Sowar

This article is about the Indian military title. For the magazine, see Sowar (magazine).

Sowar
Sowar
Country	Delhi Sultanate Deccan Sultanates Mughal Empire India Pakistan
Branch	Cavalry
Equipment	Composite bow, Scimitar, Spear, and Musket

A Deccani courtier, c.1600.

A sowar of the 6th Madras Light Cavalry, serving the British East India Company, c. 1845.

Sowar (Bengali: সওয়ার, Hindi: सवार, Punjabi: ਸਵਾਰ, Urdu: سوار‎, also siwar meaning "the one who rides" or "rider", from Persian sawār) was originally a rank during the Mughal Empire and Maratha Empire. Later during the British Raj it was the name in Anglo-Indian usage for a horse-soldier belonging to the cavalry troops of the native armies of British India and the feudal states. It is also used more specifically of a mounted orderly, escort or guard. It was also the rank held by ordinary cavalry troopers, equivalent to sepoy in the infantry — this rank has been inherited by the modern armies of India and Pakistan.

History

An image from the Carnatic Wars features a Sowar armed with a Musket.

Sowar has been used as the name of a line of wrist-watches by the Swiss West End Watch Co.

See also

• Shah Mustafa, nicknamed Sher-e-Sowar
• Suvari

References

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Sowar". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.