Hindu names for Kashmiri Muslims

[Rajesh Kochhar]

There are many instances of Muslims' retaining their pre-conversion
(high-caste) surnames even after coversion.That is how you have Bhats and
D(h)ars among Muslims. The Pakistani journalist Najam Sethi has a  Punjabi
surname.There was a Pakistani journal during the Bangla Desh war , Rao
Farman Ali;Rao denotes his Ahir caste.More generally,  Khatris converting to
Islam have been called Khojas.

 Rajesh Kochhar
:

>The idea that the Nehrus were Muslims seems pretty absurd to me, but I
>want to take issue with one contention:
>
><<A Muslim cannot have the surname `Gandhi' or `Nehru', they are
>definitely forbidden. It would have to be changed to Shaikh
>on conversion.>>
>
>Whether it's forbidden or not, I have met or read of Kashmiri Muslims
>with what one would usually consider Hindu family names, such as Bhat,
>or even Shaiva.  Whether their families were recent converts or not I
>would not know.
>
>Allen Thrasher
>
>
>
>Allen W. Thrasher, Ph.D.
>
>Senior Reference Librarian       101 Indendence Ave., SE
>Southern Asia Section               LJ-150
>Asian Division                            Washington, DC 20540-4810
>Library of Congress                     U.S.A.
>tel. 202-707-3732                       fax 202-707-1724
>Email: athr at loc.gov
>
>The opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the
>Library of Congress.