Legacy unbroken: Bhatia community from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa keeps pre-partition practices alive

By Saurabh Duggal

Miranshah, a town nestled in the Northern Waziristan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan, was once home to a thriving Bhatia community, a Punjabi Khatri group. But the Radcliffe Line forced them from their ancestral land.

After witnessing the horrors of partition and enduring years of refugee life, they found a new home in New Industrial Town (NIT) in Faridabad – the largest settlement of people who moved to India during the partition.  

Even after 75 years of partition and relocating over 1000 kilometers away, the Bhatia community from Miranshah is determined to keep their old traditions alive.

They continue the practice of having a Chaudhary, a social leader who represents the entire Bhatia community of Miranshah. During social gatherings, this leader is expected to wear the traditional pagri (turban), a practice still prevalent in the Khyber Pashtun belt of Pakistan.

Last year, Chaudhary Kewal Ram Bhatia, 89, the community's leader, passed away, and the role was passed to veteran journalist Susheel Bhatia, 56, now known as Chaudhary Susheel Bhatia.

“In the pre-partition era, the Bhatia community’s social leader had the title of Chaudhary, who represented the entire community. Even after the partition, this tradition still persists in the community,” says Chaudhary Susheel Bhatia.

The Chaudhary's selection is not based on family inheritance. Elders of the community choose a suitable leader.

“This is the first time in the post-partition era that the Chaudhary title of the Bhatias of Miranshah has been passed down to a son,” says Chaudhary Susheel, son of the late Chaudhary Kewal Ram Bhatia.

At the time of partition, Chaudhary Jaswant Bhagat was the leader. He continued as Chaudhary when they resettled in Faridabad. After his passing, the role went to Chaudhary Bal Chand and then to Chaudhary Gokul Chand.

Chaudhary Kewal Ram Bhatia became their fourth social leader and last year, the baton was passed on to Chaudhary Susheel Bhatia.

The Bhatias of Miranshah, as well as other Bhatia communities from Bannu division now settled in Faridabad, remain committed to preserving their forefathers’ practices from the pre-partition era.