| VRIK
Genealogy of Suryavansh Virk, Virak, Wirk, Birk, Birkh, Birakh, Vrik, Varika, Barik, Birak is a gotra of the Jat clan found in Punjab and Rajasthan and Pakistan. It is same as Varik. Typically, Virks are tall, thin and fair skinned. In the Western Punjab Virks are supposed to belong to Mahe dynasty, and Minhas are considered to be brethren of the Virks. Birk and Virk gotras are of same origin. Only due to linguistic differences pronunciation is different
Origin :
Hyrcania on Map showing the route of Alexander the Great
Virk is very ancient clan known to Panini in the form of Vrika.
V. S. Agrawala mentions the names of Ayudhjivi Sanghs in the Panini's
Ashtadhyayi Sutras which include Vrika (V.3.115). Their Country
was Varkania or Hyrcania called Gurgan in modern Persian.
Vrik, a warrior tribe, is mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi.
Vrikarupya, is mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi.
Vriksh, vanaspati is mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi.
History
:
The Country of Vrikas: [p.444]: The Country of Vriks seems to have being the same as Hyrcania lying to the north of Parthia and on the eastern corner of the Caspian (mod. Persian Gurgan, from Vrika=Gurg, in the valley of River of that name in the fertile district of Astarabad. The Persians distinguished the Varks and infact all the northern war like equestrian people as Sakas (Persepolis Tomb Inscription, Saka para-daria).
The name Vrik was known throughout the north-west as shown by its derivatives found in the several languages near Panini’s homeland, e.g. Ishkashmi werk, Yidgha wurk, wurg etc. The title Bakanapati or Barkanapati, the chief of Varkans, is applied to a Saka Governor of Mathura who was associated with the foundation and repair of Devkul of Wima Kadphises (JRAS,1924, p.402; JBORS, xvi,p.258), whom Jayaswal identified as Hyrcanian Saka. Panini’s acquaintance with a branch of Sakas is not surprising, since he uses Saka word Kantha meaning 'town' in six sutras. The Sakas were very ancient race referred to in the old Persian Inscriptions of Darius and settled both in Sakasthan and on the borders of Parthia which were connected with Bahlik and Gandhar. Katyayana also has the expression Saka-Parthav in a varttik showing that in the 4th century BC he knew of Sakas and the Parthians, probably by way of commerce, previous to their political invasions.
The Virks are also a section of the Jats in the Punjab, who originally seem to have been Scythians.
V. S. Agrawala writes that Panini mentions village name in category ending Rupya (IV.2.106) - The Kasik mentions Vrikarupya (Vrika-rupya). Vijayendra Kumar Mathur writes that Panini mentioned a janpad called Vrika in Punjab. It was probably Vrikasthal, which is the ancient name of Bagpat. Some people believe that Bagpat is derived from Vrikprasth. Vriksthal (=Vrikprasth) was one of five places demanded by Pandavs to end the quarrel.
V. S. Agrawala writes that there is also the possibility that another Persian tribe came to be known in India in Panini’s time who refers to Vrikas as an Ayudhajivi Sangh, a community that lived by the profession of arms. An individual member of this tribe was called in Sanskrit as Varkenya, a term which seems to correspond to Varakan of the Behistun Inscription. The whole tribe was called Vrika, which corresponds to Vark in plural number in the same Saka-Haumavark in the Naksh-i-Rustam Inscription. The Vrikas thus appear to be a section of warlike Saka tribes. (Cf.ante,pp.443-4).
Ram Swarup Joon writes In the Sabha Parv, Mahabharat / Book II Chapter 48, while describing various Kings who attended a ceremony in the Durbar (court) of Maharaj Yudhisthir, seventeen names are mentioned which are today found as Jat gotras. These are Malhi, Mylaw, Sindhar, Gandhar, Mahity, Mahe, Savi, Bath, Dharan, Virk, Dard, Shaly, Matash, Kukar (Khokar) Kak, Takshak, Sand, Bahik (Bathi) Bije (Bijenia), Andhra, Sorashtra (Rathi) Mann, Ar, Sohat, Kukat, Othiwal (Othval).
Ram Swarup Joon writes about Virk - Minhas: In the Western Punjab Virks are supposed to belong to Mahe dynasty, and Minhas are considered to be brethren of the Virks. They are mentioned in the history of Gujars. The name of the ancestor of the Virk gotra was Virk Vardhan. According to Patan Jali Bhashya 4.6-114, Ashtadhyayi l-6-155 Mahabhasya 4-2-154 and Kashik varti 1-1-175, Raja Virk Vardhan had his forts in Kasrud (Mandsor),
Central India, Shakil (Sialkot) Sosaph, Dathaprasth, Naudipur, Koak, Kandew, Mul, Pav Datt, Karkar, Virkgary, etc.
According to historians the present Sheikhupur was the site of Virkgarh.
According to Yugendrapal Virks are Vahiks who are mentioned in the Mahabharat and who took one sixth of the income of King Shalya. In the 4th century AD they had a powerful kingdom. They were contemporaries of Gupta rulers. According to Brij Indra Bhaskar, in 428 AD the Virk rulers performed a big Yagya near Bayan and constructed a Pillar, on which they mentioned as Virks. Rock inscriptions of Yashodharman have been found in Mandsor. Their reign in Malwa came to an end in 462.
King Singhvarma belonging to this dynasty ruled from 535 AD to 585 AD. He had two sons Narvarma and Chandravarma. Chandravarma's son was Yashovarman. According to a rock inscription found in Gandhar, he was an independent ruler. He had two sons, Bhimvarma and Bandhuvarma. Bondhuvarma was defeated by the Gupta rulers and Bhimvarma was appointed the Savant of a principality near Kausambhi but once more he became independent and allying himself with Anu Gupta fought the Huns. This has been referred to in the "Chandra Viyakaran".
Bhandhuvarman's son was Yashodharman and his son Shiladitya.
The Virk Jat Kapur Singh founded Kapurthala and made it his capital. Before Punjab's partition Sir Shahabuddin, member of the Punjab assembly and Secretary of Jat Sabha belonged to Tar in Sialkot. Jandiala in Amritsar belonged to the Virks.
B S Dahiya writes: It is one of the most important clan. It is mentioned by Panini and V.S. Agrawal has identified Virk with the Jats. The same identification has been mentioned by Buddha Prakash. Mahabhasya mentions Vrik and its derivative Varkenya, the Varkan of the Persians, and Hyrcan of the Greeks. The Caspian sea was once called the Sea of Vrkans (Hyrcanian). The identification of Hyrcan with Varkn has also been mentioned by Rawlinson in his History of Herodotus, he mentions that even in the thirteenth century, their country in Central Asian was mentioned as Urkanich in Yakut. According to Herodotus they fought in the battle of Thermopylae under their leader named Megapanus, who was afterwards Satrap of Babylonia. They are one of the earliest clans too enter India, and up to the sixth century A.D. at least they were ruling in Malwa under their king Vishnuvardhan, Vrik. The Vriks are remembered in the Brahma, Vaman and Markandeya Purans. Their antiquity goes very much deep in the past. A country called Uruk / Wark is mentioned in Sumeria, along with a country called Gutium. In fact, Trigan, the last Gutian King in the twenty-second century B.C. was defeated by Utu-Khegal, the ruler of Wark country. It is possible that this country has been named after them. The word Vrik in Sanskrit means a wolf the same as Russian Volka, which also means the same. The river Volga is named after. In the Kushan period an officer of Vim Kadphises was a Vrik, according to K.P.Jayaswal.
According to Patan Jali Bhashya 4.6-114, Ashtadhyayi l-6-155 Mahabhasya 4-2-154 and Kashik varti 1-1-175, Raja Virk Vardhan had his forts in Kasrud (Mandsaur) , Central India, Shakil (Sialkot) Sosaph, Dathaprasth, Naudipur, Koak, Kandewa, Mul, Pav Datt, Karkar, Virkgary etc.
According to historians the present Sheikhupura was the site of Virkgarh.
According to Th. Yugendrapal Virks are Vahikas who are mentioned in the Mahabharata and who took one sixth of the income of King Shalya. In the 4th century AD they had a powerful kingdom. They were contemporaries of Gupta rulers. According to Brij Indra Bhaskar, in 428 AD the Virk rulers performed a big Yagya near Bayana and constructed a Pillar, on which they mentioned as Virks. Rock inscriptions of Yasodharman have been found in Mandsaur. Their reign in Malwa came to an end in 462 AD.
King Singhavarma belonging to this dynasty ruled from 535 AD to 585 AD. He had two sons Narvarma and Chandravarma. Chandravarma's son was Yasovarman. According to a rock inscription found in Gandhar, he was an independent ruler. He had two sons, Bhimvarma and Bondhuvarma. Bondhuvarma was defeated by the Gupta rulers and Bhimvarma was appointed the Savant of a principality near Kausambhi but once more he became independent and allying himself with Anu Gupta fought the Huns. This has been referred to in the "Chandra Viyakaran".
Bhandhuvarma's son was Yasodharman and his son Shiladitya.
The Virk Jat Kapur Singh founded Kapurthala and made it his capital. Before Punjab's partition Sir Shahabuddin, member of the Punjab assembly and Secretary of Jat Sabha belonged to Tar in Sialkot. Jandiala in Amritsar belonged to the Virks.
Tracking
the very first Aryans to come to our land :
While researching the ancient origins of Lahore, and Punjab, in the `Vishnu Puran` one name kept repeatedly coming up in almost every ancient text consulted, and that was the name `Vrkan.
There was good reason to research this clan of ancient settlers of Loh`s settlement, for they were among the very first Aryans in recorded history, even though more in the mythological texts. Who were these people who assisted the Bharats, the ancient rulers of Lahore, and who it seems were central to the rulers of their kingdom, especially in the `Battle of the Ten Kings` or Dasrajna War as described in the`Mahabharat.
Scholars call this era the `primitive mythoheroic stage of Hindu beliefs.` The area of their influence included Lahore, Sialkot, Virkgarh (today`s Sheikhupura) and right up to the Indus. The Vrkan, or as we today spell it as the `Virk` clan, today live in the western villages around Lahore and Sheikhupur.
After 1947 the Virks of Sikh and Hindu faith moved eastwards across the `dividing line.
The Muslim Virks remained in their ancestral lands, if you can call it that. They are after all a very ancient people, the hrst of the Aryans that moved from the Caucasian region towards Iran and then to the sub-continent.
My fascination for these people stems from a small incident that many years ago I experienced as young journalist in Lahore. An official of the electricity department told me: `We can eke out power dues from a stone, but not from the inhabitants of the Virk villages near Sheikhupura.` I was to later learn that even removing their meters, let alone the distribution equipment had fatal consequences. But then this was the exception not the rule.
Since then I had wanted to understand this unique clan. I first heard of these people when hitch-hiking to Europe in the late 1970 when I was at an age where you can `fly on thin air.` A sailor we met on the Black Sea told us that the nearby Caspian Sea was originally called the Sea of Vrkans, or of the Virk people who now inhabit villages around Lahore.
That a sailor on the Black Sea knew about Lahore pleased me to no end. Today the entire area between Sheikhupura, originally named Virkgarh till Mughal emperor Jahangir renamed it, up to Lahore and northward till Sialkot was the territory ruled by Raja Virk Vardan. The Punjabi poet Waris Shah was born in Jandiala, considered the epicentre of Virk country.
The history of the Virk clan goes back quite a few thousand years. If you happen to go through the Rig Ved you will time and again come across their mention, mostly as the doings of Prince Dasyave Vrik. These Jats have been identified as among the first Aryans to come over from Iran`s province of Varkania, which from Persian translates as the `land of Virks`.
But if we consult the ancient texts of Punjab, especially the Patanjali Bhashya and the famous Ashtadhyayi, we come across the Virk rulers building forts and cities all over Punjab.
It is in the Mahabhasya that we see reference to Lahore being an abode of the Virk, or the `Virkan` as they are named. Amazingly, even today that is how they address each other.
An Indian scholar T. Yugendra Pal after intense research is of the opinion that the city of Bahawalpur was built by the Virk, who he claims are the Vahiks warriors mentioned in the Mahabharat, who were based in Madradesh, or Sialkot as we know it today. Their kingdom `spread alongside the river right up to the citadel of Loh.` We all know that Lahore is named after Loh, the son of Ram, whose origins we have dwelt on considerably in these columns.
These warrior people extracted a sixth of all incomes of the small rulers` right across the sub-continent. Which means that the Virks must have been an important clan when the Battle of the Ten Kings took place on the banks of the Ravi at Lahore.
The Virks are known to have built 11 major forts across their kingdom, including the one at Virkgary, or Virkgarh (Sheikhupura). The remains of that crumbling fort need to be conserved and excavations carried out to understand the past of these magnificent people.
Other traces of their kingdom can be seen in the rock pillars of Yasodharman of 462 AD, where the Virk are clearly mentioned.
But then we can see a much more ancient trace of these Jat people, and they in the 2,200 BC, that is 4,200 years ago, find mention as the conquerors of the last of the Gutian kings.
These people are said to have come from the land of Wark, which most experts believe was from Virk country. Researchers have pinned them down to Caucasian origins. In Daksiputra Panini`s great Sanskrit grammar classic `Ashtadhyayi`, we find the Sanskrit work Vrik as meaning a `wolf`, which has the same origin as the Russian word `Volka` after which is named the river Volga.
The Greek historian Herodotus describes the Vraks as being `tall, muscular, loyal, sharp witted and very courageous.` Over the ages they have shown their determination to remain a free people. While researching for this piece it was a delight to find out that the very first lady fighter pilot of the Islamic world was a Pakistani woman named Hina Tahir Virk, whom Pakistan Air Force sources tell us is an exceptionally daring fighter pilot. So we have before us a clan who over the last 5,000 years have shown their bravery and mental agility. Today they are fighters in both the Pakistani and Indian armies, not to forget mention of some very `intelligent` politicians on both sides the border.
Over the last 500 years we have seen that the Virk Jats convert either to Islam or to Sikhism. There is a sizeable Hindu Virk population in India. Relatively recently, in historical terms, the rise of the militant Sikhs can be seen in the shape of an outstanding Virk chief, Nawab Kapur Singh Virk, who founded the Dal Khalsa.
He then divided it into 12 `misls`. So the real force of militant Sikhism were the Virks.
Nawab Kapur Singh Virk founded Singhpura of Lahore and the Misl of this area is known in history as Singhpuria Misl. In a way the rise of the Sikhs owe a lot to the brave Virks.
If you read the Sikh scriptures of Bhai Gurdas, you will see that the Virks are attributed as being horse and buffalo traders. British records tell us of the finest trackers (khojees) of lost animals as belonging to the Virk clan. So they know now to respect and look after their animals.
The most famous quote about the Virk came from Maharajah Ranjit Singh, who advised that if on a journey between Lahore (where he ruled) and Gujranwala (where he belonged to), it was best to avoid Virk territory. Such was their influence and clout, both economic and political, then and still remains.
It is interesting just how in ancient texts of the sub-continent, mostly written about events that took place in the area today called Pakistan, we find events that need to be recognised, for it is the amazing past of our land. We must learn to appreciate our history and learn lessons from it. There is much more to our soil than meets the eye.
In
the History of Herodotus :
•
Busae (the present Bassi)
In
Mahavansh :
Mahavansh / Chapter 32 tells....When the thera Abhaya heard this he described those two gifts, to rejoice the king's heart withal, in manifold ways which includes :
• The thera Mahavyaggha gave thereof to seven hundred (bhikkhus) in the Ukkanagar-vihar and then ate of it himself. (Vrik is a Jat clan)
Wahlik
- Work - Varic :
This Chandra Jat kingdom is from ancient times. Wahlik country was established in the name of the people of this dynasty. It is also later called Balkh, Bactria and Bakhtri. (See 3rd chapter, Wahlik-Varick episode).
The
kingdom of these people was in Sumeria in 2600 BC. In his name,
this country was called Work Country. Along with them was Gutiyam
Desh (country of Jats).
Rawlinson writes in the book 'History of Herodotes' that "these Virk people had a country called 'Varkanik' in Central Asia (in Russia's Yakutsk province) in 1300 AD. These people fought in the battle of Thermopylae (in Greece) under the leadership of their leader Megapanus. After this war, this leader was appointed governor of Babylonia. ”(Book 4, page 163).
Country Virk people Virkania in (Greek Hirkania) called was that situation Parthia north of the Caspian Sea was before. There was also Hirakanya mountain named after him. When these people had power over the Caspian Sea region, that sea was called 'Hirakaniya Sea'.
Persia Jat emperor Darius (Darius) Nearly 521 E 0 E 0 515 E 0 E 0 Virk, Kang in the Black Sea and the other empires and Scythian Jats attacked state. But could not subdue the Jats from Sindh to Kalasagar. It will be described in further pages in the episode of Manda Empire.
Villages
founded Virk by clan :
In
mahabharat :
Adi Parva, Mahabharat / Mahabharat Book I Chapter 177 mentions the Kshatriyas came on Swayamvar of Draupadi. Vrik is included in verse (I.177.9).
Udyog Parv / Mahabharat Book V Chapter 31 mentions that Pandavs were desirous of peace and demanded only five villages: Kushasthal, Vriksthal, Asandi, Varanvat, and for the fifth any other village to end the quarrel.
Karn Parv / Mahabharat Book VIII Chapter 30 Mentions This Tribe In Derogatory Sense As A Bias For Many Clans Of Vahik Country: "The Karasakaras, The Mahishkas, The Kalings, The Kikats, The Atavis, The Karkotaks were Viraks and other Peoples of no religion, one should always avoid".
Anushasan Parv / Book XIII Chapter 116 gives List of Kings who had abstained from flesh in Kartik month. Vrik is included in verse (XIII.116.67). These other kings also, viz., Syenachitr and Somak and Vrik and Raivat and Rantidev and Vasu and Srinjay did not eat flesh for the month of Kartik".
Source :
https://www.jatland.com/ |
