History of Virk

VIRK

 Virk is a Jat gotra or clan. The clan is spread across the Punjab region in Pakistan and Northern India. The name is pronounced as "Veerk".

Etymology

The name "Virk" could have been derived from the name of the epical ancestor of the gotra, Raja Virk Vardhan

Virks in the Rigveda

According to the Jat historian, Bhim Singh Dahiya's book "Aryan Tribes and the Rig Veda", a prince named Dasyave Vrika, is mentioned in the Rigveda (Vlll/51/2, Vlll/55/1, Vlll/56/1). He can be identified with the Virk clan of the Jats and also with the Virk people of Iranian history, who gave their name to the province of Varkania /Hyrcania in Iran.

In other ancient texts

As mentioned earlier, the name of one of the ancestors of the Virk gotra was Virk Vardhan. According to the Patanjali Bhashya (4.6-114), Ashtadhyayi (l-6-155), Mahabhasya( 4-2-154) and Kashikavarti (1-1-175), Raja Virk Vardhan had built forts in:

1.         Kasrud (present-day Mandsor) in Central India 

2.         Shakil (Sialkot)

3.         Sosaph

4.         Dathaaprastha

5.         Naudipur

6.         Koak

7.         Kandewa

8.         Mula

9.         Pava Datt

10.       Karkar

11.       Virkgary.

According to Thakur Yugendrapal, the Virks are the Vahilkas (they are believed to be the founders of Bahawalpur) who are mentioned in the Mahabharata and who took one-sixth of the income of king Shalya, who was the king of the Madras and ruled over Madradesa (modern-day Sialkot). In the fourth century AD, they had a powerful kingdom. They were the contemporaries of the Gupta rulers. According to Brij Indra Bhaskar, in 428 AD, the Virk rulers performed a big Yagya near Bayana and constructed a pillar, on which they mentioned themselves as Virks. Rock inscriptions of Yasodharman have been found in Mandsor. Their reign in Malwa came to an end in 462.

Physical Attributes

Historically , the Virks had unique physical attributes. In history books, they have been described as tall, muscular, courageous and loyal. These physical and mental attributes made them ideal candidates for recruitment for the armies of different kings and Maharajas. They served in British Army, and still make a sizeable portion of Pakistani and Indian armies.

Virks in the Punjab

Sheikhupura

According to historians, the present-day city of Sheikhupura in the province of Punjab (Pakistan), was the site of Virkgarh till the Mughal emperor, Jahangir built the present city of Sheikhupura. The epical ancestor Raja Virk Vardhan was a ruler of a the area with its capitol being presentday Sialkot, Punjab Pakistan. The eastern extent of his raj included Jandiala in Amritsar, India. Still, Jandiala belongs to the Virks.

Muslim and Sikh Virks

Whether Muslim or Sikh? Virks always took pride in member of the Great Jats. The majority of Virks on the western side of Punjab converted to Islam while majority of Virks on eastern side of Punjab converted to Sikhism. The famous Virk Chieftan, Nawab Kapur Singh founded the Dal Khalsa and later divided it into twelve Misls. He was from "Fyzallapur" which remained his headquarter, this village was later rename as Singhpur. The Misl that he headed was consequently known as the Singhpuria Misl.

Virks in the British period

In Punjab (British India), the Virks held very high positions in the British Indian Army. Before the Partition of India, Sir Shahabuddin, a member of the Punjab Assembly and Secretary of the Jat Sabha, was a Virk Jat who belonged to Tar in Sialkot.

Virk Jats today

Today, one can find Virk Jats on both sides of the Punjab. In Punjab (Pakistan), a majority of Virks live in the Sheikhupura district. Virks still control the city of Sheikhupura (the ancient Virkgarh), politically and economically.