🇵🇰 History of Punjabis (1 Viewer)

[ghazi]

Punjabis are originally from the region of Punjab, which is located in both India and Pakistan. The Punjabi people have a rich cultural heritage and have contributed significantly to the history and culture of the Indian subcontinent.

Punjabis derive their name from a geographical, historical, and cultural region located in the northwest of the Indian sub-continent. "Punjab" comes from the Persian words panj (five) and ab (river) and means "Land of the Five Rivers." It was the name used for the lands to the east of the Indus River drained by its five tributaries (the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej). Culturally, the Punjab extends beyond this area to include parts of the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan, the foothills of the Himalayas, and the northern fringes of the Thar (Great Indian) Desert in Rājasthān.

The Punjab is an ancient center of culture in the Indian subcontinent. It lay within the bounds of the Harappan civilization, the sophisticated urban culture that flourished in the Indus Valley during the 3rd millennium bc. Harappa, one of the two great cities of this civilization, was located on the Ravi River in what is now Pakistan's Punjab Province. The Punjab has also been one of the great thoroughfares of South Asian history. Aryan-speaking nomadic tribes descended from the mountain passes in the northwest to settle on the plains of the Punjab around 1700 bc. Subsequently, Persians, Greeks, Huns, Turks and Afghans were among the many peoples who entered the Indian subcontinent through the northwestern passes and left their mark on the region. Punjabis, who are of Aryan or Indo-European stock, are the modern descendants of the many peoples that passed through the region.

At times in the past, the Punjab and its population have enjoyed a distinct political identity as well as a cultural one. During the 16th and 17th centuries ad, the region was administered as a province of the Moghul Empire. As recently as the 19th century, much of the area was united under the Sikh state of Ranjit Singh. Britain administered the Punjab as a province of its Indian Empire. However, the redrawing of political boundaries in 1947 saw the Punjab divided between India and Pakistan. Punjabis, despite their common cultural heritage, are now either Indians or Pakistanis by nationality.

 

[ghazi]

Punjabis number about 120 million people, of whom around 90 million live in the Pakistan Punjab and just over 30 million in the Indian state of Punjab. Migrant Punjabis form important communities in Indian cities, such as Delhi, as well as overseas in Southeast and East Asia, Australia, Africa, Europe, and North America.

Punjab Province in Pakistan includes virtually all of the Punjab (i.e., West Punjab) that was assigned to Pakistan in 1947. The Indian Punjab (East Punjab) State extended from the international border with Pakistan to Delhi. In 1966, however, agitation for a Punjabi-speaking state saw the creation of the present Punjab State. This is less than half the size of the former East Punjab and only 14% of the area of the undivided Punjab. The location of India's Punjab State along the border with Pakistan and only some 40 km (25 mi) from the city of Lahore, gives it great strategic significance.

The Punjab is an agricultural region and Punjabis, whether in India or Pakistan, share the agrarian social structure based on caste that is found throughout South Asia. The Jats, mainly landowners (zamindars) and cultivators, are the largest caste in the Punjab. Other agricultural castes include Rājputs, Arains, Awans, and Gujars. Among the lower-ranked service and artisan castes are the Lohars, Tarkhans, and Chamars.

The homeland of the Punjabis lies on the plains of the upper Indus Valley, covering an area of roughly 270,000 sq km (104,200 sq mi). It stretches from the Salt Ranges in the north to the fringes of the Thar Desert in the southeast. The western margins lie along the base of Pakistan's Sulaiman Range.

The Shiwaliks, the outer foothills of the Himalayas, define the Punjab's eastern boundary. The region is a vast alluvial plain, drained by the Indus River and its tributaries. In the northeast, the plain lies at around 300 m (just under 1,000 ft) above sea level, but it declines to under 75 m (250 ft) in elevation along the Indus River in the south. The hills bordering the plain exceed 1,200 m (approximately 4,000 ft) in the Shiwaliks and 1,500 m (approximately 5,000 ft) in the Salt Range.

The Punjab experiences a subtropical climate, with hot summers and cool winters. The mean temperature for June is 34°c (93°f), with daily maximums often rising much higher. The mean maximum temperature for Lahore in June is 46°c (115°f). Dust storms are a common feature of the hot weather.

The mean January temperature is 13°c (55°f), although minimums drop close to freezing and hard frosts are common. Rainfall varies from 125 cm (approximately 49 in) in the hills in the northeast to no more than 20 cm (8 in) in the arid southwest. Precipitation has a monsoonal pattern, falling mainly in the summer months. However, weather systems from the northwest bring valuable amounts of rain in the winter.

 

[ghazi]

Punjabi is the name of the language, as well as of the inhabitants, of the Punjab region. Punjabi belongs to the Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family.

In Pakistan, Punjabi is written using the Perso-Arabic script introduced to the region during the Muslim conquests. Punjabis in India use the Lahnda script, which is related to Devanagari, or the Gurmukhi script in which the Sikh sacred books are written. Punjabi is spoken by two-thirds of the population of Pakistan.

In India, Punjabi is the mother tongue of just under 3% of the population. Punjabi was raised to the status of one of India's official languages in 1966.

There are six major dialects of Punjabi localized on the doabs, the areas lying between the rivers, which tend to be cultural and historical as well as geographical regions. Majhii, one of the more important dialects, is spoken in the region of the cities of Lahore and Amritsar. The other important Punjabi dialects are Malwa, Doabi, Powadhi, Dogri, and Bhattiani.

To the west, Punjabi gives way to Lahnda, which is also known as Western Punjabi. Urdu, rather than Punjabi, is favored by city dwellers in Pakistan. Seraiki, sometimes called Multani, is a Punjabi dialect (some say it is a separate language) spoken by some 30 million people in Pakistan in the southern Punjab and northern Sindh. Like Punjabi, it is written in the Perso-Arabic script, the Gurmuki script, or the Devanagari script.

 

[ghazi]

Punjabis have a rich mythology and folklore that includes folk tales, songs, ballads, epics, and romances. Much of the folk tradition is an oral one, passed on through the generations by traditional peasant singers, mystics, and wandering gypsies. Many folk tales are sung to the accompaniment of music.

There are songs for birth and marriage, love songs, songs of war, and songs glorifying legendary heroes of the past. The Mahiya is a romantic song of the Punjab. Sehra Bandi is a marriage song, and Mehndi songs are sung when henna (a red dye) is being applied to the bride and groom in preparation for marriage.

Heera Ranjha and Mirza Sahiban are folk romances known in every household in the Punjab.

Wandering Sufiholy men, such as Bullhe Shah, are well known in the Punjab for their poetry and music. They contributed a verse form that became distinctive of Punjabi literature.

The mixture of Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim themes in Punjabi folklore mirrors the presence of these different religious traditions in the region.

 

[ghazi]

The religious composition of the Punjabis reflects the Punjab's long and varied history. Early Hinduism took shape in the Punjab, Buddhism flourished in the region, and Muslims wielded political power in the area for nearly six centuries. Sikhism had its origins in the Punjab, which saw the existence of Sikh states that survived until the middle of the 20th century.

Sikhism was a syncretic religion combining the monotheism of Islam with many of the social features of Hinduism. Althought its founder, Guru Nanak Dev (1469-1539), preached for a classless society and the equality of women, Sikhs have to all intents and purposes adopted the Hindu caste system and treat women in a similar manner.

Born into a Hindu caste in a village in the Punjab (now in Pakistan), Nanak founded a religion that today has most of its adherents in the Punjab. The British annexed the Punjab in the 19th century and introduced Christianity to the region. Thus, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Christianity are all represented among the Punjabi population.

Religious distributions in the Punjab were the result of historical processes at work over many centuries. These patterns were, however, dramatically altered by the mass migrations that accompanied the creation of India and Pakistan in 1947. Hindus and Sikhs fled Pakistan for India, while Muslims traveled in the other direction seeking refuge in Pakistan. Communal strife at this time between Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims left as many as 1 million people dead.

Today, Punjab Province in Pakistan is 97% Muslim and 2% Christian, with small numbers of Hindus and other groups in the population. Sikhs account for 63.9% of the people in India's Punjab State, while 34.7% are Hindu and roughly 1% each are Muslim and Christian. Small numbers of Buddhists, Jains, and other groups are also present.

 

[ghazi]

Festivals in the Punjab are communal events shared by the entire community, no matter what their religion. Many are seasonal or agricultural festivals. Thus, Basant, when the mustard fields are yellow, marks the end of the cold weather.

Punjabis celebrate by wearing yellow clothes, organizing kite-flying, and feasting. Holi is the great spring festival of India and a time for much gaiety, throwing of colored water and colored powder, and visiting friends and relatives.

Vaisakh (Baisakh), in April, marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year and also is of special importance for Sikhs, as it commemorates the founding of the Sikh Khalsa. Tij marks the beginning of the rainy season and is a time when girls set up swings, wear new clothes, and sing special songs to mark the occasion. Dasahara, Diwali, and other festivals of the Hindu calendar are celebrated with much enthusiasm. The Sikhs have their "gurpurbs," holidays associated with the lives of the Gurus, while Muslims commemorate the festivals of Muharram, Id-ul-Fitr, and Bakr-Id.

 

[ghazi]

Punjabi rites of passage follow the customs of the community to which a person belongs. Thus, among Muslims, the mullah, or priest, will visit a house within three days of the birth of a male child to recite holy words, including the Call to Prayer, in the baby's ear. The traditional period of impurity after child-birth ends with a fast. The child is named in consultation with the mullah. Males undergo circumcision (sunnat) any time before 12 years of age. Sikh birth rituals are simpler, with the child being taken to the temple for offerings, prayers, and the naming ceremony.

The Adi Granth, the sacred book of the Sikhs, is opened at random and the parents choose a name that begins with the first letter of the first word on the left-hand page. An important ceremony for the Sikhs, however, is the baptism or initiation into the Sikh religion. This usually takes place in the late teenage years. For Hindus, it is important that a child be born at an auspicious time.

A Brahman priest is consulted and, if the time of birth is deemed unfavorable, special ceremonies are held to counter any harmful consequences that might result from this. In the past, a mother remained in isolation for a period of 40 days, though this custom is beginning to disappear. The ritual shaving of the head of the child is usually performed during the first five years of the child's life.

At death, Muslims wrap the corpse in white cloth before taking it to the mosque. White is the color of mourning throughout South Asia. At the mosque, the mullah reads the holy words over the body, which is then buried in the graveyard. Sometimes a stone slab is placed on the grave and each of the mourners places a handful of earth on the grave.

This symbolizes the breaking of the link with the deceased. The mullah prays for the dead for three days. Hindus and Sikhs cremate their dead. On the fourth day after cremation, Hindus collect the ashes and charred remains of bones from the funeral pyre and immerse them in the sacred Ganges River, at Haridwar if possible. Sikhs usually immerse the ashes at Kiratpur Sahib, on the River Sutlej.

 

[ghazi]

Punjabi villages are compact nucleated settlements, with houses clustered around a mosque, temple, or gurdwara. Typically, the houses on the outside edge of the village are constructed so as to present the appearance of a walled settlement with few points of access.

The main entrance to a village is through an arched gateway called a darwaza (door or gate), which is also a meeting place for the village. Houses are built close together, often sharing common walls, with rooms built around a central courtyard where animals are tethered and agricultural implements are stored. Most villages are made up of the various communities that are essential to a functioning agricultural economy-landowners, cultivators, artisans, and service castes.

The prosperity brought to the Punjab by the agricultural advances of the Green Revolution in the late 1960s and 1970s is clearly seen in local housing and creature comforts. In the Indian Punjab, houses are now built of brick, village streets are often paved, and every village has electricity. Households commonly have comfortable furniture, ceiling fans for the hot summers, and conveniences like telephones, radios, televisions, and even refrigerators.

Many farmers have tractors. Scooters and motorcycles are common, and the more affluent families have cars and jeeps. Although the Pakistani Punjab has not achieved quite the same levels of prosperity, it too is a fertile agricultural region, and Punjabis enjoy some of the highest standards of living in Pakistan. However, being of a considerably larger size, there are areas lacking the transportation infrastructure and amenities that characterize the rest of the province.

 

[ghazi]

Family Life

Caste, or jati, is the most important social grouping among Punjabis, defining social relations, marriage pools, and often occupation. Castes exist even among Muslims and Sikhs, whose religions specifically deny the legitimacy of the caste system. Castes are divided into numerous gots or clans, which are exogamous social units. One cannot marry into the gots of any of one's four grandparents. Among Muslims, castes are known as qaums or zats, but at the village level it is the biradari, or patrilineage, that is the more significant social unit. All males who can trace their lineage to a common ancestor belong to the same biradari, and all members of the biradari are regarded as kin. Members of a biradari often put up a united front in village affairs and disputes, for they share a sense of collective honor and identity.

The family is the primary unit of Punjabi society. The joint family dominates, with sons and their wives and children, along with any unmarried offspring, living in the household of the parents. The men have the responsibility of overseeing the agricultural or business activities of the family. Women, under the direction of the mother-in-law or senior wife, see to the running of the household, food preparation, and the care and raising of children. Among peasant cultivators, women as well as men participate in agricultural activities. Both men and women from laboring castes work for hire, as agricultural workers or at other manual labor.

Marriage and the bearing of children are expected of women in Punjabi society. Marriages are arranged by the parents of the boy and girl, though each community follows its own marriage rituals and customs. Among Muslims, for instance, the best match is considered to be a marriage between first cousins. The months of Ramadan and Muharram are avoided as marriage dates, the former being a month of fasting and the latter being a period of ritual mourning. The Muslim marriage ceremony is termed the Nikah ceremony. The girl is given a dowry, which explicitly remains her property.

Hindu Punjabis seek marriage partners according to the limitations of caste endogamy and clan exogamy. Dowry is an important factor in negotiating a Hindu marriage. Hindu rituals include the traditional journey of the barāt (marriage party) to the bride's house, the garlanding of the bride and groom, and the ritual walking around the sacred fire. Sikhs, on the other hand, do not give or take dowries and solemnize their marriages before the Granth, their sacred book. In all communities, however, residence is patrilocal-the new bride moves into the home of her husband's family.

Different Punjabi communities have different customs regarding divorce and remarriage. Although Islam has provisions for a man to divorce his wife, in rural society divorce is intensely disapproved of and there are strong social pressures against it. Nor do Muslims approve of widow remarriage. Sikhs do not permit divorce, but do allow widow remarriage. Widow remarriage is not common among Hindus, although Jats permit the union between a widow and the younger brother of her husband. Divorce is not customary among Hindus, although there are ways in which marriages can be informally brought to an end.

 

[ghazi]

Punjabis in Pakistan are subject to the chronic political instability that affects the state. Punjabis, who are the most populous group in the state, are viewed by other peoples as dominating the state of Pakistan, and Nawaz Sharif, Benazir Bhutto's chief protagonist until her assassination in December 2007, has had his power base in the Punjab.

The radicalism associated with militant Islam and Pakistan's (apparently reluctant) involvement in the West's War on Terror is a cause of social problems, as is sectarian conflict and both internal and external disputes over water resources. The dispute with Sindh Province over the use of the waters of the Indus River and its tributaries extends back to the middle of the 19th century, but Pakistan's Water and Power Development Authority's (WAPDA) proposed plan known as Vision-2025 will essentially give Punjab Province control of the Indus' waters, extremely important in a country irrigated agriculture is the dominant economic activity.

 

[ghazi]

When the Punjab was partitioned between India and Pakistan in 1947, a bone of contention remained which country had the right to use the waters of the Indus River and its tributaries. This issue was finally resolved by the Indus Waters Treaty, signed between the two countries in 1960. The Treaty provided that the waters of the contested rivers, the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej would be for the exclusive use of India.

However, India would have to make a one-time financial payment to Pakistan as compensation for the loss of water from the rivers in India. The countries also agreed to exchange data and co-operate in matters related to the treaty, creating the Permanent Indus Commission, with a commissioner appointed by each country.

 

[Bilal9]

Nice informative posts @ghazi bhai. Please also post some pictures if possible.

 

[ghazi]

The Punjabis, are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group associated with the Punjab region, comprising areas of eastern Pakistan and northwestern India.

They generally speak Standard Punjabi or various Punjabi dialects on both sides.
Languages spoken: Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu

Australia: 132,496 (2017)
Bangladesh: 23,700 (2019)
Canada: 942,170 (2021)
Germany: 18,000 (2020)
New Zealand: 34,227 (2018)
Pakistan: 108,586,959 (2022)

 

[ghazi]

Porus

A Punjabi king who fought bravely against Alexander of Macedon. Defeating him was one of Alexander's most difficult conquests, and out of respect for Porus he employed him as a satrapy over the area.

The difficulty of the battle also seems to have caused the Macedonian soldier's reluctancy to fight any further, to the point where they almost started a mutiny.

This resulted in Alexander being forced to end his campaign of expansion.

Porus | Indian King, Battle of the Hydaspes, & Alexander the Great

Kautilya

A famous philosopher from Taxila who tutored Chandragupta Maurya, and held a key position in the Mauryan Empire. He is often compared to Aristotle and Plato.

Chanakya | Biography, Ethics, & Facts

Sarang Khan

He was a powerful ruler of Nothern Punjab who fought alongside Babur during his conquests of Hindustan. He obtained the title of Sultan for his efforts. When Sher Shah Suri usurped Babur's son Humayun, Sarang fought against him bravely, and Sher Shah Suri was never able to subdue his people even after skinning Sarang himself.

Sultan Sarang Khan Ghakkar - Wikipedia

Wazir Khan

A Punjabi who acted as Shah Jahan's physician. He was also a Mughal noble and chief Qazi of Lahore for quite some time during Mughal rule. He founded Wazirabad and Wazir Khan Masjid is named after him.

Wazir Khan (Lahore) - Wikipedia

Shahbaz Khan

A Punjabi who fought as a general under Akbar. He participated in some of the most difficult battles during Akbar's reign, and annexed large amounts of Hindustan. He was also a highly religious Muslim, keeping a long beard and regularly praying.

Shahbaz Khan Kamboh - Wikipedia

Abdullah Bhatti

He rebelled against Mughal emeperor Akbar, and is often compared to Robin Hood due to his social banditry. Many folklore tales speak highly of his deeds. When he was hung, his last words that were uttered were "No honourable son of Punjab will ever sell the soil of Punjab".

Dulla Bhatti - Wikipedia

Fateh Muhammad

Worked as a commander in Aurangzeb's army. He was also the father of Hyder Ali, who was the father of Tipu Sultan.

Fath Muhammad - Wikipedia

Mukarrab Khan

A powerful chieftain of nothern Punjab who fought alongside Nader Shah during his conquests of the Mughal Empire. He was awarded the title of Nawab for his efforts and was allowed to retain control of his kingdom. He then expanded it to include much of nothern Pakistan before being defeated by the Sikh Empire. Even then, his people continued to rebel against the Sikhs.

History of Gakhars

 

[ghazi]

Gujjars

The Gujjars are a nomadic tribe that exist primarily in Pakistan, but also have significant numbers in Afghanistan and Hindustan.

They are believed to be the descendants of Central Asians who migrated to the region during the invasions of the Huna people (they were most likely an allied tribe in their confederation, such as the Khazars) and intermarried with local Indo-Aryans, hence why they speak an Indo-Aryan language (Gojri). This is strengthened by the fact that some of the earliest references to Gujjars in the region appear shortly after the Huna invasions.

The Gujjar language (Gojrj) is also interesting since roughly 10-13% of its words (depending on the dialect) actually come from Pashto, suggesting that the original abode of the Gujjars (after they came from Central Asia and intermarried with the locals) would be eastern Afghanistan/KPK/FATA where the Pashto language would have influenced them (perhaps they may have even occasionally intermarried), since large numbers of Gujjars are found there and it seems strange that Gojri dialects in places like Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Kashmir (where there are next to no Pashtuns) have such a large number of words borrowed from Pashto. There's also the fact that many of the Gujjars of eastern Afghanistan, KPK and FATA consider themselves to be some of the earliest inhabitants of the region, and the fact that the traditional migration route for Central Asians to Pakistan was via the Khyber Pass (in fact, the Hunas used this specific pass to enter Pakistan).

The Gujjars established many dynasties across Pakistan and Hindustan, such as the Shah Mir dynasty, Tomara dynasty, and Chavda dynasty. Many places such as Gujjar Khan, Gujrat and Gujranwala are also named after them. The Gujjars also fought in large numbers in Muhammad Bin Qasim's army, and have a played a significant role in Pakistan's armed forces, with Tufail Muhammad (Nishan-e-Haider winner) being a Gujjar and large portions of the Pakistani military being Gujjars. Gujjars in Afghanistan also fought hard against the USSR as part of the Afghan Mujahadeen.

There have also been plenty of famous Gujjars, such as Shoaib Akhtar (fastest bowler in history) and Rehmat Ali (author of the Pakistan declaration).

List of Famous Gujjar and Bureaucrats

https://www.sil.org/system/files/re...6620875850976172253716042392/32846_SSNP03.pdf

https://jktribals.page.tl/History-of-Gujjars.htm

 

[ghazi]

Awans

They are regarded as being of either Arab or Rajput origin, and dwell within every province of the country in fairly significant numbers, other than Gilgit-Baltistan. The tribe itself would have likely originally formed in its current state in northern Punjab, making them one of the few tribes of the Punjab that can be counted as at least somewhat native in origin.

The Awans have historically been land-owners and soldiers, with a strong martial history and a good representation among the Pakistani armed forces. French political scientist Christophe Jaffrelot (who specialises in Pakistan and Hindustan) had this to say about them:

"The Awan deserve close attention, because of their historical importance and, above all, because they settled in the west, right up to the edge of Baluchi and Pashtun territory. Legend has it that their origins go back to Imam Ali and his second wife, Hanafiya. Historians describe them as valiant warriors and farmers who imposed their supremacy on their close kin the Janjuas in part of the Salt Range, and established large colonies all along the Indus to Sind, and a densely populated centre not far from Lahore."

Famous Awans would include Major Muhammad Akram Shaheed (Nishan-e-Haider recipient) and Major General Amir Faisal Alavi (FGO of the SSG).

Awan History - Awan History

 

[ghazi]

Rajputs

The Rajputs are a famous tribe that exist across Pakistan and Hindustan. They are well known for being good soldiers as well as fierce resistors to any attempt to conquer them.

In terms of origin, the Rajputs are widely regarded as an amalgamation of many of the different ruling clans across Hindustan during the Islamic era. They are closely related to Jats and Gujjars, sharing many clans with them (e.g the Tors).

There have been many famous Rajputs throughout history, such as Jam Nizammudin (Sultan of Sindh), Shabbir Sharif (Nishan-e-Haider recipient), Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (Pakistani PM), Isa Khan (Bengali chieftain), etc. The Rajputs have also founded many dynasties throughout history, such as the Samma dynasty or Muzaffarid dynasty. They also make up a significant proportion of the Pakistani military.

Rajput - Wikipedia
Rajput | History, Significance, & Facts

 

[ghazi]

Tribes and clans of the Pothohar Plateau

The Potohar plateau, or sometimes pronounced Pothohar Plateau, is a large region of plateau situated in northern Punjab, Pakistan. It is bounded on the east by the Jhelum River, on the west by the Indus River, on the north by the Kala Chitta Range and the Margalla Hills, and on the south by the Salt Range[. The terrain is undulating. The Kala Chitta Range rises to an average height of 450-900 metres (3,000 ft) and extends for about 72 kilometres (45 mi). The Swaan River starts from nearby Murree and ends near Kalabagh in the Indus river. Sakesar is the highest mountain of this region. The region roughly covers the modern day Punjab districts of Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum and Rawalpindi and the Islamabad Capital Territory.

Map of the Pothohar Region
The Pothohar region is home to a number of tribal groupings, many of whom occupy distinct tracts. The author of the Jhelum District Gazetteer gave the following account of the tribal groupings at the beginning of the 20th Century.

The population is generally clearly sub-divided into tribes (quoms or zats), having a common name and generally supposed to be descended from a traditional common ancestor by agnatic descent, i.e through males only. Some of the tribes are very homogenous, as for instance the Awans, who number 16 percent of the total population. Others again, such as the Jat, who are returned as numbering 12 percent of the population, are a loose congeries of clans than a compact tribe

The author further goes on to say:

Almost every tribe is again sub-divided into clans (muhi), or smaller groups of agnates, distinctly recognized as descended from a somewhat remote ancestor and usually bearing a common name.

More recent works by the British anthropologist Pnina Werbner have confirmed the continuing strength of tribal feelings among emigrant Pothoharis in the United Kingdom. This region was and still is an important source of recruitment into the old colonial British Indian army, and its successor, the Pakistan Army. Official recruitment policies have also encouraged the sense of tribal belonging among the Pothoharis. According to the 1931 Census of India, the last to collect data on castes, the largest tribes of the Rawalpindi Division, starting with the largest numerically, were the Rajput, Awan, Jat, Gujjar and Kashmiri. Here is a list of the major tribes:

Tribe	Attock District	Jhelum District	Rawalpindi District	Total
Rajput	36,192	78,013	212,418	326,623
Awan	204,295	61,321	46,627	312,243
Jat	10,429	85,459	16,373	112,261
Pathan	47,589	14,722	6,675	68,986
Gujar	13,246	20,526	27,485	61,257
Maliar	10,521	21,348	17,295	49,164
Sayyad	14,935	14,832	14,578	44,345
Mughal	6,459	18,830	16,446	41,735
Kashmiri	7,517	11,507		25,793
Dhund Abbasi			29, 423	29, 423
Gakhar	437	11,507		25,793
Qureshi	2,965	10,522	9,053	22,540
Satti			15,343	15,343
Khattar	4,548		445	4,993
Paracha	1,117		1,142	2,259
Aheer			173	173

PLEASE NOTE: The present Chakwal District was created out of the merger Talagang Tehsil of Attock District and Chakwal Tehsil of Jhelum District in 1985. The Islamabad Capital Territory was carved out of Rawalpindi District in 1959.

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Distribution
The Plauteau portion of the Pothohar region is held by the Rajput, Jat, Maliar, Gujar and Mughal. The Salt Range is held entirely by the Awan tribe. While the Murree Hills are held by the Dhund, Dhanyal, Kethwal and Jasgam. Along the Indus river, the Pathan hold the Chhachh illaqa, and the Makhad region, where the Kala Chita mountains meet the Indus river. In terms of population, the Awan and Rajput together accounted two-thirds of the total population of the Pothohar. The Jat, Gujars and Maliars then made remainder of the village population.
Awan
In terms of the general distribution, the Awan are perhaps the most widely distributed of the tribes, found in almost every district of the Pothohar region. The western portion of the Salt Range is in fact referred to as the Awankari, or country of the Awans.
Gakhar
The Gakhar or Kayani are a tribe local to the Pothohar region, found only in Rawalpindi, Jhelum and Mirpur.
Gujar
The Pothohar Gujar are found mainly in Taxila, Rawalpindi and Gujar Khan tehsils of Rawalpindi District.[11]. In Jhelum District, they are found in the east district, along the Jhelum river valley, where they hold eighty villages, Kala Gujran being the most important. [12]. In Attock District, they are found mainly in Attock Tehsil and Fateh Jang Tehsil. They are almost absent in Chakwal District.
Jat
The Pothohar Jat, are found mainly in the Gujar Khan Tehsil of Rawalpindi District, with a few also found in Rawalpindi Tehsil. In Attock District, they are found mainly in Fateh Jang Tehsil and Pindigheb Tehsil, mainly along the border with Rawalpindi District. In Chakwal and Jhelum, they form an important element of the population.
Murree Hills tribes
The plateau is bordered in the east by the Murree Hills. Unlike the tribes settled on the Plateau, for the tribes of the Murree Hills, paternity is not the only fact worth considering. The author of the Rawalpindi District Gazetteer wrote the following:

The family bulks much less largely. Family pride is much weaker and more uncommon. Every family is split with feuds which generally have their origin in the domestic disputes to which polygamy gives rise. All the hillmen are democratic and no respect is paid to family pretensions.

The northern half of the Murree Tehsil is held entirely by the Dhund, who claim to be Abbasi Arabs, claiming descent from the Prophet Mohammad's uncle Abbas ibn Abdul Mutalib. The Satti tribe, which claims Rajput ancestry is found confined to the hilly Kotli Sattian Tehsil. In between these two tribes, are wedged the Kethwal, who claim descent from the Greek general Alexander the Great. The Dhanyal hold the western half of the Murree Tehsil, known as the Karor illaqa, as well as villages in the Islamabad Capital Territory. Like the Awan, the Dhanyal claim descent from the Prophet Mohammed's son in-law Ali. The smallest of the Murree Hill tribes are the Jasgam, who hold several villages in the hilly portion of the Kahuta Tehsil. Like the Dhund, they claim to be Abbasi Arabs.
Rajput
The Rajputs are found in greatest numbers in the Rawalpindi, Kahuta and Gujra Khan tehsils of Rawalpindi District, Fateh Jang and Pindi Gheb tehsils of Attock District, and found through out Jhelum and Chakwal districts.

Principal tribes Full Discription
Here is a brief description of the main tribes of this region.​

Aheer
The Aheer have been referred to as "an ordinary Musalman peasents, like their neighbours." They are essentially a tribe of the Thal region, with villages in Khushab, Sargodha and Mianwali districts. They are differing and conflicting theories about their origin, as is the case with many other Punjab tribes. One of the tradition connects them to Qutab Shah, the ancestor of the Awan and Khokhar tribes. According to another tradition, they are Yaduvanshi Rajputs, and descended from the Krishna. In the Pothohar region, the Aheer have a small presence, with just two villages, Bher Ahir and Ahir in the Gujar Khan Tehsil.
Alpial

​

The Alpial are a Rajput tribe, found mainly in Attock District. According to 1931 census of India, their approximate population was 4,500.[16]
The Alpials claim descent from the Manj Rajputs, and their claim to Rajput origin is generally admitted. They appear to have settled in their present locality about the same time as the Jodhras and Ghebas, that is about the 15th Century, having first wandered through the country now contained in the Khushab and Chakwal districts before settling down in the southern corner of Fateh Jang. [16] The author of the 1929 Attock District Gazetteer had this to say about them:

Hard-working and excellent cultivators, generally tilling their own land and working laboriously on their wells, they have taken only a small part in the more lurid history of the district. Socially they rank high, intermarrying freely with the Mughals. They are a bold, lawless set of men, of fine physique, much given to violent crime, sturdy, independent and wonderfully quarrelsome.

The Alpials occupy a compact block of villages on both banks of the Swaan River, in Rawalpindi Tehsil, Rawalpindi District and the in the Sil Sohan circle of the Fateh Jang Tehsil,Attock District. They own 32 villages in all. The main Alpial villages are Adhwal, Chak Beli Khan, Chakri, Dinal, Dhullial, Dinal, Khilri, Mala Kal, Parial and Raika Maira, all in Fateh Jang Tehsil.
Awan
Most Awans maintain (and have always maintained) they are descended from an individual named Qutb Shah, a ruler of Herat and a general in the army of Mahmud of Ghazni, who himself was a Hashemite descendant of the Prophet Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, Ali (but by a wife other than the Prophet's daughter, Fatimah).
It is asserted that Qutb Shah and six of his sons accompanied and assisted Mahmud in his early eleventh century conquests of what today forms parts of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Northern India. It is claimed that in recognition of their services and valour, Mahmud bestowed upon Qutb Shah and his sons (who, according to tribal traditions, settled primarily in the Salt Range) the title of Awan, meaning "helper".[18]
The Awan, more than any of other tribes referred to are a Pothohar tribe. In numbers, they came only second to the Rajputs. In Rawalpindi District, they are two be found in every tehsil. In the Islamabad Capital Territory, almost all the villages around the town of Golra Sharif are held by the Awan. In Gujar Khan Tehsil, they hold almost all the villages along the Grand Trunk Road, north of the town of Gujar Khan, Pandar Kala being the most important.The Budhal muhi (clan) occupies several villages in this tehsil. They are also found in numbers in villages between Kahuta and Kallar Syedan. The Golra Awans, historically gave great trouble to the British colonial authorities, and permanent police post was maintained in their territory. The recent building of the new capital, Islamabad, and has some impact on this once fearsome tribe. Other important Awan villages are Banda and Rawat, both in Rawalpindi District.
In Jhelum District, they are found along the start of the Salt Range, in Pind Dadan Khan Tehsil, where the village of Nurpur has been the centre of the tribe. Isolated Awan villages are found through out Jhelum District, but there is no compact territory held by the tribe.
In Chakwal District, the Awan hold the whole of the Talagang Tehsil, the western Salt Range and the Thal Desert, and extend in the neighbouring Khushab District. Indeed this region is referred to as the Awankari or Awan country. Their main muhi or clans in the district are the Mumnal, Saghral, Shial, Gang and Mund. Important Awan villages include Tamman, who headmen are seen as the chiefs of the tribe, in the district. Other villages include Lawa, Trap, Dhermund, Pihra Fattial, Thoa, Chinji, Jhatla, Sangwala, Saghar, Dhaular, Bhudial, Patwali, Multan, Pachnand, Nila, Dhurnal and Danda Shah Bilawal.
In Attock District, their villages dominate the centre Pindigheb Tehsil in a strip from the Swaan River to the Kala Chita mountains. In Fateh Jang Tehsil, almost all the villages in the Swaan River valley are held by the Awans. In Attock Tehsil, they share the Chhachh illaqa with the Pathans and the Sarwala, with the Khattars. The principal muhis found in Attock are the Qutubshahi, Sadkal, Bugdial, Chajji, Saidan, Parbar and Ballial. Like the Golra Awan of Rawalpindi District, the Trer Awan of Attock Tehsil gave some difficulty to the British colonial authorities.Important Awan villages in the district, include Dhak, Jalwal, Maira, Jand, Jangla and Narwara in Pindigheb Tehsil, and Jhan and Bathu in Fateh Jang Tehsil, and Shamsabad and Bhallar Jogi in Attock Tehsil.[22] The village of Shamsabad is another important centre of the Awan tribe, and the chiefs of Shamsabad also wield considerable influence in Attock District.

Tribes and clans of the Pothohar Plateau

The Potohar plateau, or sometimes pronounced Pothohar Plateau, is a large region of plateau situated in northern Punjab, Pakistan. It is bounded on the east by the Jhelum River, on the west by the …

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[ghazi]

Population of Punjabi Muslim Castes according to the 1901, 1911, 1921 and 1931 Census of India

In this post, I show the number of Muslim castes counted for the Punjab by the four censuses of India, namely the 1901, 1911, 1921 and 1931. The census of Punjab in 1901 listed 153 castes that were wholly or partially Muslims with population over a 100 persons; the lists of 1911 only showed 133, and 1921, it was reduced to 109, and further reduced to 37 for the 1931 Census. This reduction was partly due to a process called as Ashrafization, a term coined by Imtiaz Ahmad, a sociologist at the JNU in Delhi. This process includes groups lower in the caste hierarchy adopting upper-caste Muslim practices to achieve social climbing as well as changing their names. The 1931 census was the last to count to caste on territory that became Pakistan.
The largest caste per percentage and population among the Punjab Muslims were the Jats, and in 1901 made 16% of the total. In every census up to 1931, the Jats remained the largest caste, accounting to 20% in 1931. The top five castes in terms of percentages remained fairly constant over the three decades, with the Rajputs (11% in 1901, 10% in 1911, 10.5% in 1921 and 12% in 1931) forming the next largest group. Among three other castes, Arains remained in third place (8% in 1901, 8% in 1911, 8.5% in 1921 and 9% in 1931), while the Julaha (Ansari) or weavers were in fourth place up to 1921 (5% in 1901, 5% in 1911, 4.5% in 1921 and 4% in 1931). In 1931, the Julaha had fallen to fifth place. The Baluch, who were settled mainly in south-west Punjab were the fifth largest caste up to 1921 (4% in 1901, 4% in 1911, 4% in 1921 and 4% in 1931), then moved up to fourth place in 1931. The next five castes also roughly remained the same. The Gujjars were the sixth largest caste in 1901, 1911 and 1921, and seventh largest group in 1931 (4% in 1901, 4% in 1911, 4% in 1921 and 4% in 1931). While the Awan were the seventh largest group in 1901, 1911 and 1921, and switched places with the Gujjars to become the sixth largest group in 1931 (3.5% in 1901, 3.5% in 1911, 3% in 1921 and 4% in 1931). In eight place were the Mochi (cobblers / leather workers), who kept that position throughout the four censuses (3% in 1901, 3.4% in 1911, 3% in 1921 and 3% in 1931). The ninth largest in 1901 were the Kumhars (potters), who were tenth largest in 1911, 1921 and 1931 (3% in 1901, 3% in 1911, 3% in 1921 and 3% in 1931). In 1901, the Shaikh were the tenth largest caste, but slipped to 11 in 1911, 15 in 1921, and back to 11 in 1931 (3% in 1901, 3% in 1911, 2% in 1921 and 3% in 1931). In ninth place for the rest of the three census years were the Mussali (Muslim Shaikh), who in 1901 stood at 34 (0.5% in 1901, 3% in 1911, 2% in 1921 and 3% in 1931). This drastic change was likely as the results of both conversion by the Hindu Chuhra caste to Islam in the western districts and re designation by the Census of certain castes as Mussali such as the Kutana.
Just a brief note on groups are known as "peripatetic nomads". These are various itinerant populations who move among densely populated areas to offer specialized services (crafts or trades) to their residents—external consultants, for example. There were several groups among Punjabi Muslims who fell within this category such as the Abdal, Aheri (Thori), Changar, Kangar and Kanjar. None of these were counted in the 1931 Census. There is an excellent account of these communities in Punjab by late American anthropologist Joseph C. Berland, in his book No Five Fingers Are Alike: Cognitive Amplifiers in Social Context.
1901 Census
In 1901, the total population in Punjab was 24,754,737, of which Muslims were 12,183,345 (49%). The Muslim castes with population over 100 were:

	Caste	Population	Percentage of the total Muslim population
1.	Jat	1,962,252	16%
2.	Rajput	1,347,347	11%
3.	Arain	1,005,188	8%
4.	Julaha	592,786	5%
5.	Baluch	467,843	4%
6.	Gujjar	460,410	4%
7.	Awan	421,112	3.5%
8.	Mochi	409,677	3%
9.	Kumhar	359,889	3%
10.	Shaikh	321,408	3%
11.	Teli	318,598	3%
12.	Tarkhan	294,096	2%
13.	Pathan	263,897	2%
14.	Faqir	255,864	2%
15.	Sayyad	244,227	2%
16.	Machi	240,983	2%
17.	Nai	207,822	2%
18.	Lohar	206,371	2%
19.	Kashmiri	193,088	1.5%
20.	Meo	146,652	1%
21.	Jhinwar	142,208	1%
22.	Dhobi	128,487	1%
23.	Qassab (Qasai)	118,644	1%
24.	Khokhar	107,939	0.9%
25.	Khoja (Punjabi Shaikh)	99,238	0.8%
26.	Mughal	98,282	0.8%
27.	Maliar	81,093	0.6%
28.	Dogar	75,080	0.6%
29.	Kamboh	73,878	0.6%
30.	Mallaah	70,223	0.6%
31.	Bharai / Shaikh Sarwari	65,678
32.	Barwala	62,466
33.	Chhimba	60,051
34.	Mussali / Muslim Shaikh	57,410
35.	Qureshi	52,951
36.	Kutana[1]	49,982
37.	Jogi and Rawal	41,030
38.	Kharral	40,296
39.	Changar	39,354
40.	Ulema[2]	34,099
41.	Pachhada	31,117
42.	Darzi	28,969
43.	Sonar (Tank Rajput)	28,565
44.	Gakhar	26,259
45.	Dhund (Abbasi)	23,591
46.	Daudpotra (Abbasi)	20,384
47.	Rangrez[3]	20,160
48.	Lilari	20,027
49.	Penja	19,679
50.	Rawat	17,374
51.	Satti	17,094
52.	Mahtam	15,076
53.	Bhatiara	13,942
54.	Jhabel	13,278
55.	Khatik	11,362
56.	Kahut	10,804
57.	Kakkezai	10,793
58.	Raj	10,486
59.	Chamar	10,332
60.	Kanchan	8,984
61.	Odh	8,583
62.	Janjua	8,361
63.	Maniar	7,907
64.	Kalal (Kalwar)	7,563
65.	Khattar	7,411
66.	Kunjra	6,913
67.	Nat	6,330
68.	Kanera	5,893
69.	Pakhiwara	5,590
70.	Taga / Tyagi	5,214
71.	Paracha	4,564
72.	Khanzada (Jadaun)	3,971
73.	Banjara	3,728
74.	Harni	3,575
75.	Labana	3,531
76.	Ghosi	3,543
77.	Gadi	3,294
78.	Bodla	3,184
79.	Noongar	2,894
80.	Ahir	2,816
81.	Khakha	2,765
82.	Sansi	2,536
83.	Bhat	2,487
84.	Aheri	2,449
85.	Gagra	2,433
86.	Ghulam (Gola)	2,405
87.	Sudhan[4]	2,291
88.	Niaria	2,162
89.	Kathia[5]	2,099
90.	Baddun	1,896
91.	Lilla	1,691
92.	Baghban[6]	1,602
93.	Kehal	1,531
94.	Batwal	1,477
95.	Qalandar	1,449
96.	Bharbhunja	1,385
97.	Thathera	1,374
99.	Perna	1,270
99.	Bhand	1,162
100.	Toba	1,140
101.	Dabgar	1,127
102.	Khumra	1,109
103.	Arab	1,098
104.	Barar[7]	1,025
105.	Kangar	915
106.	Domna[8]	902
107.	Kanjar	889
108.	Garri / Gayri[9]	826
109.	Kayastha[10]	822
110.	Kamangar	783
111.	Kharasia	773
112.	Darugar	728
113.	Marath[11]	689
114.	Gadariya[12]	661
115.	Phaphra	632
116.	Turk	563
117.	Bawaria[13]	468
118.	Dogra[14]	448
119.	Bisati[15]	439
120.	Mohipota / Mohipotra[16]	431
121.	Thori (Nayak)	392
122.	Brahman	386
123.	Patwa	363
124.	Karal[17]	350
125.	Chirimar	341
126.	Sirkiband	330
127.	Tanoli[18]	309
128.	Sahnsar	305
129.	Mali	294
130.	Qizilbash	294
131.	Saiqalgar	280
132.	Lodha / Lodhi[19]	268
133.	Bazigar	254
134.	Bangali	252
135.	Attar[20]	216
136.	Pasi	215
137.	Bhatia[21]	213
138.	Jhojha	202
139.	Sattiar[22]	198
140.	Arora	189
141.	Khushabi	185
142.	Saini	180
143.	Kanet[23]	176
144.	Khatri	161
145.	Hijra[24]	157
146.	Bohra	150
147.	Sapela[25]	149
148.	Gandhila[26]	145
149.	Chanal[27]	139
150.	Kamachi[28]	137
151.	Shorgir[29]	124
152.	Tamboli	123
153.	Cheenigar[30]	101

History – newpakhistorian

History pf Pakistan

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[Old School]

There is a debate on which language of Punjabi is the oldest one as it now appears from research that historically Punjabis had more languages than one can count and Punjabi is not a single language, rather a group of languages collectively called Punjabi. my bet is on Hindlko as earliest form of Punjabi. It is found that old writing system Kharosihi script was once used to write the ancient languages of Punjab. Later Punjabi writers started writing in Sanskrit, Pali and later in Farsi instead of in their mother tongues.

 

[ghazi]

Bib and Sarrara tribes of Hazara

In this post, I shall look at two tribes, namely the Bib and Sarrara that are found in the Hazara region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Hazara is located in the North-Eastern part of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, east of the Indus River and comprises six districts: Abbottabad, Battagram, Haripur, Mansehra, Kohistan, and New District Torghar. The region is bounded on the north and east by the Northern Areas and Azad Kashmir. To the south are the Islamabad Capital Territory and the province of Punjab, whilst to the west lies the rest of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The river Indus runs through the division in a north-south line, forming much of the western border of the division. The total area of Hazara is 18,013 km².



Hazara region shaded: Source Wikipedia
Hazara lies in a region which is a crossroads of cultures, where the plains of the Punjab meet the Central Asia. Its population consists of numerous tribes, many of whom claim and are of Pashtun ancestry. However the tribes looked at in this post make no such claim. It is likely that they are of Hindu ancestry, but all claim Arab ancestry. Like most of the population of Hazara, all these tribes speak the Hindko language, which main be descended from the ancient language of the Gandhara civilization. The population are referred to as Hindkowan, meaning people who speak Hindko.
Bib
I start this post with one of the least known of the Hazara tribes, the Bib. The origin of the Bib is subject to some argument. According to their own traditions, the Bib are a branch of the Awan tribe, a claim generally not accepted by the Awans. They, like the Awans claim descent from the fourth Caliph of Islam, Ali. Their customs are similar to neighbouring Hindkowan communities, and they are entirely Sunni.
The are found in the Abbotabad District, occupying two villages between the Rash plains and Thandiani range. This region is extremely mountainous, located in the northeast of Abbottabad District in the foothills of the Himalayas. To the east beyond the Kunhar River lies the Pir Panjal mountain range of Kashmir. Cut from the other the Awans of the Haripur plain, the Bib have much in common with their neighbours the Karlal and Sarrara, rather then the Awans.
Sarrara
The other tribe I will look at are the Sarrara, who closely connect themselves to the Dhund, a tribe found mainly in the Murree hills. Some traditions make the Sarrara a branch of the Dhund, like the Dhund, the Sarrara claim to be Abbasi Arabs.
British Sources
Like many other tribes in the region, there are a number of theories about the origin of the Sarrara tribe. Horace Arthur Rose was an early 20th Century British colonial official who co-authored A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North-West Frontier Province, which is one of the most comprehensive glossaries on the tribes of Punjab, and a good source on many Punjabi tribes. He describes the Sarrara as follows:

A tribe found in Hazara which belongs to a race inhabiting Chibhal, or the hill country of Kashmir on the Hazaraa border, and, according to Wace, akin to the same ethnic group as the Dhund, Satti, and Karral of the same tract. They are chiefly found in the Abbottabad tehsil, where they are purely agricultural. They are all Muslim and are probably quite distinct from the Sarera of the eastern hills.

Rose connects the Sarrara with the people of the Chibhal, the region that starts across the Jhelum River, in what the is now the central and southern parts of Azad Kashmir, as the well the districts of Rajouri and Poonch in Indian administered Kashmir. Most of these tribes speak Pahari,and in Hazara the Sarrara like their neighbours the Dhund and Karral tribes speak the Dhundi-Karali dialect of Hindko, which is very close to the Pahari spoken in Chibhal. While J. M Wikely, author of a military manual, the Punjabi Musalmans has this to say about them:

This tribe is met with only in the Boi tract, between the Thamdiani range and the Kunhar river, in the Hazara district. They connect themselves with both the Dhunds and the Tanaolis, but say at the same time that they came from Pakpattan in the Montgomery district. The tribe is classed as Sahu and inter-marry on equal terms with the Dhunds.

The Sarrara share a common tradition with Dhund, Jasgam and Khatreel tribes, claiming to be descended from the Abbasi dynasty, which was the second dynasty of the Islamic Caliphate. However, the tradition of coming from Pakpattan does not appear in their own traditions.
Local Traditions
The story of the Sarrara starts with Zarab Khan, who said to have come to the Pothohar region with Qutb Shah, the ancestor of the Awan. He was said to have given the task of arranging an agreement with the king of Kashmir. He completed this task and after signing a treaty with the king of Kashmir, was on the way back. He reached Kahuta in the Rawalpindi district and decided not to go further for some reasons. From those of Zarab Khan's family that remained in the Murree and Kahuta hills descend the Dhund, Jasgam and Khateel tribes. The reason Zarab Khan is said to left Baghdad was that the Abbasids caliphate were disintegrating, his enemies were powerful and sought refuge in Herat. According to another tradition, Zarab Khan is said descend from a person by the name of Adil, who is said to have to come to India from Baghdad and settled down in Delhi permanently. Adil's sixth or seventh descendent was Zarab Khan bin Mutaaf. The resting place of Zarab Khan and his son Akbar Gai Khan is in Darab Kot Rawalpindi district of Pakistan.
The Sarrara get their name from their ancestor Sarrara Khan, also known as Sultan Sakhi Sarwar. He was said to be son of Akbar Gai Khan, who was the son of Zarab Khan, and lived in Darab Kot in Kahuta tehsil. These names also appear in the ancestry of the Dhund, Jasgam and Khatreel tribes. This Akbar Gai Khan is said to have had twelve sons, namely:
Kahonder Khan (forefather of Dhund)
Tanoli Khan (forefather of Tanolis in area of Tanawal and Amb Durband)
Chajjar Kanal
Salal
Agar Khan
Kool or Koor
Hakim Khan
Sarrara (ancestor of the Sarraras)
Hans Khan
Molam Khan
Dilhawas
Barra Hazaria
Sarrara Khan then left Kahuta and lived for many years at someplace in Potohar Plateau and which saw his clan expand in numbers. However, the Sarrara soon came into conflict with the original occupants of the area. The Sarrara left the Pothohar region and entered Hazara, arriving in what is now Abbottabad, and eventually settling on the west side of the mountain range called Thandyani. Most of this region was said to uninhabited and Sarrara Khan settled in place in the Thandyani now called Chamyali, He chose a spot near a stream called Salol, and this has been the home of the Sarrara ever since. Their original village was named Pattan, which means a river crossing.
After the collapse of Mughal authority, Hazara passed to the Sikhs. The Sarrara resisted the rule of Ranjit Singh. With coming of the British in 1848, the legendary Major Abbott pacified the region and founded the town of Abbottabad. The 1931 Census, the last that counted caste, the Sarrara numbered 10,000, all in the Abbotabad tehsil.
Distribution
The Sarrara are still only found in the Boi tract between the Thandiani range and Kunhar river in the Abbottabad District. The largest Sarrara village is Pattan Kalan and other important villages include Pattan Khurd, Chamiali, Bandi Sarrara, Darer, Batangi, Sialkot, Kotlian, in Kukmang Union Council. Each village is inhabited with a different clan, descended from one of the sons of Sarrara Khan

Clan	Villages
Behlumal, descended from Behlum Khan	Main villages are Chamyali, Drer and Batangi. Other villages include Chak Pattan, Bagla, Khuhi, Bunna Khaiter, Salol, Aziz Gran, Barwala, Sunda Jabri area, and are also found in Tarhora and Pattan Khurd.
Tatral, descended from Tatar Khan	Chak Pattan, Bagla, Khuhi and Jabri area and are in majority in Masina.
Dumal, descended from Dumat Khan	Chak Pattan, Utla Khaiter, Jabban, Jabri , Barwala, Dhaki and are scattered in other part of Pattan
Lashkaryal, descended from Lashkari Khan	Kotlian Gehar and Duwata area

Posted on May 24, 2022 by newpakhistoryPosted in Tribes of Hazara Division, Tribes of PothoharTagged Abbasi biradari Hazara, Bib, Bib Awan tribe, Bib biradari, Bib tribe, Sarrara, Sarrara Abbasi, Sarrara tribe.Leave a comment

Bangial tribe

In this post, I will look at the Bangial, sometimes spelt Bangyal, tribe of the Potohar region of Pakistan. A few Bangyal are also found in the Mirpur District of Azad Kashmir. The Bangyal claim ancestry from the Panwar, and I will start off with a brief note of the Panwar, or sometimes pronounced as Parmar or Puar. In the Pothohar region, the correct pronunciation is Panwar. I would also refer the reader to the Facebook page Mirpur and Dadyal Heritage Society (accessible through mirpurheritage.com), which has some excellent information on these tribes.
Rajah Jagdev and the Panwar Rajputs
The Panwar were dynasty that in early medieval India ruled over the Malwa region in central India. Like the Chauhans, the Panwar are from the fire born or Agnivansh branch of the Rajputs. Quite a number of tribes in Pothohar and neighbouring Chibhal region claim descent from the Panwars, all having some tradition of migration from central India, followed by conversion to Islam at the hands of a particular Sufi saint. Many of these tribes also have traditions of initially settling in the region known as Chibhal. The key figure that appears in the origin story of Chibhali Panwar is Raja Jagdev Panwar, who has an almost semi-mythical. According to tribal myths of, he became the ruler of Malwa after death of his father Udayaditya, but he handed over the throne to his brother owing to family-dispute and settled at Jarg, somewhere in present day Okara District. He is said to have slain a demon who used to eat a human-being daily in a fort near Dipalpur, also in Okara. The local king Raja Kankhar bestowed upon him half his kingdom and gave his daughter in marriage. He is said to have struck off his own head on the demand of a witch-wife of the court-bard of Raja Jai Chand of Lambargaon but this was miraculously restored. Jagdev then migrated to the Chibhal territory, where he founded Akhnoor State, ruled by Panwar Dynasty of his descendants for over six centuries. Many of the local Dogra clans claim descent from the Raja such as the Ambarai.
Akhnoor lies in the heart of Chibhal located on the banks of the Chenab River. The territory of Chibhal lies between Tawi River and Jhelum rivers, with the Pir Panjal Mountains forming its northern boundary and gets its name from the Chib tribe. Presently, Chibhal is divided by the line of control, with Mirpur and Bhimber districts within Pakistani Kashmir, and districts of Rajauri, Reasi, and parts of Jammu (including Akhnur) west of the Manawar Tawi in Indian administered Jammu and Kashmir. The Bangial have traditions of leaving the region and settling in plains territory of northern Punjab in Gujarkhan, Jhelum, and Kharian. Rajah Jagdev Panwar is also seen as a common ancester of the Panwars of this region, such as the Hon and Sahnsral.
Bangial
So who are the Bangial, sometimes written as Bangyal, and we have go back to my first post on the Pothohar tribes. The word al means son of in number of dialects that fall within Lahnda, such as Pothohari and Pahari. J. M Wikely, author of the army recruitment guide Punjab Musalmans describes them as such:

Male population: Approximately 2,000 (Census 1931).
Locality: The tribe is found chiefly in the Rawalpindi district, where they occupy five villages in the Gujar Khan tehsil. There appear to be a few also in the Jhelum, Gujrat and Gujranwala districts
Particular: Bangial and Baghial appear to be the same tribe, those members of it which are in the Rawalpindi district are classed as Rajputs, while in Gujrat, Gujranwala and Jhelum they are Jats. They describe themselves as being Panwar Rajputs. The first ancestor of Musalman faith was Bangash Khan.

Other then this brief mention, British sources have been quite on the Bangial. According to the Bangials themselves, they are descended from a Rajah Bangash Khan, a Panwar Rajput, who arrived in the Pothohar region from central India, hence the name Bangash al, shortened to Bangyal. According to other traditions, the Raja came from Delhi. This Bangash Khan is also seen as ancestor by the closely related Baghial tribe. Changa Bangial in Gujarkhan Tehsil is said to be their first settlement in the region, and according to some traditions Changa was a son of Bangash Khan.
A bit more detail description of the comes largely from the book Tazkira Pothohar by Mohammad Artsab. Bangash Khan is said to come from the lineage of Raja Jagdev Panwar, who had three sons, Rokha Khan, Chhanga Khan and Sanbar Khan. The Bangial all claim decent from one of these three brothers, and generally consider the town of Changa Bangyal as there first settlement. The brothers were said to have come from Sialkot, during the period of Gakhar rule, which could be anything between the 14th and 18th Century. Most Bangial generally connect themselves with Changa Bangial as their ancestral village. In Mirpur, the Bangyal claim descent from two brothers, Raj Khan and Shahu Khan, who are said to have come from Changa Bangial.
Like many of their neighbours such as the Kalyal, some groups of Bangial consider themselves as Jats, while other see themselves as Rajputs. In Gujranwala, Gujrat and Jhelum districts of Punjab, and Mirpur District of Azad Kashmir, the Bangial strongly identify themselves as Jat, and intermarry with tribes of Jat status, such as the Warriach and Tarar. But as we move towards Dina and neighbouring Gujar Khan tehsils, almost all the Bangial claim Rajput ancestry, so briefly we can summarize, that the Jhelum River divides these two groups.

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