Il deal with the
Kamboh who are descendants of the ancient Kamboja people. The vast majority of Kambohs live in Punjab today, with smaller pockets existing in the UP area of North India (see map below). These latter mentioned Kambohs moved to UP due to earning fiefdoms and lands as part of service to the Mughals (most notably the Zuberi Nawab family of Meerut).
Ancient
The ancient Kambojas are usually described as an indo-iranic people and their presence has been noted as far north as modern day Tajikistan (Parama Kambojas).
However significant portions of the tribe moved southwards into KPK and Punjab, some adopting Hinduism and being integrated as Kshatriyas whilst others retained their old Iranic Zoroastrian beliefs.
For example the Buddhist Jatakas refers to the Kambojas in the following
"Kita Patanga Uraga ca Bheka
Bantva Kimim Sujjhati Makkhika ca,
Ete hi dhamma anariyarupa
Kambojakanam vithatha bahunnan"
Those men are counted pure who only kill
Frogs, worms, bees, snakes or insects as they will
Those are your savage customs which I hate
Such as Kamboja hordes might emulate (vol vi, 110)
The killing of insects, snakes is part of traditional Zoroastrian beliefs (see below)
Classical Zoroastrianism (i.e., from the Sasanian period, 224-751 CE),therefore, divides nonhuman animals into “good” and “evil” species. Good species must be protected at all costs by humans, who are subject to extremely harsh penalties if they abuse them. On the other hand, it is the sacred duty of believers to kill “evil” species (collectively called khrafstar ) at every opportu-nity, since by doing so they are reducing the foot soldiers available to Ahri-man in his campaign for advancing evil in the world.
http://www.academia.edu/9387080/Zoroastrian_Attitudes_toward_Animals
By Ashokas time however most Kambojas seem to have converted to Buddhism (as was the case in the wider Indus region). Ashokas edicts nevertheless were written in the Aramaic script in Kamboja territory, again denoting their Iranic heritage.
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Medieval
Following the Islamic invasions Kambohs to the north of Punjab seem to have submerged into other emerging ethnic groups and tribes. Those in the Central Punjab region however survived and maintained their tribal identity. According to tradition Bahaudin Zakariya converted a large section of the Kamboh to Islam.
During the Lodhi period, several Kambohs rose to high positions in the government.
Mufti Jamal-u-din Kamboh was the chief judge of Delhi
Sheikh Jamali Kamboh (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamali_Kamboh), court poet
Makhdum Sheikh Samayudin Kamboh Makhdum Sheikh Samayudin Kamboh, religious advisor to Behlul Lodhi
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Mughal Period
It is during the Mughal period that the Kambohs get most of their fame. Several of the highest ranking generals in the Mughal army were Kamboh and a branch of the Kamboh were granted the fiefdom of Meerut (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nawab_Khair_Andesh_Khan). The Mughals regularly recruited Kamboh soldiers and many like Shahbaz Khan rose to the highest ranks. A good article on Shahbaz Khan and Kamboh's impact on Lahore during this era in the article below
http://www.dawn.com/news/1287407
Culturally Kambohs had an impact during this period with the noted Kamboh brothers from Lahore Sheikh Inayat Allah Kamboh and Muhammad Saleh Kamboh standing out. The latter was the teacher of emperor Aurengzeb and biographer of Shah Jehan. A mosque in old city Lahore was built in his honour after this death (close to Mochi gate). Its in a really bad state though!
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British/Modern era
One of the most famous Kambohs during the colonial period is Nawab Waqar ul Mulq, one of the founding fathers of the Muslim League and its first general secretary. In the modern period communities of Kambohs can be found throughout Punjab especially in old city Lahore and Multan. Famous Kambohs living today are
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akhtar_Rasool
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ejaz_Chaudhary
Lala Obaidullah Kamboh (national team Kabaddi player)
and others.