Sodhi Explained

Group:	Sodhi
Popplace:	India
Langs:	Punjabi, Hindi

Sodhi is a clan of Khatris^[1] and Jatts^[2] originated from the Indian Punjab.

Some notable Sikh Gurus, from Hari Das, Guru Ram Das, Prithi Chand, to Guru Arjan were of Sodhi surname.^{[3] [4] [5]}

Origin

Mythological origin

In the Bachittar Natak Guru Gobind Singh wrote the origin of Sodhi clan and described them as linear descendants of Lava, one of the twin sons of Sita and Rama.

Traceable Origin

According to the legend, some of the descendants migrated to Sanaudh where the clan chieftain married the daughter of the king and had a son named Sodhi Rai whose descendants ruled over the Sanaudh region now known as east and west Punjab and Haryana and some parts of Himachal Pradesh in northern India.

The Sodhis of Anandpur Sahib are descendants of Sodhi Suraj Mal, one of Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji's sons and brother of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. The Sodhis of Anandpur held revenue free lands in Anandpur Sahib and various other parts of Punjab.^[6] They were the ruling family of Anandpur Sahib.^[7]

History

At the time of the Sikh Empire, Maharaja Ranjit Singh awarded revenue-free grants to Sodhis, who were not strictly associated with any particular religion and usually "maintained a considerable number of horsemen". Towards the end of his reign, the total worth of jaigirs was 500,000 a year. Ranjit Singh lavishly patronised a descendant of Dhir Mahal, Sodhi Sadhu Singh, with a gift of several villages.^[8]

The original copy of the Adi Granth, also known as the Kartarpuri Bir, is reported to be in the possession of the descendants of Sodhi Sadhu Singh at Kartarpur.^{[9] [10]}

Notables of Sodhi family

Entertainment

• Shruti Sodhi, Indian actress
• Shellee Sodhi, Indian poet, film lyricist and writer.

Fictional

• Roshan Singh Sodhi, fictional character in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah
• Colonel Balbir Singh Sodhi, fictional character in Kohram played by Amitabh Bacchan
• Ajeet Sodhi as politician, fictional character in Tabbar played by Ranvir Shorey

Politics

• Daya Singh Sodhi, Indian politician from BJP
• Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, International shooter and politician

Sports

• Balbir Singh Sodhi, murder victim of 9/11 attack in USA
• Harvinder Sodhi, Indian first-class cricketer
• Ish Sodhi, New Zealand-based international cricketer
• Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, International shooter and politician
• Reetinder Singh Sodhi, Ex International Indian cricketer And Captain of Indian under 16 World Cup winning team in 1998.
  • Ronjan Sodhi international shooter athlete, Asian Games Gold Medalist in double-trap Surinder Singh Sodhi, Captain of Indian Hockey team who won the gold medal in 1980 Olympics .

Religion

• Guru Ram Das, fourth Sikh Guru and founder of Ramdaspur.
• Guru Arjan Dev, fifth Sikh Guru and creator of Adi Granth.
• Guru Hargobind, sixth Sikh Guru and first to militarise Sikh.
• Guru Har Rai, seventh Sikh Guru and the Guru who popularised katha of Gurbani (commentary).
• Guru Har Krishan, the eighth and youngest Guru who helped cure people infected with diseases.
• Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru who was executed by Aurangzeb for standing up for the rights of Hindus.
• Vadbhag Singh Sodhi, an Indian Sikh military general and priest.

See also

• Sood (disambiguation)
• Sodha, Rajput clan of Sindh
• Soodi
• Sud (disambiguation)

Notes and References

1. Book: Banerjee, Himadri . Beyond Punjab: Sikhs in East and Northeast India . 2023-01-30 . Taylor & Francis . 978-1-000-80028-9 . en.
2. Book: Gordon, John James Hood . The Sikhs . 2022-07-20 . DigiCat . en . His daughter, to whom he was devotedly attached, married Ram Das, a Jat youth of good family of the Sodhi sept of the tribe, who became a zealous Sikh..
3. Book: Singh, Prithvi Pal. The history of Sikh Gurus. Lotus Press. 2006. 81-8382-075-1. New Delhi. 52, 54.
4. Web site: 13 May 2021. Sikism - Guru Ram Das. Britannica.
5. Book: Harbans Singh . The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism: S-Z . 1992 . Punjabi University . 978-81-7380-530-1 . 225 .
6. Book: Massy, Charles Francis . Chiefs and Families of Note in the Delhi, Jalandhar, Peshawar and Derajat Divisions of the Panjab . 1890 . Printed at the Pioneer Press . en.
7. Book: Singh . Pashaura . The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies . Fenech . Louis E. . March 2014 . OUP Oxford . 978-0-19-969930-8 . en.
8. Book: Grewal. J. S.. The Sikhs of the Punjab. 1998. Cambridge University Press. 0-521-63764-3. 115. Revised.
9. Original copy of Guru Granth Sahib at Kartarpur. 30 August 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20160911025016/http://www.thehindu.com/2004/08/30/stories/2004083005910900.htm. dead. 11 September 2016. The Hindu. 22 August 2017.
10. Web site: Daljit Singh. Authenticity Of The Kartarpuri Bir (Updated). Sikh Philosophy Network. 22 August 2017.