The former trace their origin to the time of Tamarlane, who, on the death of his son, gave himself over to mourning for twelve years.

Then one Sayyid Hasan, a courtier of the Emperor, composed a humorous poem in Arabic, which gained him the title of Bhanr.

Sayyid Hasan is regarded as the founder of the caste.

Though he was a Sayyid the present Bhanrs are either Shaikhs or Mughals; and the difference of faith, Sunni and Shiah, is a bar to intermarriage.

The Kashmiri Bhanrs are said to be of quite recent origin, having been invited from Kashmir by Nasir-ud-Din Haidar, king of Oudh." The Bhands perform their marriages by the Nikah form, in which a Kazi officiates.