| Piracha | |
| Region: | Indian subcontinent |
| Variant: | Paracha, Peracha, Pracha, Paracha, Peratcha |
Paracha (Urdu: پَراچہ, Hindi: पराचा) or Piracha (Urdu: پِراچہ, Hindi: पिराचा), also known as Peracha, Piracha,Pracha, and Paracha, is a family name in India and Pakistan, most common in the Punjab region.[1]
The Paracha caste is traditionally believed to descend from the lineage of Hazrat Ali Yemeni in Arabia, who is said to have converted to Islam during the early days of the faith in the 7th century CE. It is commonly suggested that the tribe migrated with Yemeni into Persia, where the Parachas[2] became established as traders. Over time, various branches of the tribe spread across North India, Central Asia, and Afghanistan. Another reference suggests that the Paracha caste may have roots in the Gandhara region of the Indian subcontinent, with the caste name deriving from Hindi origins.[3] In his 2007 book, Pakistan through the Ages, Pakistani archaeologist and historian, Ahmad Hasan Dani, notes that the Pirache, a tribe that migrated with the Kushans to what is now Pakistan, eventually became known as Paracha and Piracha.[4] They initially blended elements of Zoroastrianism and classical Greek mythology in their religious practices, later converting to Buddhism during the reign of Emperor Kanishka.[4]
The Rawalpindi Gazetteer recorded the principal settlements of the Paracha as being Makhad and Attock, stating that the Paracha were of Hindu origin, as with the Khoja; many Piracha later converted to Islam.[5]
The Gazetteer of the Shahpur District mentioned that the Piracha caste engaged in trade and preferred to record their transactions in Hindi, as with the Khoja.[6]