Bajwa: Background Information

Bajwa (Punjabi: ਬਾਜਵਾ) (Hindi: बाजवा) (Urdu: باجوہ) is a clan of tribal group native to the Punjab region, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. This clan originally belonged to the region known as 'Bajwath' situated on the border of Kashmir and Punjab. They are now spread across the Punjab region divided between India and Pakistan.

Bajwa is a well-known last name amongst people in Punjab provinces of both India and Pakistan. Jat clan is found in Sialkot, Amritsar, Multan and Sahiwal areas. According to one theory, the word "Bajwa" is derived from the term Baaz Wala, which can be loosely translated to "Owner of Falcon" or "Person having Falcons". "Baaz" or "Baaj" (pronounced as "Baaz" in colloquial Punjabi) is the Arabic word for hawk or falcon, while "wala" is an Indian suffix indicating a person owning (a given thing) or living (in a given area). Bajwa in Persian also means "those who levied tax". Members of Bajwa clan living in the Bajwat area (the Sialkot and Narowal districts in Punjab) were well known warriors. They fought against many invading armies that included Timur, Ahmed Shah Abdali, and others, who invaded India from the northwest.

Religion:

• Muslims 52%

• Sikh 44%

• Hindu 4%

Punjab before 1947:

Punjab after 1947: