Hosseini Brahmins and the Battle of Karbala: A Historical Review

Mohiyals are a branch of Brahmins who are divided into seven clans. One of the Mohyal clans is the Dett, who are famous among the Shiites because of the popular stories about the presence of their ancestors in the Karbala. This clan of Brahmins believe that one of their ancestors, named Sidh Datt Rai ir Rahib, participated in the Battle of Karbala with with seven of his sons. Rahib returned to Punjab after seven of his sons were killed during the uprising. From that time until now, the descendants of Rahib, in order to honor her and also the mourning of Imam Hussain, mourn together with the Shiites during the days of Muharram. Therefore, this group of Brahmins have been known as Hosseini Brahmins since the 19th century. In this article, the accuracy of this claim of the Hosseini Brahmins and the compatibility of the narratives in their history with the sources of Islamic history have been examined. Also, the reasons for the greater popularity of these Brahmins from the 19th century onwards have been investigated