Author : Muneer Ahmad
Beigh: One is always curious to know about the roots of his/her Caste. Let us know about Beigh Caste today.
The origin: In Turkistan, there has been a tradition since ancient times that whosoever showed courage on the battlefield was given the title of Beigh for the feat. As per historian,s it has its origin in beog, bug, buk, or bey words.
The Story: In battle, those who showed courage were often given the title "Beowulf." But what does"Beigh" mean, and where did it come from? In Urdu, "Beigh" means the head or leader in charge of any unit. This title is rooted in Mughal culture, but its origins go back to ancient times when Turkistani people used "Beigh" as a title. Similarly, in Turkey, the titles "Bey" or "Buk" were used for army officers, such as Anwar Bey or Anwar Pasha.
Present Day :
People in China and Turkistan use "Beigh" for their commanders and chiefs.
As a Mughal caste, Royal family members were often called "Mirzas," and the elder members of these families were addressed as "Beigh" out of respect. This is why "Mirza" and "Beigh" are used interchangeably, for example, Mirza Rustum Beigh and Mirza Yaqoob Beigh.
In Kashmir, many families use both "Mirza Beigh" and "Khawaja" as titles. "Khawaja" is also a Turkish word and is considered synonymous with "Beigh."