Who are Kamboj?

Kamboj (Punjabi: ਕਮ੍ਬੋਜ, Hindi: कम्बोज, Urdu: کمبوہ ) is frequently used as surname or last name by many Kambojs, currently living in India. Their Muslim counter-parts living in Pakistan mostly use Kamboh instead. The Kambojs/Kambohs are the modern reprentatives of ancient Kambojas, a well known Kshatriya tribe of Indo-Aryans, stated to have had both Indian as well as Iranian affinities is frequently used as surname or last name by many Kambojs, currently living in India. Their Muslim counter-parts living in Pakistan mostly use Kamboh instead. The Kambojs/Kambohs are the modern reprentatives of ancient Kambojas, a well known Kshatriya tribe of Indo-Aryans, stated to have had both Indian as well as Iranian affinities.

Chudakarma Samskaara of Paraskara Grhya-Sutram, Vamsa Brahmana of the of the Sama Veda, the epic Ramayana as well as Mahabharata and some other ancient references attest that a section of the Kambojas also practiced Brahmanism.

Bhai Dayal Dass Ji - Great Kambojas Part 4

Bhai Dayala Ji

Bhai Dayal Dass Ji was son of Bhai Mai Dass and younger brother of martyr Bhai Mani Singh ji. His grandfather, Balu Ram had attained martyrdom while fighting in Guru Hargobind's first battle of faith against the Mughals. His ancestors belonged to Alipur near Multan. Bhai Mai Dass came to Kiratpur for an audience with Guru Har Rai in 1657 A.D. While returning, he left his three elder sons for service of the Guru's institution. Bhai Dayal Dass was fifteen when he entered the Guru's institution.

 

More details at http://www.kambojsociety.com/BhaiDayalaJi.asp

Bhai Mani Singh - Great Kambojas Part 3

Bhai Mani Singh being executed by chopping his body to joint by joint

Bhai Mani Singh was a great Sikh personality of eighteenth century and occupies a very esteemed position in Sikh history. He assumed the control and steered the course of the Sikh destiny at a very critical stage in their history. A great scholar, a devoted Sikh and a courageous leader, Bhai Sahib willingly laid down his own life to uphold the dignity of the Sikh nation and religion. Bhai Mani Singh is a Martyr par excellence in Sikh history and his name has become an integeral part of daily Sikh Ardas (prayer). Bhai Mani Singh Shaheed came, according to Bhai Kesar Singh ji Chhibbar, his contemporary, of a Kamboj family.

More details at http://www.kambojsociety.com/BhaiManiSingh.asp

Baba Bhumman Shah - Great Kambojas Part 2

Baba Bhumman Shah, (also known as Baba Bhuman Shah, born Bhumia Hassa) is counted among the top Udasi saints of India. He was born on April 14, 1687 CE at village Behlolpur, Tehsil Deepalpur, district Montgomery, Punjab, (Pakistan) in a family reportedly coming of Kamboj lineage. His father Chaudhury Hassa Ram was a Numbardar and a well-known landlord of Behlolpur. Hassa Ram and his wife Mata Rajo Bai were known to be deeply religious and devotees of Guru Nanak as well as of Baba Sri Chand, the founder of the Udasi Panth.

There are several legends and myths connected with Bhumia's early childhood. The story goes that once as a kid, when he was sleeping in his cradle, a cobra came and sat over his chest with his hood spread wide-apart. Mother Rajo was stunned at the scene but as she dared to approach the cradle, the cobra disappeared slowly with no harm to the sleeping kid. Another myth relates to the revival of the dead sparrows; and yet another one deals with restoring to health the lost crops of a poor farmer......so forth and so on. These were taken to be miracles and the peoples from far and wide started to crowd at Bhumia house to have his darshan.

Bhumia went for his schooling at the age of seven. He was very sharp and intelligent student and imbibed the essentials of Hinduism, Sikhism and Islam at a very young age. Besides attending to his religious lessons, Bhumia also performed the worldly chores like grazing cows in the company of other boys of his village. He would take his cows to the forest where he would also carry plenty of food and Jal (water) to run a free-kitchen (Langar) for the passer-bys including the ascetics, saints, the poor and the orphans. Little later, the family would move from Behlolpur to Deepalpur.

More details at http://www.kambojsociety.com/BhummanShah.asp