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'''Gandhar''' or '''Gandhara''' is a ''[[gotra]]'' or clan of [[Jat]]s found in the states of [[Uttar Pradesh]] and [[Punjab (India)|Punjab]] in [[India]] as well as the province of [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]] in [[Pakistan]]. 

== Etymology ==

The clan takes its name from the ancient [[Gandhara]] kingdom of the [[Mahabharata]] (the modern-day province of [[Kandahar Province|Kandahar]] in [[Afghanistan]]).

== Origin ==

During the Mahabharata period, the present-day ''Kandahar'' province of Afghanistan used to be known as ''Gandhar''. Gandhara, the son of Arh, founded the city of Gandhar (the modern-day city of [[Kandahar]]) and made it his capital. The princess of Gandhara, [[Gandhari]] was married to [[Dhritarashtra]] and was the mother of the [[Kaurava]]s. The descendants of Gandhar rulers are known as Gandhars. 

The ruins of the Gandhara kingdom can be found throughout Afghanistan and Pakistan. In  [[Nowshera]] in the [[North West Frontier Province]] in Pakistan, there is even a barren area called the ''Gandhara Mound''.

== Related clans ==

Gaindhu, Gaindha, Gaindhal, Gaindhar and Gaindhrawal are gotras related to the Gandhara gotra.

== Geographic distribution ==

=== Uttar Pradesh ===

The Gandhar Jats are found in the village of ''Raghunathpur'' in the ''Bisauli'' tehsil in the [[Badaun District|Badaun]] in Uttar Pradesh. 

=== The Punjab region ===

Jats belonging to gotras related to the Gandhar gotra are found in Punjab (India) as well as Punjab (Pakistan).

== Religion ==

Most Gandhar Jats are [[Hindu]]s. 

The Gaindhu, Gaindha, Gaindhal and Gandhar gotras are also found amongst the [[Muslim]] Jats of Punjab (Pakistan). They  all trace their origin to Kandahar.

In the [[Aligarh District|Aligarh]] district of Uttar Pradesh, there are some Hindu Jats belonging to the Gaindhar  gotra.  

Among the [[Sikh]] Jats, there are some gotras that are called  Gaindhrawal or Gaindhar.

== References ==

*Ram Swaroop Joon: History of Jats, India
*Jat Samaj: Agra November 1999

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{{Castes and Tribes of the Punjab}}


[[Category:Social groups of India]]
[[Category:Social groups of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Jat]]
[[Category:Gotras of Jats]]