Chowdhury Explained

Chowdhury
Pronunciation:chow-dhuree
chaw-dree
chow-dree
Meaning:Holder of four; four-way duties; four responsibilities
Region:Indian subcontinent
Variant:Chaudhary, Chaudri, Choudhary, Chaudhry, Chowdary, Chowdhry, Chowdhary, Chaudry, Choudary, Choudhry, Chaudhuri, Chaudhari, Chudhry, Choudhari, Choudhury, Chowdhuri, Chowduri, Chaudhurani, Choudhurani, Chowdhurani, Chowdhrani, Choudhrani, Chaudhrani.

Chowdhury is a title of honour, usually hereditary, originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is an adaption from Sanskrit. During the Mughal rule, it was a title awarded to eminent people, while during British rule, the term was associated with zamindars and social leaders. The common female equivalent was Chowdhurani.[1]

Meaning

"Chowdhury" is a term adapted from the Sanskrit words čatus "four-way, all-round" and dhurīya "undertaking a burden", denoting the head of a community or caste.

Significance

It was a title awarded to persons of eminence, including both Muslims and Hindus, during the Mughal Empire. It was also used as a title by military commanders responsible for four separate forces, including the cavalry, navy, infantry and elephant corps. These people belonged to the zamindar families in British India.[2] Many landlords under the Permanent Settlement carried this surname. Land reforms after the partition of India abolished the permanent settlement. In modern times, the term is a common South Asian surname for both males and females.

Regional

In the Chittagong Hill Tracts, the titular Rajas of the Bohmong Circle and Mong Circle have the surname Chowdhury.[3] [4] [5] [6]

The Bengali Muslim Mirashdars living in the former Kachari Kingdom were given titles by the Kachari Raja, which in modern-day acts as a surname for them.[7]

In Bihar, the Pasi are also known as the Chaudhary, a community traditionally connected with toddy tapping.[8]

In Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Chaudhary surname is mainly used by Jat community while some other caste also using it are Gurjars, Ahirs, etc. This surname is popular in North India and it conveys honour and strength.[9] [10] It is typically used as a prefix before the given name, often represented by the prefix 'Ch' such as Ch. Charan Singh, 5th prime minister of India and Ch. Devi Lal, 6th deputy prime minister of India.

Many Prajapati Kumhars also use surname as Chaudhary. They use prefix 'Ch' before the given name.[11]

Deshastha Brahmins and Kammas from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana who got this as a title during Qutb Shahis of Golconda and Nizams of Hyderabad also use Chowdhari or Chowdhury as their surnames.[12] [13] [14]

Alternate spellings

Its alternate spellings include: Chaudhary, Chaudri, Chaudhri, Choudhary, Chaudhry, Chowdary, Chowdhary, Chaudry, Choudary, Choudhry, Chaudhuri, Chaudhari, Chudhry, Choudhari, Choudhury, Chowdhuri and Chowdury. The female equivalent is Chaudhurani and alternate spellings include: Choudhurani, Chowdhurani, Chowdhrani, Choudhrani, Chaudhrani.

Notable people

Bangladesh

India

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana

Assam

West Bengal

Nepal

Fiji

Pakistan

United Kingdom

United States

Chaudhurani

Fictional characters

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Karim . Elita . August 1, 2008 . A Dedicated Educationist . History . Star Weekend Magazine . 7 . 31 . 19 February 2021 . 2 February 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140202130631/http://archive.thedailystar.net/magazine/2008/08/01/history.htm . dead .
  2. Book: The Journal of the Anthropological Survey of India, Volume 51. 204. Anthropology Survey of India. 2002.
  3. Web site: InsideStoryEventsMaster - Raj Punyah Ceremony Held Both in Bandarban.... ext.bd.undp.org.
  4. Web site: Saching Prue new Mong King. 18 January 2009. The Daily Star.
  5. News: Feature: 'Kingdom' system in Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts still in force . 4 March 2022 . people.cn . 15 December 2008 . 28 June 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180628220349/http://en.people.cn/90001/90777/90851/6553229.html . dead .
  6. Web site: UNPO: Chittagong Hill Tracts: Stalemate For Land Commission. unpo.org.
  7. Book: Principal Heads of the History and Statistics of the Dacca Division. Cachar District: Statement No. XVIII: Glossary of Local Terms . 406–408. https://archive.org/details/principalheadsh00unkngoog/page/n419. 1868. Calcutta. E M Lewis. Calcutta Central Press Company.
  8. People of India Bihar Volume XVI Part Two edited by S Gopal & Hetukar Jha pages 759 to 765 Seagull Books
  9. Web site: Surname Choudhary: Meaning Origin Variants . 2024-05-12 . www.igenea.com.
  10. Book: Bhindar, Imran . FROM SIALKOT TO VANCOUVER . Lulu Chaudhary . 2018 . 9781642547917 . 28 . En-US.
  11. Web site: Bhartiya . Ranjeet . 2021-10-02 . अलग-अलग राज्यों में कुम्हार जाति उपजातियां और समुदाय के बारे में विवरण . 2023-12-23 . Jankari Today . en-GB.
  12. Book: Gaikwad . V. R. . Tripathy . Ram Niranjan . Socio-psychological Factors Influencing Industrial Entrepreneurship in Rural Areas: A Case Study in Tanuku Region of West Godavari, Andhra Pradesh . 1970 . National Institute of Community Development . 33 . en.
  13. Book: State and Society: A Reader in Comparative Political Sociology. Coenraad M. Brand. 1973. 112. University of California Press. 9780520024908 .
  14. News: Revealing the missing links. Hans India. 24 July 2016.
  15. Book: Ahuja, M. L.. Handbook of General Elections and Electoral Reforms in India, 1952-1999. Mittal Publications. 2000. 302, 340. 9788170997665.
  16. Web site: Abbasi . Talha . Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan . Pakistani Leaders Online. https://web.archive.org/web/20180720022527/http://pakistanileaders.com.pk/profile/Chaudhry_Nisar_Ali_Khan. 20 July 2018. 17 January 2021.
  17. Book: Hossain. Anowar. Muslim women's struggle for freedom in colonial Bengal: (1873-1940). 2003. Progressive Publishers. 9788180640308. 266.