Nijjar

Nijjar is a surname found commonly among people of the Jatt clan from the Northern Indian state of Punjab. Most of the members of this clan are Sikhs by religion although there are many Sikh, Muslim, Hindu Nijjar's belonging to the Khatri/Rajput caste. Village historians say many Sikh and Muslim Nijjar's changed their name to "Nayyar" under the suggestion of the British to distinguish themselves from Jatt Nijjars.

History and origin

The four Nijjar, also spelled Nijjher, "Nijhar" or Nijjer, and in a rare alternate spelling "Nijor", villages of Dianatpur, Masanian, Kathar and Dhepur were first settled by people from village of Domeli. Kapurthala district near Phagwara. They Most likely settled in the village of Dianatpur during the Mogul times around 1775 when the Sikh Missals were also in the ascendancy. The forefathers of Dianatpur village used to say that two brothers from the village of Domeli used to bring their animals in the area for grazing and built huts to stay for months at a time. In due course they started cultivating the land and settled down and the village of Dianatpur came into being. It is said that the Nijhar families of Dianatpur, Kathar and Dhepur were tormented by the local Muslim jolahas . The families invited the jolahas for a meal and surrounded them and set them on fire killing them. The place where this event took place was called “masan” and later on when people settled near the place the village was called...
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