Prof R C Majumdar's take on himU, in an appendix of the above book: http://books.google.com/books?id=Emm0nTvll...page&q=&f=false
But the Hindu traditional sources (mostly the family histories of his relatives) differ on the origins of Himu. In contrast to what Majumdar says (sourcing from Badayuni and abulfazl), that he was a humble baniya from Haryana, it seems he was from Mithila and not at all from any humble background. According to this tradition, he was from the family of sArthavAha vaishya-s of mithilA who controlled and managed the trade routes and supply chains between magadha and nepAla, and this caste was and even today is, although vaishya but very kshatriya-like. They used to command private armies to protect the warehouses, trade posts and routes, guard the large trains of goods, and had became even more powerful and resourceful during sher shAh's rule. There are some families still living in kAThamANDU that consider himU an ancestor.
But the Hindu traditional sources (mostly the family histories of his relatives) differ on the origins of Himu. In contrast to what Majumdar says (sourcing from Badayuni and abulfazl), that he was a humble baniya from Haryana, it seems he was from Mithila and not at all from any humble background. According to this tradition, he was from the family of sArthavAha vaishya-s of mithilA who controlled and managed the trade routes and supply chains between magadha and nepAla, and this caste was and even today is, although vaishya but very kshatriya-like. They used to command private armies to protect the warehouses, trade posts and routes, guard the large trains of goods, and had became even more powerful and resourceful during sher shAh's rule. There are some families still living in kAThamANDU that consider himU an ancestor.