007 at 12:56 am
this a wonderfull effort
i m in australia and i also want to make a name 4 sood community so help me out i will do as much possible as a student
on July 26th, 2007 at 11:03 pm
What a wonderul site! I would like to see a website in the future dedicated just for Soods, individuals would be able to register and find their relations with each other. Best of luck.
on August 7th, 2007 at 4:55 pm
Cute & good job, we all need to consolidate our SOOD family spread over the whole world.
Let me know anything I can do to add to the website.
Add our link: www.sood.com.au
Thanks
Dr Ashok Sood
on November 20th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
It was gr8 to see the detail about my ancestral town,
but more detail about soods in himachal will make the detail complete
but in all
this is gr8 work done.
Sumeet Sood
on November 22nd, 2007 at 9:53 am
Hi,
Many congratulations for a brilliant presentation of History of our community.
You have done a great job for the Sood community. In fact, we were in dark about our past till now. We feel proud to have such a glorious background.
Thank You
Raman K Sood
Shimla, India
on December 1st, 2007 at 12:33 pm
ABOUT SOODS:
You seem to have put in a lot of effort in creating this website. All good wishes to you Probably you must be aware of a book: ORIGIN OF SOODS - A CRITICAL ANALYSIS by Shri Ram Rattan Sood. I had also read an article - The Soods in Shimla in two parts, written by Dr. Pamela Kanwar, who has been on the faculty of the Himachal Pradesh Institute of Public Administration, Shimla and has been Fellow, Indian Institute of Advanced Study Shimla. She is the author of IMPERIAL SHIMLA, published by the Oxford University Press. In my opinion there should be ample scope to research, edit and incorporate authenticate facts and a comprehensive book could be published n the History of the SOODS without distortion. All the best and kind regards - D.B.Sood
on December 1st, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Though it is not possible to trace the hierarchy of one’s ancestors who
lived abroad all their lives, yet I recollect the tales of my grandmother, who expired in 1974 and would speak of her two younger brothers, Tulsi Ram Mandal (sub-cast of Sood) and Dr. Sant Ram Mandal younger to him, both of whom migrated to U.S.A. in the early twenties. Dr. Sant Ram Mandal had married an American girl who once visited her in-laws for a month in Punjab. My grandmother hailed from Doaba district and my grandfather from Mehetpur. She would tell us how the women of the house rechristened her American sister-in-law with an Indian name and how she mingled with her Punjabi in-laws, would delight in spending her time in the household chores and try her hand at wearing sarees. I remember having seen my great grandfather, Ghasita Ram Sood who breathed his last in 1954. Dr. Sant Ram Mandal was the Founder and President of Universal Brotherhood Temple and School of Eastern Philosophy Inc., 65 Carmelita Street, San Francisco, California. He was an author Lecturer, Intuitionist and a Counselor having his office at 42-72 Kissena Blvd., Flushing 55 NY (Ph: IN 3-5827). He did keep track of his extended family in India for many years and after the death of my grandfather Fateh Chand Sood in 1960, he managed to find out the whereabouts of my father Ram Prakash Sood, the next eldest in the family who was a Stephenian and a law graduate – a rare academic achievement in those days. On 15 May 1962, my father received three books on Hindu Philosophy authored by Dr. Sant Ram Mandal along with three black and white photographs with the following narration on the reverse of all the three photographs:
1. “These are my brother, Tulsi Ram’s children with me. This photo was
taken at his ranch in California in the summer of 1948 when I was visiting him”
2. “My brother Tulsi Ram and his four children. Krishan Kumar the oldest, was born in India”.
3. “This photo of mine was taken on August 15, 1949 at the Campus of Columbia University where India’s first Independence Anniversary was being celebrated by the Indian students. I was one of the principal sponsors”.
These are the only recorded information I have of these two brothers and their children. We shifted to our own house in Kailash Colony, New Delhi-110048 on October 2 1965 from Darya Ganj, Delhi. My father passed away on Friday May 31 1968 and since then there has been no communication from the Mandals or their heirs whatsoever. Vidya Sagar Sood, my Uncle and father’s youngest brother, ten years senior to me also migrated to U.S. in the early seventies with my aunt Dr. Sheila Sood, both professionally qualified. I used to study with my Uncle in Shri Shivaji Preparatory Military High School, Poona in the year 1946-47 when he was in Std. VI and I in the preparatory class. He joined Wadia College on Sasoon Road near Koregaon Park and in 1955 went to Glasgow University U.K. for higher studies. I still preserve his Nelson’s pocket School Dictionary with his autograph on it which he presented to me when we migrated to Delhi in 1954. After spending wonderful years as an Engineer in U.K. and then in Albany NY, he passed away on October 24 2005 at the California airport while on a vacation trip with friend Mrs. Manjit and family, also close friends to Tyag and Nimmie. Needless to hunt for succeeding generations overseas that would conflict with the present theme, though the endeavor would go a long way in bonding far-flung relatives. I coined the word FARGODS that encapsulates the starting alphabets of the first names of my great grand father down to my son including my two daughters and our family name and sub-cast, Dosaj.
-D.B.Sood L-12 Kailash Colony, New Delhi-110048. Tel: 91-11-41631213 Email: fargods@gmail.com
on December 2nd, 2007 at 6:25 am
To the list of Sood luminaries, we can add the name of Mr. Jagdish Chandra Sood, M.D. Eros Group of Companies who are renowned builders in Delhi owing the Eros Intercontinental Hotel in Nehru Place, Eros Cinema in Jangpura, New Delhi, Vishal Cinema in Punjabi Bagh and Charmwood Village on Delhi Haryana border near Suraj Kund, South Delhi and many other high rise commercial towers. His father, Late Shri Rattan Chand Sood was a patron of Sood Sabha, Delhi.
on December 16th, 2007 at 11:21 am
Excellent Peice of information i was looking for this for Years
a
on December 24th, 2007 at 8:19 am
It was nice to read a rarely found article on the history of ‘Soods’. Being a ‘Sood’ from Jawalaji in H.P. I was keenly interested in the history of ‘Soods’ . I’m thankful to you for shedding my ignorance.
on December 27th, 2007 at 10:33 am
This is the first time i got any substatial information on sood’s. keep it up
on December 29th, 2007 at 5:58 am
hiwith referece to our this website being a sood i am hereby providing information for your scrutiny and for being uploaded to this website ultimately it is as follows-
as for origin of soods is concerned it is originally from the iranian tribes living in region of sogdiana(modern uzbekistan).As far as the word sood is concerned it means a brave person and destroyer of enemies as per sanskrit dictionary andthere was also a country by name odf sood in ancient india in north of kashmir. The iranian tribes or a part of it came to india and it was as in punjab when alexander invaded india they were called by name of sogdi.Also a part of tribe was already there when a battle of ten kings took place as mentioned in Rigveda.In it the king sudas(originally suda h and followed by das as is common name like eg bhagwan das kachhawa mohan das gandhi etc)as per ibboston the the caste is called by name of sud suda sudgi last one being derived from this tribe.It is mentioned in book of S.A..Rizvi renowned historian in book called “Utar Timur Kaleen Bharat” that the sood kings as jodh sood ranmal sood fought agasinst sultans of Delhi and bravery of Sood arnies was recognised by Moslem sultans too.The four rajput clans originating at MT Abu from fire included one parmar clan and there is a inscription in a famous tepmle in southern rajasthan stating PARMAR AGNI KUL SOOD ON KI JAY HO”dating back to 1014A.D.aAs you know sood migrated to punjab and Sirhind was called as SOODPUR as Soods came to sirhind in fifteenth century there we were new to society of punjab we proved ourself and now are a leading community of punjab.As for sikh reign is concerned there were many sood nobles like Ishwar singh sood mohan singh sood etc.
on December 30th, 2007 at 8:31 pm
Good Article !
some more Soods:the legendary swimmer Anita Sood, Bollywood Actor Sonu Sood, n my namesake n Technopreneur Rahul Sood of VoodooPC fame.
on January 3rd, 2008 at 8:04 pm
You are doing Divine Noble Services, Would appreciate if you do not distinguish the religion, caste and colour of human being.
Religion is Humanity, Caste is Love and Color is …………
We are all universal beings without any distination of the above inherited components of human.
I support your skills and activities in this regard
on January 10th, 2008 at 11:04 am
Dear friend,
concentrate on community history as you are concentrating on todays sood personalities.I would also say you should also try to re upload the earlier chapter on net on sood history within your this website.
on January 14th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Me devendra sood rajsamand me rahta hu or me ki bhi sood ko nahi janta
kya aap meri kuch maded ker sakte hi
contect number 9983831000 ,9352707566
Please become a member of any Sood Sabha and you will know plenty of Sood families -Bhushan Sood
on January 15th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Dear Sirs,
Bravo!!!. Your eforts are commendable. Can I get sood dynasty tree on any website? Please help
No, that is not possible - Bhushan Sood
on January 23rd, 2008 at 2:19 pm
i didnt knew much about our sood community…
i just checked all dis for just timepass bt. nw. after reading all dis about our community M feeling proud to be a sood..
Thanks,Tanvi, for visiting the site. Come back again-Dr.Bhushan Sood
on February 15th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
Hi
I am absolutely amazed at this. Excellent ownership and initiative. Hope you keep on devoping this history. Any help required is welcome!!!
Rgds
Karandeep Sood
Thanks Karan. Do help us with your newer ideas and comments.-Dr.Bhushan Sood
on February 18th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
Good attempt to assemble all the Soods to their roots!
Thanks, Abhishek, for the comments. Please join us in our forthcoming Sood event in Toronto.- Dr.Bhushan Sood
on February 19th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
My son Dr. Rishi Sud who is raised in USA and is a physician, didn’t know much about our heritage,went in and found this site. He was very excited to learn about the history and sent the site information to all our sood,/ sud families. This will help our coming generations. keep the Sood/ Sud name alive and known to the world. Great Job.
REPLY :
Thanks, Sushma Ji, for you comments. Please tell Dr.Rishi to help the Organization SONA in what ever way is possible. Your comments are posted in the blog.- Dr.Bhushan Sood
on March 7th, 2008 at 9:39 am
your ideas r awesome,do keep up t good work n make t SOODS
proud
Thanks, Nanadan, for your comments. Please support SONA-Sood SAbha of North America-Dr.Bhushan Sood
on March 12th, 2008 at 9:48 am
i m sood
on March 12th, 2008 at 9:49 am
all sood
on March 12th, 2008 at 9:49 am
wdwdwdwd,wekp wopdiwkd wkp[diw-0kdp[wk90wo
I did not understand your comment, Punit. Hope you wrote well-Dr.Bhushan Sood
on March 19th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
Nice website!!
on May 6th, 2008 at 6:31 am
good effort. however through this site I am trying to contact some other diddiya which is my subcaste. I have yet to find this subcaste outside my family.
Hi Rajeev,
The best person to contact is Mr.Surinder Sood, Secretary, Chandigarh Sood Sabha. I am copying oyur mail to him.
Thanks for your blog. Dr.Bhushan Sood
on May 16th, 2008 at 10:01 am
This is really a useful article on Soods. I appreciate the try & hope to contribute from myself soon.
Regards,
Punit Sood
on June 8th, 2008 at 9:01 am
Is there any Sood sabha / organization in Gurgaon?
How about creating one there? Take a lead..
Please contact Sood Sabha, Chandigarh or Delhi for assistance - Dr.Bhushan Sood
on June 11th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
world congregation of soods be organised in new delhi. Efforts be made for maximum participation of soods.
REPLY
Please contact Delhi Sood Sabha or Stalwarts like Mr.Vijay Lal, Mr.D.B.Sood of Delhi-Dr.Bhushan Sood
on June 13th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Dear sir, Iam sunil sud and at present settled in Bangalore. I am into Adventure tourism and i belongs to Himachal. Iam really proud to be a part of the sood comunity and if u need any services fri\om my side please let me know.
sunil
REPLY
Thanks,Sunil, for asking. Please support the web and SONA-Sood Sabha of North America. We are also affiliated with Sood sabha of Chandigarh and Sood Sabha, Khanna-Punjab.- Dr.Bhushan Sood
on July 6th, 2008 at 5:32 am
gr8 website….learnt a lot about our community and are origin….
proud 2b sood!
on July 16th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Well done!
Alook into our past is the best medicine we can give to our future generations.
Congradulations.
on July 26th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Hi Dr. Bhushan Sood
A nice beginning, keep it up. How can i help you? Pls. let me know. Would also like to know that how do you differentiate between Soods from Himachal and Punjab? Is there really any difference? We in Himachal normally have relationships with in Himachaly soods.
Let us be in touch.
Thanks
Sandeep
Reply
Hi Sandeep,
I have your email ID in my address book and I have been sending you info about SONA’s (Sood Sabha of North America) activities.
Where do you live in Himachal?
There is no basic difference between Soods in Himachal and Punjab. Soods in Himachal got blended with Kangra culture and food habits.
Sood in Punjab, likewise, got blended with Punjabi culture and food habits. Amongst Punjabi Soods also, one can find difference according to the region they live in Punjab, viz: Doaba, Majha, Malwa etc.
We are all same…
on July 30th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
It was eye opening and very exciting information for being pride sood.
I thanks to you by my all heart for sharing with such an invaluable historicle information.
on August 13th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
I found your site on technorati and read a few of your other posts. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. Looking forward to reading more from you down the road!
on August 31st, 2008 at 3:31 pm
you are doing good work,doing a great service for Sood community.Congrats
on September 11th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Commedable job is done.
on September 15th, 2008 at 7:04 am
It is a good effort to bring members of one family together in the time when world is becoming smaller and smaller. We should be proud of ourself and our ancestors with glorious past.I wish we were more closely knit family.
on October 2nd, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Dear Dr Sahib
I congratulate you for keeping the SOOD COMMUNITY FLAG high in States and wish you all the success in future. If I can do anything from here for our community dont hesitate to contact me. My elder son is back from states after completing his commercial pilot course and busy in his preparation for DGCA exams due in OCT 2008.Younger is in clas IX busy in his school. Represented his school in INTER SCHOOL SOCCAR TOURNAMENT
REPLY
Thanks Col. Lalit Sood, for your words. I have a wonderful team supporting me at all times… Author
on October 2nd, 2008 at 5:54 pm
FOR PUBLICATION IN SOOD SANDESH, CHANDIGARH.
2nd International Sood Mela was a big draw in Canadian terms. We had guests coming over from Rochester Hills in Michigan State of the USA. We had guests from as far as Windsor. There were some new families joining us this time.
Ms.Dolly Sood-Konzelmann was the emm cee who conducted the program very well.
Mr.Kashmiri (Kash) Lal Sood was the Guest of honour and also the host. Kash Sood is a very big business man who also owns the Bollywood Banquet Hall which was the venue. Kash promised all the help to SONA. A very small gesture from his side was to match and top up the donations for that day.The donations collected were over a thousand dollars.
VK Sood came to canada with his family to attend the Mela. But he had to leave back for India for some unavoidable reasons. Therefore, he did not attend the Mela. However, his wife, Varsha Sood, did attend Mela along with their two sons, daughter-in-laws and Grand Children. Deepali, their daughter, could not make it to the mela.
College girls gave a sensational dance performance which enthralled one and all.
Dr.Gagan Bhalla, Orthodontist and Co-Ordinator of Pitanjali Yoga Peethh-Canada, presented a book of Baba ramdev to Kash Sood. He also gave a discourse on the importance of Pranayaam.
Sanjay Sood was unanimously announced as the Financial Advisor of SONA. Sanjay hails from Shimla.
Anjana Sood, wife of Bharat Bhushan Sood, took care of the registeration.
Renu Kashyap-Hira Ahuja sponsored the gifts-thanks.
All the guests were served with snacks and sumptuous dinner-Courtesy Amy and Kash Sood.
Author
on October 2nd, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Dear Dr. Bhushan -Thanks for your mail and photographs taken on the occasion of 2nd International Sood Mela. We shall be pleased to publish the same in the next issue of Sood Sandesh. The 46th Sood Mela will be held on 16th November, 2008 at Sood Bhawan, Panchkula. Shri Kuldip Sood, a renowned Sound Recordist in the Film Industry has consented to be the Chief Guest. Our Sabha is pleased to extend invitation to you and all the other members of your Committee for participating in the function.
Regards,
SURINDER SOOD
on October 2nd, 2008 at 6:13 pm
My dear Bhushan Sood,
Namaskar!
I regret my inability to remain in touch with you since long. Actually I was not keeping good health for many days. I hope you would not mind for this gap in our communication.
This year, we are having our ‘Sood Mela” in the month of November. Shri V. K. Sood Chairman ‘Sood Sewa Bhawan Trust’ Chandigarh informed me that he was in Canada when there was a gathering of Sood Community on 29th June 2008. He has asked me to request you for sending photographs of his family taken during Sood Mela in Canada so that it may find place in ‘Sood Sandesh’ an organ of Sood Community. You may kindly send the photograph through E-mail attachment. ‘Sood Sandesh’ is going for publication in a week’s time and its issue will be out by the end of October this year.
Any service for me?
With warm regards and best wishes;
Yours sincerely;
Kuldip Rai Sood
on October 2nd, 2008 at 6:25 pm
PLEASE ACCEPT HEARTIEST CONGRATULATIONS AND GOOD WISHES FROM ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE SOOD SABHA CHANDIGARH AND WE ARE SURE THE FUNCTION OF THE SOOD BIRADARI WILL BE A GRAND SUCCESS. SH. V.K.SOOD AND FAMILY WILL BE REPRESENTING THE SABHA AT THE FUNCTION. HE WILL ALSO CARRY WITH HIM COPIES OF THE LATEST ISSUE OF SOOD SANDESH OUR MAGAZINE. SOON WE SHALL PUT ON OUR WEBSITE ‘HISTORY AND ORIGIN OF SOODS’ BY SH. MADAN MOHAN SOOD.
OUR REGARDS TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF SONA
SURINDER SOOD
on October 2nd, 2008 at 6:28 pm
I am grateful to you, for all the concern and understanding u have provided me. Can I thank you enough, I am not too sure, that anyone can be so supportive. I have been despertaley trying to seek help, support and a genuine friend……. till you responded.
I shall remain eternally grateful to you Sir.
Wishing you heartiest thanks again.
I am also on facebook. If you are there, u may add me or else if u are on msn messenger. Pls. add me.
I shall keep in touch with u.
Sincerely,
Msc. Gold Medalist, MBA (Human Resource)
on October 2nd, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Hi,
I really appreciate your prompt reply. Thank u so much. I will send u my grandfather’s picture in a weeks time. We belong to Noor Mahal, My paternal sub caste/gotra is Gajri and my maternal is Phakka.
My grandfather retired as a Session Judge in 1948. He had a palatial house in Lahore , but had to move to India after partition.
My mom on the other hand belongs to Kapurthala.
As far as helping me is concerned, i have applied for immigration to Canada in 2006, and i am looking forward to my movement , but i can hasten the process if i get a job offer from some employer in Canada.
I am mailing u my Resume’ , see if u can be of some help. I would greatly need assistance in finding a job in Canada, but as u know that i can only browse sites through internet and never come to know about their authenticity. I have been applying to Canada for the past 4-5 months and no luck. Can u find either a site, a jo-recruiter, an agent or an employer who can hire me or help me to get a job offer or arranged emloyment in Canada, surely some network friends can be of help.
Enclosing my Resume’.
Anticipating early response from your side.
Sincerely,
Deepak Sood
Msc. Gold Medalist, MBA (Human Resource)
on October 2nd, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Hi,
I am Deepak sood. My grand father, Shri Ganga Bishan Sood was a Magistrate during the times of Britishers in India.
I am immigrating to CANADA. I have applied to High commission in 2006 and need a Arranged employment opinion to expedite the process. I am trying to pursue several employers, till one of them suggested that i must ask the indian community for help. CAn someone in ur aquintance help me with the process.
Deepak Sood
Msc. Gold Medalist, MBA (Human Resource)
on October 2nd, 2008 at 7:00 pm
I wanted to thank you for a great job you did today. Everyone had a great time. You spent a lot of time and effort to make this sucessful. I am very honoured to have been part of this.
It was great to meet you and your family. We look forward to the next event and I will be happy to assist you.
Dolly Sood-Konzelmann
on October 2nd, 2008 at 7:01 pm
Thank you for the information - I can see that the Sood Sabha of North America is quite active.
Wishing you the best
Regards
Vijai Lal
New Delhi
on October 3rd, 2008 at 1:41 am
Dear All
Its really a surprise for me to receive a mail from someone of our Caste from overseas and that too on my official mail ID. More than a surprise, I’m rather pleased to receive this mail and wish the same to you and your family.
I’m settled at Chandigarh in India and my father in law is actively participating in all the activities related to bringing a sense of bonding within our Caste at Chandigarh. You can find him in the below photographs attached below by you. He is the one wearing a Steel Gray suit in the 3rd photograph from the left on the bottom line.
I, once again wish you and your family a very prosperous 2008.
Regards & Best Wishes
Sandeep Sood & Neeti Sood
Regional Accounts Incharge(North-II)
LG Electronics India Pvt Ltd.
Mobile : +91 9988800165
MSN Messenger: sandeep165_46@hotmail.com
on October 3rd, 2008 at 1:44 am
I am sud but do not write it
Ajay Kumar
Mobile - +91-9329868850
www.eajaykumar.com/ccv.htm
on October 21st, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Hello,
I got an import information regarding the origin of soods…It is very good to know about our origin.
Thanks
Surinder sood
Design engineer
ST Microelectronics
on October 21st, 2008 at 5:12 pm
Thanks for this information realy this is mater of pride sood cast persons doing outstanding work in world.My name is Arun Kumar Sood.I am former international volley ball Player and reprsented India so many times. I am working in oil and natural gas company Dehradun (uttarakhand) as a Manager (HR). I have given most of my time to my country in the field of sports.
A.K.Sood
House no263, lane no-8 Rajander nagar Dehra-Dun. Uttarakhand
Telephone Home–0135-2751385
Cell-09410391032
soodvolleyball@yahoo.co.in
on November 5th, 2008 at 4:45 am
Quite commendable work .
Our ancestral Village is Chabhal,close to Taran Taran .I was born in Amritsar but grew up in New Delhi ( Greater Kailash)
I read about Mr J.R Sood of Eros Group.He is my Phufha Ji.He is a great mentor to the entire family.A highly intelligent & a successful business man.
Another person who should be included is Mr Sudesh Sood of Los Angeles who has done extremely well in the fast food Franchise Business .He has a chain of Jack in the Box fast food franchise.
He also owns the Tanzore & gaylord restaurants in Beverly Hills , CA.
Thank you for sending me the link to your website
Best Wishes & Regards
Sincerely
Ravinder “Shashi” Sood
Broker ,ePro
Prudential California Realty
Work : 818-882-2821 X 212
Cell : 818-554-5050
Fax : 818-583-1734
eml : shashi@homesnloansusa.com
Web : www.homesnloansusa.com
http://www.homesnloansusa.listingbook.com
on November 6th, 2008 at 5:20 am
namastey,
its wonderful effort,information from sood sandesh megazine of chandigarh sood sabha may be added regarding sood history and achievements., its available on google. We live in Vancouver B.C
on November 6th, 2008 at 5:29 am
Hello,
I think name of Mr. Arvind Kumar Sood may be included in achievement list ,who belongs to Tarn Taran had made enormous contributions in the field of space dynamics and served as senior scientist in ISRO
on November 11th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Hi, my first time, lets us keep in touch by your regular news letter.
I shall forward these to sood sabhas
Thanks
on November 17th, 2008 at 6:04 am
Hi
I attended the Sood mela organized yesterday at sec-10 panchkula, This was the 1st time my husband and my son had come over… but for me this was not a memorable one… I have often seen that there is a lot of biasness in the competitions organized in the mela.. mostly prizes are given off to kids of sponsors or chief guests or some well known sood..I am highly proud of being a part of the sood community but thins like this makes one feel ashamed of being there.. If events are to be organized they should be on unbiased or they should not be organized at all. Why damage the sood image?
Regards
A proud Sood but against biased sood traditions
REPLY
Dear Mrs.Sood,
Thanks for writing your comments on the web.
It is very disappointing to note that you were not happy with the some event that took place at Panchkula Mela.
Although I could not attend the mela, how ever, I may share my experience with you.
In the first place, any organizer puts his best efforts to successfully organize an event. However, lapses may be noticed here and there.
Your comments, however, shall help the organizers to improve upon the lapses in the next event.
Therefore, I am forwarding your comments to the Secretary of Sood Sabha, Chandigarh.
Thanks for sharing your feelings.
AUTHOR
on November 18th, 2008 at 4:12 am
Hi,
Thanks for the quick response..I would really appriciate if this thing is taken care of in next meet…
Regards,
Mrs. Sood
REPLY
Dear Mrs.Sood,
Thanks once again.
The best bid is to join the organizing committee and help them in improving the event.
Please contact Mr.Surinder Sood, Secretary-Sood Sabha, Chandigarh and be part of the team.
Also, please give us your full name, address, telephone numbers and family details to reach you. AUTHOR
on December 27th, 2008 at 1:12 am
Hello,
Just came across this website whilst my family and i were searching for our Father’s ancestry. We were pleasantly surprised to discover that you have a section on my Great Grandfather, Raja Karam Singh. I am curious to know where did you find all the information and pictures?
Best Wishes
Rachna Sood
London, UK
REPLY:
Hi Rachna Ji,
Thanks for browsing through our website.
Your cousin, Ravinder ( Shashi) Sood from USA, is the source of the pictures of your family.
I am copying this email to him to connect both of you.
Wishing you and your family a Happy New Year !
Please stay in touch and let me know if I could be of any assistance.
Best wishes. -Author
on February 2nd, 2009 at 12:04 am
i wnated to know more about majadh soods and gajri soods from punjab
thankz:)
(history etc)
REPLY:
Thanks Chahat for browsing.
Majadh soods write as ” Mayor” Soods now. I have no idea about their history. However, I shall ask others to help us.
on February 11th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
No words to express the feelings i have after seeing going through this website.
I am grandson of Shri. Ram Rattan Sood member of Sood Sabha and author of many books written on Soods (some of which are sold in London)
I myself am a Project Leader (s/w engg) working in US Banking Domain.
Let me know if i can be helpful in any way to give a drop from the vast OCEAN of SOODs.
Thanks & Regards
Arun
REPLY
Thanks for appreciation, Arun.
I will appreciate if you could send me copies of those books or the contents of Publications.
I get lot of queries about Sood Surnames -Gotras…. AUTHOR
,,
on February 20th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
I belong to Kuthiala family from Haroli fromthe family of L. Balbhadar Mal Kuthiala elder brother of L. Jodha Mal Kuthiala (Rai Bahadur). We had been unaware of the institution of jatheri”s until a few years back. And then we were tol d that our jatheris were at Garli in Kangra. We paid our obeisance there; later we learnt that the original jatheri was at Lohara near Chintpurni Mata in Una. This fact was confirmed as the land under these shrines was in the name of the Kuthiala clan. We are now trying to get in touch with members of the Kuthiala families so that an united effort can be made to look after these shrines. For this we have started collection of a fund in the name and style “Committe Jatherian Kuthiala Pariwar” with a account in Punjab National Bank. All desirous of conributing to this noble cause can get in touch. It is indeed interesting to know the history of the Soods, who are enterprising and have made a mark in many fields.
Our community has not lagged in philanthropic works and this is amply seen in the dharamsalas,etc in Himachal, Punjab ,etc.
Let more of us get together and do our bit to take the community further.
Thanks
Dear Arun,
Thanks for browsing and passing on a very valuable information. I shall circulate this info to all the Soods. Hopefully, you should be getting a positive response….. Author
on March 2nd, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Hello,
Could someone please clarify if “Karol” surname belongs to Khatri/Sood caste in India.
Thanks in advance.
AK Tandon
REPLY
REPLY
Dear AK Tandon Saheb,
Thanks for browsing the website.
Yes. Karol is a Sood Gotra.
I remember (1970 ) a Sood Karol family in Nai Abadi, Hoshiarpur where they named their house as Karol Bhawan. The family had their business in Rampur, Himachal Pradesh. Their son, Ashok and daughter Kiran must acknowledge this if they get a chance to read this comment.
However, I am attaching copies of Pages 47,48 and 49 ( Creation of Sub castes) of the book entitled-“Origin and History of Soods” for your perusal. Karol gotra is item 1 on Page 49.
Hope that satisfies your query.
If possible, please give us your telephone number and home address to keep your contact in our directory.
… AUTHOR
on April 5th, 2009 at 10:07 pm
Dear Bhushan ji,
It was nice talking to you this afternoon, but I could not find all that Sood old history during Mughal empire time which was sent to me during 2005 by your Sabha. Can you help me on this subject as my grand daughter Tanya Sood want to read and write on the same subject as a part of her high school studies. Tanya and her parents live in Short Hills, New Jersey. Would appreciate a reply.
Rattan Sood
on April 22nd, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Hi,
I just went thru all the posts in the recent times. Its amazing to see how small this world is. I am from Civil Lines Hoshiarpur and am working in Gurgaon. I would like to be a part or maybe initiate a Sood Community in Gurgaon.
Please advise if we already have something in these lines.
Also, do add me in the mailer list, if you will.
Thanks - Karan
REPLY
Dear Karan,
Thanks for writing on the blog.
You may start a Sood Sabha at Gurgaon.
For any assistance, you may contact me or Sood Sabha Chandigarh- Surinder Ji.
Regards.
Bhushan Sood
on May 1st, 2009 at 10:04 pm
Dear readers
I would be pleased if some of you throw light on Sud migration to the Kangra Hills.
Any details of this migration will be useful.
I wish to begin at Sirhind,
I live in Canada; I have there for the past 40 years. I do visit my village Pirsaluhi, which is 8 miles from Pargpur and about 3 miles from Nadaun.
I have an account of this village in this paper.
http://www.ivarta.com/columns/OL_060227.htm
Thank you
Cheers
Hari K. Sud
REPLY
Dear Hari Ji,
Thanks for writing in my blog.
I have been sent the following article by Deepak Sood from Delhi.
Kindly read it.
I am in India at this time and shall be back to Mississauga by early June, this year.
Do you live in GreaterToronto Area area?
Regards.
Bhushan Sood
SONA-Sood Sabha of North America
Canada +1 647 893 7800
on May 28th, 2009 at 5:58 am
Let us not forget Mahindra and Mahindra a sood company started by my great grand father from my maternal side.
on June 10th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
Yes, I live in Richmond Hill
Yes, I attended your arranged Sood Sabha meeting in the Host - Miss.
I am a Chubb - Sud from Pirsaluhi. Shimla has many more of us. Mariya sub-caste is our immediate cousin.
Parbhat Sood comes from the same village and Chubb too.
Our Gotra is Goel.
I have been digging my roots especially migration of Suds to the Kangra Hills.
It has taken me one year and thousands of dollars to partially figure out our origin and migration to Kangra/Jaswan hills and then to Shimla. Most of the publication are available at Oxford Library. Each visit to Oxford is $15. Hence this research is pricey.
It is being written in a history form for future generations.
We have Jatheri at Gagret, where we go often
Part one of the story is story of Jatheri and her self sacrifice at Gagret.
First 15 pages are almost ready.
All work has references from the original work published in the nineteenth century by either British or later history works. It is not hearsay story.
I will like to put it on the website for others to read and comment.
Please let me know, if your website will take it.
Thanks
Hari Sud
Richmond Hill
on July 2nd, 2009 at 5:16 pm
I am Virender Sood.I am law attorney practicing in Delhi.Presently staying at Richmond hill New York.I can be reached at 1-718-864-9008.
I was overwhelmed to read about the Sood Community and Sood Sabha in America.
I will be glad to meet Sood brothers in America,canada.
I am from Palampur Kangra Himachal Predesh.
I will be too glad to talk to our community people.I am in America till July 16,2009.
Love to all Sood familly.
Virender Sood
on July 2nd, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Kindly send me tel nos of Sood brothers staying in New York
on July 6th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
Exodus & Dispersal of Suds to the Hills
Chubb Sud saga after Sirhind
1.1 Preludes to Exodus
Aurangzeb the Tyrant Empror of India died in 1707. Shah Alam his third son became the emperor, but not for long. He lasted four years. Three other rulers followed to the throne. As per Muslim/Mughal traditions they were executed for being incompetent. In thirty years, the throne changed hand four times.
Aurangzeb’s death was a signal to all powers on India’s borders to begin exerting influence. Afghans in the North West and Persians in the West had an eye on the rich Gangetic plains of India for loot and plunder. The Persian immigrants had been in India for three centuries prior and they had remained as providers of culture for the very rough and rugged Turks – Mughals. The Hindus, the main inhabitants of India were barred from military service unless they accepted the Islam as religion. Rajputs of Rajasthan remained Hindus and but still served in the Mughal service. Their battlefield bravery was unmatched. Hence, the Mughals wished to keep them on their side.
Punjab the first land the conqueror encountered, bore the burnt of all invasions. Its western parts became mostly Muslim by about 1300 AD, followed by Lahore, a midway point before reaching Delhi or Agra. Lahore stayed 50:50 Muslim & Hindu. The lands beyond Lahore were mostly Hindu with a tiny minority of Muslims. They were the only one who bore arms, hence kept the political power to them. The ruler in Delhi since 1192AD had been a Muslim. He ruled from Delhi or Agra. After Aurangzeb’s death, within 50 years, the power equation changed several times. It was either Afghan rule or Turkish rule in Punjab. The invaders to Punjab left the Mughals over-lordship at Delhi intact, but collected loot and plunder. Majority Hindus bore the burnt of all atrocities but were powerless to eject both the groups out hence they endured the rule.
A Faujdar or governor governed the area beyond Lahore to Delhi, who was stationed at Sirhind. Greater trouble in Punjab began when Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur, the 9th Guru was executed on the Aurangzeb’s order in 1675. It was a crime against the majority Hindus. His son, Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru concluded that a fight against tyranny is necessary hence it should commence immediately. When he had enough military confidence, the Guru picked up the sword and began his fight. In next twenty years Guru won some battles and lost some. In 1699 he founded the Sikh Khalsa, the warrior class and India. It redeemed its lost identity but only partially. Muslim were too powerful
Guru Gobin Singh appealed the Emperor Aurangzeb to withdraw his tyrant governor from Sirhind in 1707. The governor had previously executed Guru’s two infant sons. Aurangzeb ignored Guru’s plea. Instead he asked the Guru to leave Punjab for South India. Two trained assassins sent by Governor of Sirhind, attacked the Guru on the banks of river Narbadha. The assassins did not succeed but they did manage to injure the Guru. The Guru knew that the end is near; hence he commissioned a Rajput turned saint into a warrior and asked him to return to Punjab and deal a final blow to the governor of Sirhind. Banda Bahadur was the new commander of a small band of thirty warriors who returned to Punjab at Guru’s behest. On way to Punjab, Banda Bahadur gathered a force of 10,000 soldiers and reached Sirhind on May 12,1710 and defeated and killed the tyrant governor Wazir Khan of Sirhind. The Sikh Army sacked the town. Banda stayed a virtual ruler of the town for 8 years. The Muslim plotted to grab power back and hence turmoil around Sirhind increased.
Muslim finally overpowered Banda Bahadur and executed him in 1718. His whole army became hunted subjects. More turmoil followed.
Concurrently by mid 1730s, the Persian ruler Nadir Shah saw his chance for loot & plunder and invaded Punjab and then Delhi. He carried away a huge booty, which allowed him to remit taxes in Persia for five years. Within five years of his last raid, he was dead. His general Ahmad Shah Abdali of Afghan origin started where Nadir Shah had left. He began his own loot and plunder campaign as soon he had gathered enough Afghan soldiers. Every time Abdali came to Punjab he will sack Sirhind and surrounding areas first, because it was seat of power in Punjab beyond Lahore. The Mughal emperor in Delhi was powerless. He had lost all influence in thirty years following the death of Auranzeb.
1.2 Exodus
In this background the exodus of Suds to the hills began. All the Suds did not leave Sirhind in one group. Some are still around in Sirhind. Others relocated away from the seat of power to areas in Jullandhar Doab. Hence, there are large Sud communities in NurMahal, Nawan Shahar, Draha, Phillor etc.
(Various authors including famous Suds like Justice Tek Chand & Jai Lal in their honest wisdom believe that Suds originally came from Rajasthan from a place called Amarkote. They rely on cultural evidence, much less on physical facts of migration from Amarkote. They even go as far back as Rig Ved era. Not disputing these claims, the author wishes only to begin at Sirhind and migration from there to the hills.
(Origin theory of Suds as Parmar Rajputs has its beginning in Shimla at the close of eighteenth century. Suds were master merchants in Shimla and were spreading their influence fast into the hill kingdoms of Shimla. Prior to those Suds held strings of the purse in Kangra hills. Resistance to their presence was great. They were being regarded as inferior in origin and caste hence could not receive the many community services including water-drawing rights from a well or a spring. Also right of service at the temples or other religious places or right to take the wedding party thru the main roads was denied to Suds.
Here is how Denzil Ibbetson; in his census report of 1883 described Suds as he heard from the locals. These are unflattering remarks, hence to be taken with a grain of salt.
Reference: Glossary of Tribes and Castes of Punjab and North West Frontier – 1883.
“Suds are entirely confined to lower hills and district west of Amritsar………..They are wholly mercantile…… though occasionally taking service as clerks and occupy a social position markedly inferior to Bania & Khatai. ……. The tribe is an ancient one but no definite proof as to the origin is obtainable. …. One tradition is that Rishi Surat espoused the daughter of Chhatari Raja and founded the caste.
“Sir Denzil’s attempts to make enquiry from some leading Suds of the time resulted in the assembling of a Panchayat. It resulted in ransacking of Sanskrit classics for a proof of Kashatriya origin. It resulted in heated discussion in the journal of the Anjumana-I-Punjab.”
By 1880 Suds were wealthy and could buy influence. With British blessings the services of Rajguru of Jubbal state in Shimla Hills were requested from the king. He readily agreed, as he was one of the many clients of wealthy Shimla Suds. Rajguru’s job was to set the record straight and convince the local landowners and Brahmins to relent on their pursuit of treating Suds as inferior. Rajguru drummed up a theory whether correctly or incorrectly that Suds were Rajputs. He created a Sud Vanshavali from the Vedic times. This link is a bit tenuous but turned out to be a blessing for Suds. A court suit followed which allowed the Rajguru’s version as official. Sud’s rights to draw water or request religious services were restored. Mr. Justice Sir Jai Lal used that court judgment as his reference when he wrote the Sud history. He ignored a few facts that the King of Jubbal was a Sud client and Suds paid for his Rajguru’s Vanshavali creation. In addition there are obvious clues, which tell us that the Rajguru’s version may be a long shot e.g. there are distinct “Gotras” in Sud community, some of which are “Bania” and others are “Khatari” Gotras, hence the Rajput theory is a bit of a drag. “Pandas - Pundits” in Haridwar who maintain family Vanshavali of each family confirm the forgoing that “Gotra” ultimately determines whether the person is a Rajput, Vaishaya or Brahmin. All Sud and Khatri “Gotras” are Vaishaya Gotras. Hence it becomes difficult to subscribe to the Rajput theory. The author duly apologizes for this difference in opinion with eminent Sir Jai Lal.
1.3 Suds in Sirhind
History records a small township just outside Sirhind - Sudpura, where most of the Suds/Soods lived. This bunch is businessmen of Khatari and Baniya clan and had made this place their home. Suds/Soods carried out the traditional grain business as well as had been village moneylenders for generations. Sirhind had been a seat of power and Suds had become influential both in the government and business.
The following is what Patiala Gazetteer records in its1992 edition which is a revision of a century old Imperial Gazetteer of 1892.
It is said that the town of Sirhind was once named as Sudpura and the Suds ruled here. They lost their rule as a result of the Muslim conquest. According to Nasir Sirhindi, a contemporary historian of Akbar’s times, the Suds formed the bulk of the population and were concentrated in the twenty mohallas which were situated north-west to the chowk-khas, in front of the mint and the royal stable. Their population was increasing so rapidly that the old city wall had to be dismantled in order to accommodate them. They were a very rich community and their material prosperity was clearly reflected in the way their 22 Chaudhris would go about in Palkis. Palkil Nashini was a mark of status and the Suds were evidently men of status. It is very surprising to note that inspite of their acknowledged financial superiority; they observed very simple marriage customs. All such rites were so silently and simply observed that even the next-door neighbour would not know as to what was happening in the neighbourhood. Nasir Sirhindi considers this as one of the causes responsible for their material prosperity.
The following is what the Sikh history records about the events in Sirhind 1762-64
A more decisive battle took place on 14 January 1764 when Dal Khalsa, under Jassa Singh Ahluvalia, made another assault upon Sirhind. Zain Khan the Faujdar of Sirhind was killed in action and Sirhind was occupied and subjected to plunder and destruction. The booty was donated for the repair and reconstruction of the sacred shrines at Amritsar, demolished by Ahmad Shah in his earlier raid.
The territories of the Sirhind sarkar were divided among the leaders of the Dal Khalsa, but no one was willing to take the town of Sirhind where Guru Gobin Singh’s younger sons were subjected to a cruel fate. By a unanimous will it was made over toBudha Singh, descendant of Bhai Bhagatu, who soon after (2 August 1764) transferred possession to Sardar Ala Singh, founder of the Patiala royal family. Sirhind thereafter remained part of the Patiala territory until the state lapsed in 1948.
1.4 Suds and Gotras & Clans
Sud habitation at Sirhind or its nearby locality of Sudpura has been fully established. It is the surviving local revenue records, which help the case. The Imperial Gazetteer of India of Patiala region records some details. The British based their compiling of the “Gazetteer” thru revenue records, oral information and actual stay of the respective civil officer in the area hence these accounts are fairly authentic.
So far we have established that Suds lived in Sirhind during the Mughal era. We have yet to figure out who the Suds were.
If you turn to the ancient texts and customs then there are references of “Bania” community and sub offshoot of ancient Vedic Varna of “Vaishya” community. Banias were trade and money managers of empires dating back to 3000BC. This profession they still carry out with delight in Northern India today. They are called Banias in the north, Vani in Marathi, in Tamil they are called “Chettiars”, in Telugu they are called “Komati” etc. Specific to Punjab, people who deal with money lending activities were referred to as “Suds/Soods”. In Kangra these moneylenders are referred to as “ Karrars”. The latter is not an exalted reference but a despised profession of people collecting interest.
Then there are text references of “Khatri” community with similar leanings. The latter could be a Punjabi references to a bunch of grain traders in Punjab. Khatri community may be connected to Kashatriya Varna (of Vedas), but this linkage is tenuous. It could be an offshoot or mixed ethnicity as a result of inter-marriage with other clans. A Rajput or Dogra or Jat as a direct descendant of Kashatriyas will find it hard to accept Khatri as an equal. This fusion probably occurred over several millenniums ago hence it is difficult to establish their direct connection. Within the realms of last 400 years, Khatris had a major contribution as grain trade in undivided Punjab. Most are Hindus, a substantial number as Sikhs and a few Muslim Khatris also exist. Khatris are as numerous as Banias are. To tell one from the other is harder until you turn to the Gotra or bloodline.
Banias are divided into several castes and Gotras, so are the Khatris. Gotra represents genealogy. This can be traced back to ancient times. People in each Gotra follow the Hindu Dharma as an overall religion and its own local customs, wherever they live. A person can be identified as member of Sud (money lender) community, but within it has a specific Gotra or bloodline. The author’s Gotra is Goel or Goyal.
It is an ancient practice to prohibit inter marriage within one bloodline or genealogy i.e. Gotra. Hence Gotra has become an important instrument of identity.
Chubbs Suds of Pirsaluhi & Mariyas of Pragpur have same Gotra i.e. bloodline, Goel. They never intermarry. Similar principle is applicable to other Sud Gotras who earlier had inhabited the Sirhind surroundings and later migrated to Kangra hills and to other cities and towns of Punjab. Two Sud families of different Gotra will intermarry, but never within the Gotra. An additional precaution to avoid marrying too closely is followed e.g. marrying in mother’s Gotra is also disallowed.
It is the author’s educated opinion that residents of eighteenth century Sirhind-Sudpura, were both Khatris as well as Banias. They both dealt in grain trading, merchant retail and money lending. Surprisingly in modern India, Khatris and Banias mix and do business together as they did a millennium or two back. Suds were more in money lending and Khatris in grain trading. It is this success of theirs that invited Muslim invaders to their midst.
Suds & Khatris had the financial muscle to lend money, underwrite trade instruments and influence the court of the local lord. Hence Sudpura as a locality in Sirhind came into existence. Both these communities, during extreme atrocities of Afghan invaders post Guru Gobind Singh era, were nervous about their self and planned escape to the hills. Finally the destruction of Sirhind by Jassa Singh Ahluvalia, of Patiala fame in 1764 as vengeance of earlier Afghan atrocities at Golden Temple, Amritsar, forced them to move away from Sirhind.
In this background Chubb Suds and Mariya Suds arrived near Chintpurni Temple from 1760-70 timeframe and made a temporary homestead there. It was the tragedy at Gagret (Chintpurni & Gagret, two towns are only ten miles apart) that forced them away from Gagret, deeper into the hills to a place called Pirsaluhi.
1.5 Temporary Chubb Sud Settlements in and around Chintpurni
Author is unable to definitely establish where the Chubbs and Mariyas resided near Chintpurni. There are no revenue records to indicate their presence there. Most of the revenue records were destroyed during British punishing raid of the “Town of Amb” in 1848, where the Jaswan King had his residence. Rest of the records was transferred to Kangra administration as the British saw it fit that all traces of Jaswan rebellion be permanently wiped out. Only a few clues remain. They point to the Chubb/Mariya residence near Chintpuri/Gagret.
Clue - 1
Chubb as well Mariya’s hereditary priests – Purohit-Brahmins had left Sirhind concurrent with the Sud migration. Purohit always follow their client, because client is the source of their cash income. Purohit is ritual priest who presides over all religious functions including weddings, Yagya, and other religious activities. It is a hereditary appointment. Chubb/Mariya Purohits have been resident of a small village of Dalwarhi about two miles from Chintpurni Temple. They have been there since the middle of eighteenth century. To-date they still reside there . The only reason for the Purohits to be at Dalwarhi is that their clients Chubbs/Mariyas resided nearby.
Clue - 2
It is the mythology of “Jatheri” which provides the second clue. This legend has been passed on from generation to generation and never forgotten. According to the legend, a Chubb/Mariya wedding party in about 1760-70 timeframe had decided to rest at Gagret town for the night. Their own village was about a day’s journey, probably ten miles away. That is when the groom was waylaid and murdered for his gold and other valuables. The bride, committed suicide, hence entered the realm of legend. The forgoing is sufficient oral and traditional evidence to conclude that that the clan of Chubb/Mariya was in the vicinity.
Clue - 3
The last clue is at Haridwar – Hinduisms holiest site. The priests, who look after Sud interests at Haridwar (Makhanji Chakhanji), surprisingly keep a genealogy record of all Sud families, including the author’s. His book bears my fathers, my grandfather’s signatures dating back one hundred years. This is a hereditary business for these priests. For money the officiating priest has a story to tell. According to them - they came to Haridwar from Jaswan at about the time of Sud migration. They have the same story to tell about Jatheri at Gagret. The author is unable to verify the origin of their version of the story with more facts. Did the story come to them from an independent source or re-related to the priests by previous Sud visitors to Haridwar. These priests came from the “Town of Amb”, the capital of the kingdom. This town is about 10-15 miles away from Gagret. Haridwar priest’s knowledge of the unfortunate incident at Gagret adds credence that Chubbs and Mariyas were in the area in the Chintpurni-Gagret-Amb triangle.
There are no firm records of Chubb/Mariya move further into Jaswan’s interior, but it is not hard to conclude that it happened immediately after the Jatheri incident.
1.6 Sud Dialect
While in the interior of Jaswan and Kangra, Suds carried their dialect from Sirhind. It is a Punjabi – Doabi dialect they spoke when they arrived there. The hills spoke mostly accented Punjabi, with greater accent on the vowels. For longer than a millennium Kangra & Jaswan Hills were part of greater Punjab Trigarta Kingdom . Although Kangra was an independent state since 400AD and Jaswan since 1170AD, yet its geography made it as part of the Greater Punjab, extending from Indus River to Sutlej River. Hence the dialect spoken in Kangra hills is referred to as “Kangri Boli” and Suds accepted it as their lingua franca.
The Suds migrating from Sirhind over a period of time gave up their spoken Punjabi in favor of accented Punjabi referred above as Kangri Boli . Dogra literature classifies Kangari Boli as sub-dialect of Dogri spoken in Jammu, north of Kangra district. Which in itself borrows heavily from Punjabi. At best Kangri Boli is an intermediary between Punjabi and local Pahari of the lower Himalayan ranges.
Today the household language of Suds in Jaswan is Kangri Boli. It has no script and people speaking Kangri Boli can switch to either Hindi or Punjabi of plains with ease.
1.6 Sud/Sood Communication Script
Sud follow the ancient “Tankri” script in their business dealings. This script is wide spread among Suds, Khatris and all people who rely on business for their living. Court records of Kangra Kingdom and possibly Jaswan relating to revenue collection and expenses records are in Tankri. It was eclipsed by Persian after the Muslim invasion, later the British put an end to its use, teaching and script preservation. Surprisingly the script still is use in almost all business communications in northern India.
For all other communications Kangra district uses Hindi in Devanagari script and Suds follow this script exclusively except in business.
The following is the basic Tankri or Takri script. Until the British dissolved the state, Tankari was the language in which the financial records were maintained. The language is written as far as Delhi and the author found grain traders in Kota, Rajasthan using the same script.
References:
Dogra Legends of Art & Culture
Gazetteer of Patiala – Fatehgarh Sahib Tehsil – Sirhind (Sudpura) – 1992 Edition
The princely house of Jaswan – The Princely & Noble Families of the Former Indian Empire – Himachal Pradesh – Mark Brentnall
The author’s hypothesis is based on residence of our Purohit families (hereditary Priests) at Dalwarhi village near the Chintpurni. Purohits are attached to the family and follow the Suds wherever they go. The author believes that our Jatheri heritage and priests in the same vicinity leads him to believe that Chubb-Sud first stop was in Chintpurni / Gagret area.
Himachal Pradesh Tourism
Imperial Gazetteer of India Volume XIII & VIX, second Edition 1887.
Arjan Das Malik – The Sword of Khalsa.
The Changing Profile of the Summer Capital of British India: Simla 1864-1947 – Pamela Kanwar
Dr. Ganda Singh History of Punjab – Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluvalia – Kapurthala
Caste & Race in India by G.S. Ghurye
Encyclopedia Britannica
Rise of Merchant Empires – By James D Tracy; University of Minnesota – Chapter 8 – Merchant Communities 1350AD to 1750AD; compiled by Frederic Mauro
Princely and Noble Families of Former Indian Empire – Himachal – Mark Brentnall -
Caste and Kinship in Kangra – Routledge Library Edition – originally published London 1979
on July 10th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Great-Great Job.I just came to know about the history of our community.May God Bless You,Bhushan Ji
on July 14th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
An outstanding contribution for the generations to come. They will actually come to know about the contributions the community has made in the upliftment of the society i feel proud to be one amongst us………….
Regards and best wishes
Sumit Karol
Shimla
on July 19th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
Sumit as well as Vijayanta;
Where are you from?
Karol(s) are in Garli as well as Pragpur.
If you are from Shimla then your father anf grandfather’s name will jog my memory.
So far in the above narrative the “Sud” have reached near Chintpurni. They have to move further interior. Data is being collected. I shall publish my findings post 1770AD.
Thanks
Hari Krishan Sud
Toronto, Canada.
on July 22nd, 2009 at 8:07 am
Good Information about Sood’s. My Home Town is Garli
on July 25th, 2009 at 10:32 am
Dear Sir,
Thanks for giving us the new insight to know our origin.
Really you are doing wonderful work.
With Regards
Vikas Sood( Mehdoodiya) From AMB
30JUly, 2009
REPLY-Vikas, please revert back to me and Hari Sud….. AUTHOR
on July 30th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Vikas
Good to know you.
My mother was from Ambota and Mehdoodiya.
The second part of “Sud Reasearch” begins at Gagret. That was the first stop of most Suds before dispersing to the interior of Garli, Pragpur, Pirsaluhi, Rakkar etc.
I am aware that “Chaudharis” in Ambota control all the land. They were the one who parceled some land to Suds to settle down. You have any information on it. Please do contact me.
I will write a much more fact based history. I need precise information. If you can please do help me.
Thank you
Hari Sud
Toronto, Canada.
on August 27th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
The above post by Badgley Mischka is not needed.
This has been posted by the author - Hari Sud earlier on July 6th.
The author is working on the remaining parts of the history. It is a time consuming effort to find original references.
It will be published in good times.
It is the story of “Sud Dulhan - Jatheri” who met an unfortunate end at Gagret around 1770 timeframe. This is what the author is researching. The Jatheri shrine at “Gujjar Choi” is a great reminder to all Suds and Chubb & Mariya Suds in particular. She was Chubb & Mariya ancestor.
This story will be told in a novel form. The author will be pleased to hear from knowledgeable people. I need only facts. Fiction will be built on facts after the all the facts have been ascertaiined.
Please leave your replies with e-mail adresses here.
Thank you
Hari Sud
Toronto, Canada
on September 4th, 2009 at 5:26 am
Hello! all I’am Nishant Sood, it’s good to know all that Published in here ,I Would like to get along with all my people so they can contact me on ,9313139546,9871717285, nishant_ludhianvy@yahoo.co.in
on September 25th, 2009 at 9:28 am
it is good to know that there is some very good information about our cast background is available. my father was from pirsaluhi and mother is from pragpur HP. Although we had chance to visit and stay with our roots during the summer vacations and able to interact with the older people to know about the history of ourself but the younger generation who seldomnly have chance to visit their forefather places can know their background from this . thanks keep it up.
on October 14th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
Looking to trace if anyone know of any relatives or friends of Nank Chand Sudd or Nanak Chand Sood.
He belonged to Village Naushera Pannua near Taran Taran
He had immigrated to San Francisco in 1910’s
He had stores at
(1) Harrison Street, San francisco, CA
(2) 17th St., san francisco, CA .
Had a home
(1) Noriega St., san francisco, CA.
He married an American Lady who went to India along with him when he returned to India in 1930″s. He settled near Ambala when he returned to India
He was closely associated with Stockton Gurudwara.
on October 16th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
Very intresting to know as “Sunny” wrote.
A Sood reached the shores of America in 1910.
It will be intresting to know more about his exploits in US.
Cheers
Hari Sud
on November 2nd, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Dear Hari ji
I forgot to add my email in my post earlier.
You can contact me at luvishminkey@yahoo.com
Incase you want to know more about my grandfather’s life in 1910 - 1930 in America.
I still have many old documents from that era.
Including a prashada reciept of a gurudwara in California that my grandfather had paid towards the prashad in gurudwara
Sunny
on November 5th, 2009 at 8:18 am
Sir,
We Mehdudias (Sood) have been trying to unite and gather information of all Mehdudias.
Kindly help in case you have any contacts of Mehdudias
Do visit our website: www.soodmehdudia.com
on November 8th, 2009 at 4:51 am
great work, proud to be sood
on December 19th, 2009 at 11:48 pm
This is a great resource and Hari Sud has mentioned about his roots.
I am also a Chubb from Pir Salui village and my grand father was Rai Sahib Thakur Dass who had a business in Shimla. I am living in Milwaukee and very interested in your research.
Manu Sood
on December 22nd, 2009 at 8:54 am
This is an intriguing site. So far it appears to be a one man effort by Dr Bhushan Sood, aided by contributors. Much work needs to be done to direct this research forward and full time scholars are required, both in India and abroad. We need to sift fact and fiction and dig deeper into the recorded history. I propose we form a collegium of interested persons and get the local and international chapters to provide facilites and funding to pursue this further. We could even sponsor fellowships for independent research on this subject.
Lets have views please
on December 23rd, 2009 at 3:23 am
I find that one Mr. Prabhat Sood is also from PIRSALUHI. So am I. Hari says Prabhat is Chubb. So am I.
Mr. Prabhat Sood will you please let me know about yourself and your family? I know almost everyone from our village but your name does not strike me. If I hear from you, I may tell you some interesting facts about our lineage starting from “Seven generations ago”. My e mail address is
vnsoodshimla@yahoo.co.in. Vishwa Nath Sood
on January 17th, 2010 at 12:42 pm
If any person has details of late Veru Mal Chubb of Pirsaluhi, especially Sh Hari Sud, who claims to be from the same village, please contact me.
on January 19th, 2010 at 7:02 pm
Jaswan State & its History
Suds/Soods in the Hills of Himachal Pradesh
Jaswan.State
Jaswan’s origin in the twelfth century is shrouded in mystery. It probably was a Jagir granted by a much larger Kangra state. Kangra suffered a major catastrophe when Mahmud of Gazanavi invaded it in 1009AD. Why would an unknown invader from Afghanistan risk his army thru the mountains and attack a hill fortress in the middle of Shiwalik Mountain? It becomes clear, when Gazanavi and his father Sebuktigin’s history are studied. They both were fighting the kings of Hindushahi Kingdom - Raja Jaipal and his son Anandpal. This kingdom stretched from Kabul to present day Punjab. Raja Anandpal fought and lost the last battle of Peshawar and sought refuge in the Kangra fort with his treasure. Gazanavi was after the treasure and also wished to vanquish the rightful ruler.
This military invasion of Kangra weakened and limited the influence of Katoch rulers of Kangra. It is then the Kangra kings began to hand out Jagirs to notable civil and military advisors. One such hand out was to his kin, the Jaswasl. They called this Jagir Jaswan. It is the offshoot of parent stem of Kangra. It is a small and fertile land partly hilly and partly plains, where rivers Sutlej and Beas make some of its boundaries. It is closest to the plains of Punjab. Prosperity was rare. If there was any it was with landowning Rajputs. Rest of the population was dirt poor and mostly sharecroppers.
Other Jagirs and kingships like Haripur Guler (also Katoch), Siba, Datarpur, Kotlehr, Nurpur, Banghal also came into existence during the uncertain Muslim times (Gazetteer 0f Simla States, 1910). The local Jagirdars had “ Sanads” i.e. legal papers from the Mogul times to give them judicial and revenue authority. Imperial Briton accepted these papers and recognized them as kings.
Moguls maintained their hold over these states with Jehangir capturing the Kangra fort in 1618. Throughout the Mogul period all hill states paid tribute to Delhi. A more notable event happened in 1819 when Maharaja Ranjit Singh annexed the Jaswan state into his kingdom for disobedience of his order to come in person to Sialkote for audience. When British defeated the Sikhs in 1848, they refused to accept the Jaswan King’s petition for lenient treatment. Upon which the Raja Ummed Singh of Jaswan rebelled. He was joined by the King of Datarpur state. John Lawrence who was the commissioner of Jullundhar Doab took a serious view of the rebellion. He lead a military force of 500 men and 4 artillery guns to Amb (Rajpur) and demolished the palace and expelled Raja Ummed Singh to Almorha in Uttar Pradesh. The king died there. A little later his son at the instance of Raja Gulab Singh of Jammu & Kashmir was given the title of Raja but his possessions the state of Jaswan was not restored to him.
The British broke up Jaswan state with Dunn area merging with Hoshiarpur and Dehra Gopipur area merging with Kangra. Hence the dissolution of Jaswan was complete by about 1860s. Suds are mostly in Dehra Gopipur but a few villages remain in the new Una district.
For Sud history point of view, the most notable king of Jaswan is Abhiraj Singh. He was the king when atrocities in Punjab had reached a new high and Sud/Sood merchants moved to Jaswan. No historical records are available to verify the forgoing. All records of Sud/Sood arrival in the hills were lost when British fired upon the King’s palace in 1848. If any records were left they were transferred into Hoshiarpur and Kangra administration. Hence these are harder to locate.
Hence, it is customary to rely on British records where senior civil servants traveled far and wide into the Kangra hills and documented what they heard and what they saw starting from 1809. Most notable in these authors are listed in the footnote. Other authors later have used these reports to research further.
One curious note of history is that the famous Raja Sansar Chand of Kangra came to power in 1775. He was grandson of Raja Ghammand Chand who ruled Kangra from 1751 till 1774. Raja Ghammand Chand and Jaswan Raja Abhiraj Singh remained at logger’s head with each other. This tussle was local and personal in nature. Raja Ghammond Chand was powerful ruler and he laid the foundation to recapture all territories, which had been lost to Muslim during Jehangir’s invasion. He did succeed but was unable to capture the Kangra Fort. Hence he built a new fort at Tira Sujanpur on Beas River. This unrelenting desire of Kangra ruler to expel Muslim and become a paramount ruler in the hills was one of the causes of tussle between Kangra and Jaswan. Jaswan did not wish to submit to excessive Kangra edicts. Raja Ghammand Chand with his local successes ran into trouble with Sikh warrior leader Jassa Singh Aluwalia. This latter leader after defeating Muslims in Punjab, had his sights set at the hill states? Their fight ended in Raja Ghammand Chand’s defeat in 1770 and respite for all other little Rajas including Jaswan.
It was later left to Raja Sansar Chand from 1775 onwards to firmly deal with little Rajas and re-establish his hegemony over all the hill states. He even forced the Muslim governor Saif Ali Khan to vacate the Kangra fort, which he did but treacherously handed it over to Sikhs of Kanhaiya Misl instead to Raja Sansar Chand. Infuriated Sansar Chand asked Maharaja Ranjit Singh to intervene and a compromise was reached and finally the Kangra fort returned to the rightful owner.
Raja Sansar Chand succeeded for a short while to subdue Jaswan as well other states in the hills. He became the paramount leader with a heavy hand for dissent. It was a golden age of Kangra when painters and artists who were immigrants from Mogul court, undertook great artistic work at Kangra court. These Kashmiri painters first appeared at the court of Raja of Guler Raja Dallip Singh. Kangra & Guler were sister kingdoms with much close kinship than the other rajas. From Guler, it was his grandfather Raja Ghammand Chand who had invited them to his court. Later Raja Sansar Chand increased arts and leisure funding resulting in creation of new school of art, popularly known as “Kangra Valley Paintings” .
Raja Sansar Chand’s power was broken by the Gurkha invasion of Kangra in 1805-9. It was later Maharaja Ranjit Singh who expelled the Gurkhas and established his own supremacy over hills. He found Raja of Jaswan in 1819 not very co-operative hence annexed his Jagir. British did the rest in 1848.
Jaswan did not have a large economy. Its annul revenues never exceeded rupees ten thousand (rupees 10 lakh today). When Raja Ummed Singh of Jaswan failed to appear in person in 1818 at Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s court, he fined him his two years revenue, a sum of rupees twenty thousand. Jaswan Raja could not raise that amount hence meekly resigned his state. That does not say very high of state’s prosperity. Also when John Lawrence, the British Commissioner reached Rajpura with his small army of 500 men, Raja of Jaswan did not have enough men at his disposal to repulse him. The siege lasted a day. The big guns boomed and demolished the palace and Raja came out to surrender.
The forgoing happened when Suds/Soods had already left the Gagret/Amb/Chintpurni corridor to the interior of hills. Records are unavailable but it is fairly well known that Suds/Soods did not stay in this area for long. They had gone to newer settlements of Pargpur, Garli, Rakkar, Dehra, Jawalamukhi, Pirsaluhi, Nagrota, Mahant Dharmshala, Gumer and others. A few remained at Amb, Jaijon, Ambota, Lohara etc. Again they traveled in groups by caste, by gotra and family groups. It is hard to pinpoint the date of Suds/Soods exit from this area but it happened when Raja Ghamand Chand of Kangra and Raja Abhijraj Singh of Jaswan were still arguing about their family matters and other matters of state. The time frame is about 1764 to 1773AD.
The Suds/Soods stay in Gagret/Amb/Chintpurni is a stuff of legends. One such legend is of Chubb/ Mariya – Suds/Soods Jatheri. The shrine is located at Gujjar Choi at Gagret. It is this legend, which evokes passion. It will be told in story form a bit later.
References:
Please refer to some historical works by the following:
1. History of Punjab Hill states by John Hutchison and JP Vogel; Published Lahore 1933.
2. Gazetteer of Simla Hill states – Part 1, 1883-84.
3. A Glossary of the tribes and castes & Northwest by HA Rose, Ibbetson & Maclagen based on census report of Punjab 1883.
4. Imperial Gazetteer of India – published in multi volumes from 1880 to 1910.
5. The Emergence of Himachal Pradesh: A survey of Constitutional Developments by V. Verma; 1995
Prepared by: Hari Sud (Toronto).
on January 22nd, 2010 at 10:37 pm
Yes, Chander, Lala Biroo Mull is my first cousin. Biroo’s father and my father were brothers.
Before I go any further, Chander please identify yourself a bit more.
What is your intrest in Biroo Mull.
Cheers
Hari Sud
on January 23rd, 2010 at 4:01 am
Dear Mr. Chander Kant, I could not get your contact details readily and have sent some information about Sh Biru Mall Sood to Dr. Bhushan of SONA . You are likely to get it from him very soon.
on January 24th, 2010 at 3:29 am
Hari after sending you a mail just now about your ancestors beyond your great Grand father, I have read the contents in above paras about JASWAN State. About twenty years ago, I happened to read some historical books about PHULKIAN States in connection with fishing out customs of Succession amongst royal houses of MALWA. It was in connection with title of my house which at one time belonged to the ruler of Nabha. Your comments refresh my memory and I also observed similar hints about dispute among rulers IN Punjab and Hill states. Yours is a very good narration. Keep it up.
on February 4th, 2010 at 5:28 pm
Respected sir
How can I find any linkage regarding MANDAL gotra and jatherae near ludhiana ?
on February 10th, 2010 at 4:44 pm
Please display all jatheray of soods 52 gotra with complete address on screen
on February 17th, 2010 at 2:22 am
hI sOOD hOW ARE YOU
on February 21st, 2010 at 3:23 pm
This is a wonderful effort by the soods to promote soods.
This is for the queries of Mr Shanker Sood
SUB CASTES OF SOOD COMMUNITY OF HILL AREAS AND THEIR SACRED PLACES OF JATHERIES
S.NO. SUB CASTE NAME OF SACRED PLACE LOCATION
1. Banta Bohan Jawalaji Rani Tal Road
2. Bhagley
3. Basohal
4. Basalia
5. Bajwaria
6. Bhagra Lohara Mubarikpur-Kurloohi-Kinnoo Bharwain Road
7. Chehray
8. Chakaseday
9. Chonolia
10. Chamib
11. Chaukand
12. Chaujar Baggi Jawalaji-Khudian (Baggi)
13. Chimia
14. Cheema or Cheemray Nakroh Mubarikpur, Daulatpur Road
15. Dhopal
16. Dogar Ambota Gagret- Daulatpur Road
17. Doddal
18. Dhophmal
19. Dogan
20. Indoria
21. Jullundray
22. Jehalghat
23. Jandrangloo
24. Karol Gummer Jawalaji- Rani Tal Road
25. Kuthiala Garli Garli Khad - ke- Par
26. Kataway
27. Kalandar
28. Kandal
29. Laserday
30. Lakhanty
31. Langey
32. Lahespar
33. Saluria Behdala Una- Nangal Road
34. Lamsay Jaijon Jaijon-Santokhgarh Road, 2 km. from Jaijon
35. Ling
36. Mithey or Mithoo Chandpur 8 km. from Jaijon
37. Mahdodia, Mehdodia Bal Khalsa Una- Pirnagaha Road
38. Mangwalich
39. Mehtay
40. Mand
41. Nehdal
42. Pnalkolia
43. Phagdey
44. Paptopay (Paway) Babu Nath Shah Village Purmandal 25 km. from Samba (Jammu)
45. Panbalia
46. Shall
47. Sabloria
48. Sawali
49. Sah
50. Saraup
51. Takalo
52. Butail
53. Kaunsal
SUB CASTES OF SOOD COMMUNITY OF PLAINS AND THEIR SACRED PLACES OF JATHERIES
S.NO. SUB CASTE NAME OF SACRED PLACE LOCATION
1. Burnwal
2. Baurie
3. Balgan
4. Bery
5. Badhoo Chamaru
6. Bharak
7. Bodhi
8. Bhokhi
9. Behal
10. Brahmi
11. Bhola
12. Dosaj Dhandra 4 km. from Ludhiana
13. Dhanda
14. Dhati
15. Dhiri
16. Dhookhi
17. Daddan
18. Dhaunchak
19. Deli
20. Dhoop
21. Gandel or GONDEL or GONDAL ?
22. Gajri Palasour 5 km. from Taran Taran
23. Gopal Sati Shiv Mandir Fatehgarh Road, Hoshiarpur
24. Gajjey
25. Jari
26. Janpal
27. Kajley
28. Khurpay
29. Lav or lau
30. Mohindra
31. Momman
32. Mohni
33. Mukand
34. Mandal
35. Mahiyar (Mayor)
36. Makaurey
37. Nandoo
38. Nehra
39. Phassi
40. Parwaha
41. Paul
42. Poora
43. Phakka
44. Rora
45. Rodher
46. Rohnir
47. Sulhan
48. Sanwal
49. Tagaley
50. Teji
51. Ugal Virk Phagwara-Ludhiana Road, 8km. from Phagwara
52. Udhar
53. Sallan Sood Shimla.
Dr Shailesh Paul Sood
Agriculture Development Officer
District Kinnaur Himachal Pradesh India
http://in.linkedin.com/pub/shailesh-paul-sood/10/498/457
on February 27th, 2010 at 5:04 pm
Dr. Shailesh Sood
You missed one for the Hill Soods.
It is for Chubb & Mariyas. It is at Gagret (Gujjar Choi).
Cheers
Hari Sud
Toronto
on February 27th, 2010 at 5:05 pm
Kangra & other Hill States Economy in Medieval Times
Hill states of Kangra, Jaswan, Kutlehar, Chamba, Bhasohli, Mandi, Kullu, Bilaspur and other principalities during the Mogul times had their brush with prosperity with export of rice, potato, ghee, honey, and opium etc. These hill states were accessed via a trade route, which began in the plains of Jullundhar Doab. This trade was distinctly different from trade, which occurred in the Shimla Hills states who relied on trade with Tibet via Kinnaur valley and thru the Shipki Pass. Trade thru these routes was not heavy hence it never became an issue with the British colonizers. They never explored it in great details.
The hill states of Kangra and other neighboring principalities had an ancient mule traveled route, which originated in Mandi and connected to Hoshiarpur on one side went beyond Kullu and Kinnaur on the other side. It passed via Una and Jaijon then to Hoshiarpur. Beyond Mandi, it connected to the Kullu Valley. It was this trade route, which supplied Jaswan-Dun & Kangra rice to the aforementioned hill states and brought wool in return. Trade as far away as Yarkand, although minor also flowed thru it. Upper reaches of Shimla hill states also relied on this link via Suket, Bilaspur and Arki to connect to the plains of Punjab. At the time of the Mogul rule in Punjab, the Shimla – Kalka link did not exist.
The hills beyond Hoshiarpur and to its north had its terrain and geography defined by rivers Beas and Sutlej. The latter river defined the culture and climatic boundaries of much of the Kangra & other states along it. In the high altitude region beyond Kullu valley, where the Beas River just emerges out of the snowy mountains, it is cool with a shorter crop-growing season. Thru the Kullu valley it supports life but with narrow and rugged surroundings both in Kullu and in Mandi not enjoy much progress in agriculture. It is in the temperate conditions in the Kangra, where the river slows its splash to gentle glide that farming is possible on a commercial scale. Even this is limited as there is limited land available to farm. Hence this trade route following the course of Beas River was limited in scope. Yet it was this route that religious-cultural influences of mainland Hindustan traveled to the interior hills all thru out the ages. Even Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang followed this rivers course to travel thru the Himalayas. Even prior to that, some mythical Rishis & Munis who established their hermitage in the Himalayas came along the Beas River route.
What do the hill people trade?
Beyond the plains of Punjab, in the hill countries, food articles were main items of trade. Whereas the food flowed towards the hills, wool, fruit, and opium etc. flowed towards the plains. In the latter part of the nineteenth century timber became the premier export item. Timber, much of it flowed down the river Sutlej, from Shimla Hill states and reached the plains. Much of the other trade was carried on donkeys and mules on dirt pathways, which over millenniums of use had become almost, like a highway. Later it was the straighter dirt route of Kalka-Shimla, which began to operate around 1820, broke the monopoly of the former trade routes.
Kangra and its sister states of Jaswan, Kutlehar, Bhasoli had economies, which could not support a large population base. Hence from the time of Tirigatha Kingdom of the ancient times, extra mouths were fed by income from elsewhere. Examples of this have been numerous. Rajput population base of the area preferred military service; hence they took up military service with Moguls or other kingdoms. Other castes have been known to become cultivators and land tillers of wealthy landlords of Punjab and Jammu. During their service they sent money back home hence established the now famous remittance economy of Kangra.
Kangra & Mogul tax collectors
Although Muslim rule had begun in Hindustan five hundred years earlier, it was during Mogul Akbar’s rein that he decided to pay greater attention to the hill states beyond Hoshiarpur. His trip (some authors dispute that he ever visited Kangra) to the Jawalamukhi temple in about 1560 is well known. All hill rajas accepted his suzerainty and accepted him as their overlord. Akbar’s military general could not capture the hill fortress of Kangra, hence left they left it alone. He sent his chief revenue minister Lala Toddar Mull to assess the hill rajas and establish a system of tribute payment. The clever Toddar Mull assessed each state in such a way that he took away the lion’s share of the revenue earnings for Delhi Empire and left a little bit for the local rajas. In the face of massive power the rajas meekly accepted the offer and impoverished themselves as well as their people. Hence the hill people who were not well off to begin with became even poorer. It was not until the Mogul empire began to break up after 1707 that the hill rajas began to exert themselves and expel the Muslim influences. They even began fighting for their rightful place not pay tribute even before Aurangzeb’s death in 1707.
One such battle took place between Raja Bhim Chand of Bilaspur and Mogul tax collector in 1691 at Nadaun. Guru Govind Singh the tenth Guru came in person for the battle. He provided a great description of this battle in his autobiography “Bichitar Natak”. The battle ended in a victory for the hill rajas. Aurangzeb in south India fighting bigger battles with Marathas and other Hindu confederacies ordered no further action as he had his hands tied in Punjab and elsewhere. Just about then most other rajas also showed reluctance to pay tribute. These unsettled conditions lasted another fifty years when Nadir Shah sacked Delhi in 1739 and Ahmed Shah Abdali began mounting raids to Punjab and Delhi. It was Raja Ghammond Chand of Kangra who vowed to rid the hills of Muslim influences and he succeeded. Except that he still could not capture the Kangra Fort, which had been in Mogul possession for the last 150 years. It was later captured with Sikh assistance.
Jaswan at the time of Sud/Sood arrival
Much of the Muslim influences in Kangra & surroundings were gone when Sud/Soods arrived in Jaswan state. Still it was not a prosperous state. The ancient trade route still passed thru it but trade had reduced to a trickle. Some food grains supplies; cotton textiles were urgent imports by the hill people, flowed thru this route in return for rice, ghee, honey and mangoes. As stated above this route passed thru Jaswan state, since this state was a smaller kingdom as compared to Kangra, it dared not interfere with the free flow of goods. It was Raja Abhiraj Singh’s desire that Suds/Soods manage not only the trade flow but also micro-manage the credit system within his state to uplift the people. Capital had been virtually dried out over last two hundred years of Mogul suzerainty. It was Raja’s express wish that people of his state be uplifted. Wherever needed capital be provided to improve the lot of the people? He wished that Suds/Soods go into the interior of his state and become money managers. That was one of the reasons of his reluctance to give land grants to Suds/Soods at the convenient location of Gagret – Amb. Although he wished some of them to stay closer to his capital, but he wished most to relocate to the villages in the interior. Hence within 3-5 years after arrival at Gagret Suds/Soods were heading to the villages of Pragpur, Garli, Rakkar, Pirsaluhi, Kaloha, Nagrota, Dehra, Jawalamukhi, Ambota, Jaijoan and many other Sud villages.
References:
1. Social, cultural and economic history of Himachal Pradesh by Manjit Singh Ahluwalia
2. Traditional Trade and Trading centers of Himachal Pradesh by Poonam Minhas
3. Budhist Art and Antiquities of Himachal Pradesh by OC Handa.
on February 28th, 2010 at 3:15 pm
I would recommend that if you can lay your hands on the following books, please do read them as there are some aspects that you seem to be overlooking;
1.Indian merchants and Eurasian Trade 1600-1750, S Dale (Cambridge, 1994)
2.The Indian Diaspora in Central Asia and its trade 1550-1990, S Levi (Leiden, Brill 2002).
3. Horse Traders, Jos Gommans.
It would also be of interest to read about the social, cultural and religious reasons for the Soods to have shifted from warfare to overland trade.
I am working on this, but the ideas are still very vague, not having sufficeint original sources.
Anyway, good for an overview.
on March 1st, 2010 at 12:41 am
Thank you Chander
I am having difficulty establishing connection between Suds/Soods to arms dealing and horse trading from 1600 to 1750.
Yes, there were Indian (Hindu & Jain merchants) who imported horses for the Moguls from Turkish lands in central Asia. Were they Suds/Soods? A few references suggest that they were Khattari traders. Others were Turkish and Persian traders..
I am eagerly awaiting your research to connect Suds/Soods to the horse and arms trade of Mogul Times. The references you mention above (I have one of them) do not go into details of the traders and their lineage.
The papers I have read tell me that Suds/Soods were in Sirhind for about 200 years before they left Sirhind after its destruction in 1763s. That means that Soods had called Sirhind their home since 1550 (Akbar’s time).
Did Akbar put them on to the arms and horse trade business, I do not know.
Again there is a reference that suggest that Suds/Soods acquired that cover all last name of Sud/Sood surname at Sirhind. Before that they had multiple gotras. Some had lineage from banyan clan others from Khattri clan. Some could be Kashatriyas. The last one has my doubts. They micro managed the credit system hence were critical to grain trade. That is when Sud/Sood catch all phrase was coined. This is my inference when geneology and gotras of lot Suds/Soods in the hills is studied. None of them is Kshatriyas.
All the sub-castes in the hills today have their origin linked to either places of residence or a person or profession etc. Like Butails are offspring of one illustrious Butta Mull. Kuthialas were Kothi Walas of the king. Chubbs are the offspring of a father whose one son stuttered and the other son was thin and weak - Mariyas. (I am releting here a legend not written facts). Chubbs & Mariyas are cousins. They share the same gotra and Jatheri, hence do not inter-marry.
My point here is that my description above is post Mogul era economy in the hill country of Kangra and other states. Also, how do you connect Suds/Soods to horse and arms traders of Mogul times.
I am awaiting your research.
Thanks again
Cheers
Hari Sud
Toronto.