Paracha (Urdu: پراچہ, Hindi: पराचा) or Piracha (Urdu: پِراچہ, Hindi: पिराचा), also known as Peracha, Piracha ,Pracha, and Paracha, is a family name in India and Pakistan, most common in the Punjab region.[1]
| Origin | |
|---|---|
| Region of origin | Indian subcontinent |
| Other names | |
| Variant form(s) | Paracha, Peracha, Pracha, Paracha, Peratcha |
History edit
The Paracha caste is native to the Gandhara region of the Indian subcontinent, with the caste name being of Hindi origin.[2]
The Rawalpindi Gazetteer recorded the principal settlements of the Paracha as being Makhad and Attock, stating that the Paracha were of Hindu origin, as with the Khoja; many Piracha later converted to Islam.[3]
The Gazetteer of the Shahpur District mentioned that the Piracha caste engaged in trade and preferred to record their transactions in Hindi, as with the Khoja.[4]
Today, the Pirachas are scattered all over the world.
Fictional characters edit
- Kaneez Paracha, a character from Ackley Bridge
- Nasreen Paracha, a character from Ackley Bridge
References edit
- ^ Paracha, Nadeem F. (22 January 2017). "Dubious ancestors". Dawn. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
- ^ Journal of Asian Civilisations, Volume 28. Taxila Institute of Asian Civilisations. 2005. p. 72.
Reminiscent of the millennium before Christ, Paracha, a Hindi word, has been in common use as a tribal designation in Gandhara and surrounding provinces, for centuries.
- ^ Gazetteer of the Rawalpindi District, Revised Edition (1893-94). Civil and Military Gazette Press. 1896. p. 104.
The principal settlements of Parachas are at Makhad and Attock, both on the Indus. They are a race of traders who transactions extend to Turkistan and the Khanates. They are converted Hindus, and seem to be much the same as Khojas.
- ^ Wilson, J. (1897). Gazetteer of the Shahpur District. Civil and Military Gazette Press. p. 91.
The Musalman Khoja and Piracha traders however mostly keep their accounts in Hindi.