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'''Gandhar'''  or '''Gandhara'''  is a ''[[gotra]]'' or tribe of [[Khatri]] found in the states of [[Haryana]] and [[Punjab (India)|Punjab]] in [[India]] as well as the province of [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]] in [[Pakistan]]. During the [[Mahabharata]] period, the present-day [[Kandahar]] province of [[Afghanistan]] used to be known as Gandhar.
Some Gandhars are former Gandhi.
== Etymology ==

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

The third note in the Indian Classical music system is also called as Gandhar.

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

== Geographic distribution ==
=== Uttar Pradesh ===

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

=== The Punjab region ===

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

== Religion ==

The Gaindhu, Gaindha, Gaindhal and Gandhar gotras are also found amongst the [[Hindu]] Khathris of Punjab (Pakistan). All of them trace their origin to Kandahar.

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

== References ==

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

[[Category:Punjabi tribes]]
[[Category:Social groups of India]]
[[Category:Social groups of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Khatri clans]]


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