Sidhar

[p.] Sidhar aka Sidher , Sidhra , Sidha , Sedhu is a Punjabi Surname used by Brahmins . The Surname comes under the caste of Sharma .

Sidhars were originally Sidh Purushas ( attained / enlightened souls ) a subgroup of Kashmiri Brahmins whom practiced Sainthood / Alchemy/ Medicine / mysticism and scholarly practice . Upon the Muslim invasions many Sedhu’s ( Kashmiri for Sidha ) migrated to the plains and hills of Punjab including Jammu , kangra , triloknath , Una , Ludhiana , Lahore , Amritsar and lyallpur . During the Afghan and Sikh occupations of Kashmir the Sidhar Subcaste left en mass for these places and started the famous Shawl making businesses of Amritsar and Lahore , many had been assimilated into Punjabi culture and now can be found in the Indian states of Punjab , Himachal , Haryana and Delhi . Very few still live in Kashmir and Jammu although a few were resettled recently in Mattan , Anantnag .